Ryan's activities

I love the chance to focus on my sweet middle kiddo, especially when Ian is in school and Nathan is taking a morning nap. 

I wanted to be intentional this school year about planning letter-related, preschool-type activities for Ryan. Amy was already planning to do something like this with her boys as well. Amy and I decided to take turns planning "letter of the week" activities for each other's boys. We search the internet for fun crafts, fine-motor activities, games, and other learning activities related to the letter of the week. We'll each choose a bunch (or in a really busy week, a few) activities that our child(ren) might like from the list. Ryan really likes these planned activities as well as the tactile alphabet book that we're making in the process.

Here are a few pictures from our letter "T" week ... like painting with a toothbrush,

making a tree,

and making a traffic light from cut paper.

I've also been intentional about giving Ryan practice cutting with scissors and drawing along a line (and using lots of lots of dot stickers .. ha ha!).

This dinosaur-thawing activity was a fun one that Amy had found that went with the letter D.

I've been thankful to continue twice-a-month themed playdates with other friends who have three-year-olds. Ryan LOVES this time with friends and his cousins.


Our train playdate included a clever snack and fun train craft that Ryan still wants to have hanging in his room months later.

The teddy bear playdate included a fun relay where we had to dress up our teddy bears (and ourselves),

as well as a creative and elaborate "bear hunt" my friend Kati planned, where everyone had to climb through the jungle and under a spiderweb, among other things. The kiddos asked to repeat this activity at LEAST three other times.

The kids enjoyed making their own bear-faces with paper plates and even got to paint with pom poms.

I've loved playing with Ryan in these intentional ways and watching him learn and have fun in the process. It *almost* makes me open to considering an early childhood teaching position when I go back to teaching someday. :)