Summer Fun Mini Themes: Hogwarts MiniCamp Part 5

The Dark Forest may have been forbidden, but here at Hogwarts MiniCamp, we're pretty big on exploring the backyard and beyond. This sometimes means taking a Mini-beasts and Where to Find Them Scavenger Hunt, or learning about the local flora and fauna or even breaking open Sorcerer's Stones (geodes). If it's been a busy couple of weeks at our house, it's been even busier in the backyard!

 The young wizards (even the youngest) loved using magnifying glasses, bugnoculars and their own keen eyes to find as many bugs, worms and other mini-beasts around the yard. S was really hoping to be able to catch one for closer observation and eventually decided to leave his bug catcher open on the ground--just in case!

After S created his treasure map of where to find the Sorcerer's Stone, I decided it was the perfect time to take out a geode kit we had stashed away for at least a year waiting for that perfect time...

Armed with safety goggles, hammers, and brute strength, the boys helped crack open our "sorcerer's stones" and it was so exciting to see the crystals inside! These will be back again later on when the young wizards take on the backyard challenge of finding them in a Sorcerer's Stone Treasure Hunt!

 Harry Potter books are filled with mythical creatures but also real ones. Headwig the Owl would love to see how much the young students here at Hogwarts MiniCamp have been learning about owls! We've also made a lot of use out of Little Spark Company's Owls of the World Bundle. Both of the boys are really into lacing cards and we've been sneaking in some really fun math activities suitable for S and Y at their own levels using materials we have at home along with the ones provided in the set. We've even taken them outside for some play picnics in the backyard.

There's more fun (and learning), magic and play on the way. Stay tuned for the next post from Hogwarts MiniCamp and until then...

Happy Playing!

Little House & The Farm, Part 6: Washing Day!

Farming and homesteading in the times of the Pioneers was a lot of work! It can be difficult to convey, let alone personally grasp the amount of time, effort and preparation that went into the most mundane tasks we now take for granted. In Laura Ingalls Wilder's Little House in the Big Woods, Ma has a weekly routine of chores set up. Now we may spend parts of a day (sometimes every day) doing laundry, cooking, cleaning, shopping for groceries and household items. For Laura and her family, a task like making butter for the household could take much of a day. Grocery stores the way we know them were still years away and General Stores were miles away without the convenience of modern transportation. As much as I complain about laundry (and I complain about it a lot), we have it pretty easy here with a washer and dryer right in our kitchen. Nonetheless, I splurged (with a credit I had) on Amazon and bought an old fashioned washboard. I wanted to set up a play scene outside for the boys to try out their own washing day and it just so happened that Monday of this past week was [finally] the perfect weather after a week of rainy days. Gosh, I can't imagine how a week like that would have affected Ma's chore routine!

I have to admit that many times when I set up an activity, I have an inkling of whether it will be enjoyed for a long while, quickly tried or not appreciated at all. And sometimes I have no clue! This time, I was pleasantly surprised with just how much both boys loved our washing day! I set up a simple three step station to

1. Scrub: I set up the bin of our sensory table right on the grass with soapy water, our washboard and a handful of square washcloths/dishrags. I used peppermint castile soap as it is gentle on little hands and also a wonderful laundry detergent in a pinch! 
2. Rinse: I set a second, smaller plastic basin with just plain water for rinsing.
3. Dry: We don't have a drying rack but our sensory table base was the perfect height and setup for a makeshift clothes line. I tied on three rows of twine and added in a collection of wooden clothes pins.

When it was time to go outside, I gave a brief demo of the three steps to the boys. I showed how to use the washboard to scrub the washcloths, how to ring out the wet, soapy rags, how to rinse and ring again and two ways to hang them to dry (this step would likely be more geared toward S). One way was to use a couple of clothespins and the other was to drape the towel folded over the twine. Then it was up to them to have at it and get to work!

They had so much fun! As we worked, we sang a little song to the tune of Row Row Row Your Boat:

Wash, wash, washing day,
Washing day is here!
Wash, wash, wash away,
We do our work with cheer!

Y particularly loved the song! He may or may not have climbed into the soapy water a couple of times as well. S spent a good long while mastering the technique of using clothespins on the clothesline. He was so proud to have mastered it! This is a great activity to incorporate both gross and fine motor skills as children at different ages and stages maneuver their way around all three stations, scrubbing against the washboard, ringing out cloths, and hanging them to dry. And while I cannot guarantee that practicing laundry as a child will yield an adult love of the chore (I used to love pretending to iron and I have ironed once ever in my entire adult life), it is a likely your little ones will enjoy this activity now!

And when it comes to chores and household tasks, Ma had the right idea in creating a predictable routine and engaging the help of her children each at their own level and abilities. And after Ma came Maria Montessori who was a huge advocate of teaching children practical life skills both in the classroom and at home. Creating ways in which certain chores are able to be done with or by the younger members of our family is a way we incorporate a bit of Montessori style in our own home. Even very young members of the family benefit from contributing to household tasks and feel quite eager and important when doing so. Sure, folding the actual laundry takes a bit longer when S wants to do all the washcloths, rags and dish towels himself, but when we can afford to include the boys in these seemingly mundane tasks, we do a great deal to foster their own independence, confidence and competence. Think of it kind of like an investment plan!

Happy Household Helping and Playing!

