Sunday 22 January 2012
Hickory Dickory Dock
The Chops received a telling time game for Christmas which he's been really enjoying. The times are both digital and on clock faces to match and he's getting to grips with on the hour and half past. Am going to wait a while longer before introducing the quarters and then going in 5s
Marble Maths
We made a cereal box 'target' and each rolled 3 marbles until they went in and added up the scores.
Mummy then challenged Daddy to a game while Chops kept score
Bet you can't guess who won..!
Mummy then challenged Daddy to a game while Chops kept score
Bet you can't guess who won..!
Friday 20 January 2012
Literacy Crazy
The Chops is *loving* the tricky word exercise game so much that he wanted to add more words today. I am over the moon that he seems so engaged with it.
He's getting more and more confident at reading phonetic words and now recognises the first 18 'tricky words'!
Very very proud mummy here
He wrote a birthday card for his friend today too
He's getting more and more confident at reading phonetic words and now recognises the first 18 'tricky words'!
Very very proud mummy here
He wrote a birthday card for his friend today too
I love it when a plan comes together
Our weekly routine from September is coming together nicely! My biggest worry about HE was making sure we had enough to do to keep busy and also that he has enough time with his friends. Hopefully it's all going to work out!
At the moment the plan is:
Saturday: Gymnastics
Sunday: Swimming
Monday: French (as long as he enjoys the taster session next week)
Tuesday: HE group planned meets at Wildfowl Park
Wednesday: HE group planned meets at Botanics
Thursday & Friday: Free to see family, do house stuff, arrange other museum visits etc
Seems like a good mix between HE stuff and seeing his other friends so I'm very pleased!
At the moment the plan is:
Saturday: Gymnastics
Sunday: Swimming
Monday: French (as long as he enjoys the taster session next week)
Tuesday: HE group planned meets at Wildfowl Park
Wednesday: HE group planned meets at Botanics
Thursday & Friday: Free to see family, do house stuff, arrange other museum visits etc
Seems like a good mix between HE stuff and seeing his other friends so I'm very pleased!
Monday 16 January 2012
The tricky word exercise game
..as the Chops so succinctly named it. It involved reading tricky words and doing exercises and he loved it!
Introduced 6 words today - all, her, they, you, my, are. I stuck them up around the living room and then asked Chops to run, jump, roll, hop, walk backwards etc to the word. In typical Chops style he wanted me to time him doing each one. Not that I know where he gets his competitiveness from...ahem.
He really enjoyed and asked to play again this afternoon. Will definitely be mixing in more words to repeat this one. And the bonus is that we could do it while Roly was awake as he just did the running and thought that was great too.
Introduced 6 words today - all, her, they, you, my, are. I stuck them up around the living room and then asked Chops to run, jump, roll, hop, walk backwards etc to the word. In typical Chops style he wanted me to time him doing each one. Not that I know where he gets his competitiveness from...ahem.
He really enjoyed and asked to play again this afternoon. Will definitely be mixing in more words to repeat this one. And the bonus is that we could do it while Roly was awake as he just did the running and thought that was great too.
Sunday 15 January 2012
Registration day
Today is the deadline for school applications for the Chops. It's the first day I've really doubted my decision. My reasons for HE seem to mean nothing and my head is full of 'aaaaaaaargh what if...?'
I *know* we are doing the right thing. That the reasons behind it are right for us. But the responsibility is weighing on my shoulders today.
Off to read some articles and blogs and remind myself that the grass of the school field isn't greener than that of the freedom of the park with our HE friend's... I hope
I *know* we are doing the right thing. That the reasons behind it are right for us. But the responsibility is weighing on my shoulders today.
Off to read some articles and blogs and remind myself that the grass of the school field isn't greener than that of the freedom of the park with our HE friend's... I hope
Friday 13 January 2012
Thursday 12 January 2012
Patient. Happy. Fun.
This is the mantra that I try to use every day. I want my boys to remember me being patient, happy and fun. It doesn't sound complicated or difficult really.
