First day of Foundation Stage 2

Straight in on a Monday morning, I do like a good reset and September is a great time for it. Being able to jump right in on Monday morning was epic too - it felt like a perfect fresh start, and we had an ace day!

I set up a morning basket for Bear with some new goodies in ready for when he woke up, and he was so excited when I directed him there. I'd picked up this wipe clean learn to draw book in Aldi several weeks ago, initially, to put away as a Christmas/Birthday present, but it was perfect for this too. It has kept him occupied both yesterday and today at multiple times during the day. He loves to draw vehicles, so this was a great way to broaden his talent in a practical way.

There was also a new picture book, and a new chapter book with a new bookmark, and a new fidget style toy. All of which went down well!

He loved my choice of new chapter book, Kitty and the Moonlight Rescue, and after insisting that we read the first chapter after breakfast, wanted to dress up as Kitty for the day.

Last year, I set up going on a rainbow hunt for our first day as Bear absolutely loves anything rainbow related. When we discussed our first day last week, I mentioned doing something similar, but he was only interested in doing the same again, so, a tradition was born!

I set up a rainbow invitation to play for them both, including some stories, which we read a couple of during the morning while still in our pyjamas, then we played some colour games, searching for things to match all the different colours, and then playing hide and seek with the rainbow peg dolls.

While The Cub napped, we completed our Not Back to School questionnaire and made paper plate versions of ourselves, similar to how we made wooden spoons last year.  Bear loves crafting, and when I got the paper and scissors out to make our hair he was in his element - I really need to do more simple activities for him to practice his skills!

We set up a mirror to look in so that Bear could copy his features, and I made one along side him so that I could model the places for everything, but he was left to his own design as I am very much for his crafts/art being his own and not overly led/corrected.

When he was finished he propped it up in front of the mirror so that he was sat looking at it and exclaimed that he didn't need a mirror anymore as he could see himself fine now.

After lunch, we headed out on our Rainbow Hunt - taking Bear's camera so that he could take photos for his nature journal page, and we took The Cub's little wooden camera which he used to copy his brother and take photos too!

They went out with their cat ears and giraffe ears headbands on, because, why not?! We picked up Nannie, and headed for the park, checking the blackberry bushes for wild snacks along the way as there is still tons of fruit left on them.

It was a miserable kind of afternoon with a lot of drizzle, which meant we had the park to ourselves, and two little wet bums from going down the slide and on the other playground equipment by the time we were finished.

We headed home for a snuggly afternoon on the sofa, watching a movie together, then after we'd had some tea, headed out into the garden as the weather was much nicer, and spent half an hour trying to learn how to skip! Bear showed a lot of patience with trying, something he generally doesn't have a lot of at the moment, and The Cub was just adorable jumping up and down and waving his arms around with the skipping rope clutched in his hands!

 

After a bath and clean jammies, we headed to bed to read some more of his new chapter book and then both boys were fast asleep before 8pm, which is pretty unheard of, Bear is normally awake until closer to 9pm, but a busy and exciting day had him all worn out... and he slept till almost 9am this morning too!!

How was your first day of Home Ed this year?

Mama Bear x