Exceptions Made for Learning ABC's

As parents, it seems like we are always struggling with the amount of television and the quality of the programs our children watch. The other area of trouble is limiting the amount of sweet treats.  Well, here are two exceptions I have made with my son that are helping with the ABC's. 
1.  TELEVISION When I was teaching Kindergarten I would recommend to parents the movie, Letter Factory by Leap Frog if their child needed additional help learning their letters and sounds.  Well, I was at Costco the other day and saw the DVD.  I figured it was time to introduce my favorite kid movie to my two year old son.  Lets just say I wish I could say I taught him his letters and sounds, but I can't!!!!  For about two weeks he was obsessed.  (It was a refreshing break from the Thomas the Train movies.)   My husband and I agreed that if he is going to watch something, why not something educational. We were amazed by how many letters and sounds he has learned.  More importantly he has an interest in the ABC's!
2.  SWEET TREATS  In our house, strawberries and raisins are considered our "sweet treats".  However, Trader Joes has a container of Cinnamon School Book letter and number cookies that we eat as treats.  Occasionally after dinner I will take out a couple cookies and put them in front of my son.  I usually try to make one cookie a vowel, so I can model sounding out a word.  (Yes I realize he is too young, but it doesn't hurt - he'll get it one day!)  He tells me either the letter or the sound, if he knows it, and I say some familiar words to him that begin with the letter.   We have fun playing and eating the cookies!

Letter Factory™ DVD - Appropriate for Ages 24 Months to 5 Years

What are your exceptions?  I'd love to hear!

Spring Schedule of Classes

Mommy and Me: Exploring Spring 18 months - 3 years
Wednesdays, April 21 - June 9  10:00-10:50 (eight weeks)
$120 materials included
Each week we will be exploring different themes such as bugs, butterflies, baby animals, etc.  Class begins with a craft and then we sing, dance, play instruments and listen to stories.

Move and Groove Through the Alphabet: Kindergarten Readiness 3 1/2 - 5 1/2
Mondays, April 19 - June 7 2:00-2:50  NO Class April 26 and May 31 (six weeks)
$100  materials included
Each week students will be working their way through the alphabet as they develop skills necessary for kindergarten.  They will be working with letters, sounds, rhyme, and basic math through art, games and music.

All Classes are held at the Talega Swim and Athletic Club

 

Here is a sample of a craft done by one of the children in the Mommy and Me class.

What To Do With All the Plastic Easter Eggs?????

It is not even Easter, and we have a bunch of plastic eggs littering the house from various egg hunts we've been on so far.  Here are just a few fun games you can play with your child to put the eggs to good use.
1. Take an empty egg carton and number the spots with a permanent marker from one to twelve.  Then take 12 eggs and number them from one to twelve.  Have your child match the eggs to the correct number.
2.  To add on to the egg carton, have your child count out beads to match the number written on the egg and place them inside.  Only do this activity with children who won't put the beads in their mouth!!!  Then ask which egg makes the most noise when you shake them.
3.  SORT the eggs by color, size or design depending on the type of eggs you have.  Then count to see which color has the most or least.
4.  Put beads or beans inside the eggs and tape them shut.  You now have egg shakers.  Put on some music and shake your eggs.
5.  Make cotton ball animals to put inside your eggs to see what will hatch.  Glue paper eyes and ears to the cotton ball and put in the egg.
6. Write the letters of the alphabet on both parts of the eggs and break the eggs apart.  Have your child match the letters to make an egg.  You can put a capital letter on the top and the lower case letter on the bottom for more of a challenge.
7.  Fill the eggs with various small items around the house (buttons, sand, pebbles, rice, coins, etc) and have your child shake the egg and then guess what is inside.
8.  Put the eggs in the bath tub and see what your child will do...
Do you have any fun ideas to share????

Have a wonderful, eggstra special Easter!