Homeschool Corner

Our "homeschooling" right now is very liberal.  We look for opportunities to teach and help the boys learn. 

A Few things we are doing:

1) Math - one of the bests times we have with the boys throughout the day for hands on learning is from 7:30-8:00 aka bedtime.  After reading a book they each pick out, we usually have time to chat so we've started doing math problems.  Just simple stuff like 2 + 2 or 5+2 . . things we can use our fingers for as a visual.  The boys enjoy that and can now answer some problems without "fingers".  Like I've mentioned before, we also count to every night.  When their clocks turn to 7:59, we start counting until they turn to 8:00.  That is the time that Darryl and I leave their room so it is good practice of big counting. 

2) Reading - As mentioned above, the boys pick out a book each (often the same book for many nights in a row - right now it is Chicka Chicka Boom Boom which we ALL know by heart!  and "How to Babysit a Grandpa" which the boys can tell most of that one as well.

We find, as every one knows, that reading to the boys at night increasing their language and also helps them to sound out words.  Not to mention the memory skills

3)  Games - I've mentioned before that the boys love games.  Generally they get games of some sort out at least once a day.  On a side note, it makes me wonder how people sell games at garage sales that have all of their pieces, in their original boxes.  I swear, we lose a piece every day and then find random pieces weeks later.  Games are HUGE learning experiences especially when I play and explain the rules to which Nate replies, "Well, mom, that is not how Josh teaches us to play." hahahaha 

I've shared some photos of my boys playing with their Letter Construction kit that they got for Christmas.  Even just yesterday, Nate had it out and was playing with Darryl.  He showed Darryl how to build them and then would sound the letter out and  name words that started with that letter.  So then Darryl would help him build small words like "Gum" and "Cat". 

Chutes and Ladders is a new favorite.  I love it because it teaches counting to 100.  Getting the boys to go the right direction and follow the "Chutes and Ladders" has been a little tricky but we are getting there ;-)


4) Time - The boys love time.  They always ask me what time on the clock they can do something and are pretty good with telling the "hour" time. 

Now that our snow is starting to melt and, eventually, we won't have a lake in the yard, and I'm beginning to un-hibernate, I want to plan some activities to keep us busy over the coming months.  Some typical learning things with time, money, and writing letters and numbers and some fun stuff too.