Designing the Curriculum

I spent today reading up on a TON of websites (the good ones are linked on the right!) and have tried to come up with what I think will be a very easy/very doable "Curriculum" to guide me in teaching my girls.

Letters are obviously important.  Taylor already knows them all, and what sound they make (Thank you LeapFrog Letter Factory DVD! - I totally reccomend this DVD.)  So we're going to be working on writing them.  I don't think she's too young, after all, she can already draw a letter T and a smiley face.  I think she can manage it. 

Numbers are big too.  Taylor can count to 20, but can't recognize all the numbers yet, atleast I don't think she can.  So we'll work on recognizing numbers up to 20, and then every 10 after that.

Colors are a HUGE one!  Taylor knows the names, but can't match them to the correct color.  She can match colors though, so she can see them okay.  Just need to work on knowing what color is what.

Shapes are one I'm considering.  She knows Circles already... and star.  So we're going to be working on shapes.

Animals... I thought some fun coloring book pages, or trips to farms and the zoo would be great activities to learn more about animals.  Instead of just looking at the animals at the zoo, we can schedule trips around the Keeper Talk times and other shows there.  We also have some close friends who live on a farm and their boys take care of the animals (horses, cows, chickens - they even sell the eggs!)  That would be some great learning experiences if I can get the OK from them. 

Scripture Stories - This one is partially inspired by my work at the YMCA - a christian based organization.  The children in the day care there have been working on "Creation" projects.  They've created a picture for each one of the 6 days of the creation - The 7th was a day of rest, so no picture for that one.  So I figured, I could teach the girls the scripture stories by creating projects and activities based on each one of them. 

Because most of these things are to teach Taylor, I'm going to be working on Body Parts with Maddie.  She already know hair... And ears I think.  She may get those two confused.  But she won't be confused to much longer.  We'll get those parts learned in no time!

Those will be our weekly focuses.  We'll be having daily things as well, like sing time and story time - which we do anyways, learning the days of the week, a weather poster, an art project a few times a week, outside play or trips a couple to a few times a week...  We'll also throw in some Nursery Rhymes, Seasons and Months and a few others in a couple times a month or so.

I'm excited.  Like Nathalie, I always played school growing up, and this maybe a flashback of those fun pretend times.  But I'm excited to be teaching my girls new things.  Maddie won't pick it all up yet, but I know she'll have great fun being included and who knows what she'll be able to catch on to. 

As soon as I have a good schedule/curriculum designed out, I'll post it.  So be on the look out!