Izzy 3:8 Role play (yes again)

I cannot stress enough the importance of Role Play, it allows Izzy time to digest everything that happens in her life. Things she sees, hears, touches, smells, tastes, even things she imagines or dreams. A lot of which we will not even realize she had digested.
Role play with others, especially other children is ridiculously simple to give but many people dont realize the importance of it.
Leave them alone...watch and listen. You think you are teaching them... NOT!!!

Izzy 3:8 Sandbox

Izzy goes back to this activity again and again, bit of sand in a box (with a lid). Today the cars joined the animals for some serious role play xx

Izzy 3:8 Sandpaper Letters

This activity went so well, we have been learning the sounds for a few weeks and today we used the letters and matching objects.
The sounds she was not sure off I presented again later that day as a 3 period lesson.
She knows them all but I think having all 6 sounds threw her a bit, she was brilliant though, confident and willing to take the time to sound out loud and find the matching object.

Izzy & Sister

Making a book tent/land...

Izzy & Sisters. Clay play

A lot of role modelling from big sisters. And Foxy made a friend. Xx

Izzy 3:8 puzzles

Working together we build the outside first and then filled in the middle.

Izzy 3:8 Short Bead Stair

Continuing to develop awareness of the numbers 1 to 10.
Thank you Sue at Myrtle Tree Montessori for the short bead stair printout. Xx

Montessori Childminders Network

So I went to my first Montessori Childminders meeting this weekend. The lady who hosted was an inspiration, not only was she a lovely lady but her setting was beautiful, activities made with such care and thought that you can only imagine how lucky her children are.
Organised and arranged in a way only Montessori teachers can do and other Montessori teachers can appreciate (actually anyone wanting their children to be happy could appreciate).
I left fully charged after listening to a room full of confident business women sharing their worlds.
Xx look out Continents of the world felt bags cause I'm coming to make you!!!

Izzy 3:8 Puzzles

Love, love, love puzzles and I must admit I have had to sit on my hands and close my mouth where Izzy and puzzles are concerned......she just don't do puzzles!!!!!! So when she occasionally freely chooses a puzzle (I always leave a wide variety on the shelves hoping to capture her) I am so pleased. Puzzles challenge the child mentally and physically.
Oh did I tell you I love puzzles )))

Izzy 3:8 Pincer grip

It is always good to encourage pincer grip activities, building the muscles in the fingers, hand and wrist for writing.

Izzy 3:7 Continents

It took Izzy 2 days to Color all of the Continents, she is very interested in Antarctica.

Izzy 3:7 Numbers

More number reinforcement....I feel it is very important that she is able to independently and consistently recognize and count each of the numbers 0 - 10.

Izzy 3:7 What does not belong?

Izzy 3:7 Continents

Beginning work with the Continents!!!

Izzy 3:7 Colour Box 3

We have been using Colour Box 3 for a while and I always encourage some discussion on the Colour she choose, things that are the same Colour or a food the same Colour, just following her interest with no pressure.
Today we talked about light and dark Green and we separated into 2 piles... Light or Dark. Then starting with the lighter pile I asked which was the lightest and she was able to correctly line them up. Then we added in the second darker pile and again she correctly added them to the lighter shades.
I think making smaller groups she was able to concentrate more and less distracted by a large pile of Colour tablets.
Her grading skills were more challenged with the 2 piles as each pile was closer in Colour and less easy to spot a big change such as the lightest green to the darkest green.
As always if she wants to explore at the end of the presentation I let her!!

Izzy 3:7 Numbers

I have been exploring different ways to reinforce the numbers 1 to 10.

Izzy 3:7 The Tree

We were walking in the park when we came across this tree...
We discussed it for quite a while, here are a few things she said...

Think the man cut it
The wind blow it down
I think the wind blow it down

Later that day we took her brother & sisters to see it and we talked about the rings of the tree showing it's age....they averaged 45 to 60 !!!

Izzy 3:7 Tracing Letters

We were walking past the sign when she stopped and traced all the letters with her finger. X

Golden Beads

Not sure who enjoyed this more...... She is a bit old now, but I enjoyed the practice and can't wait to use this material with izzy. Maths making sense!!!