The "Cycle" Bin

One of our guiding principles is that we will practice sustainable living. My older littles are great at throwing trash into their bathroom sized lidded step on trash bin near the art center. One of my nightly duties is to go through their little trash bin and sort out the recycl-able items.

One night, I had a profound moment of realization with regard to the littles "trash bin". Number 1 ... almost everything in it was a recycle worthy item. Number 2 ... My littles can sort. We sort toys, we play sorting games, so why I am building in this extra step and robbing them of a valuable life lesson? The next day, I popped our little recycle bin (made of old rolled up magazines) on the floor next to their trash bin and carefully discussed what went where. They ROCKED it!! I was super proud.

Then about 20 minutes later, in came my little crawler carefully and happily unsorting the recycling. Ooops ... no lid on the bin! My solution. I purchased two brackets at the hardware store and mounted the recycle bin just above our full size trash can in the kitchen. It's high enough to be out of reach for the super little and just in reach of the bigger littles. Perfect! They love recycling and proudly announce when they have an item that need to go to the "cycle bin"

Planning Vs. Prep Time

I am knee deep in activity restructuring and planning for the fall season of sprout school. We have joined a "Tot School" co-op and I want to be sure that I align our weekly group class initiatives with the other work I am doing at home. I am excited for the adventure and to be connected with local moms on the same track.

While the tot school is providing a "curriculum" of suggested play based learning activities, I am super committed to not leaving behind my Montessori, art and ASL initiatives. I'm excited to learn that some of the other tot schoolers are striving for a montessori approach as well. I was right to have confidence in the co-op moms putting the guide together the first 4 weeks are out and they are good fun activities. Many that we have done or do regularly and sourced from some of our favorite blogs! Hooray!! :)

My first surprise is that I think my approach may differ more than I initially anticipated to the most of the moms in the co-op. Ultimately, I don't think the differences will make a huge impact on our experience. But it's exciting to me to be exposed to so many different approaches. I think the diversity will only make the group stronger.

One of the areas that I have noticed the most diversity is how each family approaches planning and prep time. Here is how I manage both ...

Planning Time Vs. Prepping Time

Planning Time:
When I say knee deep in planning time. It's on paper and on the computer. I am using my planner printable to pop the concepts and ideas we are going to be working on into a structured plan. I am reviewing my Signing Time, Montessori at Home, Young at Art and favorite blogs and other resources. I am making a list of all the things we will need. It is one of the only times I believe I truly plan without input from my little ones.

Prep Time:
I consider prep time a big part of learning time. For that reason, I include my littles in almost all layers of prep time for activities. For example, once I have the list of supplies we need we grab our magnifying glass and go on a scavenger hunt for the supplies we need. If my little ones aren't into helping I don't force the issue. But thus far ... they almost never, barring illness, aren't into helping. If we need "play doh" for an activity they help me make it. Prep time is full of practical skill and confidence building opportunity. Yes, it can be a bit messy. But I have found that it also helps to build excitement about the activity.

I don't think or I should say I hope there isn't a right or wrong method. Just a right method for each family and learning style :) What is your method for prepping learning activities for or with your little?

Sprout School Opening!!

This is our new "high-top table time table" Thankfully the big kids are big enough to climb up to the high top table where the supplies that tend to pose safety risks for the littlest can find safe refuge.  The bigger kids love it and are frequently choosing the spot for artwork and puzzle play.  

Last week we officially began our Sprout School year.  I love the "opening" of sprout school.  It's so much fun to sort through the learning closet and set up our table time environments and supplies.  This year my excitement is a bit amplified because we have joined a "tot school co-op".  One of the primary reasons I wanted to open myself up to the co-op experience was the opportunity to have focused weekly co-op days.  I am so excited to join up with other families working on similar skill sets.  However, the co-op doesn't officially start for a few more weeks. Regardless, I decided to begin at my same old start time right along with our local public schools.

When the co-op officially begins I will have to re-sort some things a bit to accommodate the curriculum, which I haven't yet seen.  One of the great things about the co-op is that they are providing the accompanying curriculum.  I am convinced that the Chief Moms in Charge will do a great job.  Which is why I am calm as a cucumber about waiting so close to start time to see the curriculum.  None-the-less I am not abandoning my Montessori at Home curriculum.  I love it too much!! Plus, I am confident we will be able to fold it in nicely.

One thing that I have learned on the implementation side of curriculum planning is that you have flexibility to adapt and cater learning objectives to suite your specific needs.  From a practical skill, Language, and Cultural perspective I have my calendar pretty well set through November.  I will be posting those initiatives ... and their inevitable modifications on the sprout school page starting September 1st.  Also, much to my delight, I have received a couple of requests for the planner pages I created for last year.  I plan to upload them to the printables section of the blog later this weekend.  I will be sure to update this post with the link to the documents.  I'm so glad some of you found the pages helpful!  Happy Opening of School!!   

