Old Video of Hunter Naming Presidents, Age 2

Hunter (and monkey!) naming some of the presidents with one his favorite (and first) bit cards.

And making fun of Andrew Jackson's big head.

Hunter, in video, was 2 years, 10 months old

Kindergarten in California

Hunter would traditionally be in kindergarten next year.

Although we're definitely not going the "traditional" route when it comes to age-grades and curriculum (that is, following the standard "what your kid should know when") and California does not require testing, state educational standards are a good thing to know and can also be a good resource.

Most of this stuff, he already knows (including everything in the reading, math, and science department), but there are a lot of things I thought were interesting and gave me some ideas, like the health section and the physical education section.

Some he already has general knowledge of, but just require a little more talking through it such as "Describe the benefits of being physically active". Others we haven't even touched, such as "Name and perform folk/traditional dances from the United States and other countries". And still others, he probably can do, I've just never even thought to try, such as "Land on both feet after taking off on one foot and on both feet".

I thought it would be an interesting thing to share though. It is kind of long but a lot of it is really basic stuff, like "Distinguish letters from words", "Know that sets with larger numbers have more objects in them than sets with smaller numbers", and "Know stories sometimes give plants and animals attributes they do not really have". So, enjoy!

NOTE: I've simplified some of the wording in this document, mostly in English Language Arts and Math (i.e., changing "Match all consonant and short-vowel sounds to appropriate letters" to "Know the sounds of letters (consonants and short vowels)") It sure makes it easier to understand but I kind of got tired of it after a while and the rest are pretty much as-is. Also, the subcategories (i.e. dividing standards into reading, print concepts, writing, etc.) are my own. The actual documents with these standards can be found here.

California Content Standards

Kindergarten 

English Language Arts

Reading

•  Know all upper and lowercase letters
  
• Know the sounds of letters (consonants and short vowels)
  
• Sound out simple two- and three- letter words
  
• Recognize and create rhyming words
  
• Tell the beginning and ending sounds in one-syllable words
  
• Count the number of sounds in simple words (i.e. cat = /k/ - /a/ - /t/)
  
• Tell the difference of similar sounds (i.e. /th/ and /f/)
  
• Tell how many syllables are in a word (i.e. read-ing, kan-ga-roo)
  
•  Read simple sight words (i.e. the, and)

Print Concepts

• Distinguish letters from words
  
•  Know that when you change letters in a word, the word changes (i.e. sad and sat)
  
• Know that sentences are made up of separate words
  
•  Know that printed materials provide information
  
• Identify types of everyday text (i.e. storybooks, poems, newspapers, signs, labels)
  
•  Identify the front cover, back cover, and title page of a book
  
•   Locate the title, table of contents, name of author, and name of illustrator in a book
  
• Use pictures and context to make predictions about story content

Writing

• Write all upper and lowercase letters (using proper form and spacing)
  
• Write left-to-right and top-to-bottom
  
• Write about experiences, stories, people, objects, or events (using phonetic spelling)

Speaking, Listening, and Understanding

• Speak in complete, coherent sentences
  
•  Share information and ideas (in complete, coherent speech)
  
•  Retell familiar stories
  
• Recite short poems, rhymes, and songs
  
• Relate an experience or creative story in a logical sequence
  
• Tell the difference between fantasy and realistic text
  
• Ask and answer questions about elements in books
  
• Connect life experiences to the information and events in texts
  
•  Describe common objects and events (in both general and specific language)
  
•  Sort common words into categories (i.e. colors, shapes, foods)
  
• Understand and follow one-and two-step spoken directions

Math

Numbers

• Count, recognize, represent, name, and order a number of objects (up to 30)
  
• Compare sets of objects (up to ten objects in each group) and tell which set is equal to, more than, or less than the other
  
• Use manipulatives to find the answers to addition and subtraction problems (for two numbers that are each less than 10)
  
• Tell when an estimate is reasonable or not
  
• Sort objects into particular groups (i.e. all these balls are green, all those are red)
  
• Compare the length, weight, and capacity of objects (i.e. shorter, longer, taller, lighter, heavier, or holds more)
  
• Know that sets with larger numbers have more objects in them than sets with smaller numbers

Time

• Demonstrate an understanding of concepts of time (i.e. morning, afternoon, evening, today, yesterday, tomorrow, week, year)
  
•  Recognize tools that measure time (i.e. clock, calendar)
  
•  Name the days of the week
  
•  Know the time of everyday events (to the nearest hour) (i.e. lunchtime is 12 o'clock; bedtime is 8 o'clock)

Geometry

• Identify and describe common geometric objects (e.g., circle, triangle, square, rectangle, cube, sphere, cone).
  
