So for those who don’t quite understand Tot School, a term within the home school community where parents educate their toddlers at home. This looks different in every family, and if you google the word, you will get many ideas and ways to do tot school. What it will look like in our home school. I need to explain why, then I’ll explain what it is and what it is not, and lastly, I will discuss how it will look in our home.
Why Tot School:
Our Little Miss Bird has recently become quite interested in our school time here. I also needed to find something to occupy her busy little mind while trying to work with her big sisters. Let’s say that explaining fractions and occupying a toddler is not always easy. I also want her to have intentional time with me, and she seeks it, especially during school. Eventually, I will have to add her to our school routine more regularly. At two years of age, her mind is a little sponge, and I want to foster and nurture that during this time.
What It is and What it is Not:
Let us start with (for us) what Tot School is not. We will not be using a formal curriculum. At two, I don’t think we need a traditional lesson plan and schedule that comes along with a standard curriculum. With no formal curriculum, I will not run with a set theme for our time together. This requires more energy and resources than we can travel with or do well while traveling. We will not have intentional sit-down table work (think pencil skills and writing). She gets time to color and experiment using crayons, pencils, and pens, but there will not be any case for me to give her worksheets or expect her to learn to write at this time.
Tot School for us will be an intentional one-on-one time with Bird. It will take place at different times during our school morning. This will also allow her sisters to step in and have some one-on-one time with her (should they choose to). I have her learning goals in mind (which I will share later on our website under the TOT SCHOOL headline). It will be much intentional play through learning. I will completely follow her lead in all of this, and if I feel she isn’t liking what we are doing at any point, I will stop and reevaluate what we have been doing.
How It Will Look:
While I am getting things ready in the morning, I plan to have some learning songs playing for Bird. She LOVES music and connects things through songs very well. I also plan to pick two to three picture books per week to read on repeat. She will only get to play with some specific toys during school time, but she can choose to play with her other toys instead. I will also try to rotate in some sensory bins/activities (I will be making a list of these things on the TOT SCHOOL portion of our website).
I am establishing intentional learning through play time with our Little Bird. I plan to update under the TOT SCHOOL portion of our website, and I am hoping for the best this year as we grow and learn this year together.
As always, keep following our journey on our Facebook Page or Instagram. If you want more in-depth conversations, check out our Facebook Parent Group.