Play School with Jack~ Letter Bb

Play School for 1-Year-Old (12M) Jack

Week Two

Letter Bb

Letter-of-the-Week Box~ Letter Bb

Since I had so many blue items, I made a separate blue box for Jack to explore.

This week's Letter Bb box is filled with blocks, balloons, buses, a stuffed bee, wooden letter Bs, foam Bs, flashcards with bears, a barn, a bird, and a boar.

 As usual, Jack taste-tests everything first!

 Jack explored his Bb box on Sunday morning.

Dialogue went something like this:

"You're holding a big bee!"

"What's that, Jack?"

"That's a stretchy balloon you're holding."
"Does that block taste good?"

"Here's a bus. The bus goes vroom-vroom!"

I noticed he didn't have lasting interest in the Bb box like he did with the Aa box last week. I left it out during the week, but he rarely initiated play with it, which is okay. I think next time I will fill the box with much fewer cards and more hands-on objects.

 Here's Jack playing hide-n-seek with the bee.

Books~ Bear and Ball, Blueberries for Sal, and a big book read-aloud

 

We read Bear and Ball by Cliff Wright several times during the week, and Jack just adored it. It has a sing-songy quality to it for faster reading but can also be slowed down to browse and explore pictures and comparisons.

We also read another favorite in our house: Blueberries for Sal by Robert McCloskey.

This wasn't the type of book Jack wanted to sit down and hear, so he mostly wandered around while I read it aloud. Aidyn loves the book, so he listened to every "kuplink...kuplank...kuplunk!"

And, though it doesn't start with a B, I began reading Charlotte's Web by E.B. White to Jack while nursing. When he was a newborn, I used to read while nursing but fell out of the habit and, unfortunately, started just watching TV while nursing him. I was missing out on some golden opportunities for undivided attention! While I read to him now during a nursing session, he murmurs and points his finger at the book and my lips as I read. I've even noticed more babbling since I started reading during nursing sessions. Sometimes he finds Charlotte's Web while he's crawling around and opens and flips through the pages, which absolutely warms my heart.

More Language Activities
Music~

All week, our home has been filled with the sunshiney melodies of the Beach Boys, the drama of children's Broadway songs, and the familiar crooning of the Beatles.

Jack loves dancing to The Beach Boys best!

Journaling~

Jack still enjoys scribbling in his journal. I typically lay his journal and crayons out and invite him to write, and he usually makes his marks. If he doesn't, I don't force him to.

Throughout the week, Jack also:

• watched/mostly listened to a little Mister Roger's Neighborhood
• read stories with Daddy
• spent time exploring outside with Grandma
• babbled a lot
• started declaring, "Done!" whenever he was finished with a task

Physical and Sensory Activities
Balloon play

This is Jack's first time really discovering balloons, and he loved it!

 Here he is playing with Aidyn and his cousin, Danielle.

B is for Balloon

Water Play

Jack loved the water play area at the Stockton's Children's Museum.

Mirror Play

 Playground Play

We practice RIE as much as possible so when Jack is on a play structure, I mostly just spot him. I do not place him on any structure or move his body to perform any task. He climbed this play structure himself and experimented with getting down the slide. He scooted backward but wasn't ready to let go.

Funnily enough, on the outdoor playground (just minutes before), he climbed up to the slide, scooted backward, and slid down (!) by himself for the first time, but this tinier slide scared him a little, which, again, is okay. 

  

Small Motor

Jack has been practicing his pincer grip for picking up foods and is learning to feed himself with a spoon.

 Jack has also worked on: 

• climbing up and down the stairs (he's very adept at it now!)
• standing and cruising
• standing and taking one step
• playing on the trampoline
• climbing up and down from various objects and heights
• playing in his ball pit

Exploring the World 

Jack, Aidyn, Grandma, and I visited the Stockton's Children's Museum and found many opportunities for play, exploration, and learning. Jack crawled and climbed everywhere and touched everything he could get his hands on.

 

 

 

Jack made a furry friend at the pretend pet clinic. He opened all the bottom cages, freeing all the animals he could!

Grandma and Jack found a big stuffed bear!

B is for big bear!

 Jack was enthralled with this giant bear. We pointed out its sharp teeth, thick fur, and long, black claws.

Healthy Foods

Jack enjoyed lots of bananas this week, but I only photographed one banana food:

   Banana-quinoa cereal

He also ate banana-pumpkin yogurt and banana slices (to practice pincer grip).

Take-Aways:

This week Jack was not very interested in the Bb box, presumably because it had too many cards in it. He did enjoy the stuffed bee and played endlessly with the blocks. Next time, I'm going to use fewer cards and more hands-on goodies.

I've noticed Jack talking and communicating more. Reading aloud during nursing sessions is something I'm definitely going to continue. 

He's also becoming more adept at balancing and climbing on playground structure (with no instruction from me!). If the weather holds up, I'm going to take him to the playground for more opportunities to play.

I wish I would have been more varied in our B-foods because I stuck mainly to banana. He ate other things, of course, but I would have loved to have him try Brussels sprouts! When I make my grocery list next, I'm going to include C foods to try with him.

Thank you for reading!