Tot School: January 2013

We did these from late December to early January 2013.

Play dough Christmas Tree

Prepared a bottle of store bought dough with glitter (tree)

and some bento pick sticks (ornaments)

I helped him shape a tree and he poked away!

The dough was a little too sticky for his liking.

Play dough: Soft stuff from ELC
Jewel bento sticks: Daiso
Tray: Daiso



Christmas Sensory Bin

We kept this for a while because he really liked it.

So much so, he carried it around the house asking everyone to 'scoop' with him.

I made him wear the hat (Thanks, yi yi for leaving it behind...hehe)

He used the christmas tree as a chicka chicka tree and then added alphabets to the bin.

We also read some christmas books I bought from Big Bad Wolf :)

Played some guessing games

Tangrams

He is starting to enjoy this.

Occasionally, he calls the hexagon octagon.

Tangram set from Taiwan
Printables from Confessions of a Homeschooler
These from Preschool Alphabet blog are more complex



Geography and vocabulary

He LOVES this puzzle. It has some holes to place animals from that continent.

(Again, thanks to yi yi, Ashleyprettimommy)

I paired it with a picture atlas.

As he identifies the continents, I just read some facts to him.

Surprisingly, he enjoyed it.

When I put it down, he will tell me, "No, mama read some more"

Puzzle: From Guangzhou
Atlas: From Popular.
Saw the same book in Bookxcess for
a fraction of the price I paid

As the puzzle takes shape,

he pointed to the world map on the wall and shouted,

"Mama, same oh, see?"

"Yes, same. Both are maps". I smile

He gave me a serious look and explained patiently,

"No, mama. This is Earth. Okay?"

Pfft...stubborn-nyeeee

Self-chosen, pre-writing activty

This was around since Christmas week.

He just randomly picked this one from the shelf.

Placed it on the table and went to work quietly.

Two weeks later,

Puzzle from USL Education
Bought during sale.
40% off, I think



Sensorial

I made him 3 pairs of smelling bottles using aromatherapy oil.

Then I used the idea from Counting Coconuts to label the bottom with stickers

for self-checking.

Bottles: From sundry shop. Rm 1 each



Writing/alphabets

Another one of his ga-ga activities.

I think he killed a small tree with the papers he went through.

Then I got the brilliant idea of making him trace repeatedly with different colours.

Oh yea, things like this makes me feel clever nowadays...bwahaha...

See, how serious nerd boy is?

Until this fellow came home and disturb us...

The clowns video-ing themselves

Whenever I try to clean:

"I COME HELP MAMA"

Errrrr, not really...........

Art & craft: Painting Week Ideas

Like I mentioned on our Facebook page, Tiger's been bitten by the art bug recently.

Here are some of the activities we did:

Painting with Glow-In-the-Dark paint.

 Because normal paint is sooo boring

Just kidding.

I wanted to help him overcome his fear of the dark, so this was a fun way to do it.

Yes, this ELC paint worked and we painted in the dark for 30 minutes.

Paint: Sponsored by Ashleyprettimommy

Plastic bib: free with Pebeo hand paint set

ELC: First brushes and stampers set

Art easel: Fun & Cheer



Stamp a giraffe

If you are not so creative, like me, just get an art idea book and let the child choose.

Yes, there are tons of idea on the internet but we got a nice thick one from the Big Bad Wolf sale.

It is in the background for Tiger's referral since he wanted to make a giraffe.

 He tried, but it ended up looking like a squashed yellow Furby.

Cue: Meltdown, Mama do, Mama do

Okay, okay

So, I painted the giraffe for him (looks like an elongated Furby)

A small cube sponge for stamping and voila!

A giraffe, I think.... 

Times like this, it is the thought that counts, so we gushed over his painting.

Bathroom art

Nowadays, Tiger awaits my arrival home from work eagerly.

So that he gets to 'play art' in the shower.

Can't share the pictures here cause of nudity issues and mama's still not so hot.

Gimme another 3 months....phew-weet....i can dream right?

We have tried painting with texture brushes, toothbrushes (papa's),

stamping with bath toys/ducks, water gun BUT his fav is this:

WATER SPRAY CAN

Water spray can: Daiso
Paint: Crayola Finger paint- diluted



Outdoor

Sidewalk chalk is fun on walls too.

Especially when you don't have lots of space.

Washes off easily with a spray of water. (very important)

He made: Raining, Thunder, Rainbow, the finally it was Fireworks.

Fickle-minded, this one.

Then, he helped with WEEDING

According to him that was fun too...hoohoo...we will see in another 5 years time.

Shirt: Pasar malam Oppa Gangnam
Chalk: Crayola
Potted plant: in need of fertiliser.

   

Linking up to Tot School @ 1+1+1 = 1

&

Tuesday Tots

Tot School: Pre-Christmas Week

We did some crafty stuff because I pinned some ideas

and I didn't want to be a pin-but-no-do person.

I printed a Santa from Google image and he went to work

with glue, Styrofoam peanuts and cotton.

 A simple wreath with Styrofoam peanuts.

Since he was so in love with gluing, I ditched the initial plan of glitter and shapes.

Or it could be a mask...

