This Boy!

THIS BOY decided Friday that he did not want to have training wheels on his bike any more! Jeff took them off and THIS BOY was two wheeling it all around our yard and drive way, going around in circles and then just slowing down long enough to drop to a stop. Today, THIS BOY is out starting and stopping as if he had been riding two wheels for 3 years instead of just 3 days! As far as physical abilities go THIS BOY is ahead of the game. He is not yet 5 years old and can throw a ball very well, bat, cut down a tree, run very well and now ride a two-wheel bike with no help.

However, THIS BOY has no interest in any kind of educational activity except for a time of book reading. He will be five years old in just two weeks and THIS BOY has no interest in learning how to count or to recite his ABC's. If I have learned anything in our 21 year (so far) adventure called home schooling it is this: Wait till the child's ready. Things go a lot easier if you do!

So, today I have been roughly going through my resources and making a list of what I can do with THIS BOY to get him a little more interested in the 123's and ABC's. Now, when you see my list, please realize that we have been collecting educational supplies/materials for the last 21 years. And no, he is not going to do everything everyday. I have several different types of activities and I plan on doing one or more of each type during the day. I will probably set the timer for 15 minute intervals and then let THIS BOY run around or ride his bike or jump on the bed (NOT!) for a 15-20 minute break before going on to another activity. Devin, Aaron and Kaelan are going to be my student teachers each working with THIS BOY for 30 minutes a day. We'll see how it works out. Of course, there is THIS BOY to consider as well, but that's for another post.




1. Lauri lace up shapes
2. magnet board
3. Giant Pegboard with string or rubberbands
4. jumbo Cuisenaire rods
5. Wee Sing tapes
6. puzzles--Lauri, Melissa and Doug, Discovery Toys
7. stickers and paper
8. sorting buttons
9. watercolor painting
10. What's That Sound?--Discovery Toys listening lotto game
11. attribute blocks
12. exercise cd
13. rice or cornmeal pictures
14. Duplos
15. dress up clothes--ok, he does this every day already...cowboy, knight, fireman...we never know what he will be!
16. Measure Up cups with rice
17. play dough
18. dominoes
19. lace up beads
20. plastic nuts and bolts
21. trace numbers and letters
22. pattern blocks
23. wipe off board

Games
1. Memory
2. The Shape of Things
3. Snitch
4. Picture Peg
5. Playful Patterns
6. Candyland
7. Cover Up
8. ABSeas

Activity Bags
1. Sort and Thread
2. Clips and Straws
3. Bean Bag Toss
4. Shape Lotto
5. Straw Size Line Up
6. Paper Matching
7. ABC/123 Match
8. 123 Trail
9. Can You Remember Numbers
10. Grid Matching
11. Match the Bead
12. ABC Puzzles
13. Chalkboard Fun
14. Clip the Square
15. "b" or "d"
16. Hand puzzle
17. Alpha Spoons
18. Fabric Pattern Cards
19. String It
20. JACKSON spell your name cards
21. Fish Color Match
22. In My House Matching Game
23. Fun Days Matching
24. In My Town

Geosafari-
Jr. Basic Set--20 cards
The Busy World of Richard Scarry--20 cards
Beginning Math--20 cards
Science Fun--20 cards
More Learning Fun--20 cards

One=on-One time with mom
-Language Lessons for Little Ones by Sandi Queen
-Primary Building Thinking Skills
-Get Ready for the Code
-ReadyWriter
-Teach Them to Your Children
-A Hive of Busy Bees
-Bible story books
-calendar
-weather chart
-chore chart

And when he is ready we will add Alphaphonics by Samuel Blumenfeld and Math-u-See Primer.