MOVING....Many Boxes...........

Good Morning Everyone!

The reason I haven't posted a new activity in the past week is due to my move.  My husband and I are downsizing and moving into a 3 bedroom home instead of this huge 5 bedroom home.  My youngest daughter and her 2 children will be moving into their own apartment!  So...yes, I will have an empty nest!  The good news is that they will be living just a few doors away!  So.....I'm sure my house will be filled with a sweet 6 year old boy and 3 year old girl that have always lived at "Yia Yia's" house!

I have also just started a new group of students in my Montessori teacher training course.  80+ new international students!  It is another wonderful group of moms searching for the "best" for their children!  My next class will start November 1st and I already have a "wait" list....so spread the word and give them my email address!

I have some wonderful activities to post in the next three weeks that are not to be found in my 12 volume set of Montessori manuals!  These will be extensions....and you will love them!  My plans are to also share some "inside" activities for "quiet time."  These will be non-competitive games and activities that will help give you a few moments of "peace" and "quiet" which is rare for moms and grandmothers!

So, enjoy the day and check back soon...or join by email to be notified when I have posted something new!

Blessings and Hugs....Karen

Page Turning of Books - A Practical Life Activity

Karen's Blogging Comments to Start .....

• Children are attracted to books at a very early age.  To begin with they love the colors and the shapes.  As their eyes focus they love to see bold contrasts such as black and white, red and blue, etc.  Each child is different, but as soon as a child starts to show interest in a book and the oral gratification of "biting and gumming" the book to death has past...LOL!...it is time to show them how precious a book is and this is how we begin with turning pages:

Materials:

1. A simple book with just a few pages

Preparation (Activities that your child should have already been working on):

1. Three Finger Grasping Activities (eyedropper, spooning, tweezers, clothes pins, etc.)
2. Whole Hand Activities (dry and wet pouring, sweeping, folding, cutting, etc.)

Note:

1. The object of this activity is to learn how to turn pages of a book.
2. Do not read the book during this presentation.

Presentation:

1. Carry a book to a table using a 2-hand grasp like in carrying a tray.
2. Place your left hand palm-side down on the lower left hand side of the book.
3. Grasp the upper right hand corner of the book cover with the thumb, index, and middle fingers of your right hand.
4. Open the cover of the book by gently sliding fingers down the right hand edge of cover.
5. Turn the book open and smooth back with open palm of right hand.
6. Turn the next page in the same way.
7. Continue until all pages have been turned and smoothed.
8. Using your left hand, close the cover of the book while using the right hand to steady.
9. Return the book to the shelf (2-hand grasp).

Control of Error would be:

1. Ripping a page
2. Dropping the book on the ground
3. The sound that slamming the book shut makes

Welcome to my New Montessori Page!

Good Morning! 

My name is Karen and I am so happy to have finally make the decision to start a weekly blog!  On this blog I will add a Montessori activity every week for everyone to download and use!  Many times I will be  adding a free set of 3-Part Cards, support forms, etc.  It doesn't matter if you are a homeschooler or already a Montessori teacher....you will find the presentations refreshing and easy to use. 

These activities that I share are the same as the ones that my online students receive in their online training classes that I give through Yahoo.  If interested go to:  http://groups.yahoo.com/group/worldwidemontessori16/.  This is the latest class that I began on August 1st and I do add students throughout the end of the month.  If you are interested....just email me or request to join the group/class!  A complete set of 12 Montessori Albums/Manual come with this inexpensive course!