MAM March 6, 2013 - Simple Ways to Play at Home

By Malissa McClintock, Contributing Writer

I can hardly believe that when I look at the calendar the word March stares back at me. March means spring is coming, and with it even crazier weather than the winter brought. With two very active little girls and the impending birth of a little boy, I am compiling a list of ways to entertain my girls in the house. I am trying to create simple ideas that we can enjoy without buying anything extra or expensive. I'm also trying to prevent creating any extra work for myself -- I'll have plenty with the kids.  So here's a small list of what we are planning on doing as I grow bigger, the spring rains fall, and a little boy is born.

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Mommy Guilt - I Worry They Don't Learn Enough

Sometimes, I worry that I'm not teaching my girls enough. Our structured school time isn't happening as often as I'd like it to be. We do "school" 2-3 days a week. I try to remind myself that if they were in preschool, that would be exactly the same amount they would receive there, but its not easy for me to accept. I feel like I fail on any day that we don't sit down to a table to have school.

Playing magnet paper dolls with Daddy.

We do lots of learning that isn't traditional by many people's standards. We cook- measuring, mixing, applying heat, timing dishes. We do laundry- sorting colors, following directions, learning processes and being able to repeat them, gross motor skills. We color a LOT. We build a lot. We role play a lot, especially with their magnet paper dolls. And we follow whatever interests the girls display on a given week - maps, sharks, butterflies. We read, discuss, and talk CONSTANTLY.

However, I spend time worrying that they aren't learning what they "should" be at their ages. Miss Moo can count and do simple addition and subtraction, but she still struggles to recognize and identify numbers correctly. For Miss Roo, every color is blue- so she is occasionally correct when we do color matching but seems to have problems retaining the correct colors long term. 

And then, there are days like today. While on a trip to gather a stockpile for the pantry from Trader Joe's, Moo saw a dotted circle around a logo on a can. She picked it up, pointed at it and said, "Mommy look! We need to trace this line!" She then played with another girl her age at the mall play area and was able to interact,communicate, and lead with no problems. She assisted in counting and unpacking all our goods and telling me how many were left and where they belonged in our pantry. She also sat down with her Tag Reader and attempted to read with it as Tinker Bell shared her story.

For Roo, we talked about colors constantly on our errands, but she rarely got them correct. Walking into Hobby Lobby feeling deflated as a mother, she looked up and saw an E in the words on the side of the building. She told me that E stood for her.
"Good job, Roo! What about Moo?"
"M is for Moo Moo!"
"Yes, and who else?
"MOMMY!!"
"Good job, Baby Girl! And what about Daddy?"
"D for Daddy!!"

So, yes, we could do more structured learning. I could force them to sit daily and memorize more facts and standards at the ages of almost 3.5 and almost 2. We could play with flash cards in a standard manner, only follow a set, recommended curriculum, and ignore the interests, learning styles, and strengths our girls display. Or, we could keep doing what we're doing, spend as much time together as we can, and realize that my little girls will only be little for a short time. I want to enjoy it with them rather than worrying that we're lacking in our learning time together.

They're learning and that's the goal.

Little Teaching Tidbits

Sometimes, getting Miss Moo to sit down to do any structured learning is next to impossible.  We have been able to clean up the playroom in the last few weeks, go through and arrange toys, and move out books so that she isn't as distracted by everything that is going on in her space. Doing so has led to some fantastic improvements.

Environment is Important

Cleaning things out has given us the opportunity to actually PLAY more in the playroom.  And the greatest thing about playing is that it leads to TRUE learning. We have built with blocks, colored, drawn and written, taken care of babies, read books, and cooked. Each simple activity has involved problem solving, dramatic play, creativity, motor skills (both fine and gross), and/or some basic subjects- math, reading skills, etc.

My Approach

I am trying to think more outside the box when it comes to homeschooling my children - learning the 3 R's is less imperative than learning life skills and thinking skills. The subjects will come as (and at times after) the foundations are laid. However, I do try to do something daily that deals with some type of "core" learning- whether it is patterns, counting blocks, letter recognition, cooking and measuring, etc.

One Example

This morning after playing with her babies and cooking some pizza, Moo found a little "worksheet" on her chalkboard. It was a simple exercise in letter recognition, letter sounds, and sight words. Once she noticed it I asked if she would like to give it a try. I'm trying to let the structured activities be self-initiated for a change to see if it leads to more interest in any subject areas.  At first she said "No, please," but walked to the chalkboard within a matter of 30 seconds.

Moo's "worksheet"- after Roo's additions.

I gave her no instructions- I simply asked what the pictures were on the board. She would identify the picture and then would tell me the first letter in each word.  She then took it upon herself to circle the correct letter and move to the next image.

At the bottom of the board were the words that corresponded with the images - I responded similarly when she asked what they were. She then related the first letters to the first letters that she has circled above. She looked at me and grinned. "I did it, Mommy!!"

Praise Her, Then Let It Go

I told her what an awesome job she had done and we high five'd. Then she moved on to her next activity of choice - loading produce onto her Whole Food truck. I gave the chalk to Miss Roo- who had been standing by to observe the whole thing - and she began coloring over our "worksheet". She scribbled over "BAT! BAT!" and Moo drove her truck around. 

Then I heard a slightly worried little Moo say, "Mommy, some of produce is missing. There are only 7 crates!"

Playing teaches everything.