The Puzzle

And the puzzle is done!

Puzzle

Sasha just got a new 36 pieces floor puzzle. This is the first time that he owns a floor puzzle which is bigger than the normal size puzzle. Puzzle is often used in Shichida method classroom as one of the games. It is simple yet stimulating enough for children. Sasha has been playing with different kind of puzzles ever since he was very young. For jigsaw puzzle, he started out with 2 pieces puzzle and slowly worked it up.

Another Fingers Training Exercise

Fingers Training, Part 2

Another good way to exercise your child's fingers is by folding the origami paper. I like to show Sasha a simple origami exercise such as folding the paper into half to make a rectangle, folding the rectangle origami into another half to make a square, and then making a triangle out of the square shape.

Fingers Training, Part 1

The Shichida Method program incorporates exercises using fingers subsequently called fingers training exercise. I usually have a stack of recycle paper ready for this purpose. For example, old newspapers, used notebooks, cereal boxes, pretty much anything that can be reused. Then, I would have Sasha tear the papers off using his two fingers. He loves doing this that sometimes he tears off newspaper of the day.

DIY Flash Card

Sasha owns a lot of flash cards bought from Shichida Child Education Center. However, Sasha also owns a lot of do-it-yourself flash cards such as the alphabet flash cards. To make your own flash card it's really simple. You need print outs of an object, in my case it was the letters of the alphabet, and some card stock papers. Cut the card stock papers and the letters out, glued them on one by one and it's done.

Picture of Flash Card

Here are the pictures of "The Clothed Maja" by Goya and the box of fine arts flash cards collection.

New Flash Card

Lately Sasha has been fascinated with a new set of flash cards of fine arts. The flash cards consist of work of arts by famous artists from all over the world. Sasha's favorites so far are paintings by Goya and El Greco. There is this one particular painting that he is mesmerized with, "The Clothed Maja" by Goya. Sasha could imitate the pose perfectly. At first I did not realize that Sasha wanted me to find him "The Clothed Maja" flash card. He tried to explain it to me but I did not get it, so finally he posed just like in the painting to show me what he meant.

Tangram

Match and Count

We just got Sasha a new puzzle of matching numbers and counting objects from 1 to 20. This puzzle is the same puzzle that Sasha likes to play with while hanging out at his cousin's house. Every time he goes to his cousin's house he always look for this one particular puzzle. Sasha had been talking about this puzzle for almost three days before we decided to buy it for him. Watching him do the puzzle all by himself is priceless.

Happy New Year 2010

Happy New Year 2010...the beginning of the year always feels like a new beginning to do anything. I hope this year will be a better year for my family and I. As always, I am looking forward to see Sasha's progress and growth in the up coming months.