Goofing off on the computer to educate...a 1 year old?

Yes I admit it, I spend far to much tome online. I turn on the computer between 9am and noon every day and leave it on for hours....

Not all of it is a time waster.

Of course you know there are bills, scouts, and the like to deal with. But you may not be able to guess how educational a little computer time can be.

Today when Baby Girl wanted up in my arms yet again, after we had sung a song or two, counted, played with some letter sounds, cuddled and of course lots of kissing. (not all at once, this is a bunch of one or two minute visits over the course of the morning.)

I decided to open up publisher and make some shapes. We made circles, squares (hold down shift to get them to be 'perfect' or just eyeball it) some triangles, and of course used the quick fill option to change the colors.

I used to do that back before we had the internet, when I was tied down nursing one of the kids I would make all kinds of shapes for the older ones. Some times we would put them together to make robots or snowmen, or whatever we felt like.

Now I am not suggesting the computer is better than hands on manipulatives (far from it!) BUT I do figure when you simply HAVE to get some work done, you can always take a 2 minute break to educate in between reports/bills/emails.