I love educating myself and enjoy teaching kids. It’s in my DNA. It’s what I was born to do, and I love having my own “student” to play with at home. Obviously, by the student, I mean my little bundle of joy I gave birth to. She is my built-in class. We get to spend all the time together now that I am temporarily laid off due to government regulations. Every day is an adventure, full of rewarding challenges and new discoveries, for us.
Although it is warm, it has been raining for over a week now here in Oslo, Norway. Honestly, it feels like eternity already. Since we cannot spend so much time outside, I need to be more creative with the indoor activities. So, this post is about our favorite of the week - Learning as we play: learning numbers, shapes, and the alphabet.
How did I come up with it? I have been browsing Amazon, looking for educational toys for Mia, and I recently came across the dot markers from Ready 2 Learn. There are quite a lot of dot markers out there. However, these caught my eye, mainly for their unique ball shape. Indeed, it is just the right size for a toddler's hands. Watching my daughter independently and confidently enjoy our learning process as we play makes my heart dance. She is still learning to control her movements and purposefully color and dab a dot. Still, the spherical shape makes it easier to grab the marker and dot and dot non-stop. Every time she sees the box, she asks for it and brings a stash of papers and worksheets for us to work on. I would highly recommend checking them out. It is important to mention that the manufacturer advises it for older children (3 and above). Therefore, children should not be left unattended due to small parts (choking hazard).
When ordered, I got these markers READY 2 LEARN Doodle Dabbers Dot Markers - Set of 6 Washable Colors - Non Toxic - Unique Toddler Grip - Markers for Kids within a week. While I was waiting for it, I created several worksheets for us to these markers. Why not learn while playing? If you are from Norway and decide to order one, consider the shipping cost and import taxes. I paid almost 32 USD in total. There might be cheaper options in local shops. However, it was not an option for use since the physical shops were closed in Oslo when I was purchasing it. Anyhow...
Whether you call them bingo dauber, bingo markers, dot markers, bingo dabbers, bingo pens, bingo stampers, or something else – kids will have fun using this set of six different colors for coloring, crafting, etc. So far, Mia LOVES it, and I couldn't ask for more. All six colors: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple, are bright, and the tips of the marker are easily saturated. If the marker's tip dries out, I dab it with water to bring the color back to life, as indicated in the original box.
The seller indicates to keep the box's tray to keep markers idle while crafting. However, I would love to see the other solution. It can become messy really quick when they roll off the table. Although it is advertised as washable paint, it can become trickier to clean the spots off if they are not cleaned right off. The same goes for hands. It took us a couple of washes to clean Mia's hands when we used them for the first time. I did not rush to clean them right away. Sensory experiences like this could be great for a child's development.
If you are looking for printables to use your dot markers, check my TpT store out. Paid and free resources to teach numbers, counting, alphabet, and basic shapes.
NOTE: This post contains Amazon Affiliation Links. Though I get commission, if someone purchases using my link, I share my genuine opinion and my family's experience.