The Montessori Inspired Home: The "Write" Stuff for Pre-Writers

If you've followed our home preschool journey overall, and in particular my Sneaky Reader posts, you know I love to sneak educational activities into daily play and routine like Mrs. Jerry Seinfeld sneaks vegetables into her kids' favorite junk foods. I'm all about exposure through child-led play and exploration. I'm a huge fan of creating lifelong lovers of learning and not getting into battles over meeting "developmental goals" when a child displays reluctance. I have a passion for the early reading experience and an equal passion for reading's brother from another mother, writing.

Maria Montessori was actually a huge advocate for teaching writing before reading. I am not as strict here about order of operations or even about the tools we use to get the job done. What I care most about in exposing toddlers and young children to the beginning stages of writing is that they feel empowered, successful and inspired to do more. Some children do love worksheets and coloring books. I think there is certainly a place for those, particularly when building skills in following directions, working on strokes, lines and basic shapes and other important foundations of early writing. In my classrooms and now in my home, I love to offer a variety of opportunities for writing.

One of the first words a child learns recognize, to spell and to write is his/her name. 

I like to provide a variety of materials and methods for learning this! We use songs/music, letter manipulatives and more traditional writing materials as well.

I have a vivid memory of learning to write my name. I remember the song my mother made up with me to remember the spelling and I remember practicing the letters on a small memo pad in my babysitter's basement one afternoon after kindergarten was through. Some of my favorite days of teaching were the ones I was able to witness and share in the success of a student learning to write his name for the very first time--not because I had drilled and enforced tracing and connecting dots and copying--but because he decided he felt ready and pursued the challenge independently. What I did do in the background is provide a variety of toys, tools, tasks and materials to help build those tiny muscles in the hand, strengthen the larger muscles in the core and upper body, develop the necessary hand-eye coordination, and prepare my students for independence and success. These are the core values of the Montessori method of teaching writing as well. She felt strongly that all of the early activities of infancy and toddler-hood were either directly or indirectly aimed at preparing the child's hand for writing. She did not feel children needed adult direction in learning the skills of writing as much as they needed opportunities to naturally prepare for and achieve the skill.

Multi-sensory exploration of letters is an important part of pre-writing--check out some of our favorite alphabet activities here

As a parent now, I share the joy and excitement of seeing S grow into the stage of noticing shapes he creates when he scribbles. He is seeing that he can make a circle and a circle can represent a mouth or a pool or a whale... The process of realizing that shapes and symbols can represent objects is one of the earliest stages that will lead to understanding that letters can make words! Whether we realize it or not, early tasks like transferring, doing puzzles, painting, even learning to use buttons and other fasteners--all prepare our children for the later task of writing! I would add in that gross motor development through plenty of outdoor play, music and movement and a variety of physical activity opportunities also prepare early writers by strengthening their core and upper body for the vital task of being able to sit and maneuver a writing utensil efficiently.

A current peek at our art/writing center: I have a plastic caddie readily stocked with a variety of writing utensils, accessories, journals and notebooks for writing. I swap out materials like types of paper (right now it's homemade letterhead with S's name and address), chalk/chalkboard tablet, recycled materials for crafting, scrap paper for cutting practice and collage, paints to bring to the easel or for table work... I always stock crayons, markers, colored pencils and art mats.

And while my home is far from being set up in the traditional Montessori style when it comes to writing and art materials, I do put a large focus on making a variety of supplies accessible to S (Y will have his time soon enough!) and a plethora of ways to use them. I must confess, I love school supplies. The best times to shop for them are at the beginning of the academic school year (like right now) and just before the end of the academic school year when summer vacation begins. I would not encourage anyone to go out and sell an arm and leg and first born child in order to stock a writing center for your whole family, but do keep your eyes open at discount stores, dollar stores, secondhand shops and even online for some great sales on traditional and less traditional writing supplies. Here's a list of some of my favorites:

A closer peek at our writing caddie

I am in love with these Ticonderoga brand golf pencils with erasers! Perfect size for growing hands and no frustration over not being able to readily erase a mistake.

What to Write With:
There are many opinions about writing utensils with pre-writers. Some folks say to start with wider utensils that have a softer medium for immediate success--like crayons or markers. Some say to start with wider or triangular grip pencils. Some say to wait until the child's hand is ready to hold a standard pencil properly before introducing pencils at all. Others suggest supportive devices like grips and cushions. There are tools to support early grasps (like giant crayons that fit into a toddler's closed fist), and folks who strongly believe against these as they feel children should first perfect the pincer grasp before being introduced to writing utensils. Some folks prefer not to introduce pens until children have mastered pencils as they are harder use, requiring a perfect angle to produce ink. I say, offer and observe. If your child appears frustrated by a particular tool, offer support or an alternative. If your child is fascinated by your pen, offer him his own!

• pencils: standard, golf pencils (these are great for little hands and even come with erasers now, who knew?), wide pencils, triangular grip pencils, mechanical pencils
• colored pencils
• crayons
• markers
• pens
• charcoal pencils, oil pastels, chalk, bingo dabbers, creamy crayons/slick stix, window crayons, bath crayons, dry erase markers--it's starting to sound like art class now, but art is an early writer's best friend!
• paint & paint brushes, Q-tips, toothbrushes, sponges

I love getting creative with vertical art and writing opportunities. Peeling and sticking stickers is a great way to practice fine motor skills. A sheet of easel paper/craft paper and an envelope to hold some stickers plus a bit of masking tape is all you need to set up this invitation to peel and stick!

Easels are a more traditional vertical work setup. I like to keep an old t-shirt accessible as well for covering up clothes before painting and I especially like using our easel (which was a great gift from Bubby that is easily transportable) in our kitchen so S can paint over an easy to clean floor while I cook! 

