It seems like there is ever increasing pressure on our little ones, while in our childhood Kindergarten was simply a time to learn and explore and get ready to be out in the great big world without Mommie.
Today there is an intimidating list of things that we need to make sure our little ones know before Kindergarten, as is discussed in this article illustrates. How do we as parents instruct our children and teach them what they need to know, not just for school readiness, but also to prepare them for learning for a lifetime?
I believe that learning need to be integrated into everyday life in such a way that learning new things becomes something fun, and free from pressure. Noah is only 2 (as of April 2011) but calling upon my past life in childcare, I have begun integrating Monthly Themes into our life and hold myself accountable as a mom to turn off the TV-- both for him and me-- and to have regular projects, field trips, and fun planned to instill a love of learning and love of the world around him.
It is not my goal to create a "Super Baby" who is reading by 2, doing division by 4 and making movies on his laptop by 5. Rather, it is my goal to gently instruct Noah in the idea that there is a great big world out there full of amazing things. I want him to know where his food comes from, that there is a difference between a Zebra and a horse and how to blow bubbles. I want Noah to know how to make a whistle out of a piece of grass and that God loves him more than anything.
I want to nurture his natural inclinations and use them to develop a sense of self and skills to equip him for a life of enthusiastic learning. My son loves cooking more than sports, although he does still love a good ball and running around the house.
It is my goal and drive to nurture and use the ways that God has uniquely wired my son to give him the confidence and knowledge he needs to be a unique individual as he grows and develops.
I'll be listing here the links for these activities, many garnered from my past work in education, but adapted for home use and for a variety of ages.
