[blparent] what to do with a toddler?

[Veronica Smith]

Pipi, the biggest thing you are forgetting is she is 2, she has only been in
this world for 730 days and in the greater skeem of things is not very long.
Don't get caught up in structure right now.  The pre-schools suggest that
the best time to input structure is at age 3.  
Not to say you are doing things incorrectly but don't exhaust yourself right
now.  Do plan for the future, because age 3 is creeping upon you at an
amazing rate.
The city pre-schools begin strcture at age 3, when the child is potty
trained.
They began the day with free play, then the kids sit at tables for role
call.  Of course, these kids ar in a group, but this is what I did with Gab
before she began going there.
After role call, they move to a singing circle and sing songs that help them
remember numbers, days of the week.  They see a big bright beautiful
calendar and celebrate the day of the weikk they are there.  The city
pre-school only has children attend 2 or 3 times a week and only for 3 hours
a day.
After song time and calendar time, they move on to either snack time or out
door time. 
After that time reading a story is a must and all children sit in another
circle, criss cross applesauce to listen to the story.
After the story is read, the teacher asks questions about the story.
After a short discussion, the group moves to arts and crafts, with help from
the assistants.
There are tons of books in the library that will help you pick out games for
your daughter.
But always remember, don't burn her out for school before she has a chance
to enjoy being a baby.
V

-----Original Message-----
From: blparent-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blparent-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of Pipi
Sent: Monday, January 17, 2011 10:41 PM
To: blv-moms at googlegroups.com; blindparenting at googlegroups.com; NFBnet Blind
Parents Mailing List
Subject: [blparent] what to do with a toddler?

Hey Y'all,
Sorry, I didn't really know how to title this email. Ramblings of the
exhausted probably fits better. I'll try to keep it short.
Savannah turned 2 in November. I feel like all of my previous early
childhood education has gone out the window and has no intention of coming
back anytime soon. 
I am wanting to do a more structured routine with her. I want to start
preparing her for a routine of preschool and the likes. Other than simple
routines such as bedtime, meals, brushing teeth twice a day, we don't have
many others.
My first question is, is she too young for a home preschool atmosphere? 
Another question, what should I be working on with Savannah? I've seemed to
have forgotten these things. I know letters, numbers, colors, shapes, but
what else? Is there some sort of online lesson plans I can look at to get
ideas? 
To get an idea of some of the things we do now, a typical day is filled with
tons of book reading spread out, savannah watches sesame street, super y, or
one of her dvd's,  she loves her play kitchen where i both play with her and
let her play alone.  we color, occasionally get out the paint, play with
mega blocks and wooden blocks, physical time with dancing, running, jumping,
or playing in her tunnels. she has the tag jr. that she loves, clay, fridge
phonics and other magnetic letters, numbers, and shapes.  There are other
things that are escaping my brain now.
Obviously we don't do all of that in one day, but i do my best to keep her
doing something, and then a break with a dvd or free play without me being
involved thrown in there every so often.  I just want more of a routine for
her, and also for myself so i can track the progress. I'm very list and
chart orientated, and I don't have that now.
what should i be focusing on, for fine motor skills? large motor?  the
basics i mentioned above? what am i forgetting.
what are some of y'all's daily routines? 
I also want to try this out to gage my ability to possibly home school in
the future if that is the path i choose. 
I feel like I don't have much control right now. I don't mean over Savannah,
but over how I'm raising her. I've finally started reading Dr. Sears and
have other books that are coming up soon to read. I just need my nice neat
list of things to do and i don't have it and it's driving me crazy.
Please help if you can.
Pipi
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