The world through Theo's eyes

It is amazing how Theo makes connection to what he experiences and see in the day and then expresses it in his own way.

Today he was playing 'boat' in a small cardboard, then he tore it up to make a 'giant plane' and whizzed it in the sky. I asked if he would like to paint little windows on the plane, but he didn't. He tore the wings and folded up to make little houses. Then he tells me he wants to paint the house.















(The transformation of his cardboard took place too fast, so quick I didnt had chance to grab my camera, but I witness every single delightful moment before my eyes and this was too precious to miss for any mummy. This was what was left after the boys went to bed.)

This is Theo's version of "Fire". Wonderful use of colour tones as a fire would have. Great observation.















This is the first story he had painted! A milestone indeed. Aged 3yrs, 8mths.
He tells me this, "The black circles are flying fox, the red colour line is a safety belt for firemen to slide all the way down. The red and orange is a fire, the green circle is sparklers, then there are some grass beside it. And an orange one is a helicopter hovering over the fire to put out the fire."
Impressive description of a story.




















(Theo does not attend art classes nor is under any instruction to draw. These are all spontaneous drawings purely initiated by him.)

Our trusty companion - Old MacDonald

Good Ol' MacDonald had been with us for the longest time.

KB started the tune of ee-i-ee-i-o when he was merely 10 or 12- months-old. He wasn't even walking yet.

Today, the list grew to include...

mummy started to play a tune to the beat on the keyboard which inspired KB to get everyone to stand up and follow him,
the list of stuff Ol' MacDonald. Everything in one seating.

1. Pig - Oink
2. Cow - moo
3. Elephants - Whoo
4. Duck - Wag wag
5. Hula - hoop - shake shake
6. bicycle - tinkle tinkle
7. cars - beep beep
8. truck - honk honk
9. bus - "de de" (sound of tapping bus card on validator!)
10. Aeroplane - zoom zoom
11. Pilot - steer steer
12. people - yakety yakety
13. chair - sit sit
14. Clock - tick tock
15. Lights - Blink blink
16. Giraffe - ooh Ooh (reaching his long neck)
17. Zebra - gallop, gallop
18. Horses - trotter trotter
19. Bed (Mummy's suggestion, because its nap time!) - sleep, sleep
    

I really like the way the song was sang continuously to the beat of the keyboard rhythm. KB had to think up what's next real fast and mummy was egging him on... to make it more dramatic! I had to! This is child hood, drum it up. Make it super fun. hahahah...
What a fun way to enhance quick thinking and vocabulary skills!

After the song, KB said, "Wow, I really like singing song eh" :) I loved to see KB's eyes so big with excitement. He is so contented.

FLying Fox (whooooooooooopeeeeeeeeeeee)

The Little Gym

We enrolled Theo in The Little Gym about 4weeks ago. He has been seen jumping around, walking on beams in playgrounds and public places and developing bits of his large motor skills, so we figured, its time for a safe place where can really take risks, tumble, have fun and learn. So we scouted the The Little Gym @ Forum The Shopping Mall. Teacher Renee, is a really sweet teacher who is polite and nurturing. Teachers there are also very well-trained and has excellent communications skills.

Theo took to her quickly. I learnt alot myself too, he was learn pre-cartwheel skills and pre-hand stand skills, forward roll, forward flip, balancing and more cool stuff I could never have imagined. He was able to manoeuvre the monkey bar better, and tumbling has never been more fun. (Mummy: I wish I was a kid!) Here're some stuff he did in the class and his practise at home.

Play

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

Budding scientists?

Zach & Theo are childhood friends, I mean friends since they were both babies. :) I hope they become good friends for a long long time. Zach & Theo also had lots in common, both a cautionary kids, likes playing with older kids, likes to play with girls (so early???). Zach is a gentle boy, much like Theo. They both like to put things back in an orderly fashion and keep things very neat. Very well-behaved and lots of fun for Theo to hang out with. Don't they look like they're seriously having fun?

(sidenote: Unlike in the U.S where they have science exploration meant for kids, the Singapore Science centre is not really tots-friendly, we think its the sights & sounds they take in, with lots of explanations from parents. I try to expose him to more hands-on stuff and the gears (above) is one of the few 'scientific' stuff kids can touch.)




