Getting Started

First of all, let me just say that I wish I had known about the trillions of *FREE* online resources available through homeschooling mom blogs and other websites when Little Bear turned 1 so I could have started earlier than we did. BUT with that said, I realize that it really doesn't matter how old your little one is or how *smart* she is...doing any amount of intentional play activity is GOOD for everyone!

I first started researching homeschool preschool materials online and connected to the most FABULOUS(!!!!) website, 1+1+1=1. This mama (Carisa) has inspired me to the max!!! I think I should email her to let her know ;) I do plan to link up with her site as soon as this one gets going a little more.

I followed a lot of Carisa's advice and started out simple by using many of the toys and games we already had, just focusing on how we could get more *use* out of them. I also had recently gone through lots of my boxes from teaching and Little Bear basically had Christmas in July playing with all the new (to her) things. I felt extremely thankful I already had these things to get us started. Magnetic alphabet letters (a huge container of them!), counting bears, stacking cubes, animals in a tube, Alphabet Apple, My First LeapPad, pattern blocks, lacing spools, a couple egg carton and file folder games, and a billion puzzles were a huge hit around our house.

After stumbling upon FileFolderFun.com, I ran our printer right out of ink printing so many great games for preschoolers. Thankfully, I made TONS of these in college and knew what I was doing so the actual assembly was pretty self-explanatory.

I made a few trips to the dollar store, craft store, and good ole Wally-land to gather some more simple supplies I thought would be fun to add to our collection (ie. glitter, beads, colorful buttons, pipe cleaners, tongs, fun scoops/spoons, puff balls of all sizes, rice, dry beans and much more). I immediately began collecting empty plastic bottles, containers, and lids of all shapes and sizes to use for storage and/or part of some of the activities. It's amazing what you can do with a Pringles can or oatmeal *drum.*

My plan is to post our favorite activities, including how to make and how to use them, as we go. Please don't hesitate to ask ANY questions you might have. I am a teacher at heart and my brain may not always know what a non-teacher brain needs to know ;) And part of my teacher-ness means that I LOVE to share ideas and would enjoy any feedback on what is working with your little ones!

My girls sharing the I Spy Jar (I'll post a how-to soon)