What to Write On:

• paper--lots of it, scrap paper, white paper, lined paper, graph paper, primary composition paper*, notebooks, memo pads, legal pads in smaller sizes (great for smaller hands), easel paper, butcher paper/craft paper, construction paper, sticky notes, index cards, binders with loose-leaf paper, small clip boards with paper cut to size or similar sized notepad, blank cards & envelopes
• recycled notebooks, office pads/forms, shopping lists, postcards, greeting cards, junk mail, envelopes--these are especially great for integrating writing activities into dramatic play (Through dramatic play, even a tiny cashier can write receipts, a young doctor can write patient charts and prescriptions, your budding librarian can stamp and write book slips, your little police officer can write tickets, your aspiring mail carrier can write and package letters, and your chef-to-be can take orders and write menus!)
• sentence strips & index cards can be used to write words early spellers are asking how to spell/copy or words/names you wish to familiarize them with. I am a huge supporter of a print-rich environment even for pre-readers. Labels are not just for clothing! S and I will often search signs in public for letters that are in his name--this is a great activity for waiting in long lines!
• chalk boards/dry erase boards and magnetic doodle boards--these are great in tablet size for seated use or traveling and also great for vertical use in a larger format. I love chalk board contact paper and there are also chalk board paints available if you're feeling adventurous enough to offer up a wall!
• disposable paper tablecloths--we are not yet at the homework phase of parenthood, but how cool would it be to be able to support your young scholars while including/occupying your scholars-in-training? With the drop of a simple disposable paper tablecloth you can provide a writing surface for math problems or spelling words, a doodle surface for your scribblers, and a clean surface beneath it just in time for dinner! No need to dispose of it after one use, either--just fold it away in your homework bin for next time. This is also a great accessory and activity for your next house party!
• blank books, albums, sketch books, journals--nothing feels as good as being published! Let your little writer be her own author and illustrator--you can even craft your own book using cardstock/cardboard and paper.

* Primary composition paper can be purchased in notebook form or loose leaf form. You can even do a google image search and print a variety of free templates off the internet. It provides wider lines, sometimes color coded to help early writers form letters, and I favor the versions with a blank space for illustrations. Alternatively, regular lined paper can be used with two lines at a time for early writers who require more space for letter formation.

Got a budding architect? Sneak some graph paper and crayons/colored pencils next to his Legos and watch him design his own blue prints or capture a favorite building through art before it gets taken apart and put away. 

Where to Write:

• Take a seat, stand right up or get down on the ground! Children should be seated at a table or desk that is an appropriate size to support their stature. It is hard to write when you can't reach the table! In instances when a properly sized seating scenario is not available, I prefer to offer standing opportunities (as in standing to write at a table that is of the appropriate height) or working on the floor (on the tummy, elbows bent) or vertical opportunities (at an easel, on paper on the wall, on a chalkboard or white board, or you can even make your own table-top easel)
• lap desks are great for homes that are short on space or furniture! I see them frequently at craft supply stores and even secondhand shops. Plus, they are easily transportable
• Don't forget the kitchen sink! or rather, the bathtub--yes the tub is a great place for writing with bath crayons or markers or paints or in shaving cream or sending secret messages through steamy mirrors, doors and windows...
• Get off my back! Practicing letters on each other's backs is currently one of our favorite bedtime activities. S loves to use his finger to spell his name on my back (even though he's not actually forming letters yet) and I love to spell his name or the write the ABCs or "I love you" on his back. Bonus: it's super relaxing and usually puts even the wildest of wild things to sleep afterward.
• the sidewalk--just grab some chalk and go! No pavement? No problem--grab a stick and hit the dirt or sand!
• screen time: there are a variety of great apps for practicing early writing skills and never underestimate the value of a simple word processing program for practicing letters and words through typing

Accessories & Accoutrements:

And last, but not least, a list of items worth honorable mention--both traditional and less traditional:

• shaving cream, finger paint, play dough, clay, sand, salt/sugar or cornmeal are all great mediums for practicing lines, shapes, letters and words
• recycled computer keyboards, calculators, phones--these are great for letter and number recognition and a fabulous addition to dramatic play setups
• alphabet manipulatives in a variety of forms--blocks, stamps, foam, felt, beads, puzzles, games, cookie cutters, alphabet pasta or cookies, scrabble tiles
• magnetic letters and magnet board, vertical magnetic surface (washer/dryer, fridge, door)  or cookie sheet--I'm giving these manipulatives a league of their own because I love them so much!
• pencil boxes and pouches for writing on the go
• stickers, stamps, scissors, tape, glue, erasers, pencil sharpeners
• recycled magazines for cutting out pictures, words and letters
• scrap paper for cutting/tearing
• posters and artwork with the alphabet and later, words--you can even make your own (and enlist your early writers' help!)
• dry erase pouches or sheet protectors to turn your favorite coloring pages or worksheets into a reusable activity
• baskets, trays, recycled jars/cans, boxes and containers for storing materials
• magnets, tacks, clothes pins/string, picture frames, albums, binders or blank books for putting writing on display
• books, books, and more books--let's not forget that brother from another mother, reading together!

