Think Tanks and Think Board!

Before we start with all of our lessons, we need to gather some materials! I decided to get two boxes for the items: one for mommy and one for Sawyer (SJ). To have a little fun, I call the boxes "Mommy's Think Tank" and "SJ's Think Tank". Here is a list of what you need:

Mommy's Think Tank
pens
pencils
colored pencils
scissors (adult pair and child pair)
markers
glue
tape
construction paper
tissue paper
glitter
food coloring
washable paint
watercolors
paintbrushes
pipe cleaners
cotton balls
old magazines
ruler
google eyes
feathers
popsicle sticks
yarn
index cards



SJ's Think Tank
crayons
gluestick
pencils
(depending on your child's age, you can put more of the materials in their box instead of yours)



Don't freak out! You don't need all of these things right away. Just get a few at a time! We will be adding materials to the boxes as we go.

I also decided to make a "Think Board" to display the letter of the week, number of the week, vocabulary words, bible verses, and artwork. I hung it up in Sawyer's room at his eye level so that we can use it in our daily lessons. Here is our board:




Letter of the Week (upper and lowercase) with words that start with that letter and coordinating pictures found in clipart.


Number of the week displayed in written form as well as countable form


Theme of the week


Bible verse of the week (this will usually start with the letter of the week or go along with the theme)


I also bought a portfolio to store all of Sawyer's work.

Feel free to create any kind of board you want. You can use a poster or a cork board like this one (I bought it 1/2 off at Hobby Lobby). Decorate it and make it your own! We will be updating it each week to go along with the themes!

Oh, The Thinks You Can Think: The Who, What, When, Where, Why, And How Of It All

I am so excited to be introducing this new blog to the parenting/teaching world. Here is the breakdown of how the "thinking" will begin:

Who:
* Kids ages 2 years - 4 years (I will be working with my 2 and 1/2 year old son Sawyer.)
Note: You will need to make adjustments to the lessons according to your child's age. A 4 year old has a longer attention span and has better motor skills than a 2 year old. I will guide you on these modifications.
* Any adult wanting to help a child learn

What:
* There will be a "Thinking Theme" each week with one 10-15 minute lesson per day for 5 days. I will include the objectives, materials, and procedures for each lesson to clearly guide you through the week. Also, I will have a list of books, songs, and extra lessons that correlate with the theme. I am also going to be doing a letter, number, and bible verse of the week and incorporate them into the plans. All of this is optional!

When:
* Whatever fits YOUR schedule. I know that everyone's lives are crazy, especially with kids, so do these lessons whenever it is convenient for you! I will be doing mine with Sawyer in the morning during my younger son's nap. And PLEASE do not stress yourself out over this. If you can't do all the lessons for the week, don't worry about it. If you can only get to one, that's great! Or if you want to take it more slowly and spread the lessons out over a few weeks, that is wonderful, too. Go at your child's pace. There will definitely be days where your kids will not want to do any of this! Believe me, I understand! Make it work for your kiddos and for you!

Where:
* At home, inside and outside
* Out in the community (zoo, museums, restaurants, etc.)

Why:
* Children are like sponges...they soak up everything. The earlier you start with them, the more they will soak in and the better prepared they will be for school. Also, studies show that children with parents who are involved in their education tend to have fewer behavioral problems and better academic performance, and are more likely to complete secondary school than children whose parents are not involved in their education. The time to start it NOW!!!

How:
* I will plan all of the lessons for you. All you have to do is follow the directions! There are also websites listed that you can go to if you want to pick out other lessons to do with your children. All kids are different. They learn differently and have different interests, so my lessons might not be what your children want to do. Again, do what is best for your child!

I'm anxious to get started with all of you, so...here we go!