Showing posts with label Baby Books. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Baby Books. Show all posts

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Tot Spot: Montessori Sensory Basket


I read How To Raise An Amazing Child the Montessori Way at the beginning of the year and fell in love with quite a bit of Dr. Montessori's methods for teaching small children and the emphasis of importance she placed on supporting the learning environment from birth and beyond.  Simple techniques are discussed, as well as ideas's for extremely simple sensory play examples using items from the home.

  Creating a nature basket is an idea that is recommended for babies.  I have found that most of our learning toys, textures, and objects laying around the house have become favorites for our basket.  About once a month I change out the books, toys, and textures so we can explore something new.

Sensory Basket
Straws with a small, medium, and large cup used for nesting.  My 18 month old loves nesting cups and placing objects (straws) inside of them so this idea was super simple and he LOVES it! 

Pom Pom Game.  A recycled tub of butter becomes a game by stuffing pom pom's inside the hole, which promotes coordination.  Mark's attention span is astonishing while playing this game.

Texture Swatch/Sample.  A sewing swatch with a picture on it for Mark Jr. to feel, see, and explore.  The picture is of Mommy and Ni Ni (Sister)

Nesting Caps.  Various bottle cap sizes to use as a nesting toy.  **Beware of smaller bottle caps as babies enjoy placing these in their mouths.


V Tech Record and Learn Photo Album is definitely one of our favorite items.  You can record a personalized story and change out the photo's as often as you'd like.  This product also plays music and explores sights and sounds... 
V Tech Record and Learn Photo Album
I included some our Sock Puppet's for role play.. and to use while reading the following stories!  Mark loves using these and growling..  "Rooooaaarrr"

Little Blue Truck

Shapes (My Very First Look At)

What are some of your favorite activities to do with your toddlers?

Candice S


Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Reading List for February


Here's our nice fun pile of books that we are pursuing for this month!  Usually we keep our books anywhere between 1-2 weeks (an average of 12-20 books) and read most over and over again.  There are some books that are geared towards our thematic units for preschool, while other's we read a chapter or two on a daily basis.  

Charlotte's Web
Charlotte's Web is a "big girl" book that Harmony and I have been reading during storytime in the day and in the evening before bed.  Although, as I read I ponder if the realistic farm life is a little too difficult for my little mini-me to grasp.  She's intrigued, none the less and loves hearing about Wilbur's adventures.  

Harmony loves the Fancy Nancy Series.  We recently checked out Fancy Nancy: Every Day Is Earth Day (I Can Read Book 1) and Fancy Nancy at the Museum (I Can Read Book 1).  We have read almost all of the Fancy Nancy Books, and I cannot find one reason why every preschool girl who enjoys dress up and succumbing to the princess inside of them cannot enjoy the pleasurable experiences of these books.  

Too Cute!  We have "If you give a pig a pancake"..It discusses the adventures of pigs and the "fun" ..and some trouble that come along with them.  Such a fun book!

Our thematic units for this week are birds and how to tell time.  I do not go strictly to every single aspect of our lessons having geared towards our "theme" but I do try to keep the direction pretty clear, as to not confuse us.  The following books will help us with coordinate with our lesson plans.

Little Red Hen Big Book
Little Red Hen Big Book

Grumpy Bird

My First Book of Time

Owl Moon

It's About Time! (MathStart 1)

Valentine's Day (Rookie Read-About Holidays)

The Graphic Alphabet (Caldecott Honor Book)

Little Wolf's Song

Arthur's Teacher Trouble (Arthur Adventure Series)

Charming Opal (Toot & Puddle)

Will You Still Love Me?

I can't wait to see how amazing these books are!  

..And last but not least.. Some awesome baby books that Mark Jr. and I have been enjoying from our own personal library.

Baby Faces (Look Baby! Books)




If you know of any great Valentine's Day books or more books on learning how to tell time, please share!!

Have a great Wednesday!
Candice S.
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