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Every week, I put out six tot trays out for the week and I try to be intentional with activities that correlate with each of the four Montessori learning categories: Language, Sensory, Mathematics, Practical Life. Our Tot Trays are out on our shelf all week. I’ll take one out intentionally for us to play together, but he can also play with them at any time.
A clothespin color matching game I made with markers, clothespins, and an old Melissa & Doug wooden box.
A simple rainbow puzzle.
Some awesome iiiinstrument shadow matching from Memorizing the Moments.
Here is a slotting game with all of the letters we have worked on so far. These are letter discs made from laminated letters and wooden discs I found at Michaels. Check out Confessions of a Homeschooler for her letter template.
Matching Unifix cubes to the Igloo number cards 1 through 5. 1:1 correspondence.
An igloo magnet page with circle magnet pieces.
I made this schedule to organize our Tot School time, according to the Montessori principles: Language, Mathematics, Sensory, and Practical Life.
You can read my post about it and download the free Tot School Planning Form here.
Bible verse of the week:
Let my prayer be set before you like incense. Psalm 141:2
We use the ABC bible verse songs from Songs for Saplings. These songs are so catchy, beautiful, not “children’s music annoying,” and I find myself singing and learning and memorizing the bible verses along with John. Carisa at 1plus1plus1equals1 has made coordinating ABC Bible Verses posters which have really helped with his memorization as well.
Letter of the week: Ii
Our curriculum consists of 1plus1plus1equals1‘s Tot School ABC’s.
Do-A-Dot markers on his I is for Ice Cream Truck pages that I made.
And his Igloo pages.
I presented the color cards in a new way this week and it was a huge hit. I cut them out and put them on his tray with the corresponding colored crayon.
John was so excited and got to work.
Stamping an I on the Igloo.
For our vocabulary this week, we played a match-up game. I printed two copies and cut the cards out and put them face-down on the floor. John loved this. Next time I think I’ll laminate them and hide them in rice or beans : )
Book of the week:
Mama Do you love me? by Barbara Joosse
I looked and looked around my house for a book that has an igloo in it. And this sweet story about an Eskimo girl and her mother is the only one I could come up with. It is the sweetest story about a mother’s enverending love for her child. (There is also a Papa Do you love me? book about a little African boy and his father.)
We played Ice Cream Truck. I taped a picture of an ice cream truck on one of his Monster Trucks and put a yogurt popsicle on it and drove it over to him. He was so excited. He loves the little truck and after eating it, he was in and out of the freezer putting them in his truck.
Dad enjoyed an Ice cream treat too : ) (He’s super excited I’m taking his picture.)
Here he is putting together his interlocking Letter Puzzles from Melissa & Doug.
John loved cutting cantaloupe this week.
And he helped tonging our tortillas on our plates.
Love my little ones!
I hope you have a wonderful week — I love comments — please leave a link so I can see what you are doing in your Tot School.
Wow! This is so incredible! I love how you’re so intentional about the activities and have a plan for each week. This motivates me to get myself in gear with activities for the kiddos! Thanks for sharing!
~Abby =)
Thanks Abby, we have a lot of fun with it and his interests change daily so we are constantly changing it up :)
Love the pic of little May. xo
I love your little guy’s face in some of those photos! So absolutely darling!
Thanks Sanz, he’s a keeper :)
Your son looks so happy, as he learns. -Savannah
Thanks Savannah <3
You’re so organized and you do so much with him! I wish I could do as much! I LOVE the clothespin game, so clever.
I always get inspiration from you!! :)
I can’t get enough of the pic of little May! She is so cute! This is my computer background now. R-J will have to have a really cute moment to take the spotlight again! :) xoxoxoxo
Thanks Rach :) John will be jealous!! xoxo
Lots of really great activities you’re doing with him!
Thanks for visiting Caroline!!
We are doing letter I this week. Some great activities here! Thanks for the inspiration.
http://teachinglittleonesathome.blogspot.com/2013/04/god-little-explorers-coat-of-many.html
Thanks for visiting — I love all the resources you share too ♥
this is great! I needed tips like these to help me with my little one. Thank you for sharing all of this!
Thanks for visiting Kristine ♥
This is such a great post. I pinned this on my preschool board. Thanks for sharing on HammockTracks.
Your tot trays looks a lot like our Table Time trays!! Simple and fun! Thanks so much for sharing with us at Eco-Kids Tuesday! Hope to see you there again today!
hi, would you please the link for downloading the form? I can’t download the free Tot School Planning Form. thank you so much, I am really need such form for planning our week for my boy. thank you so much
hi again, I think you did not get my previous posts, I asked you 2 questions one about the quiet boxes and the other one about the download the free Tot School Planning Form, the download does not work for me, can’t dowload it, would you please check it and let me know, I really want this kind of forms and about the boxes do you use the the same boxes each week, I mean for example the box that you explain the content for friday you use again the next friday? thank you so much
Hi, Shaya, here is the link to the Tot School Planning Form! http://wildflowerramblings.bloomyourbusiness.org/organization/tot-school-planning-form/