blank
blank

Compassion

Saturday, May 21, 2011

Treats 4 Your Tot

Photobucket

Here are some more cool giveaways for tots/moms of tots, check them out below and let us know if you win something we told you about!!!!

Bolded are items we personally own and love!  If you are hosting a TOT friendly giveaway you are free to leave a link in the comments section!

Friday, May 20, 2011

Cute Tots

Tots sure are cute, aren't they? Be sure to click on the photos to visit the mom bloggers of these cute tots!

image

image

image

image

image

image

Is one of these tots your tot (or has your tot been featured as a Cute Tot in the past)? Grab this button for your blog to share with your readers...

Cute Tot

Want to send in a photo of your Cute Tot? Click Here!

Thursday, May 19, 2011

Once Upon A Book ~ I’d Be Your Hero

Photobucket

I’d Be Your Hero: A Royal Tale of Godly Character

by Kathryn O’Brien


Summary:  A unique book that captures the special relationship between a boy and his mom, as he seeks to attain the scriptural traits he has been taught.  (If you like this book, you’ll LOVE The Squire and the Scroll by Jennie Bishop, a book filled with sword fights, bravery, and honor in action.)

Bible Verse:  Whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God. (1 Corinthians 10:31)

Math / Fine Motor Skills

053

Supplies:

  • envelopes (10)
  • castle note cards (10) (ours are from Michaels) or die-cut of a castle (which you could find at the teacher store) or create a pattern yourself
  • marker
  • knights, horses, kings, or queen action figures (optional) or use other counting manipulative

Directions:

  • Label castle note cards 1-10 and do the same with the envelopes using a marker.
  • Have your Tot match the numbered castle to the correctly numbered envelope. 

054

If this proves challenging to them, place the correct castle in each envelope and simply have them take the castle out of the envelope. 

057

This exercise alone is a great fine motor activity, and proved just right for Gabe.  I asked him to find a specific numbered envelope.  As he gingerly pulled each castle out of its respective envelope, I reminded him of the number.

Variation(s): 

  • Add some action to your castles!  Have your Tot place the correct number of “counters” on each numbered card.  (We ended up having sword fights all the way to the castle.)

060

  • Color your castles!
  • Help your Tot place the castles or envelopes in numerical order.  (A little beyond our learning right now!)

Craft:  Target practice

068

Supplies:

  • white, yellow, and red construction paper
  • scissors
  • glue
  • stickers or paper scraps

Directions:

  • Create a target, similar to the one in the book.  (As you can see, mine isn’t perfect because I wanted something quick and I just wanted to spend time with Gabe.) 
  • If possible, you could have your Tot trace various sized circles onto the appropriate paper.  With child scissors allow them to even cut out the circles and glue the target together with some assistance. 

065

  • Now for the fun part.  Have your Tot place the stickers (or paper scraps) inside the smallest circle.  My little guy was so proud of his target . . . he showed everyone who came over to our house.


Tot Tray:  Spooning

 062

Supplies:

  • spoon
  • jewels
  • “treasure box”

Directions

  • With spoon in hand, have your Tot transfer “jewels” into the treasure box.
  • Take it one step further . . . as Gabe was spooning jewels we talked about how instead of storing money, that we can store up treasures in heaven.  

But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy,

and where thieves do not break in and steal.  (Matthew 6:20)

After discussing this, we then put our family memory verses into the treasure box to be used at each meal. 

 

069
Because . . .

How can a young person stay on the path of purity?
   By living according to your word.
I seek you with all my heart;
   do not let me stray from your commands.
I have hidden your word in my heart
   that I might not sin against you. 
(Psalm 119: 9-11)

 

071

 

P.S. Our memory system can be found at Simply Charlotte Mason.  And our scripture cards, which are too fun, are from Memory Cross

Songs: I’m a Knight in Armor (sung to the tune of “I’m a Little Teapot”)

I'm a knight in armor, look at me.
See how shiny I can be.
With my visor up my eyes you'll see.
But with it down it protects me.

Coloring pages:  Check out these great armor of God coloring pages!

Involving Older Siblings:  I have found that for my Tot School to be successful, it is best for me to involve Gabe’s older brothers. 

002

Gabe likes them around and it gives the older children a chance to essentially play the role of teacher. 

003 

For this theme, Asher and Ezra helped create Gabe’s sensory bin. (All of our supplies came from Michaels.)

004 

However, Gabe was NOT thrilled with the blue sand.  Which occurred almost immediately after this picture was taken! 

006

Phew . . . we did more, but that is all I am going to share with you!  Enjoy!

Want to see what's coming next (and books we've done in the past)? Click here to see our Once Upon a Book webpage!


signature button Jodi

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Little Hands-On abc's and 123's - Counting with Cars

little handson Abc 123

One thing I have found with my son is that he is less inclined to sit still long enough to "learn." I have had to be creative in the activities I do with him so that he will be engaged in learning his numbers and letters, colors, and everything else while he is playing.  One of my kids' favorite games is to roll things down the slide.  Don't have a slide taking up half your playroom?  Well, at least your play room might look less cluttered than mine!  You can set up a ramp with blocks and a piece of thick cardboard (think cereal box) to play this same game.
The rules are simple: the kids roll the cars down the "ramp" one by one.

