Nesting bowls....teach sizes and early properties of circle circumferences (note--this set had about 8 bowls. I just limited it down to four so she could get the idea but not be overwhelmed by too many pieces....also helps make clean-up less frustrating for her.)This is a one-to-one correspondance activity. I am working with her on taking out each rock (one at a time) and then piling them on her left side. She then moves one rock into each compartment. If she puts more than one, I redirect her to move it to another empty compartment. I will soon begin pointing out that empty compartments have "zero rocks." A solid understanding of zero is something many kids do not have, and even toddlers can begin hearing this word. Try to use it as much as you can! We count the rocks after we put them all in the compartments. I got the little compartment from our Christmas decorations--it holds some ornaments. Well, used to!
We are working to add music time every day! I am NOT a musically inclined person and so I have to really work to think of musical work to incorporate. I will have to rely on some other sources to give me ideas, I know! I am trying to be sure to expose Q to this, however. She got these little bells for Christmas--well, she got one and I got the other in our stockings! We sing songs and shake them. One of our favorite is "Shake your Shaker." I will post the words soon! She is loving the Annie Kubler books that are children's songs with illustrations of babies on each page acting out the movements or doing the signs. We read these books and then sing the songs! Some we are singing right now: Eensy Weensie Spider, Baa-Baa Black Sheep, Head and Shoulders, Row, Row, Row Your Boat....Then some other random favorites. I also check out LOTS of cd's from the library from all sorts of genres. She listens to music as she falls asleep for naps or at bedtime. Her last cd was Queen music set to lullabies! Strange, but intriguing. :)
These are forest animal cookie cutters from Ikea. Moose, hedgehog, fox, squirril, bear....Each one is in a "pocket"--pockets from pants that my mom and I have saved over the years. Q takes them out and puts them back in and we talk about each animal and the sound they make as well as some body features...tails, horns, etc. (socks could also be used for the same purpose! Or small paper sacks, or envelopes....use your imagination!)