• Compare shapes and objects by common attributes (i.e. position, shape, size, roundness, number of corners)

Mathematical Thinking

• Ask questions; collect data; and record the results (using objects, pictures, and picture graphs)
  
• Determine the approach, materials, and strategies to be used to solve a problem
  
• Use tools and strategies to model problems (such as manipulatives or sketches)
  
• Explain the reasoning you used to solve a problem (with concrete objects and/or pictorial representations)
  
•  Make calculations and check the validity of the results

History-Social Science

Social Studies

• Understand that being a good citizen involves acting in certain ways
  
• Follow rules, such as sharing and taking turns, and know the consequences of breaking them
  
• Learn examples of honesty, courage, determination, individual responsibility, and patriotism in American and world history from stories and folklore
  
•  Know beliefs and related behaviors of characters in stories from times past (and understand the consequences of the characters' actions)
  
• Know national and state symbols and icons (such as the national and state flags, the bald eagle, and the Statue of Liberty)
  
• Match simple descriptions of work that people do and the names of related jobs (at the school, in the local community, and from historical accounts)

Geography

• Compare and contrast the locations of people, places, and environments (and describe their characteristics)
  
•  Know the terms near/far, left/right, and behind/in front
  
•  Know the difference between land and water on maps and globes
  
•  Locate general areas referenced in historical legends and stories on maps and globes
  
• Know traffic symbols and map symbols (i.e. those for land, water, roads, cities)
  
•  Make maps and models of neighborhoods (incorporating such structures as police and fire stations, airports, banks, hospitals, supermarkets, harbors, schools, homes, places of worship, and transportation lines)
  
•  Be familiar with the school's layout, environs, and the jobs people do there
  
•  Place days, weeks, and months in proper order

History

• Understand that history relates to events, people, and places of other times
  
• Know the purposes of, and the people and events honored in, commemorative holidays and the human struggles that were the basis for the events (i.e. Thanksgiving, Independence Day, Washington's and Lincoln's Birthdays, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Memorial Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Veterans Day)
  
•  Know American legends and historical accounts (through the stories of people such as Pocahontas, George Washington, Booker T. Washington, Daniel Boone, and Benjamin Franklin)
  
• Understand how people lived in earlier times and how their lives would be different today (i.e. getting water from a well, growing food, making clothing, having fun, forming organizations, living by rules and laws)

Science

Physical Science

• Know objects can be described in terms of the materials they are made of (i.e. clay, cloth, paper) and their physical properties (i.e. color, size, shape, weight, texture, flexibility, attraction to magnets, floating, sinking)
  
• Know water can be a liquid or a solid and can be made to change back and forth from one form to the other
  
• Know water left in an open container evaporates (goes into the air) but water in a closed container does not

Life Science

• Know how to observe and describe similarities and differences in the appearance and behavior of plants and animals (i.e. seed-bearing plants, birds, fish, insects)
  
• Know major structures of common plants and animals (i.e.stems, leaves, roots, arms, wings, legs)
  
•  Know stories sometimes give plants and animals attributes they do not really have

Earth Science

• Know earth is composed of land, air, and water
  
• Know characteristics of mountains, rivers, oceans, valleys, deserts, and local landforms
  
•  Know changes in weather occur from day to day and across seasons
  
• Know that weather changes affects Earth and its inhabitants
  
•  Know how to identify resources from Earth that are used in everyday life (and understand that many resources can be conserved)

Scientific Thinking

• Know that scientific progress is made by asking meaningful questions and conducting careful investigations
  