I'm sure I left things out and that there are many more that could be added. And suffice it to say that you do not need all of this! I do not keep all of our writing materials out at one time (that would be overwhelming) and many times it can be helpful even with what is out to select just a few crayons or pencils at a time, the necessary amount of paper, and a plastic tray or basket for carrying those materials to a work space. While I keep our writing and art supplies generally in one area, I sometimes sneak writing opportunities into other areas. I rarely leave home without a pencil pouch containing a small notepad and something to write with--you never know when something will be worth writing down on the go (or on the stop and wait...)! And my last bit of advice toward giving our early writers a great start: let them see you write! Whether it's a shopping list, a to-do list, birthday cards or lunch box notes, wish lists (a great tool for the little one who wants everything at the store) or just getting down and scribbling together (this NEVER stops being fun), write often and write together!

Additional Resources:

Here are some more great reads on writing!

• http://www.mamashappyhive.com/montessori-prewriting-activities/

• http://www.brighthubeducation.com/preschool-crafts-activities/45864-montessori-writing-activities/

• http://www.brighthubeducation.com/teaching-preschool/43985-montessori-materials-used-to-teach-writing-to-montessori-preschool-students/
• http://therapymommy.blogspot.com/2011/08/prewriting-shapes.html
• The Write Start: A Guide to Nurturing Writing At Every Stage from Scribbling to Forming Letters and Writing Stories by Jennifer Hallissy

I also recommend checking out the information and books about the curriculum method, Handwriting Without Tears

Happy writing, and until then--most importantly--happy playing!

The Montessori Inspired Home: The Bedroom

If you know me at all, you know that I believe sleep is sacred. I know (from experience) just how many years you can go without quality sleep before you're really in trouble... That said, when it comes to setting up sleep routines and bedroom structures I am a firm advocate for only one method: do what works for you and your family so that everyone gets the best quality rest. I definitely advocate for sleep safety and good sleep hygiene. Having a predictable bedtime routine is a good idea, whatever that means for you and your family. Starting that "unwinding" process earlier rather than later can be a good idea. It can be helpful to avoid screens like computers, phones, TVs and tablets for a couple of hours prior to sleeping and many doctors also recommend to avoid eating and exercising close to bedtime as well. That said, some children (and adults) sleep best with a bowl of cereal or a banana before bedtime. I never would have thought roughhousing playfully before bed was a good idea, but I have a toddler who really does well to release the energy of the day in that way and sleeps like a charm afterward. S began his sleep journey in a bassinet in our room. Two months into it, he transitioned out of the room. Three months later he transitioned into my bed! At about 15 months he transitioned into his own bed and he's been there, through the night, ever since. With him, we never did any type of sleep training; he really transitioned independently and we did what worked best for everyone at the time, making sure to revisit and reassess if and when that changed. Y began sleeping with me but sleeps best in a bassinet and not sharing a bed. Go figure!
When it comes to the bedroom itself, again, I believe families should do what works best at the time. Some children do fine with toys and books being in their rooms. Some children need to have only the bare essentials in their rooms in order to be able to focus on sleep and not get distracted by playing. I am a firm believer in not using screens in bed/bedrooms because that works for me, but if you feel differently, do what works for you! Bedtimes and nap times are a time of separation for our children and as a result, many children have anxiety around sleep and around that separation. Some children may struggle with nightmares or night terrors. Some children may have behavioral challenges around the transition to nap and bed as well. Some of this is certainly related to their (and our) energy levels at that point and some is certainly related to separation anxiety and/or fear of missing out. We try our hardest to make rest and bedtime transitions soothing, calm and predictable. For better or for worse, this never happens 100% of the time. One thing to consider is making sure that you are aware of your child's internal sleep clock and sleep needs so that you are not crossing past the point of being tired to the point of being overtired. In children, over-fatigue can look like a burst of energy or hyperactivity. On the one hand, it looks as though they are not tired at all when in reality, this energy is really a release of cortisol and they are exhausted!
We try to work within that window to ensure that 10 and 5 and 2 minute prompts are given before the transition will occur. It's also probably not a good idea to make "cleaning up all the toys" your final activity. Sometimes when we've forgotten this, S will clean up all of his toys quite nicely--no kid cleans up the play area like a kid who doesn't want to go to bed! And other times, he utterly melts down, throws his toys and has to be carried like a football up the stairs to his bedroom, kicking and screaming in protest. If we can, we try to have most things already picked up a bit in advance with a special "last activity" as an incentive for getting this done. Again, no plan is fool (or toddler) proof.
Sleep for children is sacred and so, too, is sleep for the adults in the home. Making some simple adjustments to your children's bedrooms can help it be a space they can independently navigate so that you do not need to be awoken to tend to needs like a tissue to wipe a running nose or a glass of water in the middle of the night. With regard to early risers, you may wish to have activities/toys in the room available for quiet play. Some families feel comfortable to have a basket of books or quiet activities in the parents' bedroom so that children can be close by while you squeeze in a few more z's. S happens to be fine to play quietly with toys in his room. He does not do as well right now to be unattended with books so we bring a few in at shared reading times and then return those to the family shelf for safekeeping.
S's bed is a twin mattress on the floor. He transitioned directly from my bed into this one when he was about 15 months old and not yet walking. Eventually, he could independently get in and out of it, which for us was a plus. He needed some reminders as he got more confident in walking that rest and bedtimes are times when he must stay in his bed. I knew we needed to make the transition to sleeping independently at that point because I had bronchitis and neither of us could sleep! I think he was more ready for it than I was, and he smoothly transitioned to sleeping through the night, without waking for night-feedings anymore. I wondered at that point if we should buy a crib, but felt it would be a tough transition from bed-sharing since he'd never been in a crib before and was already a young toddler. A friend suggested the mattress idea and for S it has worked like a charm! Additionally, a low-sitting mattress or bed-frame can easily be made by a toddler--a skill we are working on with S right now. He even helped to change the sheets on his bed and on the other family beds before last Shabbos!

