I found this idea on Pinterest to help teach a toddler how to tell time so yesterday I made it and showed it to Joe. He loved turning the “hands” which I made from pipe cleaners.
I know I am probably trying to teach him a lot of skills early that might be too advanced, but I believe what the experts say. A child’s mind is like a sponge…soaking up all kinds of information. The more repetition and exposure he gets to skills like telling time and learning early and basic math skills, the better off he will be in the long run. I will probably add a third paper plate to the back, spelling out the numbers.
I also got him and early reader along the same lines as the Dick and Jane books, but this one features Pete the Cat playing baseball. I’ve read it to him a few times, and have now started to let him complete the sentences…”Pete has a…ball.” etc. I know that he has just memorized it, but I point to the words and spell them because he knows his letters by sight. I’ve seen this tip on several sites on fostering early literacy.
I’ve seen a lot of homeschool blogs that suggest when to start home education, what age is best, etc. I don’t think it is ever too early to start, and I have been exposing Joe to different skills for awhile now. I’ve read to him since he was a baby, even reading newspapers, magazines and novels I was reading. He started watching Sesame Street’s “Alphabet Jungle” before he turned one which I believe has helped him learn his letters. (I will forever have the theme song in my head due to the hundreds of times we have watched it, literally). When he started showing more interest in letters and pointing out A’s and B’s on different signs, I made flashcards with upper and lower case letters and pictures on the back (an apple for A, banana for B, etc).
I am by no means saying that Joe is a “genius” or “so advanced”. I’m just saying that I’m not waiting until he’s a certain age to start the process.
a pinch of homestead 