By Mrs. Canadian Renegade
Children are naturally inclined to learn. They are always exploring, testing, and analyzing. Their brains are busily working to build new connections and to understand the world around them. I've read countless times "Play is enough" and yet I find myself pondering how to cultivate an ongoing desire to learn.
Our goal is to homeschool our kids, especially with the current education system prioritizing fact memorization over critical thinking and problem solving. My primary experience with learning is in the school setting and so I challenge myself with creative ways to engage my kids in learning without rebuilding the traditional school model in our home.
Lately, my nearly three and a half year old twins have expressed a desire to read and know their letters. When they free draw they make marks asking what letters or words they've written. As they practice copying these strokes their accuracy has improved and I notice them recognizing and redrawing letters correctly. Watching them be self motivated to learn is inspiring.
One morning, I set up a letter treasure hunt for them. I dug out the sensory noodle bin and hid an entire alphabet of magnetic letters. Then, I set up my magnetic board lined with two sheets of paper and the alphabet. They were equipped with tongs, a magnifying glass, and their will to succeed.
They enjoyed searching, matching, and identifying the letters. There were a few tricky ones that required exploring, flipping, rotating, and thinking about; namely b, d, p, and q).
In the end, they felt accomplished and I was glad to see their skills being put to use in a fun and engaging way. Education can happen in fun, creative, and playful ways.
Want your very own sensory noodle bin? Check out the DIY.
All photos in this post are original work by Mrs. Canadian Renegade.
Indeed, as they learn more and we watch them grow up is one of the happiest moments in the world. I want to experience more of my son's toddler years since he's turning 5-years old in September, time flies, I wish I could turn back the hands of time.
Yes! I know the feeling of wanting to turn back the hands of time and savor the toddler years. We get so busy doing the daily tasks that it's easy to live 8n the moment and be with them in their curiosity. -Aimee
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Thank you! This was an unexpected surprise. ❤️
Ohh nice! Love your colored pasta! They turned really nice! we did this activity several times but sometimes my lo doesn't have the patience to get it done till the end :d he's just 2 and 3 month now. We do it mostly with numbers though...his favourites!
Thank you. Truthfully, the first time I made the pasta I didn't use enough alcohol and food colouring and they were splotchy. I am glad I went back and added more because they're so pretty to look at now.
What a great fine motor activity to give to your little one. I found 2 year old attention span to be pretty short also but that doesn't mean they still aren't learning and developing skills. 😊 -Aimee
Yeah that's right. But actually my lo has a huuge attention span for his age. We make so many activities at home and he surprises me every time on how patient he is. I meant with this particular activity but I will try especially this version of yours. Maybe he will like to found the magnetic pieces we have and then put them on the fridge.
Cheers from Romania :)
Oooooooo!! I love this idea! My not yet 4 year old is also fascinated with his abc. Great idea. Just took a peep at your page. I see I'm not the only one who has been away a couple years. And while my kiddo numbers have doubled 1 to 2 so have yours! Congratulations Aimee. My previous profile met a sad demise so I (@buckaroo) am starting over. Looking forward to catching up
Yes, it was fun to watch them work their way through this treasure hunt and it also gave me a few extra uninterrupted minutes to tend to my chores. Win/Win! Ha! Yes, we doubled the kiddos pretty quickly. Congratulations on your new welcome too. Why did your other account meet its demise? Will you only be posting through this new account from here on out? Welcome back to the blog world. 😊
Long story. But my keys are lost and I can't access the original one. Been trying to retrieve them for months. This was the only alternative. Just did my first post. Bit daunting to have to start over
i love how you follow up the treasure hunt with the magnetic board it is extra fun:)
Thank you. I hope that having them put the letters in order will help with the recognition. Plus, it gave me some extra uninterrupted time to get some chores done in the kitchen. -Aimee
Watching them playing and learning and getting stuff is pretty exciting and satisfying and also one of the best things about homeschooling XD
Looks like they had a great time with the letter treasure hunt, that was an awesome idea :D
Thank you! I have a feeling I will get a lot more ideas from the Home Edders community. -Aimee