“Children learn as they play. Most importantly, in play children learn how to learn. Play is the work of the child.”
Maria Montessori
Week 6: TOY *CHOREY*
Toys aren’t only for playtime! From math manipulatives, to reading resources, to Skill School specimens, toys are simply fabulous teaching aids! There’s something about both the bond and ownership a child feels toward her toys that makes them the perfect assets for facilitating the learning process! But toys can also mean trouble! For starters, they break . . . a lot. For another, they tend to multiply and take over the house like relatives around the holidays. So with all of these things in mind, we put together a bonus week for our Summer Skill School Series: “Toy Chorey”! We’re utilizing many of the skills we have covered in our previous posts over the past five weeks to tackle a major toy overhaul!
Our three goals for “Toy Chorey” week are to REDUCE, REFRESH, and REPAIR our kids’ collection of toys. Detail cleaning, repairing (gluing, mending), and dressing skills (buttons/zippers/closures) are just a few of the practical-life skills we will be toying around with this week. We hope you’ll come along to play!
Itinerary at a glance:
- Day One: TOY DETAIL; “You can’t rush art!”
- Day Two: Meet me at the CAR WASH!
- Day Three: Caring for DOLLY DEAR; dressing + mending
- Day Four: TOY HOSPITAL
- Day Five: Teaching with Toys; Math and Reading “Playskool”
Skill Supply List:
*Please note: you do not have to have all of the supplies on this list to play with us this week!
- 3 boxes labeled as follows: Donate, Toy Detailing + Mending, Toy Hospital
- toys that need cleaning, particularly those with fine details
- Q-tips/cotton swabs
- doll/stuffed animal or baby clothes with buttons, zippers, and snaps
- doll/stuffed animal or baby clothes that need mending
- sewing kit + blunt needles and safety goggles for little kids
- toys that need to be repaired with glue or tools (can also include books in need of mending)
- Elmer’s glue and superglue (like this Gorilla glue)
- basic Scotch tape
- screw drivers
- assortment of batteries (if needed)
- clothespins
- toy cars/tractors/trains
- old plastic tub
- drill
- scrub brushes, sponges, toothbrush
- dish soap
- small electric fan
Need a BOOK to go with Skill School this week?
“Toy Chorey” Week pairs perfectly with the following books:
~FOR TOTS (ages 1 to 3)~
Is there a cuter Teddy Bear on the planet than Corduroy? Toddlers and preschoolers love reading about this extra special stuffed animal and all his sweet adventures.
~FOR LITTLES (Ages 3 to 6)~
TOO MANY TOYS, by David Shannon
This book is our family’s favorite David Shannon book for many reasons. Firstly, it is laugh-out-loud hilarious for the entire family! Secondly, it’s in-your-face dramatic, unable to be ignored, much less forgotten. Thirdly, it captures so vividly the modern first-world family’s struggle with toy overload, inspiring (in an almost sickening way) the purge of “too many toys” for both parent and child. After reading this book, you just want to grab a few cardboard boxes and load them up for The Salvation Army.
And yet, somehow David Shannon still manages in the ever colorful Too Many Toys to celebrate childhood innocence, imagination, and the precious play of childhood. It’s a real winner.
~FOR MIDDLES (ages 6-8)~
What would happen if your child’s toys came to life, each with the personality bestowed to it from your child’s imagination? This book is a crowd-pleasing read-aloud and the perfect companion to a toy-themed week!
~FOR BIGS (ages 8+)~
Although The Velveteen Rabbit is typically read to younger children, in my experience not too many little kids tend to warm to this sad, slightly terrifying tale. It does, however, make for a great read and discussion for somewhat older kids. In fact, middle schoolers and teenagers may have the most to gain in reading and analyzing this children’s classic.
Want a PLAYLIST to help set the “Toy Chorey” mood?
For the perfect Playskool mix, check out our Toy Story ~Perfect Playtime~ playlist; all the Toy Story songs minus the super intense, scary, or sad ones.
Want a MOVIE NIGHT to cap off your Skill School this week?
The only thing better than family movie night is a themed family movie night to commemorate the events of the week!
I bet you saw this one coming 😆 . . . the perfect movie pairing for Toy Week:
Watch Links:
TOY DETAILING DAY is first up this week! Subscribe below!
Thanks ever so much for reading!
Love, ~Our Holistic Homeschool~
