Reading together and history

We have survived our first 'normal' day since before Christmas as Stuart went back to work today. It's been so nice having him off for two whole weeks (this is the first time, other than paternity leave). 

We started by completing some of the James and The Giant Peach activities I had planned after we finished reading the book - we have been measuring peaches and talking about events in the story. We enjoyed this and we still have some more to do so I will post about it in more detail all together later this week. I planned some activities for Peter to be involved with us too and we have followed this up by spotting circle shapes around the house and letter 'p' in the books we have read.

Harry also finished writing his Christmas thank you cards, then the boys went off and played with lengths of string for a while. They love making pulleys and rescue lines for various toys with them! 

After lunch it was very dark and wet outside so we all set up camp in Harry's top bunk and I read for over an hour. They are both spending a lot of time being read to at the moment. We read a chapter of Mr Gum and The Cherry Tree (which is provoking lots of laughter all round) followed by Peter's choice of book several times in turn. Harry then played on the iPad for half an hour while I built and played with marble runs with Peter, before we all played with Lego together, making rescue scenarios.

I read the next chapter of our history book out loud before tea and we looked in the atlas to identify Iraq, as the chapter told the story of Mesopotamia (now Iraq) and how the days were named. I love this book and find it really engaging so I am reading it for me as much as Harry - it tells a chronological history of the world in short chapters. I don't think he would ask me to read this to him but he always listens intently when I do, so I will continue! 

Harry has been telling the time today while wearing a Lego watch he got for Christmas (thank you Granny, I know you will read this!). He is good at recognising the times past an hour but still a bit confused about the times to an hour. He wants to be in charge of telling the time when we next go out so I am sure he will have learnt soon! 

Harry read to me while Peter got in the bath first. He finished Uncle Max, an Oxford Reading Tree book. We talked today about the goals for the year. Harry has two main ones - to speak more loudly and clearly to others and to read alone. He is good at reading (certainly at the 'expected' school level) but  gets very impatient when he doesn't know a word straight away so we are focussing on lots of reading this year from lots of different sources so he can become more fluent and confident.