Imagination and Learning

This summer has been a different one for us, being that we've been trying so hard to get a new business off the ground. At the same time, I've been trying to work Hayden back into a schedule for going back to school.

We taught her about growing things and taking care of plants while growing our own homegrown tomatoes. Oh they were yummy and she learned the process of watering and waiting for the fruit to grow.

She also started being rewarded for doing chores. This has taught her responsibility and value. She earns a dime each day that she comes down and has made her bed. Then she uses those dimes to save up for a Vanilla Steamer (her treat of choice at Starbucks). It helps her understand the cost of things and how it takes time to earn money for things.

We frequent the Target dollar aisle for fun craft ideas and learning helps. I'm in love with all of their fun flashcards and Hayden finds them challenging and loves them as well. Her newest favorite thing is puzzles. She has mastered all of our wooden toddler puzzles and we bought her a little 25 piece princess puzzle. That kept her busy for about a week until she memorized it and was ready for something bigger. So we bought her a Fancy Nancy 100 piece puzzle and she is still stumped. She is learning patience and learning how to spot things that are hidden.

I also picked up one of their "big book of preschool" activity books. She has been practicing tracing her letters, which has helped her be able to identify most of her letters and she has been drawing them on her own from time to time.

I picked up a pack of multicolored pompoms (not the cheerleader kind) and we are going to check those out today and fashion them into something crafty.

What kinds of things do you do with your littles during the day to integrate learning with imagination?