KristenR Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 Okay, I'm trying to finish up collecting some resources for my 4 and 2 year old. I was wondering if there are any *must have* resources that you guys simply couldn't live without for this age. I'm not talking curriculum but maybe some books or learning resources that you and your kids really dug. Thanks! :lurk5: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patchfire Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 Puzzles. Those Lauri ones with slightly different shapes (we have a butterfly one, for example) are really great. Dot to dots. Mazes. A good recipe for homemade playdough. A sturdy stepstool or other way for them to help cook (and do the dishes!). Good crayons, lots of good paper, fingerpaints. If you have a space, an easel. A table where you can leave works-in-progress, whether they be art projects, science models, puzzles, you name it. Fun rhthym instruments. Lots of music! (Right now, everyone in our house is loving They Might Be Giants' kids albums, especially Here Comes Science.) Audiobooks and other audio (like Jim Weiss). A library card--get your kids their own now if you can, lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilverMoon Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 A library card, with frequent trips to use it. LOTS of blocks. Plenty of paper and random art supplies. For curriculum: Phonics Pathways, writing tablet, Leapfrog videos, and http://www.starfall.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tuckabella Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 manipulatives, not necessarily store bought. See what I mean here. She has diff blogs for diff age groups. Bottle caps have been a huge hit. small spaces things she mentions (fine motor skills). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plain jane Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 At that age, my kids have really loved: Pattern Blocks Counters- any ones from Learning Resources (I use them for sorting or counting or just playing :)) Mighty Mind Finger paint and finger painting paper anything for lacing/beading puzzles- any and all kinds Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Living Learning Loving Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 Leap Frog Word Whammer with the refrigerator letters Leap Frog Videos Conversation Books That is how my 2 and 3 year old learned all the letters and sounds they make. For math we just did lots of counting in different ways. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlyingMOm Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 Inchimals: http://www.fatbraintoys.com/toy_companies/fat_brain_toy_co/inchimals.cfm?source=google&kwid=inchimals&gclid=CIKWteTUtacCFaRd7AodaR_wAg Hot Dots: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=hot+dots&x=0&y=0 Bubber: http://www.fatbraintoys.com/toy_companies/waba_fun_llc/bubber_play_create_set_with_5_oz_white_bubber.cfm?source=msn&kwid=bubber Lots & lots of reading aloud (via Tapestry), plenty of free time playing outside, building sets (blocks, Wedgits, Magneatos & Magformers, Gears sets, etc.) and we love our Nora Gaydos readers! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobinF Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 (edited) Lots of manipulatives HWT chalkboards with chalk HWT wooden pieces zoobs cuisainaire rods MUS blocks Lots of fun abc books Dr. Suess, Chicka Chicka Boom Boom and several others Eric Carle books, love Brown Bear, Brown Bear and I made the tot school lap book to go with it. check out www.makinglearnfun.com for different games/puzzles to go with different books. They love to read the book and then play the games or work the puzzles that go with them. also dominoes or dice for fun addtion rice box or sand box to practice letters I really want a set of sandpaper letters but haven't gotten around to making a set yet. Edited March 4, 2011 by RobinF Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3peasinapod Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 We like Preschool Art by MaryAnn Kohl. The art projects take minutes plus maybe 15 minutes at the most to prepare, though not for every project. I love this book. Books, books, books, books from the library. We especially like Harper Collins Treasury, Eloise Wilkins stories, any fairy tales, Jan Brett. Otherwise, everything we like is already listed here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heidi @ Mt Hope Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 Sonlight has some GREAT selections for that age. A Child's Book of Art by Lucy Micklethwait The Year at Maple Hill Farm by Alice and Martin Provensen Usborne's First Thousand Words 20th Century Children's Book Treasury **People by Peter Spier **Richard Scarry's What Do People Do All Day? **The Berenstain Bears' Big Book of Science (Those last three are must-haves IMHO.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walking-Iris Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 Lots and lots of good books, Peak With Books is great, lacing cards, blocks and building toys of every imaginable sort, poker chips, beads to string, lots of art things (pom pom, beads, sequins, pipe cleaners, paper, scissors, glue etc), Kumon my first books are fun, those inexpensive wkbks from WalMart, the Mommy and Me website, Starfall.com, KinderArt.com, EnchantedLearning.com, Waldorf inspired books have a lot of sweet ideas, the Kids Can books (the multicultural art book is wonderful), homemade sandpaper letters, a garden and a place to dig and play outside, sports stuff (balls of all sorts etc), a few of the Baby Einstein videos are really good (Meet the Orchestra or Baby Monet...they aren't just for infants --or at all really), a calandar to learn the days of the week and daily weather checks, chunky triangular pencils, tangrams pattern blocks and cards, letter tiles, counting bears, puppets, Out of Sync Child Has Fun would be wonderful for any child-----oh I could go on. I think this is my favorite age to homeschool!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kristin0713 Posted March 5, 2011 Share Posted March 5, 2011 poker chips Just an FYI, poker chips often contain lead. I'd avoid these with children. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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