My three-year-old is forever teaching me about determination (or “stubbornness,” depending on the particulars). This week, it was the kite he got in his Easter basket. Every day, he’s been looking out the window and declaring that it’s really windy
Threading: Fine Motor Skills
I’ve seen this activity suggested on Pinterest, but this was our first time trying it. We used 18 mm plastic beads, regular spaghetti stuck in a little blob of Play-Doh, and an enthusiastic three-year-old. On top of building those fine
Montessori for Free
Today I just want to briefly share with you some beautiful Montessori resources I found for free at our local public library. All four books feature textured pages — very similar to Montessori sandpaper cards for letters and numbers —
Containers: Fine Motor Activities for Littles
Our baby has hit that glorious stage: Putting Things in Things! He wants to take every object he can get his paws on and put it into any kind of container he can procure. It may be tempting to start
Kids in the Garden
Are your kids driving you crazy in the house? Good. The weather’s finally nice enough to throw them outside. It’s 70 degrees here in The Middle, my daffodils are blooming, and my three-year-old is in seventh heaven working in the
Teeny Tiny Photographer
Whenever my friends let their young kids take pictures with their phones, all they get are seven thousand selfies and a low memory warning. My three-year-old was feeling a bit under the weather last weekend at my parents, and in
Use That Library Card!
Sometimes I walk into our neighborhood library and can’t believe that all these wonderful resources are available to us for free! Then I remember that I’m paying for it with my tax dollars. You’re already paying for your local library,
Cooking with Kids
Just one more thing your kids are pretty unlikely to get in school: cooking class. That means it’s up to you to teach them at home. Fortunately, most kids love food. My three-year-old is all too eager to help out
Get Yourself Some Unifix Cubes
… or something similar. These simple blocks are perfect for an endless variety of activities, particularly for math. Kids love the bright colors, and they stack together and come apart easily enough for little fingers. Left to his own
Making Friends in Home School
In our discussions of home schooling, my husband and I come back around to one question over and over: How will they become “socialized”? Of course, the typical home schooling argument is that children learn how to live and work