A few weeks ago, S began crying during nap time, something he almost never does. I rushed upstairs in a bit of a panic as this behavior is atypical for S and found out he was crying because he really needed to wipe his nose! A box of tissues and wipes kept at child level allows S to tend to personal care needs like wiping his nose when he needs to without having to rely on an adult to get him a tissue in the middle of a nap or night.

We love having artwork by and for the whole family in every room. That said, in the children's room, we especially like to make a point to display their artwork and decorations that are meaningful to them. S is the only kid in the room right now, so the walls really speak to him. If and when Y will join him, he will also be represented in the artwork that is displayed. We keep some artwork at child level and some up higher. We also use the bedroom to display mitzvah notes that we've written about S and other positive reinforcement visuals, like the sticker chart S completed when giving up his pacifier.

 We keep a neggel vasser next to his bed for ritual handwashing each morning. The cup and basin are both smaller in size to fit smaller hands. A towel hangs just above it (on the base of a desk chair) for drying hands (and spills). S can independently carry the cup and basin to the bathroom afterward to empty it in the tub. We also now use an open hamper for his dirty laundry so he can easily toss in the clothes he takes off at the end of the day. Please note that the only reason it's empty right now is that I'm actually catching up on laundry--usually it looks like everyone else's and is overflowing! Oh, and looks like I missed a sock! We just introduced this as S has become more interested in dressing and undressing himself. We had a somewhat broken hamper that he could reach but I was worried he might get his fingers caught in the lid or end up with a splinter as it was falling apart. He was very excited about the new hamper. He needed a reminder that the only thing he should toss in there is his dirty clothing since at first it was really fun to toss a lot of different things in there!

We also transitioned to having the clothes that he most needs to access in the lowest drawers of the dresser in the room. Ideally, having a dresser that is easy for children to reach and utilize is best for fostering independence. Stiff drawers or clothing that is stored too high can inhibit this process. If you cannot accommodate this setup easily, you might consider including your toddler in the process of choosing the clothing and pajamas he or she will need for the day and leaving them accessible in a basket.

We keep a basket for tzitzis and yarmulkes as well as a space for shoes all on the lowest shelf of a bookcase for easy access and storage of those items as well. These small adjustments help to maintain order in a space that is easy for S to access independently or with minimal adult support. We have noticed in just the short time of introducing some of these changes that S has felt empowered to do more and more things by himself. The first night after I made some of the initial changes, I heard him shout down with glee repeatedly at bedtime, "Mommy, I did it!" as he undressed himself, put his own clothes in his own hamper, put away his shoes for the night, picked out his tzitzis, pajamas and yarmulke for bedtime and then, decided on his own that he wanted to also try sitting on the potty without a diaper. Potty training is definitely on the horizon and will be its own process and struggle. Success yields success. When it comes to fostering feelings of competence and confidence in our children, providing ample opportunities throughout the space of a day for experiences of even "little" successes can yield more and more of the same.

Wishing you all a good night's rest and until then, happy playing!

The Montessori Inspired Home: The Dining Space

As I searched through photos to begin this post, I realized there are almost no pictures of our dining area! The reason is that during shared meals, we almost never have our phones and cameras nearby. Ample studies show the benefits of families sitting down together to share mealtimes. In today's world, this is a rarity. Some families aim to share one meal a day, some maybe once a week. Everyone has busy schedules and when you throw particular eaters into the mix and tired toddlers, sometimes by the hour that dinnertime rolls around, all of our emotions are on high as our energy dwindles to an all-time low. 

No, mealtimes at our table don't quite look like the ones portrayed on television. Before I had children, I promised I'd never become a short order cook. The family meal would be the family's meal! Now I see why my mother often made two or three different dinners each night before sitting down to eat her own. To keep the peace. And at the end of a long day of play and work, peace is one thing in high demand here. Many times, S eats the bulk of his dinner before dinner time. He may taste some of the family's dinner, he may just sit with us and eat foods he does like or he may just play in the living room. When you are three, there is a high desire to control the world around you and few things in the world that are set up for three-year-olds to control. As such, food becomes a high area of control for toddlers. We do what we know: we involve S in meal preparations and making appropriate choices (from which dishes to use to which foods to eat). We involve him in our shopping and menu planning and even in gardening and growing some of the produce we eat. We do what we can to ensure he has adequate nutrition and opportunities to try new foods often and repeatedly. And beyond that, we [try] to relax and step back and breathe. I am a fully recovered picky eater--I wish I could be a little pickier about what I eat these days!

Today happens to be Tisha b'Av--a fast day for us adults. S and Y are the only folks eating and drinking around here, so making some simple adjustments and additions to our dining space in advance will surely have come in useful today! For the sake of this post, the Dining Space incorporates both the areas of our kitchen where we cook and prepare meals as well as the areas where we eat. Setting up a kosher kitchen in a small living space means that our "kitchen" genuinely extends beyond that room itself. Additionally, the Dining Space incorporates all of the activities of preparing food to eat, actually eating it and cleaning up afterward. I've written before on involving kids in the kitchen and cooking activities. For the sake of brevity, I won't go into a lot of those ideas in this post, but I will surely continue to post on the subject in the future. Without further ado, here's a peek at some of the ways we have set up our Dining Space to be family accessible and Montessori inspired:

• The dining space is a place where meals are shared and families connect. It is also an opportunity for children to learn about nutrition and health, how to carry out a conversation, how to exchange the pleasantries and social graces of sharing meals together and, on special occasions, how to welcome guests. It is also a place that is integral to learning about family and religious traditions. With the exception of days like Tisha b'Av, many Jewish holidays are centered around shared foods and stories!

