Just a Normal School Day

After being away for a 3 day weekend and MDO yesterday, it was nice to get back into a normal "school" routine today. The chore can is going really well. Only once have the girls complained about having to do a chore (knock on wood).

The girls really like our devotional book, The One Year Devotions for Preschoolers. The pictures are really sweet - which is why Lucy likes it. The story is totally age appropriate for both girls - we love it!!

I've been working hard getting together a number of Montessori inspired activities for Lucy. Right now I have a toothpick sorting, noodle sorting, bean scooping and pouring, pitcher pouring with beans, dust pan and broom activity, and a wooden matching game. I'm currently working on a sound game and a toddler handbag activity. I would like to add an activity or 2 every week so that I can rotate things more easily. I've decided to have everything available on the shelves during school time, but then I pick it up when we are finished with school. It takes a little more effort, but if left out - Lucy could make a HUGE mess of things.

Norah is doing well with school. Several mornings she threw a little fit about doing certain activities (mostly the paper/pencil acitivities) so I have changed up a few things which has helped. I really like the MFW curriculum as a guide, but as a former preschool teacher I don't like all the activities that are supposed to be done at the table. I can understand Norah's frustration. My girls both have a lot of energy - they are always dancing, jumping, and tumbling so I am trying to incorporate A LOT of physical activity into our morning - it totally helps Norah concentrate on her handwriting and cutting.

Here are a few pictures of our new activities for Lucy. This common Montessori pouring activity is by far Lucy's new favorite activity! Look at my cute pitchers!! They are from my grandma. I told her I was looking for 2 little pitchers and she had me pull these down off of a shelf at her house. They are PERFECT and the girls love them!! Today the girls (Norah wanted to try out all of Lucy's new stuff) poured beans back and forth. Lucy did great - very little spilling! I will probably put rice in them next week and when she can pour the rice w/ little spilling, we will switch to water.

The idea of this activity is mostly a sensory experience - listening to the different sounds as she scoops bean with a metal spoon in a glass bowl. Lucy played with this a lot longer than I expected.

This is a Montessori "practical life" activity - learning to manipulate a dust broom and pan. Norah wanted try it - but wasn't too interested once she started. We used that moment to talk about finishing things we start - even when we don't like what we are doing. She completed the task and quickly put it back on the shelf.

I thought the Lucy would really like this activity, but I think she was so interested in the pitchers that she only sort about 1/3 of the toothpicks.