We had such a lovely birthday weekend around here. Muffy was on cloud 9...or should I say cloud 5. Despite the rain, the outdoor treasure hunt took place, and was a hit! Now that the busy month of September is behind us, I feel like we are finally settling into a bit of a groove. The boys seem genuinely happy in school! I was expecting Muffy, in particular, to be tired out at the end of the day, but that is not the case! I'm finding them both bursting with energy and ideas when they hop off the bus.After a busy and fairly focused day in the classroom, I want to offer a home environment that is relaxing and fun for the remainder of the afternoon. I do, however, think it is important for parents to remain connected and aware of what learning is taking place in the classroom, offering support at home that complements and enhances the curriculum. Since both boys are in French Immersion, I'm trying to help nurture the learning of a new language. The last thing they need right now is more time behind the desk. I'm therefore seeking out fun ways to sneak in learning opportunities.
Muffy is currently learning the names of the colors in French. One afternoon last week, while puttering around the yard, we decided to embark on a color scavenger hunt. In no time, I had them seeking out bits and pieces from nature - screaming out "rouge, jaune, vert!!". This turned out to be a lot of fun for everyone!As painful as it is on my brain, Chi-Chi and I have decided to have "French Hour" each day. This involves us conversing in French for anywhere from 30 to 60 minutes every day. He gets giddy about it! I'm definitely dusting off the cobwebs inside this head of mine. I'm starting to volunteer in his Grade 1 classroom today and I really need to get up to speed on my conversational French. I was shocked at how much French the boy can speak!
We've also been up to some colorful fall crafts. I recently picked up a copy of the lastest Chirp magazine. The boys are really enjoying magazines lately and I love that this is a home-grown Canadian publication. We made a few of these rainbow spider webs, inspired by suggestions in Chirp. Chi-Chi is in the process of making a "haunted closet" so I'm expecting lots of silly, scary and spooky crafts in our near future! Any other fun ideas?? Pass them along please (:
