Weekly Wrap-Up

Robbie is 2.5 years old.

Well, after having last week off (from blogging, anyway... we still did our normal routine), we have started our new curriculum this week. We're simply testing the waters to see what works and what needs to wait.



NOTE: All workbook pages are done "on demand" only. I lay out a few choices each day and if he wants to work in one at any point throughout the day, he grabs that book, sits at his little school desk and tells me.

Hands-on activities (with pictures) are featured in our Tot-School updates every Sunday.

BIBLE


Nothing formal or structured.


PRE-READING



We're still having fun with short vowel words. He is enjoying both reading and spelling them (with magnets, of course).




Well, we started Explode the Code, Book 1 this week. Other than circling, x-ing or coloring he will not be writing. I'll probably print out letters for him to paste onto the writing sections or something similar.


Starfall.com - he was disinterested (I think it's boring him. Perhaps a break will make it seem fresh and new at a later date).

Some of this week's read-alouds can be found here.


PRE-WRITING



He has also started the Handwriting Without Tears Pre-K program. It is mostly hands-on activities with very little actual writing (it's supposed to be one worksheet per week, if you want to).

Here are some other items we are using to help develop the necessary fine motor skills and stamina needed for writing:




PRE-ARITHMETIC


This book is so informative and really seems to fit my teaching style. There is no scripting and the activities begin with simple finger quantities (i.e. hold up two fingers to represent 2) and goes through all 4 basic operations. My little guy loves the abacus and I have high hopes for this as a guide. I predict that this will get tons of use.



He's only completed a few pages, but he loves these types of matching, circling, etc. activities. We'll do this as he wishes.


Manipulative Activities: Tons of free and structured play with his new favorite manipulative, his abacus. I have a few pics of other activities which will be featured in our Tot-School post on Sunday.

We also now have the Rightstart Mathematics Card Games set. The first set of games are all about numeration, so we hope to dive in soon.

If you'd like to see how other parents are educating their preschoolers, visit the Preschool Corner.