stART How You Got So SMART

From the minute I seen How You Got So SMART by David Milgrim on the library shelf, I knew we just had to bring it home. When we first began to read this book, Selena was a little confused and I think she thought I had lost my marbles, since this book celebrates the life and learning of a child from infancy to big kid. It so reflects everything all of us watch our children do as they develop along with all the things that we enjoy doing with them and teaching them. By the time we finished the book, Selena announced, “This is a story about ME!” I believe any child would be able to relate to this story and see themselves with in the pages of this book.

I asked Selena one important question after reading this book, “Why do you think mama and papa spend so much time playing and teaching you?” Her answer was, “Because you love me!” When Jolanthe  at Homeschool Creations and No Ordinary Moments introduced her Little Leaps of Love I knew this book would be a perfect start to a unit on all the different ways we love and how we can express our love. If you haven’t heard of this month long challenge I encourage you to check it out. You will find her button on my side page. She even has fabulous gifts to go along with the challenge.

The first challenge was to leave “I Love You” messages for the family. Jolanthe suggested writing them on the fogged over mirror of the bathroom, which I thought was so sweet, but since I knew our mirror would not stay fogged over until Selena woke up, I went to work to make her a “I Love You” card, which I hung on the refrigerator for her to discover when she first woke up. She was all smiles as she looked up to find it and read what it said.

After her nap, we read this book again, and began to discuss how many ways we show someone we love them. I first pointed out that Mama and Papa love her so much and that is why we spend so much time with her, playing, reading, and teaching her. We then talked about ways we could tell someone we love them. She ran and grabbed her note off the refrigerator, and we set forth to make cards for Papa. While we made them we discussed many of the different things that Selena has learned through her 4 years. She pointed out how she is learning to write, draw, color and cut. As a combined effort we came up with the following “I Love You” notes for Papa. Then came the fun part where to hide them. Selena wanted to hide one under the bed, I had to explain the difference in hiding something so that the person can actually find it and hiding something for a hide and seek game.

She finally settled to put one on his pillow in the bedroom, and hang on the bathroom mirror. She then put hers back up on the refrigerator. I loved making these tiny notes for both Selena and Papa, but I especially loved making Papa’s because Selena was helping me. She put as much thought into how they should look as I did.

I am linking this post to A Mommy’s Adventure.