Preschool

Well, we decided to dive right on in and Coen started Preschool a little over a month ago! So far, five weeks in, it's going great. He really loves the structure and activities and I am blown away with how much he already knows! We're covering the basics using materials I have collected over the 10 years I taught preschool myself and a whole lot of materials and resources found on Pinterest.

 One of his favorite activities is the rice bin. It used to be just a special activity we did  but now it's a part of his weekly school work. Each week the rice changes to the color of the week and features the letter of the week and items pertaining to the letters sound. Here, obviously, is out "A" bin.

 Preschool wouldn't be complete without songs and finger plays!

 Coen really enjoys sorting and grouping.

 His scissor and writing skills have really come along.

 Also, he can build a train out of anything. :)

I am so thankful that I can stay home and teach my boys. I am really looking forward to our homeschooling journey. My sister, Julie, recently said that teaching is an intimate experience. I couldn't agree more and love being there for all of the struggles and ah ha! moments.

Handwriting Skills

We've been practicing our handwriting skills lately.

My mom got Coen these great little books, so we've been doing those too. One of them is "Tracing"...perfect!!

The rest are for cutting, coloring and pasting. Coen likes them all!

Of course there is the ever present "train" I am required to draw. Lately Coen has been adding his little bit of detail.

Here's his second attempt at writing his name without help! I seriously only showed him how to do it twice.

I made him a binder with worksheets in plastic sleeves so he can practice whenever he wants.

The first page is just a Kindergarten handwriting template to practice writing anything and everything.

Next are some basic skill builders. These two mazes came in the book pictured above.

More skill builders. Coen actually LOVES helping the Mommy animals  find their babies. These came from some of my materials I used when I was teaching.

Print offs from the internet. These are also from my stash...

These are from a set of cards we got from Dr. Rosenthal. Each letter stands for a positive personal attribute. It also includes cursive! We're letting Coen trace cursive as well as standard script.

(I'm not sure why this picture is horizontal...)

Did you know they are going to stop teaching cursive in public schools? Dr. Rosenthal says studies show that writing in cursive helps the brain retain what is being written because of the flow. Interesting, huh?

Anywho, so yeah, just write, erase, repeat. He loves it!

 I love watching him learn!

(We're working on holding our pen correctly ;) )

Rainbow Blocks

Wallace got these great blocks for Christmas.

 They are great because not only are they see through rainbow blocks.

 But they are sound blocks as well.

 Coen loves to look through them and Wallace loves to shake them.

Sensory integration at it's finest. :)

THE Pumpkins

I drove to four different Target stores to find these little plastic pumpkins for Coen's rice/sensory bin.

I found them in the dollar section and the preschool teacher in me knew they would be perfect for sorting and counting and such. I put them down for budgetary reasons and couldn't stop thinking about them. Of course after I couldn't find them at the first two Target stores I went to the challenge was on.

 I win.

Look, no furniture.

Rectangles

Wallace has been sleeping like a champ! I forget how much babies need to sleep to be happy. Turns out Wallace needs a LOT. :)
Anywho, while he was sleeping one day I broke out some of my old worksheets and stuff and sat down with Coen to go over shapes. Rectangles specifically.

 First, some free art.

 Coen identified all of the shapes and colored them in matching colors. Rectangles are purple!

We traced this rectangle together.

While doing this worksheet, Coen kept making train sounds. Which inspired this...

How many shapes do you see, Coen?

Student led teaching is the way to go!

Covering the rectangles with our rectangle blocks.

And a train "puzzle" for fun!

 One of the perks of doing a little "schooling" during the summer months, besides it being too hot to do much of anything else, is that school supplies and teaching aids go on sale. We found the Bob book sets at Sam's! Yipee! Coen loves them!!