Sunday, February 17, 2013

Tot School: Catch up


 
Wow! I just realized that this is the first time I’ve even blogged this year! There have been so many times I’ve had an idea or even started an entry but just haven’t quite gotten it posted.  Just to be honest, blogging hasn’t been a priority.  However, as I started to look back through last years’ posts I realized how much I enjoyed reflecting and having these memories recorded.  Also, while we've still been doing Tot School it has been a little more sporadic without blogging to hold me accountable. So...here a quick "catch up" on what we've been doing the last couple weeks and I'll try to be a little more consistent with these posts :)
First of all, I’ve redone our Tot School area and added some shelves so that we have more room for Tot Trays, Tot Notebooks, and buckets with our blocks and other manipulatives.  Hopefully, soon I’ll do an entry just on our area setup.  But in the meantime, here’s a picture:

 We’re still following basically the same schedule as before.  February has been all about holidays!  Groundhog Day, Mardi Gras, Valentine’s Day, and this upcoming week President’s Day!  Here ‘s  a little summary of what we’ve done the last couple of weeks:

Table and Floor Time:
  • We talked about what a groundhog is and a little about Groundhog Day.
  • We discussed shadows. Then turned out the lights and used our flashlights to make shadows and fun shapes!  They LOVED this and everyday since we've still had to turn out the lights and make alligators and bunnies on the wall!
  • We made Groundhog Day puppets
  • Coloring Sheet in which you had to find the shadows and color them black. 
  • Shadow Match from our Valentine Tot Pack
  • Discussed the meaning of a King Cake.  Colored a King Cake, cut out and hid baby.
  • Listened to Zydeco music
  • Made Valentine's

We've also done Tot Trays and Tot Notebooks nearly everyday. 

Tot Trays:

I started with three Tot Trays and I'm adding one each week so that by the end of February we will have six. 
I started out with a Winter Clothes Sort which was an activity we did last year with The Mitten: 

Cutting Hearts Tray:



One-to-One correspondence/Sorting Tray using a heart icecube tray and some valentine erasers I purchased at Target's dollar section:


Then I added a candy heart color sort:


This week we are adding a Size Sequencing using heart stickers. Then the last week I plan on doing one with red rice.

Tot Notebooks:

The kids especially "Miss Priss" also love working in their Tot Notebooks.  In the front of both notebooks I put A-Z pages and Colors and Shapes pages.  Then I added the Valentine Tot Pack from Over the Big Moon.  "Miss Priss" is ALL into Doc McStuffin right now so I also added a Doc McStuffin pack from 1+1+1=1.



Snacks:
  • Groundhog Pudding Cup
  • King Cake
  • Valentine Cookies
Books:


We ended our week with some visits to family members delivering our Valentines and homemade cookies!
 
 

 
 
For easy access to links and more February ideas check out my February Tot School Board