Continuing on our Safari with Mother Goose Time

Tiny B has had an amazing four weeks of eating. Ever since we had a conversation with her about why she needs to eat more and how that feeding tube will have to be used again if she doesn't, she has really stepped up to the plate like that strong girl that she is. And in turn, I've been able to start working out again and losing the ten pounds that I gained with the feeding tube weaning program. I'm so hesitant to write about how good things have been because I don't want to jinx it, but the reality is that for today, things are really good! She's struggling with starting her migraine episode right now and I know that it's only a matter of time, but until then I will soak up how good she is doing with her eating! My hope is that she has put some weight on so that when she stops eating during her episode, I don't have to worry so much.

I often look forward to a time when the constant monitoring of eating is behind us so that I can focus on homeschooling in a much bigger way. Because Tiny B is in transitional kindergarten this year (spending just 3.5 hours one day a week in a classroom and the rest with me), and the fact that this year is The Year Of Eating, our homeschooling experience probably looks very different than most. Some days we are focusing on just relaxing/just "being" as we make sure that the environment is conducive to learning to eat in a relaxed manner. Other days we will spend hours doing Mother Goose Time because that's what we want to do and it's so fun and it's truly preparing her for kindergarten. Some weeks we will do two days of lessons and the next week we will do five and maybe the next week we won't do any because Tiny B is in an episode. It also depends on if Strong B is in preschool (he attend for three hours/two-three days a week). I will do some activities with only Tiny B and some with both.

It's amazing how God turns things around like you would never imagine! This summer at the homeschooling conference I planned and daydreamed about spending our days homeschooling for hours intermingled with tube-feeds throughout the day, and I was scared. Tiny B was to be in kindergarten (even though if she was not born so prematurely she'd be in transitional kinder) and attending the charter homeschool two days a week and she was to have a nurse with her at the school to administer her feeds. Well, come August, and she's just finished her online tube-weaning program, I've fought for her and succeeded in putting her in transitional kindergarten, and my mind is blown!

I spend most days gauging how my littles are feeling and what they truly need to make the best out of that particular day. At such a young age, this is crucial, and especially with a child who so desperately needs to be successful in learning a necessary life skill such as eating.

Anyway, Mother Goose Time wanted us to do a post about our routines, and instead of a post, I thought I'd break it up into a few posts since I find this topic to be so interesting in the light of what we are experiencing this year. Seriously...I never in a zillion years guessed that I would be experiencing watching my beautiful daughter teach herself to eat.

I'll continue writing about it in my next post, and for the remainder of this post, I'll give you a glimpse of some of the activities that we have done in the past two weeks. I have to say that I am having such a great time doing this month's topic, "Going on Safari!"

We "packed up" for our safari and made a safari hat and a packing list. We did these activities while Strong B was at preschool so he didn't make his hat until that evening. Tiny B cut pictures out of a magazine of the things that she would take. It was perfect fine motor practice. Cutting from a magazine is hard because the paper is so thin and slippery.

We did this concentration type activity. Such fun!

This prompted her to insist to Grandma that she bring over her sleeping bag and that I set up the tent in the family room and Strong B and Tiny B have been having many adventures there ever since.

The next day's topic was Game Reserve. I usually choose 1-2 activities a day to do from each daily topic, but I had to do all four activities for this day. They were incredible activities. I'm not kidding when I tell you that we spent three hours doing it and it extended into the evening when they continued on their own.

We read a beautiful book sent to us by Mother Goose Time called, "Giraffes Can Dance." It was a beautiful message of hope and the pictures really wowed me!

We set up our own safari in the living room where I charged an entry fee and we worked on counting out the Mother Goose money. Then I hid animals around the "safari"and we used positional vocabulary (in, under, around, beside, etc...) to locate the animals. It was such fun!

In this picture, the ostrich is between the pillow and the blanket.

The next day, we discussed safari vehicles and looked at and discussed the monthly theme poster with magnifying glasses.

A few days later we learned about safari safety and made binoculars (these are being taken to our real safari park today) and the kids pretended to be different animals on a wild animal chase. Then of course we brought out the "safari truck" from the garage and the kids played on that for a long time. I love Mother Goose Time for all of the activities that lead to imaginative play. I truly believe that at this age, that is one of the best ways of learning. Almost nothing is better than watching your children use what you have taught them to create their own little word.

*I receive Mother Goose Time curriculum in exchange for my honest sharing of experiences, resulting from our personal use. All opinions/thoughts are my own and are in no way influenced by others.