This system worked wonderfully until his younger brother became old enough to also want to choose his own shows.  At that point, we tweaked the system so that each child was allowed to choose one show each day that both children watched, and together we would choose one movie each week.

Again, our idea worked for awhile.  However, I began to grow concerned about the amount of screen time they were getting since they were following the “TV Time” rules but were now playing video games for short periods each day in addition to the original screen time.  I have since developed a new, easy to follow system to keep track of all types of screen time.

I have one, small coffee can for each child.  On each coffee can, I had my children attach twenty-one clothes pins.  Each clothes pin represents thirty minutes of screen time, and they begin each week with all twenty-one.  Each time a child watches a show or chooses to play a video game (with a timer set for thirty minutes), a clothes pin is removed.  If he watches a movie, three clothes pins are removed, one for each thirty minute increment.  Each child may use up to five clothes pins each day.  However, once the pins are gone, they do not receive any more until the next week begins.

The first week we implemented this system, the pins were gone before the last day of the week had arrived.  They were forced to endure an entire day with no screen time (which was actually a wonderful day!).  This is our second week.  We have two days left, and there are still twelve pins on each can!!

These changes in the trees are not only beautiful to look at, but they also signify the changing seasons.  They are an excellent visual representation children can comprehend and use to learn about the four seasons and the changes they bring.

The book, The Seasons of Arnold’s Apple Tree, by Gail Gibbons, offers a wonderful introduction to the seasons.  Throughout the story, children are taken through the life of an apple tree as it changes during one year. 

Have your child create their own tree using four copies of a bare tree (either hand drawn or photocopied off of the internet), white, green, pink, red, yellow, and orange tissue paper, and some glue.  As you reread the story, help your child rip the tissue paper into small pieces roughly 2 x 2 inches square.  She can then crumple each piece into a small ball, dip it in the glue, and press it onto her bare tree in order to create four different trees, one for each season of the apple tree. 

If your child gets tired, it is okay to stop and come back to the activity later.  You may even want to stretch out the activity over four days as little fingers may get tired quickly.

The curriculum I chose has activities to do on the computer, including short videos and educational games.  These online activities are mixed in with offline activities that include experiments, stories, and yes, some worksheets.  (The worksheets are how the teachers at the cyber school are able to evaluate his progress.)

Unlike other home-school curriculums, this online curriculum must be completed in order.  We are able to skip activities that teach or reinforce skills he already knows, but it does not have the flexibility I am used to.  My son has also begun to resist completing the activities, and, at four-years-old, I don’t want him to have his first home-schooling experiences to be negative.

I know he is learning with this curriculum, and the mix of online and offline activities is a good fit for him.  I just wish it didn’t feel like we were going through a checklist of activities so that we could get to the end.  I wish there were a way to tailor it more to his personal needs, but I haven’t yet figured out how to do that.  I don’t want to drop the curriculum completely, but I have to find a way to make this one work better for our family before my son and I both get frustrated.

Whomever is designated to go first, thinks of an animal.  This person then announces, “I am thinking of an animal that starts with the letter___”, and then he or she fills in the blank with the beginning letter of the animal of which they are thinking.  For example, if it were my turn and I was thinking of a panda bear, I would say, “I am thinking of an animal that starts with the letter “p”.”

Players then take turns guessing the animal of which the person is thinking.  Whomever guesses correctly is the winner and now has the honor of thinking of the next animal.  The game begins again when the new animals has been selected and the person announces, “I am thinking of an animal that starts with the letter___”.

All you need is a set of letters.  These can be magnetic letters, the pieces from an alphabet puzzle, or even just pieces of paper with the letters written on them.  Place the letters in a bag, basket or pillowcase, and you are ready to begin the fun.

Let your child pull out a letter from the pile.  Review with your child what sound that letter makes.  Then help your child search his room for an object that begins with that letter.  For example, if you child pulls out the letter ‘b’, you may help him find the stuffed animal ‘bear’ or a ‘blanket’ on his bed.

Once your child has identified an object that begins with that letter, leave the letter out of the pile, and let your child pull out a new letter.  Continue to play as long as your child expresses interest in the game.

This activity can also be played at the grocery store, the doctor’s office, in the car, or just about anywhere even if you don’t have the letters.  Simply choose letters in your child’s name or select them randomly.

