Home Teaching

At this age, everything is a learning opportunity...color when you are out for a walk...look at the green grass and the blue sky and the red stop sign. (let the letters wait). Then come home and paint -- the green grass and the blue sky. Don't just teach her..make it meaningful...she can help you cook and count things like eggs. She can learn to measure. Many kids have a hard time with fractions...next time you have a pizza....count the slices...wow there are 8 slices in the pizza. After you are sure she understands that...show her 1/2 a pizza. By then you can also have her using your measuring cups- she can play with water and see that 2 1/2 cups = 1 cup. And then 2 1/2 pizzas = 1 whole pizza. Then a quarter. Also, after she learns to count --- start teaching money...my son was about 3 when I would have him make change for the toll booth - 2 dimes and a nickel = .25 and so does 1 quarter. The more she sees these things relate to life, the more she will want to learn, she will feel so grown-up.

The most important thing you can do with her at this stage is read to her. Early reading has been proven to make early readers out of children themselves and helps them develop their imagination as well as a love of books. Also, just allowing her to play by herself, she is learning on her own how about cause and effect. One of the things that I did with my kids when they were little is in the hot weather I would put them outside with a big bowl full of ice. This is an early science lesson as they begin to see how the ice melts after it has been in the sun. Also, blowing bubbles for her is a great pre-reading activity since it teaches her to begin tracking with her eyes.

You can teach a variety of things like colors,alphabets and rhymes just using simple things in your house.Start using building blocks and teach shapeds and colors.My son is 14 months and I am using all these.You can try getting more ideas from sites like pbskids.com,indianchild.com and http://www.signingtime.com/

I think it's great that you are beginning to teach your little one at home. I began with my son at about the same age. I think when he was that age, we did thing a lot less formal than we do now, but even now it's still very casual and laid-back. I think the most important thing is that it needs to be fun for both of you, when it stops being fun, take a break and reevaluate what you are doing. I use a Christian based (loosely) curriculumn I found on line, it's pretty good, here's the link: http://www.letteroftheweek.com/Preparatory.html Now he is almost three, and we spend about 10-15 minutes a day doing "school time" and about the same doing "bible time" Good luck!

I agree that reading is very important. It's the cornerstone of almost every other skill she'll learn as she gets older. Along with reading to my son, as soon as he was able to string a couple words together, I encouraged him to tell me stories too. I might start a story, and then ask him what he thinks will happen next. It will help them think creatively & to problem solve.

Encourage her liking to art work by providing her with the crayons, watercolor, paper, etc. Just make sure that the materials you provide are non-toxic. You should also make sure that she doesn't put them in her mouth. You could also begin teaching her the alphabet through the use of flash cards or an alphabet chart that you could stick on the wall. Flash cards were very effective with my daughter, she easily learned the alphabet. I also have flash cards of animals, she can recognize many animals by age 2. Making her listen to nursery rhymes while she is playing is also good at this age.

I would encourage her with art work. It's creative, and she will enjoy it. Get all kinds of paper, pens, crayons, finger paints and such. All colors. Also, read a lot to her. Never baby talk. And, teach counting and the alphebet.

cheers mate! you must be a happy father. I've just joined mylot for less than 24 hours and this is my first respond. I love kids so much, that I feel like I want to start it with discussion(s) of kids. Even though I haven't got any of them on my own, I have a sister whose 12 years younger than me; so I had been given the responsibility to look after her too, in her early phase of life (been there, done that, too), that was my happiest moment in life up until now. She bring me lots of joy and I have learned so much from her childhood. She is in college right now; time seems like flying, kids grew up so fast. I remember there is an old british saying that, chilhood..,just like the summer it never last too long. I definately would like to share some more, but I would be like writing a book instead of posting a comment, ha..ha. I was once asking te same question, than I learned, I just have to agree with that famous Greek philosoper (I just couldn't recall his name, forgive me). He pointed that we can never realy teach a person of anything, we have to let her/him search from within. Would you think it'll be better if you let her find her interest and develop her-self? So you can enjoy the moment that rushing through, just when you are about to realise it.., just like british summer (I know what I'm talking about, I had spent 1 year and a half in London). Of course this is just what I have to be share with you, mere a suggestion, you might want to find an experience child councilor for her education. Have a great moment of your life!