Mondays are always tricky around here. There is a certain resistance to going back to a non weekend frame of mind for pretty well everyone in the house. This Monday was harder than most as there were still many visual reminders of Saturday’s party (in fact tonight Ken and I have to take down all the balloons and kitties so that we CAN get 100% back to what we consider to be normal). Oh, and for those interested… Fat Sheep has HER version of our party on her blog HERE.

Today was our official start to really focusing on currency – Canadian specifically. I got out our jar of pennies and scrounged around for an example of each of the other coins. We started with each of the twins counting out 100 pennies to give them a bit more of a visible example of what a dollar is worth. Then I lay out each of the coins and went through how many pennies each is, sort of building our way up to a toonie and loonie. I am not sure how strongly they understand but the knowledge is there to be built on.

Working on coins

After laying out all of the coins they each did two counting sheets based on counting pennies (thankfully they had a Canadian version). Very simple but it gave us the opportunity to practice the cents sign and to get the idea that we are working with CENTS not DOLLARS. (oh for a pennie to be worth a dollar eh?) You can get copies of the sheets we used, and if you look at previous ones in the list American ones here.

While they worked on that I brought out the new play register and money. Sadly the money does not fit easily in in an organized manner but they honestly didn’t care. I didn’t worry too much about them figuring out how to input the money properly but focused more on the idea of paying for things. That money and credit cards are involved and let them use their imagination and go nuts.

In the end it was TRINITY who decided she wanted to play with it and with the spring weather beckoning the boys left her to it. She has a cardboard box full of play food we have collected from various sources so was able to supplement the little bit that came with the register. And of course wear one of her new dresses to look pretty doing it.

Playing with the new cash register

I had each of the twins try drawing some of the coins on their own and then we wrote the name of it and the amount it is worth. I am trying to get the images in their minds as firmly as possible. It was really all very rudimentary today, I am going to have to keep looking for more ways to get them involved with currency. It is certainly harder than I thought it would be!!

Gavin and his coins

Zander and his coins

Although I wish they would have been willing to sit and listen longer I cannot complain about their adamant request to GO OUTSIDE. After all burning off all that energy is so important as is fresh air and playing NICELY and LOUDLY together. All the better away from Ken who is working and Echo who is napping.

Fun in the melting snow

I have returned to my long standing unfinished stitching piece. The plan is to get right to work designing the stocking for Anna but that has to occur around work, kids, moving and life in general so to get the urge to stitch out of my system I am back to painstaking backstitching for the time being.

Another little section

Ken and the boys did up some really interesting worksheets –  these used a graph and instructions to create a picture. It was a little challenging and there was some need to reprint until Zander relaxed and took his time. They are definitely interested in doing MORE of these pages.

Completed sheets

So our day is done, the kids in bed and the house… well it could be tidier. I hope… by tomorrow!

In matching clothes