G is for Goat

I recently started an online Montessori training class. Bean was enrolled in a local Montessori preschool but I don't think, due to finances and scheduling, that we'll be able to send her back there in the fall. I really believe in the Montessori method or what I have learned of it in the past year. The basic concept is to "follow the child". I am in no way a trained teacher nor do I play one on tv, [this is where you all laugh], but when I found this class, I thought it would be a way for me to learn more about the method and a way that I can continue the lessons with Bean on our own.

Just to share more info on the online class that I am taking, it is taught by Karen Tyler, owner of Worldwide Montessori Online. Karen teaches her class through a Yahoo group and shares her Montessori albums she has complied through her years teaching. This is an easy and affordable way to learn the method and the information that I've already received is amazing.

Now, along with this class, I have been scouring the internet for activities I can do with Bean. One extremely helpful site I found is 1+1+1=1. Carisa shares so many wonderful printables completely free to her readers. She shares activities for different ages and stages - Totschool, Raising Rock Stars Preschool, and You Can Read. My biggest problem is learning to pace myself with the printables.

One recent set of printables that I found at 1+1+1=1 is G is for Goat. I printed the set off and let Bean work on them while I made dinner. She loves to do her "actibities" all the time. She had a lot of fun using her dot markers with these printables.

I was afraid she was going to run her markers dry trying to color the whole goat.

 

She used one color to pick out all the uppercase letters and another color for all the lowercase ones.

 

She used a crayon to trace the uppercase and lowercase "G"s.  It's a bit shaky but this is the first time she's done one of these.

Here's another tracing printable that she used to follow the line from the uppercase to the lowercase letter.

This was Bean's favorite printable in the series.  I would call out a shape and she would mark it off with her dot marker.  She wanted to do this one over and over but I only had the one copy.  Next time, I will put the printable in a sheet protector and let her mark the shapes off with her dry erase crayons so she can do it more than once.

If you're looking for activities to do with your toddler, I would definitely recommend 1+1+1=1.  You can find so many ways to teach while your kids just think they are having fun.