• Use the five senses to observe common objects
  
•  Describe the properties of common objects
  
•  Describe objects by relative position (i.e. above or below)
  
• Sort common objects by physical attributes (i.e. color, shape, texture, size, weight)
  
• Communicate observations (orally and through drawings)

Physical Education

General

•  Participate three to four days each week in moderate to vigorous physical activities that increase breathing and heart rate
  
• Sustain continuous movement for increasing periods of time while participating in moderate to vigorous physical activity

Physical Skills

• Perform locomotor and nonlocomotor movements to a steady beat
  
• Clap in time to a simple beat
  
• Climb a ladder, jungle gym, or apparatus
  
• Jump a swinging rope held by others
  
•  Land on both feet after taking off on one foot and on both feet
  
•  Hang from overhead bars for increasing periods of time
  
•  Stretch shoulders, legs, arms, and back without bouncing
  
• Roll smoothly in a forward direction, without stopping or hesitating, emphasizing a rounded form
  
• Demonstrate the underhand movement (throw) pattern
  
• Demonstrate the overhand movement (throw) pattern
  
• Demonstrate the two-handed overhead (throw) pattern
  
•  Catch, showing proper form, a gently thrown ball
  
•  Catch a self-tossed ball
  
• Balance oneself demonstrating momentary stillness (in symmetrical and asymmetrical shapes using body parts other than both feet as a base of support)
  
• Travel over, under, in front of, behind, and through objects and over, under, in front of, and behind partners
  
• Change speeds in response to tempos, rhythms, and signals while traveling in straight, curved, and zigzag pathways (using the following locomotor movements: walking, running, leaping, hopping, jumping, galloping, sliding, and skipping)
  
• Change direction from forward and back and right and left in response to tempos, rhythms, and signals while walking, running, hopping, and jumping (i.e., locomotor skills)
  
•  Demonstrate the difference between slow and fast, heavy and light, and hard and soft while moving

Form

• Explain the difference between under and over, behind and in front of, next to and through, up and down, forward and backward, and sideways
  
• Use personal space, general space, and boundaries and discuss why they are important
  
• Explain base of support
  
• Identify the locomotor skills of a walk, jog, run, hop, jump, slide, and gallop
  
•  Explain the role of the eyes when striking objects with the hands, arms, and feet
  
• Identify the point of contact for kicking a ball in a straight line
  
•  Describe the position of the fingers in the follow-through phase of bouncing a ball continuously 

Anatomy

• Know parts of the body: (the head, shoulders, neck, back, chest, waist, hips, arms, elbows, wrists, hands, fingers, legs, knees, ankles, feet, and toes)
  
• Know the location of the heart and explain that it is a muscle
  
•  Know the location of the lungs and explain the role of the lungs in the collection of oxygen
  
• Know that the body is composed of bones, organs, fat, and other tissues
  
•  Know that physical activity increases the heart rate
  
•  Know that strong muscles help the body to climb, hang, push, and pull
  
• Describe the role of muscles in moving the bones
  
• Know the body part involved when stretching
  
• Describe the role of water as an essential nutrient for the body
  
•  Know that nutritious food provides energy for physical activity
  
•  Identify indicators of increased capacity to participate in vigorous physical activity

Social

• Identify the feelings that result from participation in physical activity
  
•  Participate willingly in physical activities
  
•  Participate in physical activities that are enjoyable and challenging
  
• Demonstrate the characteristics of sharing in a physical activity
  
•  Describe how positive social interaction can make physical activity with others more fun
  
• Participate as a leader and a follower during physical activities
  
• Demonstrate an awareness of personal space, general space, and boundaries while moving in different directions and at high, medium, and low levels in space

Health

Nutrition

• Name a variety of healthy foods and explain why they are necessary for good health
  
•  Identify a variety of healthy snacks
  
• Recognize the importance of a healthy breakfast
  
• Select nutritious snacks
  
• Plan a nutritious breakfast
  
• Choose healthy foods in a variety of settings
  
• Recognize that not all products advertised or sold are good for them
  
•  Explain how to ask family members for healthy food options

Physical Activity

• Describe the benefits of being physically active.
  
