Teaching Tyson

So around September I noticed how much Tyson was learning and needing more and more to do each day...  Plus as David had been stay-at-home dad all summer I had forgotten how to entertain all day, well and before he wasn't even crawling and now he's into everything and running ;) so it got me thinking and asking around.

It's not to early for a better schedule for Tyson and I - what to do?  What should I teach him and what could he understand already at 13 months?  I really didn't know but after some online search and chatting with my sis-in-law I had a plan.  Just as I spend 20-30 hours focusing on organizing work for my work, I needed to organize time for Tyson so that we felt better about what we did all day.

I don't have it all down yet, and don't have a total schedule all day, but I've at least got a whole bucket list of ideas and that makes it for not a same thing all day every day thing.

Here's the plan, which has been much more flexible with the holidays that just came and went haha

1) Make a list of topics Tyson needs to learn about (colors, numbers, body parts, shapes, etc)
   - Ahead of each week plan what the subject is to learn
   - And then think of a few ways to teach these things, fun stuff too, and spend maybe 30 min a day focusing on them; while all through the week if the subject is comes up or is around us mention it (like seeing colors just keep repeating etc.)
   - Buy or make things that relate to the above if needed, but don't go all out (no time!)

Then outside of the "weekly subject" have 2 more lists

2) A really long list of activities and toys and new things to try - like someday playing with playdough, drawing, making tents, music, etc. etc. and as each day goes on check the list for new ideas as needed when we run out of things to do

3) Make a short list of daily activities.  We haven't done this too much except for music time, and reading time, but I'd like to add church time and then in the summer it'd be outside stuff.  But just do these daily if we can fit it in, maybe at the same time of day even.


And here's what I've done so far...

Colors
We went through red, blue, yellow, green, orange - once a week and had a blast!  He really isn't catching on to colors yet but colors was tough to start at at his age because it's like every object has a name and a color and that seems hard to grasp.  But it was a fun start to the weekly activities.

Body Parts
We moved on learning faces and then major limbs and hands and toes and such.  He is really good at all of these!

Church Stuff
I've put together a few church books that I've printed or added images to in photobucket ;) and Tyson loves those pictures so far - especially Jesus or one of prayer.  Then after a few rough church days I found the idea to put together some quiet mini church activities.  I spent a few hours at the dollar store and target and came up with 5-6 activities in binder bags that are quiet and we could do.  Sticks, a small puzzle board, cotton balls into a container, books, finger puppets, etc.  It has worked pretty well as well as combined with a quiet book we bought that is sewn with other activities.

Busy Board
A big project I took on this fall was creating Tyson a busy board - a board with a whole bunch of locks, turns, doors, and switches.  I don't know what got into me except I knew Tyson would love it.  And I had no idea where to start and really had no idea how to do it.  I can now say I could make one myself next time!  I had bought a whole bunch of locks and such but not sure how to buy the board and luckily our neighbor/hometeacher has a wood shop in his home and he helped get me started with the board and the first 3 things.  From there D and I put some on, then Andrew helped me and then I just got the hang of it to do myself.  And... Tyson has LOVED it!  Even when there were only a few things on it, he spent hours going to it.  And we still do.  It has been a great learning with his hands tool.  And fun.  And a ton of learning for me!  I hope this board lasts all to our grandchildren at least ;)

 The finished board.... yay!