However, back to the real world... Being permanently patient, happy and fun is difficult when the baby is sleeping badly, the 4 year old is questioning your every move, faffing when you need him to be hurrying and trying to be older than he is (he wanted me to leave him in Newcastle today to stay with his friends and then he'd just get the train home himself...of course!) and add to that the stress of work, the usual finances, keeping on top of the housework, finding time for the boring mundane stuff that keeps a family running. It's hard being patient, happy and fun all of the time.
But I'll try again tomorrow. I need to remember that one day Roly will sleep until noon, one day Chops really will be on the train home by himself and I'll have lots of time to do the boring stuff. I just need to keep it ticking over until then and try to make my boys' childhood a happy and fun one to look back on.
However, back to the real world... Being permanently patient, happy and fun is difficult when the baby is sleeping badly, the 4 year old is questioning your every move, faffing when you need him to be hurrying and trying to be older than he is (he wanted me to leave him in Newcastle today to stay with his friends and then he'd just get the train home himself...of course!) and add to that the stress of work, the usual finances, keeping on top of the housework, finding time for the boring mundane stuff that keeps a family running. It's hard being patient, happy and fun all of the time.
But I'll try again tomorrow. I need to remember that one day Roly will sleep until noon, one day Chops really will be on the train home by himself and I'll have lots of time to do the boring stuff. I just need to keep it ticking over until then and try to make my boys' childhood a happy and fun one to look back on.
Wednesday 11 January 2012
Chopsy Rules Football
We had a very busy day today.
Went along to the Botanic Gardens this morning with a group of friends. The weather was beautiful and it was even warm enough to go coat-free (for the kids at least!) Chops had a great time in the woods and the pond with his friends. I know the Roly one isn't 100% by the fact he was happy staying wrapped on my back rather than charging around with the others.
We headed home and watched a bit of Aussie Rules football as part of our Oz theme. Chops spotted a lot of differences between that and our football and isn't sure their's is football at all - too many hands involved! He then made up his own rules to play a random football/throwing/wrestling type game with Roly and I. I couldn't win as I'm still not quite sure what the rules were - they seemed to change every time I got the ball. It was a good laugh though.
In other news, the Roly one is loving shape sorters and the like at the moment. He's a big fan of putting things in bags/buckets/bins/washing machines and then (sometimes!) taking them out again. I washed a toy cow yesterday and found a tractor in the bin. He was building towers 5 and 6 blocks tall today.
Went along to the Botanic Gardens this morning with a group of friends. The weather was beautiful and it was even warm enough to go coat-free (for the kids at least!) Chops had a great time in the woods and the pond with his friends. I know the Roly one isn't 100% by the fact he was happy staying wrapped on my back rather than charging around with the others.
We headed home and watched a bit of Aussie Rules football as part of our Oz theme. Chops spotted a lot of differences between that and our football and isn't sure their's is football at all - too many hands involved! He then made up his own rules to play a random football/throwing/wrestling type game with Roly and I. I couldn't win as I'm still not quite sure what the rules were - they seemed to change every time I got the ball. It was a good laugh though.
In other news, the Roly one is loving shape sorters and the like at the moment. He's a big fan of putting things in bags/buckets/bins/washing machines and then (sometimes!) taking them out again. I washed a toy cow yesterday and found a tractor in the bin. He was building towers 5 and 6 blocks tall today.
Saturday 7 January 2012
Australia
Our advent activities each day worked out so well that I've decided (after discussion with the Chops) to trial some 'project work' with him. There are no time limits on it, we'll keep looking as long as he's interested but I'll try to plan crafts/cooking/other activities around that subject.
He's picked Australia as the first one and we got underway today (yes, Saturday! A bonus of home ed is that we can give ourselves a random day off through the week now!)
We printed off a flag to colour in, looked at Australia in the atlas and on the globe and read about some of their food. He suggested that we could have a BBQ and invite his friends so that's what we're going to do on Friday. In the middle of January. Well, it is summer Down Under!
We read about some animals. He drew a sheep (there are more sheep than people in Oz!) Then watched videos of people playing the didgeridoo and made our own.