One of his favourite activity involves chalk and blackboard:

"Mama write"

 See?

Demonstrating H is for Happy

Still in the alphabet-craze phase.

All it took was a RM 1 alphabet sticker to get him to sit still for 20 minutes.

Yay!

He seemed interested in time and clock, so I introduced the concept of time to him.  

We used a Hickory Dickory Dock puzzle + book from the Big Bad Wolf Sale

and a cheap clock model that he can manipulate easily.

LOVED it!

 He was seen playing with this for the rest of the week.

Currently, his other obsessions include:

Video-taking himself on my new phone (Yay!) and laughing at himself.

Bullying Lil Dragon

Screaming for no reason

Sensory Bin: Christmas fun

Here is our Christmas bin for 2012

I wrapped a Christmas-y ribbon around it for a more festive feel

since we don't have a large green or red bin.

Content:

Base: White styrofoam peanuts (from last year)

Christmas ornaments: gifts, bell, baubles, ribbons

Wooden "Christmas" trees from his train set

A snowmen snap-on wrist thingy that lights up

A small sock

A large sock (to play guessing games)

A red and a green containers

Red tongs

Scoop

 If you have never tried a sensory bin, here are some fun ideas from 1+1+1 =1

You will LOVE it!

Little Tiger: 30 Months

I came across this picture of my darling at 1 year plus taken

during D is for dinosaur week.

I miss his spiky hair and chubbiness.

In the blink of an eye, he is 30 months! Geez...

Before long, I will be shouting, "You are grounded, mister. No buts"

This is his interpretation of modelling
His trademark squinty eyes

Speech

He is a master narrator of his actions;

gives a running commentary of whatever he is doing

using 'and', 'then', 'somemore', 'because'

Calls himself "Mama daning (darling)"

Not only does he possess selective hearing,

sassy mouth can back talk now, at 2.5 yrs!

@.@"

Good luck to me

Tiger has the habit of dragging a basket whenever we are shopping,

Mama: Can I hold the basket please?

Tiger: No, I can do

Mama: Can you stop putting EVERYTHING into the basket?

I've got no money

Tiger: I got money in ickey mau (mickey mouse case, ie: his wallet)

If I speak to him in Mandarin or Hokkien, he will reply in English.
Pfftt.....

Social

He is torn between love and jealousy for his little sis.

Developmentally, he is regressing to babyhood.... throwing tantrums, carry me, etc

Everything that is Dragon's is his.

He squeezes himself into seats and strollers

Occasionally, he pokes, hit, and smack the baby.

Sigh....

Currently he still has 2 friends only: the guard and Lil J

Has a strict criteria for those considered friends.

He doesn't just like anyone, you know.

Cognitive

Reading

He can read words that are common in ABCs like

apple, ball, cat, dog, elephant, fish, gorilla, hat,

igloo, jug, kangaroo, lion, monkey, nose, octopus, panda,

question, rabbit, snake, turtle, van, watermelon, fox, yak,zebra.

You get the idea?

He is starting to warm up to math dots.

Loves counting with his abacus.

We are introducing skip counting by 2

Addicted to worksheets/markers

Focus and attention span is still good.

Right brain work:

Photographic memory: 5 objects

Grid memory: 5 objects

Mandala: 3 colours

Flash memory/spot the difference: good

linking memory: terrible

Chinese:

Odonata:  Collected 4 cards only

Physical

He requested to brachiate in the playground

but mama's too short to support him :p

Pretend play

Loves 'cooking'

I made him a menu for more fun

He also has a shopping trolley.

I believe toys are gender neutral...

Tiger: Mama, order? (hands me menu)

Mama: Hmmm, let's see. I will have the fried kai lan and some kiwi juice.

Tiger: Okay!

Halfway to his kitchen, he will always turn around and ask:

 Order okay ah?

Mama: Yes.

I think he is worried that I am a non-paying customer

Tiger: Nah. Vege and juice. (Hands me empty plate and glass, always)

Mama: What juice is this?

Tiger: Ermmm, orange?

Tsk, tsk, tsk.....the level of service nowadays

Toilet training: Sigh....enough said!

Shopping: Big Bad Wolf Sale

Last Saturday night, a very book-obsessed mama dragged
a not-very-enthusiastic papa

to the Big Bad Wolf Book Fair at 11PM.

So bad, kan??

To be fair, I drove while he slept.

I wanted to take photos of the fair for you guys but ME at 12 MN,
not very attractive....

I was so super 'semangat' that I forgot my book trolley.  "__"

Felt like kicking myself when I got there.

"Papa: Eh, everyone look so nerd nerd here.
Me: You married one
Papa: Hmmm,,,
Me: All the non-nerds are clubbing laaa..."

 

The OLD me would have bought a truckload BUT

the NEW me have more self control..ahem..

Tiger's loot

Mama's books:

A National Geographic Album: Live, Laugh Celebrate.

(RM 15 only) For discussions with Tiger.

Perceptive Play by a local writer for more ideas to play with Tiger.

See the trend?

Nothing for me, except

Mandela's Way

All these plus a T-shirt (with a cape!) for less than RM200

Hmmm, that makes me feel like going again...

Last day would be 23rd December.

Do check out their website for more info and books available