• Describe ways to participate regularly in active play and enjoyable physical activities 

Science

• Describe their own physical characteristics
  
• Explain that living things grow and mature
  
• Name body parts and their functions
  
•  Name and describe the five senses
  
• Identify practices that are good for the environment, such as turning off lights and water, recycling, and picking up trash

Safety

• Identify safety rules for the home, the school, and the community
  
• Know ways to stay safe when riding in a bus or other vehicle
  
• Know ways to stay safe when crossing streets, riding a bicycle, or playing
  
• Know how to cross the street safely
  
• Show how to answer the phone in a safe way

•  Know the difference between appropriate and inappropriate touching
  
• Know that everyone has the right to tell others not to touch his or her body
  
• Know what a stranger is and how to avoid contact with strangers
  
• Role-play what to do if a stranger at home, in a car, or on the street approaches you

• Identify trusted adults at home and at school
  
• Identify trusted adults who can help in emergency situations
  
• Know how to ask trusted adults for help
  
• Identify emergency situations
  
• Know situations when it is necessary to seek adult help or call 9-1-1
  
• Know how to ask a trusted adult for help or call 9-1-1
  
• Define and explain the dangers of weapons
  
• Know the importance of telling a trusted adult if you see or hear about someone having a weapon
  
• Know how to tell a trusted adult when you or a friend find a weapon

• Know why medicines are used
  
• Know that medicines can be helpful or harmful
  
• Know that medicines should be taken only under the supervision of a trusted adult
  
• Know that anything may be poisonous or cause harm if used unsafely
  
• Know that some household products are harmful if ingested or inhaled
  
• Know that tobacco smoke is harmful to health and should be avoided

Social

• Know school rules about getting along with others
  
• Follow rules for safe play and safety routines
  
•  Know the characteristics of bullying

• Identify a variety of emotions
  
• Express emotions appropriately
  
•  Describe and practice situations when it is appropriate to use “Please,” “Thank you,” “Excuse me,” and “I’m sorry.”
  
• Know how to express personal needs and wants appropriately
  
• Cooperate and share with others
  
• Describe positive ways to show care, consideration, and concern for others
  
• Encourage others when they engage in safe and healthy behaviors

• Know the characteristics of families
  
• Describe characteristics that make each individual unique
  
• Name ways in which people are similar and ways in which they are different
  
• Know ways family and friends help promote well-being
  
• Make a plan to help family members at home
  
• Know trusted adults at home and at school who can help with mental and emotional health concerns
  
• Know how to ask for assistance with a health-related problem
  
• Identify trusted adults who promote healthy growth and development (i.e. physicians, nurses, dentists, and optometrists) 

Sanitation

•  Know effective dental and personal hygiene practices
  
• Know sun-safety practices
  
• Define “germs.”
  
•  Know ways to prevent the transmission of germs (i.e. washing hands, using tissues)
  
• Know why the transmission of germs may be harmful to health

Dance 
Physical Skills

       Demonstrate move ment skills, process sensory information, and describe movement, using the vocabulary of dance.

• Build the range and capacity to move in a variety of ways
  
• Perform basic locomotor skills i.e. walk, run, gallop, jump, hop, and balance)
  
• Understand and respond to a wide range of opposites (i.e. high/low, forward/back ward, wiggle/freeze)
  
• Perform simple movements in response to spoken instructions (i.e. walk, turn, reach)
  
• Respond to a variety of stimuli (i.e. sounds, words, songs, props, and images) with original movements
  
• Respond spontaneously to different types of music, rhythms, and sounds
  
• Create movements that reflect a variety of personal experiences (i.e. recall feeling happy, sad, angry, excited )

Geography and Careers

• Name and perform folk/traditional dances from the United States and other countries
  
•  Learn about the function and development of dance in past and present cultures throughout the world (noting human diversity as it relates to dance and dancers)
  
• Explain basic features that distinguish one kind of dance from another (i.e. speed, force/ energy use, costume, setting, music)
  
•  Learn about careers in and related to dance

Cross Curricular

• Critically assess and derive meaning from works of dance, performance of dancers, and original works (based on the elements of dance and aesthetic qualities)
  
• Develop competencies and creative skills in problem solving, communication, and management of time and resources that contribute to lifelong learning and career skills.
  
