Sunday 27 January 2013

Activities after a 3-month break!

kj : 1 week shy from his 3rd birthday


im feeling pretty well today hence i must blog!

dh went for futsal comp, yes on a sunday, which is should not be the norm.

after his noon nap, we did some 'school'.

that is our language.

i use the term play school :)




i wrote the alphabets while making prodding him to recite the sound.



then we used the cotton bud to trace the alphabets with the paint.


i showed him letter 'a' and 'b' while he did the rest

after 1-2 minutes, he did this!
-________-


then he got up again and did a bit more.
some alphabets were done with aid.
the moment i did that, he wanted me to hold his hands all the way.
hence, it was a bad move!

well as u can see, at the end of it,
he went the opposite way and admired his artwork!
he self-praised " wow, so very beautiful o! "
which is great!
this is very montessori!
the child should stop and admire their own work! =)


next we quickly proceed to this activity !

the pouring activity.
after attending the montessori practical workshop last month,
im more geared to conduct lessons.

i just love this jug!
aint it cute!

he did this pouring activity with average accuracy.
did a couple of rounds and interest waned.

then i decided to show him the new 'toy'!


 Knobbed cylinder!

this is set 1.

they differ by diameter and height.


he could do it 90% the first time!


 second round he began experimenting.

tries to stack up...

tries to put a small cylinder into a larger hole and vice versa.

muttered to himself "this is big, this is small"

this merely shows that Maria Montessori is not a scam :)


that was all.
3 rounds in a sitting.

i hope we can go far with these.


during dinner tonight,
he asked for chinese mustard (sawi) !!
O.O
im thrilled!!!!!!!!!

keep it up young boy!
love your greens as much as mummy n daddy do!

and bless me that i will perk up soon!

cheers

Monday 14 January 2013

healthy sleep habits!


this is a timely article shared by a darling friend of mine, KK :)


Healthy sleep habits

Dr. Carol Lynn Rosen, medical director of the pediatric sleep center at University Hospitals Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital, says she sees a lot of parents who complain that their child has daytime behavioral problems. Lack of sleep could be a culprit, she says.
Below are some easy checklists to follow.
Young children, 2-5 years old:
• Wake-up and bedtimes should be consistent every day of the week, with no more than an hour difference for school and nonschool nights.
• Naps should be geared for each child's individual needs, but remember that too long a nap can affect sleep at night.
• A child's bedroom should be comfortable, quiet and dark. A night light is OK.
• A child's room should be at a comfortable temperature at night, which is less than 75 degrees.
• Children should avoid caffeine, such as sodas and chocolate, for at least several hours before bed.
• The hour before bed should be quiet time, no rough play or watching exciting TV shows or movies.
• Children should spend some time outside every day and be involved in regular exercise.
• A child's bedroom should not be a place for time-out or punishment.
• Avoid putting a television in the child's room.
Older children, 6-12 years old
• Wake up and go to bed at about the same time every day of the week.
• No naps during the day.
• Establish consistent daytime routines, including regular meals and activities.
• Try to make the hour before bedtime a quiet time. Finishing homework earlier in the evening will allow for more "wind-down" time before bed.
• Avoid stimulating television, music, video games or phone conversations right before bedtime.
• Avoid caffeine for at least several hours before bed.
• Make the bed a sleep-only zone, no homework, television or computer use in the bedroom.
• Wake up no more than two hours later than your normal schedule on weekends. For example, if you normally wake up at 6 a.m. during the week, get up no later than 8 a.m. on weekends.
• Try to get some sunlight in the morning