Preschool Corner: Reading together

~Tornado is 3 years, 9 months~

As I've mentioned, we've said good-bye to official curriculum... even the homemade kind. We're saying hello to books, life and fun! (I'm working on the fun part... I do still have a newborn!)

We've been doing our reading (including our Bible/Character stuff) for sure... and that's about it these days. Aside from working strenuously on first time obedience with both Tornado and Sweet Pea... and getting Little Man to take his day time naps in his bed. That's a big one!

The kids have loved The Little House by Virgina Burton. I'd never read it before... but Tornado loves the trains... go figure!

An Amish Year has been a favorite for both of them too, but especially Sweet Pea. A week or so before Little Man made his appearance, we made a trip into Amish country to an Amish run organic store. While we were there the kids were excited to see all the horse and buggies around. We tried to explain some of it, but I made a mental note to get some books from the library. It's been such a hit that I plan to get some more books about the Amish in the coming weeks! (Their work ethic helps encourage me to get my own work done too!)

Aesop's Fables is going over well too... The first one in the book is The Boy Who Cried Wolf. That very day I was able to use that lesson with Tornado around nap time. We've been struggling to find a way to help him understand the importance of being honest... very helpful! What I didn't expect is that it would disturb the next several sleep times with fears of a wolf being in the room to eat him. I assured him that the wolf was only there to steal and eat the sheep... and that if there is ever a real wolf in the room, he can call for me, and just like the towns folk, I'll come scare him away. "But don't forget," I told him, "you need to tell the truth. Don't call mommy about it if there isn't a real wolf!" Very funny!

We haven't done any "Table Time" lately, but one day Tornado plopped himself down in front of our chest freezer and started arranging the Leap Frog Fridge Phonics in order... by himself. He did the first couple on his own before I even knew what he was doing. Then he started asking me (who was doing dishes nearby) where letters were (as you can see, they were every which way, making it harder to notice them). I would help him some, but mostly let him do it himself. He got to letter "L" before I called him to do something else. He was adamant that no one touch them so he could finish later. We never did get back to that before his sister "messed them up" the next day.




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