Mommy (or big sister) counts them and lines them up as they roll to the bottom.
These numbers are wooden ones from our Montessori math supplies.  You can download numbers (my go-to place for printables is The Confessions of a Homeschooler or Homeschool Creations) or make your own, or use number magnets or foam numbers. 
 
Julie Signature Button

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Mommy Made Printables ~ Princesses, Princes, Knights & Castles

Mommy-Made-Printables2422222

We are excited to share some Princess ~ Prince ~ Knight ~ Castle printables for you to use with your tots as you explore together!

Knights Preschool Pack {from Homeschool Creations}Knight Pack Collage

 

Princess Preschool Pack {from 1+1+1=1} Princesses

P is for Princess{from Confessions of a Homeschooler}image

Crown Grid Game {from Mama Jenn}image

Princesses & Frogs {from Mama Jenn}image

 

Do you have any free Royalty printables YOU have created {and share}? If so, leave a link to your blog post in the comments below!

Signature-button-Carisa-2622222

Monday, May 16, 2011

Little Books for Little Cooks ~ Rainbow Fish Discovers the Deep Sea

Little Books for Little Cooks

Rainbow Fish

011

Enjoy some yummy fish from a fish!

The Book Before You Cook…

image

Rainbow Fish Discovers the Deep Sea

by Marcus Pfister

Summary: Follow along as Rainbow Fish explores the deep sea and meets lots of new friends while in search of his missing silver scale.

When It’s Time to Cook…

You’ll need:

  • paper plate
  • construction paper
  • googly eye
  • rainbow colored goldfish crackers

To Make:

  1. Cut the construction paper to form the fish’s fin, tail, and face.
  2. Create the fish by arranging the fish parts and the paper plate on a table or tray. Add the googly eye.
  3. Pour the goldfish crackers onto the plate and enjoy!

Little Books for Little Cooks is a monthly feature that focuses on creating some edible fun with your little one.   We will share a fun book to read with your little one along with a cooking activity to do that ties in with the featured book. Sometimes there may be actual cooking involved…and sometimes just fun!

Sunday, May 15, 2011

Cute Tots Coming Soon!

image It's been awhile since we have shared your Cute Tots, but the day is arriving soon! If you'd like to share your tot with our awesome group of readers here at Totally Tots, please go here and see how!

We are sharing Cute Tots on Friday, May 20
!!!

If you’d like your tot to be included please get your email/photo to me ASAP…at least by Wednesday 5/18! If you sent your tot in between March and now, and your photo has NOT been featured yet, please resend a new photo and blog link!

Looking forward to seeing your Cute Tots and visiting your blogs!

image

Saturday, May 14, 2011

Treats 4 Tots

Photobucket

Here are some more cool giveaways for tots/moms of tots, check them out below and let us know if you win something we told you about!!!!

Bolded are items we personally own and love!  If you are hosting a TOT friendly giveaway you are free to leave a link in the comments section!

Friday, May 13, 2011

Book Basket ~ May/June 2011

Photobucket

Here is a {LATE!!} heads up on the books that we’ll be using during the months of May and June 2011 for the following features: Little Books for Little Cooks, Now I Know My ABC's, and Once Upon a Book. These lists are to help you out so you can be looking for the books at your library, digging through your stacks in search of them, or order those 'must haves'!

If you are reading this post in a blog reader, be sure to click through to read the full post and see the books we have planned. :)

Little Books for Little Cooks

Now I Know My ABC's

Once Upon a Book

Thursday, May 12, 2011

Once Upon a Book ~ The Prince Won’t go to Bed!

Photobucket

image

The Prince Won’t Go To Bed!

by Le Ann Dodds

Summary: The king and queen are at the royal ball and the seemingly defiant prince will not go to bed. Everyone in the castle tries to get the “teeny-tiny, itty-bitty, little prince” to stay in bed. They try everything; everything except the one thing he needs…a good night kiss!

Bible Verse: And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6b

Math: The boys practiced counting by using their Education Cubes to play our coordinating Crown Grid game (inspired by the Crown Grid Game from PreKinders). Roll the cube, count the crowns on the cube, and cover the same number of crowns on the grid. We rolled, counted, and covered until the board was completely filled.

154

Motor Skills: I used a marker to create some dot patterns on the Crown Name Tags from DLTK. The boys used a toothpick to poke holes through each of the dots.

150

Craft: The boys used the shape insert cards in their Education Cubes to practice shape recognition while creating their very own crown. Roll a shape, identify it, and add the same shape onto the crown. This idea was inspired by the Preschool Party Hat idea from Spell Outloud.

149

Art: The boys used the Shape Cut and Paste Prince Crown from Making Learning Fun. For some reason they were not interested in the cut a paste part. They only wanted to color the prince.

148

Dramatic Play: The boys had fun playing with their Wee Waffle Blocks. If you look closely, you can see the prince sleeping in his rainbow block bed…just like in the story! Of course, this was after he received his good night kiss!

152

Movie: To go along with the royal theme, we watched a few Veggie Tales:  King Geoge and the Ducky, Esther, and Sweetpea Beauty.

imageimageimage

Want to see what's coming next (and books we've done in the past)? Click here to see our Once Upon a Book webpage!