• The table is a place where meals are shared as well as one where activities and work are done. Having a table that accommodates the whole family at each age and stage is a must for our home. Some folks like to use high chairs to assist smaller children in sharing a space at the family table. We have always preferred ones that allow for S to be right up at the table with us and favor the wooden restaurant style in our home. It is also quite nice to have tables and chairs that are at child level for eating and for working at. We have a little table and chairs where S does eat most of his daytime meals and snacks. We tend to eat our dinners all together at the family table.

Sometimes kitchen work is done right at the family table, like on Make Your Own Pizza Night! We picked fresh tomatoes from our garden and prepped a variety of other toppings along with homemade pizza dough. Two out of three solid-food consuming family members even Ate Their Own Pizzas that night--and S tried a few bites of his.

Learning how to use a serving spoon and serving dish is an important skill. Offering opportunities to practice this helps instruct children not only on the motor skills associated with successfully transferring items from a bowl to their plate, but also teaches about portion control and sharing a community meal with family members and/or guests.

•  The kitchen is a space where meals are prepared and food is stored. It is a small and busy space in our house. It is not necessarily accessible for children (or even adults) in and of itself, so we make creative solutions to challenges within the space. It is an integral room for teaching about the laws of kashrut and also for learning about food preparation, safety with knives and ovens and stoves, cleanliness and safety with food and more!

In the kitchen, a step stool allows shorter family members to join in the process of cooking and baking and even washing produce or dishes. S almost always wants to use his step stool to join in--even if it's just to watch what we're doing as we cook. S knows which side of our kosher kitchen is for Meat and which side is for Dairy. On his own, he taught himself how to clear dishes from the table and place them in the proper bin for washing! This was a helpful reminder for me that he is ready for more responsibilities within our dining space and meal times.

Kids love to be in the kitchen with us! In an ideal world, I'd always have some sort of kitchen work set up and available for S to do while I'm cooking. In the real world, this is not the case. Rather, having an open door policy (where S can easily enter and leave the kitchen at his will) and having something out for him to play with while we're in there is a great way to compromise within this space. I love having our sensory table in the kitchen. It means that S can be close by while I'm cooking or tending to laundry in there. It also is an easy-to-clean space and floor so that he can easily tend to his own spills when they happen with help from us as needed.

Children love to imitate adult activities. Part of setting up our home to include children in adult activities is making "adult activities" accessible to the children. Another part is offering dramatic play opportunities to pretend about adult activities, like working in a kitchen, taking care of babies, and pretending to go to work or to the store. Many times when we are cooking in the kitchen or preparing meals, S will busy himself with work in his own kitchen area!

We recently added a small set of plastic drawers to our dining area by the kids' table to store a selection of dishes and materials S might need for meal and snack times. Color coded drawers help him remember what goes where. Labels will be added in the future to incorporate a print-rich environment, even though he is a pre-reader at this point. I don't keep all of the kids' dishes in the drawers, but rather a small selection so that S can choose his favorite color bowl or cup without the constant kitchen cabinet battle we used to have! The child-level shelf on top also creates the perfect space for some self-care items like tissues and wipes (and at some point I will include a mirror for being able to see the yogurt all over his face that needs to be wiped off!). It's also a great space for a spray bottle and washcloth for tending to tabletop spills.

S associates blue with "dairy" so the dairy dishes are kept in the blue drawer.

S associates red with "meat" and we keep the meat dishes in the red drawer. Labels are useful in the absence of color coding and gentle lessons and reminders are also helpful. When teaching children about keeping a kosher home, it's important to instruct and remind, but not to be harsh. Mistakes happen even with the adults in the home and we want keeping kosher to be a mitzvah our children are eager to keep and not fearful of.

Not surprisingly, S's favorite new addition has been the spray bottle of homemade cleaner and the washrag! I simply filled a plastic spray bottle with water, a squirt of dish soap and a drop of lavender oil. You can alternatively use a bit of castile soap, choose a scent you prefer, or just plain water. Providing a variety of cleaning tools like sponges or scrub brushes can also introduce new practical life-skills. I prefer to have only one tool out at a time for now and to rotate it. S got really into cleaning his table and was desperate for more things to clean--his chairs are super clean now, too! The fact of the matter is that spills happen and rather than being frustrated about them or cleaning them up myself each day, we've created a setting where S has more ownership and responsibility within our shared space.

Almost all public places are equipped with a water fountain at child level. Schools have sinks at child level. And yet, our homes have sinks that are too high to reach and getting water means needing an adult to help or a step stool to reach the sink. Additionally, at least for me if I don't have a water cup or bottle right next to me, I often forget to hydrate. Proper hydration is so important during the heat of the summer and all year round. We bought a set of small glass pitchers to fill with water for S to pour into a cup and drink from throughout the day. Glass with a three year old, you ask? Yes! Children can (and should) be taught how to handle materials that are fragile. Our preschool uses these pitchers as well even in their two year old classrooms. Given information about how to handle them safely, children tend to be very respectful and cautious with "real" materials like glass. That said, each parent is the expert on his/her child and you know if your child is not ready for glass. Plastic pitchers would be just as useful to practice with! And as with any learning opportunity, proper supervision is a definite must. Practicing pouring and liquid portion control are skills that are mastered in this setup. Knowing also that spills may occur, it can be a helpful reminder to keep a dry washrag out so your little ones can tend to overflows as they occur.