• Give examples of the relationship between everyday movement in school and dance movement

Music

Music Theory

•  Use symbols to represent beat
  
•  Know basic elements in music (i.e. high/low, fast/slow, loud/soft, beat) 

Singing and Instruments

• Echo short melodic patterns
  
• Sing age-appropriate songs from memory
  
• Sing and play simple singing games from various cultures
  
• Use a personal vocabulary to describe voices and instruments from diverse cultures
  
• Play instruments and move or verbalize to demonstrate awareness of beat, tempo, dynamics, and melodic direction
  
•  Create accompaniments, using the voice or a variety of classroom instruments
  
• Use music, together with dance, theatre, and the visual arts, for storytelling
  
• Identify, talk about, sing, or play music written for specific purposes (i.e. work song, lullaby)

Music and Movement

• Use developmentally appropriate movements in responding to music from various genres and styles (rhythm, melody)
  
• Create movements that correspond to specific music

Cross-Curricular

• Identify the various uses of music in daily experiences
  
•  Identify and talk about the reasons artists have for creating dances, music, theatre pieces, and works of visual art

Theatre
General

Use the vocabulary of theatre (such as actor, character, cooperation, setting, the five senses, and audience) to describe theatrical experiences

•  Perform imitative movements, rhythmical activities, and theatre games and mirrors

Acting and Imagination

• Use costumes and props in role playing
  
•  Portray different community members, such as firefighters, family, teachers, and clerks, through role-playing activities
  
• Dramatize information from other content areas
  
• Compare a real story with a fantasy story
  
•  Identify differences between real people and imaginary characters
  
•  Perform group pantomimes and improvisations to retell familiar stories
  
• Retell or dramatize stories, myths, fables, and fairy tales

Social

• Respond appropriately to a theatrical experience as an audience
  
• Demonstrate the ability to participate cooperatively in performing a pantomime or dramatizing a story

Visual Arts
Basic

Name art materials (i.e. clay, paint, crayons) introduced in lessons

• Demonstrate beginning skill in the use of tools and processes, such as the use of scissors, glue, and paper in creating a three-dimensional construction

Art Creation

• Identify the elements of art (line, color, shape/form, texture, value, space) in the environment and in works of art, emphasizing line, color, and shape/form
  
• Use lines, shapes/forms, and colors to make patterns
  
•  Use lines in drawings and paintings to express feelings
  
•  Use geometric shapes/forms (circle, triangle, square) in a work of art
  
•  Create a three-dimensional form, such as a real or imaginary animal
  
• Make a collage with cut or torn paper shapes/forms
  
•  Paint pictures expressing ideas about family and neighborhood
  
•   Discuss their own works of art, using appropriate art vocabulary texture)
  
•  Discuss how and why they made a specific work of art
  
• Draw geometric shapes/forms (i.e. circles, squares, triangles) and repeat dance/movement sequences
  
•  Look at and draw something used every day (i.e. scissors, toothbrush, fork) and de-scribe how the object is used

Art Appreciation

• Recognize and describe simple patterns found in the environment and works of art
  
•  Identify and describe works of art that show people doing things together
  
•  Look at and discuss works of art from a variety of times and places
  
• Describe what is seen (including both literal and expressive content) in selected works of art
  
•  Give reasons why they like a particular work of art they made, using appropriate art vocabulary
  
•  Discuss the various works of art (i.e. ceramics, paintings, sculpture) that artists create and the type of media used 

Surroundings

• Point out images (i.e. photographs, paintings, murals, ceramics, sculptures) and sym-bols found at home, in school, and in the community, including national and state symbols and icons
  
• Describe functional and nonutilitarian art seen in daily life; that used versus those that are only viewed

"...be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear: Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ." 

1 Peter 3:15-16

Hunter is 4 years, 7 months old

Two Years Since Doman...

