stepping up my game

you know how pinterest both inspires you and makes you feel like a complete failure at the same time? i know i don't have nearly enough wood pallet decorations or mason jar soap dishes but i still try. one thing i've particularly paid attention to lately is the kid's education stuff. landon is getting to that age where i feel like i need to have a more proactive approach to his learning. don't get me wrong, this kid is smart as a whip but i feel like i need to step up my game as a parent and start his love of learning now. i've pinned a whole butt load of things but here are some things we've just done in the past week or so and they've been easy, fun, and my own inventions with my own stuff already around the house. i had a friend recently ask me for some ideas so here are some things we've been doing lately.

i have a melissa & doug shape puzzle i bought off my fb garage website for $4- landon still is pretty in the dark about shapes and only recently has gotten [most] colors. for our first attempts at ''homework', i used some shape fruit snacks that we matched up to the puzzles then he was allowed to eat them. other times i've had him match m&ms' colors to the puzzle's colors. a few months ago in the target dollar section, i bought a set of lacing boards & large shaped beads that you string. we've taken the beads and matched them to his puzzle. since he still can't master string yet, i bought pipe cleaners and we've strung the beads together based on color and shape. he really liked this and hopefully it'll prepare him for fine motor skills like cutting. his lacing boards we also used pipe cleaners as well. my mom also gave me some of her counting bears to use. there are 4 different colored sets of 10 bears that you can use to match colors, count, or make patterns. i tried teaching him a simple pattern of yellow-purple- yellow but he did not get this at all so i made some sheets with colors already on them so he could match it up that way.

we've also ventured outside during our homework time. the other day i took a paint brush and some water then 'painted' the sidewalk with shapes then i drew some with chalk and had him 'trace' it- granted he just scribbled all over it. either way, i figure constant vigilance will help him finally get some of these shapes and concepts down. for example, he knows his name starts with the letter l and to draw it you do 'down and over'- he will sometimes recognize it  [i give him an alphabet block, the kind with a few letters and drawings on the cube, and let him find the l and he can sometimes do it]. we're working on it. but i'm just so excited to help him start i had to share my ideas with the world. anyone else got things to share? i'm going to the store this week and i'm excited to pick up a few more supplies for more homework games. tba people! tba!