According to the calendar, it has been spring for awhile, but it’s finally just starting to feel like it. We just started our garden and are able to spend more time outdoors. It was time to rotate the girls’ bookshelf (they were becoming less interested in certain ones) and decided to reflect the current season, making sure to include some of the books they received for Easter. Their bookshelf has a low enough display for them to easily access. There are also shelfs on the backside, making it the perfect place to store some additional books and materials we work on together.
Chug Chug Tractor and I Can Grow a Flower are a little busy (wording is all over the page and it can be kind of hard to follow) and that’s normally something I try to avoid. However, because of the detail and information, I couldn’t pass them up. The speedometer, gear stick, and steering wheel are just a few parts fo the tractor that are labeled properly, details that can be difficult to find in children’s books. Chug Chug Tractor can make sounds, but we removed the batteries from ours as I didn’t want it to be distracting.
Both the girls seem to really enjoy bees, especially V. One of her favourites is The Humblebee Hunter, a fictional story based on Darwin and his children’s many experiments. The Bee Book has become another favourite and is so informative (our Earth Day project was inspired by this book).
In Montessori, we try to give more specific names for items, instead of just generalizing it. Such as pointing out a German Shepard and calling it such, instead of just calling it a dog. That being the case, I really enjoy reading Edible Colors to them. With real photos and actual names, this book is a treat. Find it! On the Farm is so interactive and something the girls will enjoy more with time. Chick is looking for her mother and there are a few other items to find along the way. Little Blue Truck is requested regularly. The animals are realistic looking and the moral of the story is relatable. Animal Babies was an Easter gift and I love how there are less common animals shown, like the platypus.
The diversity of the children in If You’re Happy and You Know It and the well known song makes this a book I don’t mind reading over and over, and over again. A Magical Day with Matisse (from a boxed set that we rotate through) and Marshmallow came from their Easter baskets. Good Night Farm is a new book that we are just starting to introduce into their nighttime routine.
Blueberries for Sal is a favourite from my childhood. I always loved how the pictures and words were all in a dark blue ink, as if they were written and drawn in blueberry juice. They always have Indestructibles within their reach. Their favourite being Baby, Let’s Eat! We go over all the foods they’ve tried and what foods they get to look forward to tasting. They look and feel very much like real paper books. The difference being that they can’t be torn and can hold up to all the girls chewing and such.
We keep their Yoga for Children cards low on their shelf so that they may let me know when they are interested in practicing. A Treasury of Children’s Songs was originally a book we borrowed from the library and then purchased our own. There are so many favourite songs along with beautiful art work from a variety of artists, some well-known. While A Year Full of Stories is on their shelf, it’s not something that we read regularly. There have been one or two stories that, with mild alterations, have been acceptable. Although it’s much better suited for a second plane child who can easily distinguish between fantasy and reality.
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