5 ways to modify Do-a-Dot pages for hands on learning.

Recently, we have had many more do-a-dot pages sent home by X’s preschool teacher. I actually used to really loathe these because I felt like they were just repetitive busy work in the form of worksheets. 

However, I there are benefits of these pages in that with repetition of such pages, children can know what is expected and can become increasingly independent in using th format. These kids if I-spy do-a-fits as pictured above are also good visual tracking and help children practice recognizing the shape of the letters. However I think the best way to use these pages regularly is to make sure you are switching up the ways in which they are used and to try to make them as hands on as possible so that children have a chance to engage in more tactile learning because we know that children learn best when they are engaged through multiple sensory experiences. So here are a few ideas of ways I have used these sheets. As a disclaimer, of course many of these ideas I have picked up from others and from my time as a preschool teacher but these are methods I have personally tried with X that I find keep things new and more engaging than if I just had him color the circles. 

1) Use with place markers such as beads, buttons, rocks or glass stones. 

This is my most common chosen method for use with the do a dot pages. I think this is because it’s generally easy to set up but I like the added use of manipulative and that X can feel each time he picks up and puts down a marker on each space or letter. Again it adds that extra sensory experience. 

2. Pair markers with tweezers or spoons for greater fine motor and hand-eye coordination.

Pairing the markers with a spoon or tweezers is also great because it can help with coordination and hand strength in a way that is different and novel from just using a stylos or crayon. 

3. Switch the means of marking in the page up with different types of stylos. Examples include a dot marker, crayons, paint, markers, chalk or even oil pastels. Changing what’s used can make completing the page more engaging and inviting just because the experience is more novel.

Another easy alternative is using dry erase pockets and dry erase markers to mark the dots. As an added plus, you can reuse the sheets this way.

4. Use tape or stickers or even playdoh for a different type of fine motor practice. 

Use of tape or stickers is also really great practice for little fingers. Tape is even more advanced because it requires the coordination of ripping the tape off the roll in the right size and then placing it. If a child has trouble with this part, you can have them cut pieces ahead of time with scissors and then place them until they have more practice or you can help them cut or rip as needed. Playdoh is also a fun alternative and may be a little easier for pulling apart. You can practice rolling the dough into little balls and then smooshing on the letter dots.

5. Use stamps or sponge paintbrushes with ink or paint to mark the letters. 

I have also on occasion used stamps or paint with the sponge paintbrushes to complete the pages. I like the  already round stamps or you can use paintbrushes like the ones pictured (purchased from Dollar tree) with ink or paint.

What about you have you used do a dot pages with your little? Of course you can find them in many places through a simple search on Pinterest but for letter specific ones I really like the style that this site puts out. I like that these pair well with Montessori method and if you are already using a moveable alphabtet you can pair the sheets well with that. 

Printing with Plastic Eggs

This week even though it’s past Easter, we are finding ways to repurpose our plastic eggs for play. I know some people like to wind up to Easter with such activities but I didn’t want to buy or waste items just for activities so we used them for our egg hunt first.

Yesterday, we gave painting with plastic eggs a try. It was interesting to see what kind of prints we could make. While I have ideas and talked about what you could make with the circles on my own paper, such as a flower, X decided to make a dragon fly.

Although, I don’t always model or offer ideas I find that with X it can be helpful to offer a range of possibilities because instead of in a classroom where there are other children, at home where it’s just him it helps if I occasionally take the position of older peer and can offer ideas or scaffolds to spark his thinking and ideas.

Have you tried painting prints or any other activities at home with plastic eggs? We’ve also used these for sensory play- so I am hoping to have a post up about that soon. What other ideas have you tried?

Dispositions for Life and Learning

I had a moment the other day to reflect on an old post of mine from my instagram where I talked about how sometimes just being present is the most important part of being an early educator (whether that’s as a classroom teacher or a stay at home mom). It got me thinking recently about how I spend my time with my 5 year old now- especially in the face of the pandemic and ‘lockdown’ we are facing now. It seems like there are so many hours to the day and at times I am struggling to think of how to fill those hours with meaning. These circumstances have brought up again my sneaking desire to fill the day with too many activities because it would make me feel better or I’d feel more accomplished. Activities are great and its important to provide invitations to play and to have rhythms and practices that support learning I think, but I also began to think about the value of not always filling the day with activities and the other dispositions it develops.

In early childhood education we talk about helping children develop dispositions of curiosity, questioning, joy for learning, and helping children develop identities within themselves as learners, thinkers, creators and meaning makers. So I began to re-reflect on these dispositions in such a way as to ask myself, what the value in not filling all our time each day with planned activities and here are a few of the things I can see playing out.

