For little ones this is all the formal lesson they get but it covers a wide range, depending on what we’re in the mood to do that morning. This is followed by other lessons for the big kids but it’s a good official start for our day.

– Welcome Song then any combination of the following:

Memorization work:
– Song Mo’s memorizing (primary)
– Scripture mastery from C
– Articles of Faith
– Poem

Mathematics:
– Date (days of the week, months of the year song)
– Counting by 1s, 2s, 3s, etc, forward & backwards.
– Finding shapes in room (shape scavenger hunt)
– What time is it?

Science:
– Weather (check forecast & temperature)
– What season is it?
– Planets song
– Colors song

Social Studies:
– Holidays this month
– States song
– Name continents and oceans
– Pick a postcard (from our penpal collection) and find on map

Show & Tell
Parent or older child read short story to younger kids

Throw in an art project and some outdoor time for exercise and exploration and you’ve covered all the basics!

Activity Ideas for Little Ones:
Usually I only need 10 to 20 minutes to focus on teaching a new concept and helping an older child check a lesson. When I need to buy us some time and keep little ones occupied here are some ideas (and reminders to self) – they require varying degrees of supervision/intervention from me:
– Busy Box
– Magnet board
– workbooks
– coloring books
– playdough
– educational links (see below)
– educational shows (PBS Kids, Hulu, Netflix I hear?)
– DVDs from library
– yard
– chalk outside or on black paper inside
– rice box (BIG mess but fun)
– obstacle course, relay race
– trampoline
– yoga DVD
– kid scissors & paper to cut into bits
– activity cards & dry erase marker
– storytime with older sibling
– rotate toy bins (trains, Little People, etc)
– put on puppet show
– dress up box
– play kitchen, assign a “meal” to prepare
– dollhouse
– scavenger hunt, draw or write them list of what to find around the house or give specific color, shape, etc and they must draw or write down item found and return to you.
– chores: sort clean laundry into piles, set table, pick up living or sunroom, sort crayons into colors, collect all kids’ books from around the house
– have them “read” book and draw book report
– stretchy sack, rocking horse, other OT games
– have them set up a library & check out books
– play doctor, identifying their body parts and giving them spare band-aids to use as they deem fit. 🙂
– puzzles
– dominoes
– Memory, Candyland, Chutes & Ladders
– give them “lessons” like write out numbers, ABCs, draw me certain shapes
– pictionary, tell them what to draw and let each other guess or they draw and I guess