Playing School

Today is the last day of school for my oldest daughter and I've been trying to think of creative ways to continue the learning for her and my soon to be kindergartner. In the past, for my oldest daughter, doing her summer math book or reading list has been as fun as taking out the trash. Today I tried to make it fun using my two younger girls for practice. I brought up the seldom used chalk board from the basement and said we were going to play school this morning. I went through the workbooks we have collected over the years and was able to drum up assignments for both my three and five year old children. Of course I had to change some of the assignments around for my three year old since she wasn't able to draw a triangle, so instead I drew it and she was assigned to color it in. I interrupted the learning with coloring pages and of course the highly anticipated snack.

I can't believe I never thought before to call it "playing school". I remember as a kid spending hours with my sisters teaching or sitting quietly at my desk, or was it causing trouble that I would never really get to do at real school? It was my sales technique that kept everyone interested, it's school, not doing work- and it's yet another way that I can "play with my kids" without having to play dolls or Polly Pockets. Playing with my kids, I'm going to get better at it, it's just taking some time to remember that I can lead the activity in the direction I want to play. I can only take so many games of Trouble before I fall apart.

P.S. That is self applied blue eyeshadow on her face, I haven't started beating my children.