The New Year

I have been meaning to update for quite awhile but I can’t seem to find time to sit down and gather my thoughts! I spent quite a bit of time over the Christmas break preparing the remainder of the preschool curriculum for the year and revamping our schedule. My goals for the New Year are to make our home more of an educational and learning environment by scheduling in lots of learning activities and reading and also to make a commitment to more outside time and exercise. The rain has made outside time a little challenging but we have enjoyed 2 family walks and 1 walk with just the children and me in the past 2 days. We have done daily preschool activities and lots of fun table activities. My plan is to keep a steady routine without being tied to an intense schedule. To have a more “controlled” environment by scheduling in activities instead of a lot of free time. I also am cutting back on quantity of lessons and focusing on one short activity. Preplanning is the key for me. It helps me stay organized. For instance, I plan the entire months worth of meals that way I know to defrost and prep for the day before. I only go to the regular grocery store once a month and to the produce market 3-4 times a month. It saves money and time!! I can plan meals around the calendar. I always plan on a crockpot meal for Monday because I am usually doing extra chores as catch up from the weekend.

Here is our schedule:

7:00 Mom up and devotional time. This is an extremely important part of my day!!!

8:00 Children up, dressed, and breakfast

9:00 Table time activity (I have a big list to choose from and am continually making new activities to plug in) while Mom cleans the kitchen, starts laundry, dinner prep, etc.

10:00 School and playtime

11:00 Outside

12:00 Lunch prep and lunch

1:00 Lunch/rest, Mom does clean up and dinner prep

3:00 Activity

4:00 Family walk

5:00 Dinner

6:00 Mom does clean up, Children have time with Daddy

7:00 All children ready for bed, Evi down to bed. Bible reading, novel reading

8:00 Children in bed

9:00 Mommy and Daddy have time

10:00 Mommy and Daddy bedtime

I have a preschool plan as well.

Monday: Theme

Tuesday: Shape/color

Wednesday: Letter

Thursday: Number

Friday: Review and Nursery rhyme

I follow a free curriculum online called “Letter of the Week”. I base my plans off of their curriculum and substitute with my own ideas and supplemental online material.

Well, I hear a baby waking up from her nap so thus ends my sitting down and typing time!! I hope all my readers (I know I have at least 2) are having a great start to the New Year!!!

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