Oh Nadia you are a star and have inspired me yet again! Karma to you for some great ideas. I will check out those maths apps right away 

Hi Sidonia

We got the first steps with numicon at home kit: http://www.numicon.com/resource_overview/numicom_kits/steps_at_home.aspx

We are UK based so for once shipping costs were very reasonable 

My DD is now 31 months but we've been using the kit since she was 24 months. It's not enough on it's own in the long term but a really useful addition to other teaching approaches. It specifically suggests avoiding counting so the child comes to appreciate the different numbers through use of the manipulatives.

I have just bought a new book called Marshmallow Math - early math for toddlers, preschoolers and primary school children.  http://www.amazon.com/Marshmallow-Math-Early-Young-Children/dp/1553953959/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1325949134&sr=8-1

It has lots of short chapters with some very good ideas for teaching math concepts without using worksheets.  It is very practical and I haven't started using but I think it looks great - looking forward to getting stuck in.

We also have Numicon which I also really like as a manipulative way of learning maths concepts.  It is supposed to be from age 3 up but I have been using for some time (with close supervision so she does not swallow any of the smaller pieces!)  We are moving very slowly through the different stages - it is more like a game or puzzle than a curriculum.  But I have certainly seen a development in DDs understanding of how they fit together and she started making a pattern today for the first time.

I have never been to Guyana (much to my sadness) but my father was from Guyana (moved to the UK when he was 20) met my mother and went back there for a few years with my older brothers but I was not yet born.  I recently found a box of old letters from my mum to my grandmother written in the 1960s about life in the tropics for an English woman.  Sounds quite interesting!!!   I hope all goes well for your daughter there and look forward to hearing from you how she gets along 

I have to admit that I was initially uncertain about choosing Soft Mozart after that big 'debate'.  However, I decided to give it a try and I am SO glad that I did!      I am really enjoying using the program myself and can see huge progess in my own (very limited) piano skills.  So just by watching me learn, my DD is being exposed to learning piano.  Also, I think the program is genuinely designed to teach absolute beginners and very young children from the age of two upwards, which I did not think was possible before.  The games are designed to help teach perfect pitch but are fun and easy to play. 

I also have been genuinely amazed and touched by the enthusiasm and positive input / advice from Hellene on the SM forum.  She is as excited about our children learning piano as we are!!  She personally has answered every post made on the forum with suggestions and ideas about how to personalise the approach to each child, including where there are problems and difficulties.  I could not recommend this program any more highly.

Hi Sidonia

When I asked this question to Hellene at Soft Mozart, she said that it really does not matter a huge amount which keyboard you purchase, provided it has a midi connection to enable it to connect to the computer.  For young children, it is better not to have touch sensitive keys which can be difficult for little fingers to press.  We bought a 61 key yamaha ypt-220 and so far (only arrived a few days ago!!) it seems great!  There is some useful info about keyboards on the SM website.  I wanted one that was relatively cheap so that it did not stress me too much when it gets a bit of rough treatment!

That's great   

Sonya I will PM you the details

If anyone else has signed up then let us know so we can try to  connect up on the soft mozart forum too

Hi Aangeles
Having just purchased soft Mozart I am very inspired again by this video. How is Ella getting along with the piano and the software now?  An update would be fantastic thanks 

I'm sure if you contact Hellene directly and plead for an extension she will agree - it's only a few days!  Make sure you mention you are part of the group from Brillkids and that the offer is $100 for a one year licence with the option of free perpetual after a year if we are very active on the forum.

I really hope she agrees - it will be great to have a big group of us all starting together 

I'm fairly sure that you dont need to purchase the software for each person. That is the whole point for me as i want to use myself and for my daughter and then later for my son too as he gets older.  To be 100% you could email the website - they are usually very quick to respond.

The price is $100 plus shipping so depending where you live (if you are outside the USA like me!) this can push up the price a bit.

I'll PM you all the details of the offer too. The more from Brillkids starting at once the better - hopefully we can give each other lots of support and encouragement.

Only one more day left for this offer!

Anyone else.....?! 

I can't help also feeling a bit sceptical about the benefits of non-stop chatter, which sounds a bit one-way (but maybe I'm misinterpreting this?).  By that definition you could just stick on a TV and let it talk in the background!!

I am completely in agreement with the need to communicate and talk a huge amount to babies and children in general, using a wide vocabulary and range of words if possible, and this is a timely reminder for me that I should remember to keep conversation going throughout the day.  But I also think it's important for this to be a two-way process, giving plenty of time and space for the child to contribute to the discussion and encouraging their voice and ideas, even with very young children (hence the benefits of baby sign). 

And I definitely agree with the importance of developing imagination using free play in children.  I find that for my daughter I need to give her some space and follow her lead to let her create her own thoughts and ideas in imaginary games etc.  I worry that I'm too structured as it is, using LR and other teaching tools.

Oh no! I was thinking about this as a Christmas pressie - not sure we can go for it now   

We have some of these and Ithey are great.  I'd love to have some ideas for getting the most out of them. Which curriculum do you use?  Thanks!

Thanks everyone, it really does help to have a bit of encouragement. 

I took DD for her 2.5 year check up yesterday which she passed very well, and they were very impressed with her vocabulary.  When they asked if there was anything else I was worried about, I wanted to say "Yes, she's not reading yet...!!!"  but decided probably not wise as they would think I was a crazy person, or at best a horrible pushy mum!!

I think one of the main issues is that DD gets very easily frustrated and angry when she can't do something easily, or else she likes to do things in her own way, so she is not keen on having too much direction or interference in what she's doing.  I have to work hard to avoid getting into battles about virtually all our daily activities as she does not often want to get dressed, brush hair or teeth, go down stairs, put on jacket etc etc.......!  She struggles to switch from one activity to another one and her default is 'No, don't want to...' so I guess this also applies to reading.  I try to keep things fun but it can be tiring (esp when i've not slept well).  It can be very frustrating for me - but I also love her spark and her spirit and independence of mind, so I guess these all go hand in hand.   

I will certainly try some of the suggestions, and also just keep going onwards as we are, following her lead and trying not to think too much about what will happen next.  I've always tried to keep it fun and give her as much choice as possible - for example she loves the Starfall alphabet webwsite and choosing which letter she want to see.  I have always tried to focus on the process of enjoying our learning together more than end results up until now, so just need to stick with that attitude.