Tot School - It Begins

~James is 29 months~
While blog surfing I found a GREAT website chock-full of creative ideas for educating little ones. The author of this blog is my new hero! Click on the link above or the box to the left to read more about what this super mom does with her tots. I'm jumping on the Tot School bandwagon since it's right up our alley and is a lot like what James and I are doing already! :)

Last month James and I started having "schooltime" (nearly) everyday. It's going really well and James loves the variety of things we do. Here's a small sample of what we've been up to so far this month. Going forward I'll make our Tot School adventures a weekly post.L-R:

• Music time! James can't get enough of his instruments. We recently started Kindermusik, which James and I both LOVE!
  
• Sorting ice cubes from one bowl to another on a HOT summer day. James had a blast with this activity. Of course he was soaking wet by the end of it! :)
  
• Lacing number beads. Or rather, mommy laces them and he pulls them off!
• Painting on the lovely buddha board.

• Exploring the "open/close" activity kit while we were on vacation.
• Sorting shells & sea glass. James is very proud of the shells he's collected over the last year.
• Checking out the "red table". This was a fun activity. James and I went on a hunt around his play room to find red things. Whenever he found something he'd hold it up proudly and say, "there one!"
• Directing toothpicks into VERY tiny slots. Check out that concentration!!

James' interests are ever changing and his attention span is minimal, so I rotate the topics and learning tools to keep him on his toes! :) He doesn't like everything I introduce, and when he isn't interested (he'll ask for "somesing diffint") we simply put the task away and I make a mental note to try it again later. I'm a big believer on learning being a FUN experience! Lately whenever we finish something he enjoyed he'll say "that fun, mama!".