Before we arrived, I prepared my son by letting him know that we would be watching ballet dancers perform a story set to music.  I sang the tune to a few of the songs with which I knew he would be familiar, and I let him know that there wouldn’t be any words in the story.  He would have to pay attention in order to let the dancers show him the story.  My son let me know that he was excited about watching the dancers since he also loved to dance, but that he didn’t want to be a ballerina. 

During the performance, he was completely captivated by the motion on stage.  He loved the Nutcracker and, as a typical boy, thought it was cool when the rats and the soldiers had their battle.  He was excited when he recognized the music, and he even enjoyed the ballet dancing, and I think he was a little shocked to see how good the male dancers were.  He did note, however, that he still does not want to be a ballerina.  He would rather do flips.  (I am envisioning Cirque de Soleil.)

Overall, it was a wonderful experience.  My preschooler learned more than I will ever know about the performing arts, and he enjoyed the live production.  I am hoping to make The Nutcracker an anual event for our children.  It will be interesting to listen to what they discover and like about the performance as they grow older.

Create a set of Bingo cards using the generator available at http://www.mathworksheetwizard.com/kindergarten/shapes.html.  Each time you click on “Make Worksheet”, the program will create a new Bingo card with the shapes in a different place.  Be sure to select the 5 x5 grid version.  (You can also choose whether you want your shapes in black and white, color, in cartoon shapes, or using everyday objects.   The plain, black and white shapes work best for this game.)

To play, have your child (or the youngest player) search the room for objects that are shaped like those on the card.  The hearts and stars are a bit challenging so let her be creative with these shapes.  When a shape is found, all players confirm the shape and then color it in on their card.  The player to get five in a row first wins.  (You can also play a cover-all version where players must cover their entire card before they win.)

This makes a great game to play in the car with siblings or even parents.  Simply print out a supply of cards and store them in the glove-box with a box of crayons.  You are now ready for Bingo fun anytime your kids are bored in the car!

While my children are making these vital choices, I like to look on and marvel at the mathematics that children are learning without even realizing it.  Unbeknownst to them, they are applying their knowledge of one-to-one correspondence.  There are four people in our family and each person must receive one plate, one cup, one napkin, and one set of silverware.  Each of these items must then be placed in the correct position at the table.  When they are finished setting the table, they must review their work to make sure each person has the correct place settings.

It is a very simple activity that helps my preschooler practice his early math skills, while at the same time, helping our family prepare for our next meal.

Write the letters of the alphabet, one per page, in both uppercase and lowercase forms.  Try to choose a nice, wide marker, and do your best to write using a style that is easy to learn, such as Zaner-Bloser style.  (D’Nealian is also listed at this link.) 

You can go in alphabetical order or begin with familiar letters, such as those in your child’s name.  Select one letter and locate objects that can be glued to the letter.  The objects should begin with the letter on which they will be glued.  For example, if you having your child complete the letter “O”, you may give him oatmeal to glue to the letter.  (For letters that are particularly difficult to find items to match the beginning letter, try using stickers.  We used “apple” stickers for “A” and heart stickers for “H”.)

Ask your child to tell you the letter name several times throughout the activity.  Help your child make a list of words that begin with the letter on which he is working.  When he is finished and the glue has dried, display the letters along a string attached to the wall using clothespins to attach them.

Sometimes, however, he becomes either too excited about what he is saying or unfocused on his conversation, and his words do not flow quite as easily.  There may be long pauses or he may even stop mid-sentence.  At these times, I must remember to let him finish what he was saying. 

It can be difficult not to put words in his mouth because we, as adults, have so many things we are trying to do that we try to hurry along everything, including our four-year-old’s conversation.  It is important, however, to let our children finish their sentences.

Sometimes my son will get so lost in what he was saying that I may refocus the conversation.  For example, if he is saying, “Uh…uh…uh…” or otherwise seems as though he has forgotten about what he was speaking, I may say something such as, “Ethan, I am confused.  You were telling me about how you are going to build a tower.  What is the tower for?”  This is usually enough to get him refocused on what he was saying, and he is able to finish the conversation.

There are, of course, several techniques you can use.  The most important one, however, is patience.  Try not to put words in the mouth of your child.  Think of how frustrating that would be if another adult tried to finish your sentences.  A preschooler would feel the same way.