Being able to stay home with my youngsters is a wonderful blessing; however, laundry piles, dinner preparations, and garbage disposal can quickly endanger the fairy tale. Balance is critical. Too much focus on the household can quickly result in overlooking the biggest reason to stay home; being present and involved in the kids’ childhood. Too much focus on just the kids and our living situation deteriorates quickly, not to mention my sanity. Mother Goose Time‘s preschool curriculum helps us achieve that balance. The kids get lots of undivided adult attention and a chance for guided play and learning; however, there is still plenty of free play so they can address their outside interests like wearing the entire contents of their dresser and brushing their teeth with their hairbrush 🙂 This post details a typical day where we learn and play with Mother Goose Time!
Currently, I set up the night before, but talk and dream big about preparing a week in advance. Setting up consists of gathering any needed supplies such as paint or glue, cutting activity cards, and pulling out the suggested reading. Now that I’ve gotten used to how the curriculum works and have a dedicated craft closet, the process takes about ten minutes. Occasionally I take a few extra minutes to laminate some of the included items to help them hold up to my toddlers rough play. Reviewing the Teacher and Little Goose guides and looking over the notes I’ve made in the Planning Journal helps the next day go smoother as well. Granted, I’m often reading over the nursing baby’s head and recruiting Daddy or Grandma to help with any cutting.
Morning
After waking up and gathering in the play room, the kids free play and listen to the Mother Goose Time CD, while I make breakfast. We always start Mother Goose Time right after eating, which works well, since we are already gathered at the table. Both toddlers will often finish eating well before I’ve managed to pour my first cup of coffee. I print off coloring sheets from the online resource on the Mother Goose Time website. The kids like and know to expect these coloring sheets and always ask for them if I’m not quick enough to provide them. The sheets fit the daily theme and increase the child’s interest in the topic. For instance, this month we are “Going on Safari” and discussing several African animals. The kids have been able to color pictures of those sheets while discussing and learning about the animals using the discussion question included on the daily topic poster. Letting them color and chatting with them about what they know and don’t know about the daily topic typically gives me enough time to finish my coffee and occasionally even pour a second cup. The finished coloring sheets are typically hung in our Art Gallery.
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We recently started using “Experience God,” a Christian based add on available through Mother Goose Time. The package comes with a month’s worth of five minute daily activities; some crafts, games, exercises, etc. that are based on a bible story. I’ve been amazed how well the children respond to this program and impressed by how much of the story and message Ladybug has been able to grasp and understand. We are completing a unit on “Daniel in the Lion’s Den” this month and I feel confident Ladybug can explain the characters and the moral lesson: pray only to God.
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Then we move on to any crafts that are included for the day. Arts and crafts with youngsters can be challenging, so it’s helpful for all of us if we complete these projects when both kids and Momma are fresh. The kids typically learn a ton and enjoy the process even when the finished product looks nothing like intended. If I’ve forgotten something we need for a craft or project, which isn’t unusual, or I just need a few minutes to finish nursing the baby, so my hands are free to help, we learn the song, finger play, or rhyme provided in the Teacher Guide. After we finish our art project we head to the kitchen for a snack and update our calendar, day of the week, and weather wheel.
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Next, we head into our living room, which we have converted in to a play area. I ask the kids if they want to play a game or free play. If they request a game, we break out the next activity from Mother Goose Time. I typically prepare as though we are going to complete all the activities included for the day. If the kids don’t spark to a certain activity, I have a back up plan in place and just move on to the next suggested project. Some days we do everything described and other days we do one or none. One of the best parts of homeschooling and using Mother Goose Time is that the curriculum is highly flexible and easily customized.
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Afternoon
We routinely take a 20-30 minute break to make and eat lunch. Then, we have story time. Grandma or I almost always read the suggested book for the day. If we can’t find it for some reason, we read a suitable substitute. We have found so many new wonderful titles through Mother Goose Time. Then the kids each get a chance to pick a book of their choosing. A repeat Mother Goose Time book from earlier in the week or month is commonly selected.
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After story time we break for quiet time and nap time. While Owl naps, Ladybug and I work on mindfulness and independent activities. Right now, mindfulness lasts about fifteen minutes and quiet time lasts about thirty minutes. Owl is often awake by this time, but if not Ladybug and I spend some time in an activity of her choosing. She loves puzzles, manipulation toys, etc. Sometimes she will request to draw or work on her letters in which case we pull out the monthly Mother Goose Time journal and I let her complete a few pages.
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Once both kids are awake, we have a snack. String cheese, carrots, apple slices, and pretzels are all favorites. If the weather is nice and sometimes even when it’s not, we head outdoors to play. Occasionally, we use some of the suggested outdoor play ideas from Mother Goose Time, but many days the kids take the initiative. This month their favorite game has been to act out an African safari as they take turns being zebras and lions running after each other on the grassland, each trying to reach the watering hole first. Honestly, it’s hilarious and I love listening to their little conversations as they play and reinact all the things they’ve learned.
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Evening
If the kids are having a wonderful time outside and it’s warm enough I let them play outside until dinner. If the weather is bad or we need a distraction until supper is on the table, we spend some time with Dance ‘n Beats learning some new steps to the themed music. This is also a good time to break out any Little Goose “tray play” activities that we have planned for the day. Although, these activities are most suited for Owl’s current level, Ladybug enjoys them too and it’s often a great way to let the two of them work and play together for a while.
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During dinner, we show Daddy our Art Gallery with all the art projects, crafts, coloring sheets, and anything else we made that day. We show him pictures of our adventures and share our stories. We also listen to him describe his day.
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After dinner, we have free play, clean-up, have an additional story time, bathe, brush teeth, and then head to bed. Often there is some music and singing in there as well. This month we are enjoying, “Elephant Stomp” from the Mother Goose Time safari themed CD. We have been practicing our choreography with Dance n’ Beats and plan to put on a show for Daddy near the end of the week.
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At bedtime, we always ask the kids what they are grateful for from that day. I have a small five year Momma’s journal and I record their answers, Daddy’s answers, and my own answers. We sing our prayers and then they are tucked in for the night. A toddler’s voice singing the lyrics to “Elephant Stomp” comes over the baby monitor, until at last, silence.
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Some days are tough. This morning for instance, I’m stepping over a crying toddler on the floor, the preschooler wants to cut anything and everything with her scissors except for the craft paper I gave her, and the baby just won’t go to sleep. On those days, I wonder if I’ve lost my mind trying to put all these projects and activities into our crazy life. But, the days we don’t do Mother Goose Time are often harder. Mother Goose Time provides the grumpy toddler with a quick distraction, the preschooler with multiple options when the craft turns out not to her liking, and keeps everyone engaged, interacting, and feeling acknowledged while the baby gets fed. The kids love the opportunity to play, learn, and have fun. I love how simple the curriculum is to prepare, use, and customize. We all love spending time together and getting excited about the many new experiences provided by Mother Goose Time. As an added bonus, we have noticed that on days we do Mother Goose Time the kids take a significantly shorter period of time to go to sleep for the night. Just another wonderful win while enjoying Mother Goose Time!
Check out this article I wrote for Enchanted Home Schooling Mom about the importance of creating routine!
What does a typical day look like your house?
Have you discovered that having a routine helps your children’s attitude and sleep patterns?
As a blog ambassador for Mother Goose Time, I am happy to share preschool curriculum ideas, activities, and crafts with my readers. Mother Goose Time provides our family the opportunity to use their curriculum free of charge in exchange for honest and authentic stories based on our personal experience. 
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