Hello to a New Year ...

The beginning of the school year always feels as notable to me as the begining of the calendar year. It's a great time to clean out that supply closet, get rid of the supplies you don't need to make way for the supplies you will need.  While in the midst of all this re-organizing I decided it was also a great time to make some "new year resolutions". 

1. Join a Homeschooling Community: I already have this in the works.  We have joined a community that's school year hasn't quite begun.  But I'm excited that it intends to host weekly group classes! Here is hoping it's as awesome as I believe it will be!
2. I will keep up with my supply closet:  My supply closet seems to begin the year ready for it's close up.  But somewhere around week 6 it looks like a sick puppy limping along.
3. Be more consistant with table time.  So far while my intentions have been great table time happens at all times of the day.  This year I am committing to a morning table time and 4:30 table time.  Here is hoping a can make it stick!

I am so ready to get this party started!  Monday ... here we come!!!

Table Time

Table time is one of the cornerstones of our tot school day. In a typical day, I plan to have 1 hour of structured table time. I do not always hold table time in one lump some of time. It is far more likely that I will plan either (2) 30 minute sessions or (2) 15minutes and (1) 30 minute session. During table time, I am specifically working to call the littles' attention to a specific activity, game or lesson.

The Parameters
I set specific parameters around table time to increase the challenge. One of the primary parameters is you must stay at the table. This does not mean sitting in a chair. It has been my experience that comfort is key to unlocking my littles' attention span. If you feel like sitting in a chair, sitting on the ground or standing … do so. The focus is engaging the littles in the activity not controlling how they approach the activity.

The Table
"Table Time" is really a concept more than an actual table. We have a couple of locations we use for Table Time. Sometimes it is at our large activity table. Other times it is at the children's art table. Another great spot for "table time" is on a large blanket outside. Table could also easily happen in a sandbox, at a sensory table, or sitting around sensory bin.

The Unintended Lesson

I have been wanting to make this post for a while no; but the truth is, life has just plain old ordinary gotten the best of me.  In the middle of last week on a sunny morning I woke up feeling ready for my day.  I was super excited to take the littles to one of thier favorites, a gymnastics playdate.  The morning was moving smoothly and seemed as ordinary as could be.  I couldn't have been more wrong.  We were in an accident on our way to the gym.  Thankfully, no one was hurt.  The car didn't fair so well, but it could have been much worse.  As I pulled to the side of the road, I busied myself calling the troops (i.e. the police, insurance, family, and the friends we were supposed to meet at the gym).

One of my friends without taking a breath said, "Where are you? We'll be right there!"  And their she came, complete with her Mini-Van and toddlers.  I thought I was just fine, but as soon as she hopped out of her mom-mobile and hugged me ... I melted.  I have never needed a hug so badly in my life.  Being in an accident is stressful.  I knew this.  But I had never experienced an accident with the precious cargo that is our children in the back.  She immediately, started sharing her back seat toys with my littles, and got busy transfering thier car seats into her mini-van.  Then tossed her day out the window and spent the entire day playing at our house and helping me wrap up all the arrangements for getting my car repaired.

After a shockingly fun day and a late nap.  I decided we could surely get in our 30 minutes of table time before dinner time.  The littles had a blast we worked on our pattern block skills, threading, and letter shapes.  Then in keeping with the three part lesson. I asked the children what we learned today.  After a long pause my son looked up at me and said, "friends are GREAT!"  Indeed they are.

So there you have it the unintended lesson, that totally rocks!  No prep or planning required.  All you need is an  amazing friend!

Sending a super big hug of thanksgiving for our super friends!

May's Sprout Goals

Our May Sprout Goals surround the theme Zoo and Farm Animals.  We are so lucky to be surrounded by great local farms and we have a fantastic city zoo.  We are planning a tour of farms this month and at least one trip to our local zoo.

Letter Recognition
Our focus letters this month are: F-X-B-Z-O.  We will be working on fingerspelling our favorite practice sentence.  "There is a fox in a box at the zoo"
Math Discovery:
This month we are going to focus on sorting and counting activities.  In particular, focusing on the concept of two.  We are going to continue integrating pattern play. 

Science Exploration:
This month we are going to dive into sorting and classifying: Identifying types of animals, groups of animals, and more.

Practical Skill Building:
This months we will be braiding, lacing, and tying. 
The Arts:
This month we are going to emphasize Sculpture Art.  We will be working with air dry clay and recycled materials.  We will also be learning the musical note C.