This photo was taken two years ago in July of 2007. I was just looking into starting a home child care business, which is when, in doing research for preschool activities at the library, I accidentally came across the Doman books.

These girls in our pool are our neighbors, the same ones Hunter plays with frequently, and I was babysitting them. The baby is Anthony. Isn't it amazing how much all four of them have grown?

"But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life."

John 4:14

Hunter is 4 years, 4 months old

Early Music Play

This video was taken in June of 2007, Hunter age 2, just a few months before we started doing the Doman programs.

"Therefore I will give thanks unto thee, O LORD, among the heathen, and I will sing praises unto thy name."

2 Samuel 22:50

Much Needed Help

Help came at just the right time yesterday. To say the least, I've been bogged down trying to get materials at the rate Hunter is learning them: he learns everything faster than I can keep up with!

But just as I was feeling discouraged, I remembered a set of Fandex cards we had downstairs of "Explorers". I thought these would be great as portable bits to use on our trip to NC this summer.

While searching for the fandex cards, I literally screamed with joy when I found a large stack of jumbo size insect flashcards in the science room! These have splendid (large) illustrations of insects on them, several dozen cards in all, and I know Hunter is going to love learning about the world of insecta! I also found a stack of wildflower cards from the same company! What a gift from heaven, as I know that find saved me probably five hours of work!

But that is not all, as I also found a set of "Our 50 States" fandex cards (which I plan on using on our trip) as well as some astronomy flashcards and "edible plants" flashcards! It sure made my day.

I was then inspired to go to the bookstore and see if they had any such similar resources. I was pleased to take home the fandex sets of "Great Classical Composers" and "Birds" for only $10 each (each set has probably 50 cards). I also bought a book called "100 things you should know about gladiators" for just $6. This made my day!

And today I went back for some very nice field guides that were on clearance for $7, including Rocks and Minerals, Herbs, Insects, and Butterflies and Moths. We also got, at Hunter's request, "100 things you should know about elephants". And to top off my day, I found out that teachers (including homeschoolers) can get a 20% discount on everything they buy for their classroom (the store is Barnes and Noble)! I can't wait to go back and get some more fandex cards as well as some awesome books of great masterpieces of art that I saw.

The fandex cards are great in that they have wonderful pictures and a good deal of information. They're not full "Bits of Intelligence" cards with 10 programs of intelligence on the back (ten bits of information, including what they eat, where they live, interesting things about them, and their scientific name [for animals]). But they are a great start and do give a fair deal of good information about each item. And who can beat just $10 for 50 bits! Plus they're portable, great for cars, diaper bags, and trips.

Fandex is a great resource for the busy teacher-parent. On Amazon I found these categories: Human Body, Washington DC, New York City, the Civil War, American Indians, Cats, Dogs, Dinosaurs, Presidents, Shakespeare, Africa, Wildflowers, Mummy Gods and Pharaohs, Mythology, First Ladies, Butterflies of the World, Painters, and Wonders of the World.

" The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him."

Psalm 28:7

Hunter is 3 years, 2 months old

The Whole Hunter

I frequently like to put posts on here of Hunter just being a silly little boy.

Yes, Hunter plays chess, knows more about Presidents than he does about Nick Jr., does instant arithmetic, points out constellations, reads many words, talks about "stamen" and "calyx" when observing flowers, runs a mile a day, is learning swimming, gymnastics, and karate, and a host of other interesting things, but all in all, he's still just like any other three-year-old boy.

Right now Hunter loves to finger paint, play with swords, and wrestle with his uncle and cousin. He likes Duplos, basketball, and his toy animal figures. Playdough is a favorite pastime, as is Barney the dinosaur. He asks me to read or tell him a Bible story MANY times a day. He is obsessed with writing "H's" on anything and everything. His favorite place besides school (our basement) is our backyard and, specifically, the swing set. He loves music and his favorite songs are "Jesus loves the little children", "Battle Hymn of the Republic", and Beethoven's 9th Symphony ("D minor!" he always requests).

He's a goofball. He loves to be tickled, play hide-and-seek, and say random and absurd things that he knows will get a laugh.