If you happen to be fasting today, I hope this post has not left you too hungry or thirsty and that your fast is easy and meaningful. We'll be back soon with more views into our Montessori inspired home and a fun story stretcher as well. Until then, happy playing!

The Montessori Inspired Home: Introductory Post

Early on in my teaching career, I became interested in Maria Montessori's philosophy on early education. I began to incorporate Montessori inspired activities into my classrooms. I was greatly intrigued to discover A Jewish Homeschool Blog, and to discover how this mother, home-schooler and blogger was incorporating the Montessori method into her children's Jewish education. The Torah instructs us to teach our children according to their very individual and personal needs and abilities; this is a core value shared by the Montessori philosophy. My first time visiting a true Montessori classroom was a few years ago, during my first year teaching at our local Montessori-inspired Jewish preschool. There were many ideas and concepts that I brought back with me to my own classroom and, being that our school is Montessori inspired, I loved the freedom to incorporate methods and activities I found helpful for my students while not being strictly bound to only this philosophy. I have always felt a child-based eclectic approach to be the most successful one for meeting and moving with all of my students' individual needs. 

"Help me do it by myself!" This is one of my favorite Montessori concepts for both life in the classroom as well as at home. It truly captures a child's innate desire to master the skills necessary to achieve age appropriate levels of autonomy. Our role as teachers, parents and caregivers is to foster independence in our children. As a teacher, I view my classroom as an extension of the home and our students collectively as our family and community. I often use the words "this is our classroom home" when I am instilling a sense of respect for the space and members who share it. The majority of community members in a classroom are children and so the space is always set up to be child-accessible. Materials the children need are at their level--everything from chairs and tables, to art supplies and toys, tissues and wipes and toilets and sinks--all of these are accessible and available to the children. They are given lessons individually and as a group on how to manage and care for themselves in this space, and very quickly my classrooms (and students) are running like a well oiled machine! My students always came in each morning, unpacked their bags, removed and hung up their coats and knew where to place papers to be turned in, lunches and snacks. If they were hungry for a snack, I had an "open snack policy," and a basket where they could access their snack foods. By four and five, most children can recognize hunger cues and know when they need to eat! If there was a spill, they could easily access a rag to wipe it up. If they were thirsty, a small pitcher was ready with cups to fill with water. If the pitcher was empty, they knew how to carefully carry it to the bathroom sink and fill it up again. Fostering this level of independence in children helps to build confidence and competence. It requires us to teach through both modeling and formal lessons. We must remember that our students need the lesson from beginning to end--how to access their materials, what to do with them and how to put them away when they are done. I have found that to be a comparatively small investment of time when it comes to running a classroom as an only teacher with many students. The children become autonomous enough to carry out age appropriate tasks and to help each other when needed. It culminates in more time spent learning and exploring as a community and less time tending to the vast array of individual needs throughout the day. 

Life at home with children is a bit different. The house is a family space and children are members of the family community. The space itself must accommodate a different set of developmental needs: those of both the adults and differently aged children. While I always dreamed I'd be the parent to foster independence in my own children as I do in my students. it's often "easier" and "faster" to do things for them. Dinner is completed more quickly when I make it myself. We can get into the car a lot sooner if I put my toddler's shoes on and pack snacks and water ahead of time. That said, this toddler will be attending that same Montessori-inspired Jewish preschool in the fall! He will learn from his teachers how to independently navigate his classroom space and contribute to his classroom community. As a parent and as a teacher, I value the connection between home and school. 

S is definitely of the age now that he often wants to do things by himself. And sometimes he also still wants help or to have things done for him--those are moments I know that he is particularly grappling with his role as big brother and bigger kid. I aim to minimize our battles, to empower him to achieve mastery over age appropriate tasks and to continue to fill him with the feelings of being nurtured and cared for that he still craves and needs. And one of the ways I can best achieve this in our home is by setting up our living space so that he is able to access the things he needs throughout the day independently. Toys,books, art supplies, artwork, dishes and cleaning supplies, self care supplies like tissues, towels and wipes, even clothing and shoes must be available and accessible to all of the members of the household--not just those over 3 feet tall! And as much as I joke about yearning for the day that has finally arrived, when my toddler could be counted on to fetch things for me so I wouldn't have to get up and get them myself, I see the benefit for him in being able to access and choose the things he wants. Beyond that, by doing so independently, I eliminate many of the battles we experience on a daily level over controlling those choices.

At the beginning of last summer, I revisited my copy of  Patricia Oriti's At Home with Montessori. This concise volume takes the reader room by room through the family living space with practical suggestions on how to incorporate Montessori's philosophy and appeal to children's natural desire and need to actively participate in family life and functions. At the time, S was still pretty new to walking and quite a bit shorter! Room by room, I incorporated some small changes both from ideas taken from the book as well as my own creativity to make our space more accessible to S. This was truly helpful as well when I was newly pregnant with Y and not feeling well enough to get up and down all day! 

Each space and each room is an opportunity for the family to coexist and connect with one another. When we portray each of the family members' preferences, personalities and needs in these spaces, it's truly a reflection of each individual and not just the adults or just the children. As a result, there are really no spaces that are only for adults or only for kids here. Partly due to small living space and partly due to our preference, nearly every room is family friendly! The only exception is the bedroom my husband and I share--but even though it's not typically a room our children are in past infancy, it is still one that contains artwork by S on the walls and stuffed animals on the beds! When it comes to setting up your home, a living space is as personal and individual as the people in it. There is not one right or wrong way. We do what works best for our families as they grow and evolve. As our families change, so, too, do our living spaces. My home may not be featured in Good Housekeeping anytime soon, but it is a genuine reflection of each of the people in it. I've shared plenty of my practical tips for playroom set-up here, and now I'm happy to share a short series of posts on how we set up other areas of our home to be family accessible along with some activities for teaching practical life skills.