It was really enjoyable and I'm looking forward to doing more over the next few days. I'm planning on watching some Aussie Rules with him, listening to the national anthem and maybe some Rolf Harris and the Wiggles for a bit of variety! Looking online for some resources too.
He's picked Australia as the first one and we got underway today (yes, Saturday! A bonus of home ed is that we can give ourselves a random day off through the week now!)
We printed off a flag to colour in, looked at Australia in the atlas and on the globe and read about some of their food. He suggested that we could have a BBQ and invite his friends so that's what we're going to do on Friday. In the middle of January. Well, it is summer Down Under!
We read about some animals. He drew a sheep (there are more sheep than people in Oz!) Then watched videos of people playing the didgeridoo and made our own.
It was really enjoyable and I'm looking forward to doing more over the next few days. I'm planning on watching some Aussie Rules with him, listening to the national anthem and maybe some Rolf Harris and the Wiggles for a bit of variety! Looking online for some resources too.
Our music men
The Roly one has got rhythm! He loves to dance and play any kind of music. His favourite Christmas present was definitely the keyboard. His little face lit up when he saw it and he's played it a lot since. He also loves dancing to our music and movement CDs.
The Chops has also been getting more into music lately. Especially listening to rock music in the car - his current favourites are ACDC, Ian Brown, Chemical Brothers and Foo Fighters. He really dissects each song, pointing out some of the lyrics, guitar solos, different drums, synths. It amazes me as when I listen to music I just hear a song but he's more like his dad who hears all of the different parts that make it up.
The Chops has also been getting more into music lately. Especially listening to rock music in the car - his current favourites are ACDC, Ian Brown, Chemical Brothers and Foo Fighters. He really dissects each song, pointing out some of the lyrics, guitar solos, different drums, synths. It amazes me as when I listen to music I just hear a song but he's more like his dad who hears all of the different parts that make it up.
Thursday 5 January 2012
Magic Money
Chops has a friend who lives right on the seafront in a flat with beautiful views and our favourite park just around the corner. He has decided he wants us to have a house there too.
When I explained that houses near the sea were often more expensive he thought for a while before he told me he had a brilliant idea.
'let's just go to the bank every day and keep the money at home and then we'll have enough money'
I love the way his mind works. If only it were that simple!
When I explained that houses near the sea were often more expensive he thought for a while before he told me he had a brilliant idea.
'let's just go to the bank every day and keep the money at home and then we'll have enough money'
I love the way his mind works. If only it were that simple!
Globe trotting
The boys were given a fabulous glove for Christmas which you can use the stylus to find out the country's name, listen to the national anthem and loads of other information. Chops is spending lots of time with it at the moment. He's just informed me that Russia is the world's biggest country and Madagascar is the 4th biggest island. 
Sunday 1 January 2012
Fractions
The Chops got a pizza fraction game for Christmas so he's briefly been introduced to halves, quarters and eighths so far. He grasps the concept of cutting and sharing it up easily and seems quite happy that two quarters = a half etc. His maths brain never ceases to amaze me!
Welcome to 2012!
Well, that's another Christmas over! It's been a very happy one in our household and I for one am feeling refreshed and ready to face 2012!
This is the year that the Chops becomes 'compulsory school age' do I'm very mindful that I need to make sure he has enough activities in place for when his friends start school and he's too old for the playgroups we currently attend.
In other hopes for the year, I want to be healthier. I became vegan a few months ago and already suffer far less with migraines but I need to make sure I eat more fruit/veg and drink more water. More exercise and fresh air would be good for all of us too.
The Chops' own resolution for the year is to take me to soft play more often!
Hopefully it will be a happy and healthy one for us all
This is the year that the Chops becomes 'compulsory school age' do I'm very mindful that I need to make sure he has enough activities in place for when his friends start school and he's too old for the playgroups we currently attend.
In other hopes for the year, I want to be healthier. I became vegan a few months ago and already suffer far less with migraines but I need to make sure I eat more fruit/veg and drink more water. More exercise and fresh air would be good for all of us too.
The Chops' own resolution for the year is to take me to soft play more often!
Hopefully it will be a happy and healthy one for us all
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