What We Are

I host a Mommy and Me Book Club at my home once a week for an hour and a half, 10am-11:30am. This year our group of little ones are 3 years old. I do not charge for the class or my lesson plans. I love teaching preschool aged children and have fun doing it!

I invite 7 other Mommies and their little ones to join us. I think 5 to 8 pairs is ideal, depending on your space. Some years we have had enough interest to host 3 groups of 6 pairs.

Each class includes a gathering activity, circle time where we introduce the Book of the Week,an art activity (fine motor), a snack, and a game (gross motor). Each of these are related to the Book of the Week. We transition based on the children's interest in the activity, not the clock. We end with our class "Good-bye Poem."

I email out the lesson plans each week to all of the Mommies. They email a response to all with the activity they would like to be responsible for that week. I always do circle time, and try once or twice a month to do one of the other activities as well. We have a fantastic group of Mommies who are always willing to help out, so I don't have to do too much, actually.

I will post individual sections that explain each time period in detail, but below is a loose time frame. I hesitate to even include it, because we really do transition based on children's interest. Some weeks we only get to three of the four activities, some weeks we have enough extra time for free play in the back yard.

Our VERY Flexible Schedule

9:55am-10:10am-Gathering Activity: Families arrive and get settled in. Children participate in the gathering activity while Mommies get supplies they brought with them set up.

10:10am-10:30am-Circle Time: Includes Songs, fingerplays, and BOOK OF THE WEEK

10:35am-10:55am-Art Activity and clean up

10:55am-11:10am-Snack

11:10am-11:25am-Game

11:25am-11:30am-Good-bye circle, gather projects to take home, etc...

Rules for the "Me-s"

Each year during our opening planning meeting we have with the Mommies, we come up with a list of age appropriate, simple rules for the children to follow. We discuss these during Circle Time the first few weeks in a positive, happy way. We give examples of good choices and give thumbs up if the choice is following the rules and thumbs down if it is not following the rules. We review later in the year as needed.

1-I will keep my hands and feet to myself.
2-I will take turns and share the toys and art materials.
3-I will use an inside voice.
4-I will help clean up.

Rules for the Mommies

We have a special planning meeting with just the Mommies each year, before we begin.  It helps to lay out the ground rules and be up front about our expectations before there are any issues.  Because we have done this, there have never really been any issues.  The ground rules have stayed fairly consistent all four years. Here are our rules. Feel free to use them as a jumping off point for your group. Ask yourselves, "What rules do we want to make for ourselves?"

1-We will discipline our own child, and only our own child. 
2-We will maintain a positive attitude and make the class time a happy time.
3-We will not socialize with each other during class time.
4-We will stay child focused.
5-We will BE ON TIME!
6-We will leave our cell phones turned off, unless there is a medical reason to have them on.
7-When we have concerns; we will speak to one another about them at an appropriate place and time, and not allow them to fester.
8-We will contribute to the success of the program, and take turns providing materials.
9-We will keep our contagious children at home.
10-We will make sure that we leave our hostess’ home in better shape than we found it.