Here's Theo at 11months old and mummy at Pala Alto Junior Museum. Their tots-friendly structure means kids can really touch and manipulate all on their own! It is not a museum at all, it even has a small outdoor enclosure to see some small animals!

Bowling

We've played bowling umpteen times at home (bowling ball and painted toilet rolls as 'pins'), but here comes an opportunity for the real bowling and Theo was thrilled.

He also enjoyed watching how the pins got knocked down. I was told boys like to know how things worked.

No mean feat!

pincer grip with toes!

All about Fish

We went to watch "Swimmy" a delightful play for young children. we went home and pasted Swimmy in our craft book.

2 days later, Theo came to us and showed us this stack of cards which he selected from a pile of other cards and said "mummy, I saw this... inside Swimmy... See, see"
I took the cards and examined the ones he picked and was amazed he picked the exact creatures shadows he saw in the play. Good observation and memory.

Then we went fishing the following week with a new friend, Kyle who was about the same age as him. The fish swam so fast it was difficult to catch. But I bet it was just as fun watching how 'fast' the fish swam and feeding the large koi in the pond. Theo was excited that the fish mummy caught went home with us. He took it everywhere he played that day.

Show & Tell

Overheard. Theo " We took a double-decker bus to ABC market to eat porridge, remember?" Subsequently Theo built a double decker bus using Lego and show and told us all about the trip and the bus of course! He built is quietly by himself and then showed us when its done, surprising us all.
Good job my boy.

Theo gets crafty

Theo loves crafts and once he's into it, he can be in it for a long long time. Fine motor skills and deft little fingers were at work quicker than I could catch up.

Since he was in a season of 'writing' (actually more like emulating us as we dictates our helper what to buy), I decided to let him spell his name (the short form to start) and pre-cut the letters out for him. He chose the colours and punched holes in all of them (except letter 'H' and then have them stuck onto his door. A good sense of achievement and recognition of his own name. The rest of the week, he was seen spelling his name and telling everyone where his name was; on his bag, on the door, on the fridge etc.

Painting baby's feet

I just can't resist this activity. It was daddy's birthday so we decided to let the kids have some fun in creating a birthday card for him. I think Elias must be wondering what on earth are all these people doing?! A sensorial experience for Elias. hahaha...

We had such fun. Look at what we created in the end. Theo had his footprints on the card and everywhere else on the brown sheet of paper!

Theo goes camping

After doing 2 lapbooks, we started on thematic learning that takes us into one theme per week. I figured I will only go into unit study when Theo turns 3yo and most importantly, after I stop breastfeeding as I needed time to get ready for Theo's homeschool.

Learning through play is so much fun as it engages a child's five senses. They retain the most while at play. Creativity through play helps in problem-solving.
I love imaginary games. This week Theo & I went camping.

We took out baby's bedsheets and Theo helped to clipped the bedsheets cover over the chair. The next day, Theo 'designed' the 'tent' layout and clipped the clothes peg over the chair all by himself. We pulled out his BBQ set and decided together what to bring for camping. Theo wanted to bring his toys along! We also decided we needed to eat, and Theo took his cooking set with some food along. We took out marshmallows for BBQ, and tasted real "roasted" marshmellows... yummy! (This was the only time I allowed 'sweets')

Later when the stars are out and its time to sleep. There was only 1 blanket. I asked Theo "Oops, we only brought 1 blanket. Can mummy have it?" Theo said "Ok", I asked "Then what about Theo? Theo won't have a blanket now." And my ever sweet Theo said, "Its ok, I don't need."
I can't believe a little boy of 2 and a half can be so giving and loving. I gave him a hug and said "Thank you, what a loving boy you are."


We 'went out' to the woods to hunt, and made binoculars, which Daddy took his own set to let Theo look. We spotted a tiny bird at our plant. The bino was made of used toilet roll. I cut the paper and Theo glued it on. Then I attached it with some rubber bands strung up together.

Theo loved the binoculars to bits, he had it around his neck for days and days even when he goes to bed. I had to remind him its dangerous to sleep with something around his neck.

"I wanna be a traffic light!"

I commented how bright this T-shirt was when daddy brought it home one day. I wasnt one who could wear neon coloured clothes so this one really stood out. And kids, they just listen in to everything we say. One day, he told me, "Mummy, I wanna wear this. I wanna be a traffic light!". We all laughed and laughed. What a joy bringer he is!