Do-A-Dot

Suddenly Thing2 wants to do "school work."  (To him, "school work" is paper work.  I can't convince him otherwise.)

For five months, I tested the waters occasionally by bringing out the letter A and asking if he remembers what it is.  Most of the time he made a point of "not knowing," so I would put the letter away and hope for the best next time.

Enter Do-A-Dot markers.

Thing2 thinks he is very privileged when he gets to "paint" with these. (I don't love paint, so painting is always a treat around here.)

Except for a couple of free-style art projects, I have only let him use the markers on letters that we have learned in his reading lessons. (Don't be impressed; we have only learned A, E, and I.)  I have found some fun free printables on Homeschool Creations, but I'm going to have to look for more.

I found these when I was stranded the other day. I almost didn't buy them because they cost nearly $16, which seemed a little steep for six markers that only make dots.  However, I have not regretted the purchase.  They are a perfect fit for three-year-old hands.

My favorite part is that they dispel frustration.  How can you mess up a dot?  Thing2 can look at his work with satisfaction that it is done "neatly," which, surprisingly, is important to him.