1. It creates space for them to see life not just as a string of time in which to accomplish, but a space for them to just BE. That they don’t have to create anything or do anything spectacular to have meaning, that they are valuable in their life just because they are who they are. And they are loved without having to perform.
2. It creates space for them to value process and not just a completed work. If I provide space and time that’s open and resist the urge to plan everything, I know X can spend time in processes of learning such as playing outside or engaging in pretend play or free building or creating. I think this reinforces his position as a meaning maker, but also communicates a value for process because even if I can’t take a neat photo after or show something for his ‘work’ doesn’t mean he isn’t creating or doing something that is valuable, creating and learning through process. And I think this is SO important because life really is a lot process.
3. It creates space for them to mature emotionally and self regulate. Because I am not directing all of the time, it gives X a chance to make decisions for himself about his wants and needs and then act on them or ask for help to meet them. Of course, he needs support in doing this so I am reminding myself to be mindful and aware and make suggestions or give choices when he is having a hard time. Other ways I facilitate this are by making sure I rotate toys and putting out choices of toys for him to choose, setting out a sensory table so he can regulate sensory wise that way, and leaving the back sliding door to our porch cracked so he can go out as needed. Without the structure of preschool each day, he is getting plenty of opportunities to make choices for himself to help meet his needs without having to just follow a schedule. Of course, we still have a flow to the day and an hour of more structured time but beyond that time, I have been able to be flexible – especially since we are limited in our ability to go out.
4. Lastly, it is challenging ME. It’s causing me to reflect within myself if these are things I really believe about life and about children and if so, a challenge for me to embody it. To give myself a break even if I can’t perfectly fill the day or accomplish all I want with X, to practice being present and valuing myself and X even if we have nothing to show for our time at the end of the day. And to be flexible and take time to regulate within myself. To engage in my own self management, to take breaks, take walks, take deep breaths and make time for play and to practice joy.

So yes, this is a hard time and its difficult without the structure and opportunities I am used to, but I am glad it has given me some time to try to see the value in all the extra time and to remember the value in developing these dispositions which I think it can be so easy to forget in our usual busy world.

Being Present

Sometimes I don’t really know what to do or what activities to plan with X. I think I feel pressure having been a teacher to always create these amazing experiences for X -But in this moment I remembered that one of the most powerful positions I ever took as a teacher was just sitting on the floor down at the level of the children I worked with, present and ready to engage.

So here, I did just that- I stopped all that I was doing, I didn’t say a thing, and I just sat on down next to X trying to be mindful to be present…and sure enough soon after we were creating all kinds of meaning- making animals and stories from Duplos together there on the floor. I feel like I always post a bunch of activities I do but this was a good reminder that one of the most powerful things I do as a mother and one of the best facilitators of play is sometimes just being present and available to engage. 

Pre-Academics and Letter Play

Sometimes, I feel it can be confusing to know what to work on with children when it comes to ‘pre-academics.’ But a good place to start is with a child’s name. I came up with the idea here to photocopy letters from an old puzzle that was missing letters and set it up as a tray activity/puzzle for X to play with as interested. It’s a great way to start exposing children to the shape of their name and you can begin to point out the first letter sounds etc as they play. I also paired it with these sandpaper letters I got from amazon because as they play with the cards and match up letters they can begin to not just see the shape of their name but feel the shape as well which is great lead up for later writing. I still use this printout and the letters with X at 5, but here’s an excerpt from what I posted on my instagram at the time of this photo when he was 2.

‘X has been super interested in letters lately so I decided to set this up and start with sounds and letters in his name to make his play with letters and sounds meaningful. I took the letters from his name from an old puzzle and then printed out a pic of it spelled out. He has been having fun matching up the letters and identifying the sounds’

5 Sensory Bin Ideas for Toddlers

With all the time inside due to the lockdown going on, now is a perfect time for sensory play! Sensory play is great for self regulation, exploration and developing fine motor skills so I thought I would share some ideas of things I have done with X when he was a toddler that are easy to try at home.

1. Pom Poms and Tubes/Containers

Pom poms can be used for so many things and are a great loose part for toddlers. Here I dumped them  them in a sensory bin with a couple containers and paper towel rolls. X especially liked fitting the poems through the small holes in the container as he explored ideas of containment. 

2. Snow and/or Ice 

 If you are currently still in a cold climate and getting snow, you can use it as a great sensory table base! For this bin, I just scooped some clean snow from our porch and put it in a bin with some construction trucks. You could also use scoops or shovels. However, if snow is not readily available you could also try just ice in a bin or if you are lucky enough to have one, use a shaved ice machine. We have also paired little penguins and arctic animals with our bins when using ice or snow which makes for some great small world pretend play.

3. Reusable Ice Cubes and Ice Tray

Another way we have played with ice is by using reusable ice cubes! Here I paired them with empty ice trays and containers. X sorted the cubes into the ice tray and also tried some stacking. Here again, you could also try pairing the ice cubes with arctic animals for small world play or add a little water and they could also experiment with sink or float as the cubes tend to float until melted.

4. Sand, Rocks and Constructions Trucks

The classic construction bin has always been a favorite of X's. Here I paired sand, rocks and construction trucks for some fun construction play. You can usually find these exact construction trucks at the Dollar Tree. I also used their fine sand and a bag of rocks from the Dollar Store too

5. Cotton Balls and Egg Carton

Cotton balls are a great sensory material you may already have around the house. Here, I paired them with containers and half a leftover egg carton for sorting and containment. 

These are just a few ideas to get you started with sensory play at home with your toddler. I'd love to hear if any of you try these and how it goes. Comment below!

Number Sense

Reposting this little blurb from my Instagram. Number sense is such an important foundation…

Something I learned during my time preschool teaching was the importance of ‘number sense’ not just counting…Counting is good, but research is showing it is even more meaningful and important for children to have a good sense of numbers 1-5 before starting kindergarten than it is for them to count to 20. Since X is in preschool, today we played with numbers 1-5 (primarily 1-3). I really like this set by Plan Toys because it is more open ended, something he can manipulate and a great visual. I was able to point out things like ‘oh we need one more’ or there’s two missing and then count with him to add them… he’s not there yet but planting seeds…