The Duck Goes 'Quack Quack' Mama!

Creed's favorite character nowadays is Little Nutbrown Hare. Aside from the book, "Guess How Much I Love You," by Sam McBratney, I hadn't heard or seen anything else about this rabbit. Just flipping through the channels the other day I found it on Disney Junior (8:30 p.m./7:30 p.m.c). The animated series is centered around the love and friendship between Little and Big Nutbrown Hare, a father and son. It's adorable. I love it as much as I love Peter Rabbit! We went to the library this week and I found another book by the same author with this duo called, "Let's Play In The Snow." Turns out there's a series of books about Little Nutbrown Hare including, "Guess How Much I Love You," 'All Year Round,' 'The Adventures of Little Nutbrown Hare,' 'Colors Everywhere,' 'A Surprise For the Nutbrown Hares,' and the list goes on. I'm looking forward to discovering each one as much so as Creed. 

Another great find inspired by a book Creed received from his Aunt Lorilie, "The Kissing Hand," by Audrey Penn, was "A Bedtime Kiss for Chester Raccoon." After a little digging, I also found, "A Kiss Goodbye," "A Pocket Full of Kisses," "Chester Raccoon and the Acorn Full of Memories," Chester Raccoon and the Big Bad Bully," "Chester the Brave," etc. 

Sensory play with EDDU Toy

After playing with our geometric shape game by Melissa & Doug, we played a great sensory game called "Feel & Find," by EDDU Toy. Basically it's a canvas bag filled with wooden shapes and as you draw from the stack of wooden game pieces that have the matching shapes you put your hand in the bag, without looking of course, and feel for the corresponding piece. It was hard, but fun. At one point I suggested he try it with his foot and it was a hoot! When it was my turn I was having difficulty finding the duck and Creed held the game piece in front of my face explaining to me that ducks have webbed feet for paddling. He waited a moment and then kept telling me more, the duck goes, "quack, quack." "The duck eats fish and seaweed," he said, "and has gooey eyes." "The duck says quack, quack," he persisted. It was hilarious. The more he told me the closer he got to my face. We played a Cranium Treasure Chest game next. This time we played by the rules. This was certainly an adjustment for him, but he played along. 

For a couple of months now we've been reading "Warthogs Paint, A Messy Color Book," by Pamela Duncan Edwards. It's a tale about warthogs painting a rainbow on the kitchen wall after not being able to go out on such a rainy day. Through several mishaps the colors are mixed and new colors are explored. The last page goes into detail about primary colors, when mixing two primary colors you make a new colors, green, orange and purple. There are a couple of fun exercises testing the child's intellect like, "Which two colors were used to make the ladder green?" One day after reading the book I asked Creed if he'd like to mix some colors to see what happens. He answered with an excited, "Yes!" I found the easiest way to mix some colors was using the fizzy water changing tablets (used for bath time). We dropped the red, blue and yellow into different jars and waited for them to dissolve. It's didn't take long for the magic to happen as Creed anxiously awaited for the fun to begin. He used a big bulby syringe I found at thrift store, first adding yellow to the empty jar and then blue. "Green!" he squealed. Science experiment 101, mixing primary colors, was a huge success.

Science 101, mixing primary colors

geometric shape game

That night we read from the Ranger Rick Jr. magazine we checked out from the library. The December/January 2014 addition pictures a Red-Eyed Treefrog on the cover, which Creed referred to as, "Sticky Toes." There's a section in the magazine that features, Read with Bonnie and Chester. It's a short story that has photos inserted into the text so children can "read with" their parents. I explained how we were going to read it and Creed jumped right in and cracked me up every other line. Chester, the squirrel and Bonnie the bluebird, had an adventure with snowflakes. There were pictures of hot chocolate and when we came to that point … Then they ate (pictures of cookies) cookies and drank (picture of hot chocolate) coffee he said. He certainly listens to everything around him. Mama makes coffee every morning and sometimes he will ask me to do something and I explain that we can do this or that after I make coffee, finish drinking coffee or watch out, don't spill the coffee, it's hot! The Ranger Rick Jr. poster showed a photo of a red fox. This fox has a white chest, black feet, and yellow eyes, I read. Who does that look like, I asked? Mr. Todd, he replied! (From Peter Rabbit on NickJr.) As we were reading and flipping through the pages there was a photo of a mama cheetah with a baby standing on it's hind legs looking like it was whispering into it's mother's ears. If this cheetah could talk, what would it be saying? (reading the text) "Meow!" Creed answered. It's been a blast. 

We are entering the "What's That Mean?" phase, aka "Why" phase. I'm really enjoying it. He asks questions I would never ask and sees the world from a different aspect. It's refreshing and eye-opening at the same time.

I signed up Creed and I for the Spring Christian Homeschool Co-op. I'm very excited to be able to meet other homeschool mamas and getting Creed more comfortable with other children. He's a clinger, literally to my leg. One reason we started BSF (Bible Study Fellowship) was because they had nursery that also had class, not just a babysitter. Sometimes they have to peel him off me, but when I come pick him up he's sitting in a circle listening to the stories and very engaged with the teacher and other students. I wish I could see how well he does in class and I'll be able to get a little insight when this co-op starts on the 27th. All smiles here!

I'm excited about the Montessori Summer 2014 Handwriting and Fine Motor Workshop Creed will be attending, twice a week for the last three weeks in July. The goal of the workshop is to introduce or improve children's handwriting skills in a fun learning environment. Using a multi-sensory approach they will work on developing the strength, coordination and dexterity that's required to complete the writing process. This includes pencil grip, letter formation and letter placement on paper. One-on-one instruction is taught by a licensed occupational therapist and will be based on techniques and activities within the Handwriting Without Tears writing program. This will give him a leg up for what's to come in this next homeschool year, plus he'll be able to make some new friends as will me. I had only heard the name Montessori and didn't know much about it until it was suggested by a friend. Thanks Aunt Na! The more I read about it the more I'm inclined to enroll Creed in the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd. It's rooted in the Bible, the liturgy of the church (Catholic) and focuses on helping children listen to God and His Word and respond with joy. For more information visit here: www.cgsusa.org. I'm still researching Montessori. Your comments are appreciated!