Tot School: Week 2 at 14 1/2 months

Now that we're back in the swing of things and all settled in after vacation, we started in on Tot School again.  I can't believe how much I learn about Luke just by planning specific activities and observing and talking with him.  Observing is the big 'aha' moment for me this week.  Don't get me wrong, I 'watch' and interact with Luke all day long, but Tot School gives me specific things to look for and notice or observe.  I love that.  

Here is what Luke and I were up to this past week:

Winter Sensory Basket

Skills:
Sensory development

Activity:  
Luke and I did this activity during his first week of Tot School as well.  I was surprised how into it he was this time versus last time.  We explored scarves, hats, gloves, and socks with all our senses.  Luke's primary goal during this activity was to hand me each and every item and have me put them on...and of course, I did.  Oh, and he also enjoyed climbing in the basket.

Animal Puzzles

Skills:
Animal identification
Fine motor development
Problem solving
Spatial awareness

Activity:
Puzzles are so good for the brain!  I love them for this reason and also because they are just plain fun (especially when there's animal noises involved).  These Melissa and Doug puzzles that we have are perfect for little hands and, although Luke isn't quite able to put them together yet, we are working on it.  He really enjoyed putting the puzzle pieces into piles.

Poms 

Skills:
Sensory development
Color identification 
Fine motor development

Activity:
Poms are such fun, little, fuzzy, round all-purpose poofs.  I picked up a bag at Hobby Lobby and Luke loved tasting them and, of course, making piles with them.  The purpose of this activity was to get him to place the poms in the container.  He did this a few times, but then just wanted to only take them out.  For older tots, you could have them move the poms from one container on the left to another container on the right and work on directionality.  

Magnets on the Whiteboard

Skills:
Fine motor development
Numbers 1-5

Activity:
We did this activity during Week 1 of Tot School as well.  Luke loves magnets, when he can figure out how to get them to stick to the board.  He loves taking them off, but is working on putting them back on.  We worked on the vocabulary 'on' and 'off' and I counted for him as he worked with the number magnets, but I know he is probably not internalizing that just yet.  It never hurts to introduce it!

Straws In and Out
***Luke's favorite of the week

Skills:
Fine motor development

Activity:
This was another reused activity from Week 1.  This was Luke's favorite, so I thought we would give it a try again.  And again, he loved it.  This time there was a box laying around that he decided to put all the straws in.  This kid loves making piles.

Play Food Mix-Up

Skills:
Fine motor development
Sensory development

Activity:
I grabbed some of Luke's awesome play food and a mixing bowl and spoon.  I showed him how to stir up the food.  He tried it for awhile, but he really enjoyed exploring the food more.  I try to rotate toys for him and he hadn't played with this food for a long time.  They were like brand new toys to him!

Linked up at: 

http://www.icanteachmychild.com/2014/02/show-share-saturday-link-23/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed: 

http://www.1plus1plus1equals1.net/2014/02/tot-school-gathering-place-week-56/ 

http://rainydaymum.co.uk/blocks-learning?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=blocks-learning