 I do want to stress that I am not a strict Montessorian. I do what works best at the time in both my home and in classrooms when I'm teaching. While many of the ideas in these posts have a Montessori flavor, that method is not the only ingredient in my personal recipe for success. I love many of the aspects of the Montessori method and I also value other philosophies in conjunction with it. I think that children learning to navigate their environments independently and contribute toward the functioning of family and classroom life is vital. I also think that especially today, children also need to engage in meaningful abstract play. My intention for my home is that it is a space where both of these functions are easily attainable. In her time, Maria Montessori stressed the importance of the classroom being a learning and work environment; play surely happened in abundance at home. Nowadays, academia has taken a huge shift from very early on. More and more, children are pushed at a very early age to develop skills by kindergarten that once were not prevalent in the classroom until kindergarten or even first grade. Fewer early childhood classrooms have open time to play and fewer children have open space and opportunities to explore the outdoors in the way that many of us did when we were their age. For this reason, I have been particularly play-based in my home preschool approach and even as S begins formal preschool in the Fall, I'd like our home to still be a play-based haven for him when he returns. Learning happens in many ways and in many venues!

Join us tomorrow when I'll offer a peek into our Dining space, a space that truly gathers the family over one of our favorite activities: eating! Ironically enough, my husband and I will be fasting tomorrow in observance of Tisha b'Av...so we've truly set up that space to be one S can independently access just in time!

Purim Theme: Another Peek Inside Our Playroom!

Our Royal Jewels tin includes a
collection of rhinestones and
buttons as well as a set of
tongs and an ice cube tray for
sorting and fine motor practice.

We are officially in Purim mode here! I couldn't wait to set up our play and learning area. I've included a variety of play and learning materials to encourage child-led play and exploration. Some of our activities will be guided and include my involvement, but my goal is for my son to be able to navigate the space independently and engage in the activities of his choice. Here's a peek at some of our materials and activities--hope you'll join us in some extra joyful playing now that the Jewish month of Adar is in full swing!

This Invitation to Create Crowns process art activity has been added to our art center. I've included foam crowns (Dollar Tree) and a variety of small parts for gluing on as well as some glue and craft sticks for gluing with. Given directions and a demonstration of how to carry the tray from the shelf to his table and to take an art mat to go beneath his work area, my son can access this activity whenever the mood strikes and help create decorations for our home in this festive time!

Our Writing Center bin now includes his journals and writing tablet as well as some Purim coloring pages. He especially enjoyed making cards in our last unit on Community Helpers, so I stashed some of those along with some stickers in our bin as well. I also included some picture vocabulary cards to help inspire some Purim themed drawing and dictation! You can print your own set for free along with several other useful activities here. Many of our learning activities were also obtained from this free printable set courtesy of a Jewish Homeschool Blog.

A big part of our STEM activities this unit will involve building about castles. These chalkboard blocks are a fun way to include some artwork into architecture and engineering. He can build with them on their own or add them to other blocks and building materials. And when he's done doodling, he can erase and doodle again!

Our Purim Picture Match-It Game and Purim Rhyming Word Match-It Game are activities that will require more adult involvement at my son's age and developmental level. I've affixed Velcro dots to the back of each laminated picture and provided sheets of felt for work mats to use with these materials.

Our Math Skills drawer includes our favorite DIY Counting Crowns one-to-one-correspondence game and a printed/laminated Counting Hamentaschen game!

Our felt wall is ready for some Purim story telling and dramatization.

Our Sounds Of Purim Observation Station is a great way to combine science and music as we learn about graggers.

It's a special mitzvah of Purim to give extra tzedakah. This pretend tzedakah box (made from a recycled cocoa powder container) and plastic coins (Dollar Tree party supply section) make a great fine motor activity for even very young toddlers.

Some of our castle-building materials including some great printable castle building prompts
from this wonderful post on the blog "Fun-a-Day."

Our dress-up station! I've provided some small hand-held mirrors to go along with our collection of costumes, props and jewelry. If you have a full-length mirror that is child-safe, this is a wonderful addition to a play area.

I laminated some of our favorite Purim activity pages for use (and reuse!) with dry erase markers. You can also use a dry-erase sleeve for this purpose--it's a great way to offer children multiple attempts with an activity as well as to combine with playdough or small parts while limiting the amount of paper waste.

Our Purim Small World sensory bin is ready to go with Sweet
Orange Scented "Persian Rice!"

If you'd like to make your own batch of Sweet Orange Scented Persian Rice to use for sensory play this Purim, follow the recipe below:
You will need:

• uncooked rice to desired amount
• yellow food coloring
• alcohol based hand sanitizer
• orange essential oil 

To make your play rice, pour your desired amount of rice into a ziplock bag. Add a generous amount of food coloring (I used about 20-30 drops for this amount of rice) and a few squirts of hand sanitizer (this will help the color spread and adhere). Lastly add several drops of orange essential oil, zip tightly and shake, shake, shake! Allow your rice to dry completely before covering and storing in your sensory bin (it dries fairly quickly) and it will last for years to come. You may need to update your scent over time.