He's suddenly turned into a full-scale social bug. He says hi to everyone he sees and is extremely kind to other kids. He runs ahead so he can hold the door for people and "thank you" is his favorite word. Then again, he still pouts sometimes and can occasionally found picking his nose in the middle of a conversation. Or running around in his underwear, or whacking his cousin in the head.

Learning about Mozart and Michaelangelo has definitely enriched our lives, but not hindered it. He's still a busy, curious, silly preschooler. And all in all, it has made me a better parent, Hunter a better kid, and the world a better place.

"When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things."

1 Corinthians 13:11

Hunter is 3 years, 2 months old

Brachiation!

bra·chi·a·tion [brey-kee-ey-shuhn]

–noun Zoology.
locomotion accomplished by swinging by the arms from one hold to another.

Yesterday we finished the first portion of our long-awaited, much anticipated brachiation ladder. After several months of saving the money I am finally able to create this wonderful learning tool for my son. I altered the design so that it can fit over our bed to save space in our 150-square-foot living space.

"Brachiation ladder" is another name for a set of monkey bars. Glenn Doman began using brachiation as a therapy for brain-injured children several decades ago at the Institutes for the Achievement of Human Potential. Brachiation is a very powerful and extremely beneficial tool for the growing brain and body, as it builds the lungs, strengthens the upper body, and coordinates the brain in such a way as to build the necessary skills for writing, reading, and violin playing. Children on their physical excellence program have ALL been able to write stories, do gymnastics, and play the violin superbly by the ripe old age of three years old, and a large part of that program is brachiating. To say the least, we are very excited about the opportunity to finally make one of these.

Assembling the ladder was very easy even for a wanna-be handyman like me. The next step is building the frame and then we're ready to go! The lumber is fairly inexpensive and I believe the cost is generally less than $150 to make one. And of course, the benefits and fun are priceless!

I am documenting our project with video and pictures so I will have a how-to video and download-able instructions coming soon.

"...and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob"

Genesis 49:24

Hunter is 3 years, 2 months old

Memorial Day

Hunter has been really interested in soldiers and war lately, and, among other things, fighting in general. Which made a perfect entrance to our discussion about Memorial Day.

I haven't been quite so organized yet to be able to plan up to these holidays, getting coordinating books from the library or planning our learning activities around them. Soon though. I'll get there. But nonetheless, words are free. And giving your child your knowledge, well, that's priceless.

"Today is Memorial Day, Hunter. It's a special day where we remember all the men who have been soldiers. Soldiers help keep us safe, sometimes there are bad people in other nations that want to hurt us, but our soldiers protect us and defeat the bad guys. They take guns and missiles and tanks to kill the bad guys that are trying to hurt us. Sometimes when they are fighting the bad guys, they get hurt or die. We're always thankful for the brave men who die for us, because if they didn't fight for us, the bad guys would get us and we wouldn't be safe anymore. So today we thank God and thank our soldiers for fighting for us and keeping us safe."

Not exactly rocket science, but I try the best I can to express patriotism in a way that he can relate to and understand. Whether you agree with a war or not, remember that those soldiers are out there dying for your right to carry those protest signs.

In closing, I thought I would share this fairly unknown second verse of our national anthem. We live in a great country, which is currently very morrally ill right now, and in need of divine assistance, but God has blessed us dearly.

Our National Anthem, verse two:

O thus be ev- er, when free men shall stand Between their loved homes And the war’s desolation! Blest with victory and peace, May the heaven-rescued land Praise the Power that hath made And preserved us a nation! Then conquer we must, When our cause it is just; And this be our motto: “In God is our trust!” And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave O’er the land of the free And the home of the brave?

"Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends."

John 15:13

Hunter is 3 years, 2 months old

Parts of a flower

Nature certainly is God's handiwork. And flowers are an abundantly beautiful part of his creation.

While the beauty of flowers is ready to behold, who isn't amazed by this awesome machine we call a plant? The pollination and fertilization process that is written within these tiny structures is truly amazing.

And what a wonderful thing it is to be able to share this marvel with a child.

You can only look at flower so long before they become somewhat the same, that is if you know neither their names or their functions. You may gaze at their beauty for a great while, but soon it becomes that when you've seen one, you've seen them all. What frustration we all have felt to know the face but not the name!

Hunter is now learning about the parts of a flower. Stigma, style, ovary, ovules, carpel, anthers, filaments, stamens, petal, corolla, sepal, calyx, receptacle, peduncle. He'll easily (and eagerly) learn these in less than a week, playing the card game a few times a day. After he has learned their names, we'll learn their functions. And if you think this is boring stuff, you've forgotten what it's like to be three years old!

As usual, the encyclopedic knowledge program, ever opening doors. He will never quite look at flowers the same way again.

"The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land"

Song of Solomon 2:12

Hunter is 3 years, 2 months old

Spring

Spring has finally come. And as no small miracle, the icy, dead winter has melted away and new life is springing forth everywhere.

Flowers blooming, trees budding, birds singing, people playing... everything comes together in a glorious annunciation to welcome in a new season of hard work, playing, and learning.

With the warm weather comes a whole new scenery of exciting opportunities and fresh discoveries in learning, play, and work. What better way to learn about biology and nutrition than to grow your own garden? Or about botany than to collect your own flowers, leaves, and fruits? We are really looking forward to close ups with bugs, plants, and wild animals, constellation spotting, garden tending, berry picking, nature hiking, and so many more of the fun things I did as a child and want to share with my son.

"For, lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone; The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land; The fig tree putteth forth her green figs, and the vines with the tender grape give a good smell..."

Song of Solomon 2:11-13

Hunter is 3 years, 1 month old  

Harvesting Cantaloupe Seeds

Today we harvested cantaloupe seeds. Not really a special project: we were just eating this lovely orange fruit and decided the seeds were worth saving, considering our new garden and all.

It was a fascinating activity. Here's what I found out:

1. Scoop out the seeds from the middle try and get as much of the gooey stuff off as possible.

2. Rinse the seeds off as good as you can, then put them in a bowl of warm water. Watch and wait.

3. The ones that sink to the bottom will produce fruit. The ones that float won't.

4. Try and get as much of the slimy stuff out of the bowl as possible.

5. Lay them out to dry. You can use a towel if you want: we used a screen frame.

6. Let them dry for a couple days.

7. You can start them inside 3-4 weeks before planting outdoors. Or sow directly in sunny location.

8. Make a 12-inch wide hill for every three seedlings. Or you can plant them in rows about a foot to a foot-and-a-half apart.

9. Water daily, watch them grow!

I told Hunter that there is DNA inside each seed, which is like a set of instructions that tells the seed what to do. When the seeds get food from the ground, water, air (oxygen), and sunlight, they make roots and stems and leaves and grow into a plant. The fruit of a plant always holds its seeds, which is not only God's way of making sure the plants reproduce, but also his way of giving us yummy food to eat.

Exciting business for a three-year-old!

"And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so."

Genesis 1:11

Hunter is 3 years, 1 month old

Baby Kierra

Hunter and Anthony both love baby Kierra. She is a two month old I just started watching her. Although she sleeps a lot, she is all smiles when she is awake.

Hunter gets so excited when she comes over and loves to sing to her, read to her and kiss her. We're really enjoying this little addition to our clan, and I'm getting practice having three under three, in the mornings at least! What fun!

"As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby"

1 Peter 2:2

Hunter is 3 years, 0 months old

Laundry Time!

What could be more fun than helping Mommy (or to Anthony, Aunt Liz) sort laundry?

You get to do something useful, be part of what the adults are doing, and have fun throwing clothes in a bunch of different baskets! And then of course there's the cool big washers and dryers and getting to measure the detergent and help fold socks and shirts. And then of course there's learning about why we have to put different color clothes in separate loads and why some shirts don't go in the dryer and why some clothes need to be ironed and some need to be folded and all other interesting things that little kids are just dying to learn.

Sharing chores sure makes life a lot more fun and interesting.

"It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth."

Lamentations 3:27

Hunter is 3 years, 0 months old