Do you have a preschooler right now? If you do, you’re in good company! Preschool is an especially wonderful stage. If you have already experienced the joy of living with a preschooler, you understand how priceless this stage is. If you have an up and coming toddler, expect delightful days right around the corner. What’s so great about the preschool stage? While preschoolers are noticeably gaining independence, almost every word that comes out of their mouths is still cute. Spending time with a preschooler is sure to put a little sunshine in your day. Preschool just may be the best stage of all! And there are so many wonderful homeschool preschool resources!
Preschool is an easy stage to homeschool too. A little time being read to, a little educational play, a little outdoor time, and a lot of love is what preschoolers need. “Homeschooling is one of the greatest gifts you can give your preschool child! Who knows your child better than you?” said Tina Rice in “Organizing your Preschooler and your Preschool,” an article Rice wrote for The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine.
Preschool = Play
Preschoolers are curious and energetic and naturally learning all the time. They really don’t need a fancy or expensive curriculum! They need lots of opportunities and time spent with you. Many of the activities you’re already enjoying with your preschool are actually an investment in their education:
- spending time in nature
- taking walks
- collecting stones or shells or leaves
- reading and learning to recognize letters
- counting and learning to recognize numbers
- sorting
- helping
- playing creatively (coloring, playdough, painting, etc.)
- building with blocks
- making forts
- pretending
Add the activities your preschooler enjoys into your homeschool. Now look at the list again and notice what “school” categories or developmental areas the activities fit under. Sorting, for example, is early math; so is counting. The daily activities of a preschooler also cover a lot of necessary development. You can think of sorting or coloring or playing with playdough as time spent developing fine motor skills. You can be creative and challenge them in new ways while they go about whatever keeps them busy. If you’re on a walk with your preschooler, work on gross motor skills by challenging them to hop or skip. Keep doing the activities you’re already doing together, and remember that play is their “work” right now. All of their natural activities help them learn about the world, which is still a pretty new and exciting place to them. What fun to see the world through a preschooler’s eyes!
Try a Routine
Rice shared more wisdom for parents of preschoolers: “Do you or your preschooler need a structured routine? If so, set up a daily schedule of activities but keep in mind that while many preschoolers flourish with a regular routine, some do not. Again, be a student of your child and you will get clues from their behavior if your routine is helpful or not working.” There is no right or wrong routine, just follow whatever works best for your child and your family. Maybe you both enjoy starting the day snuggled in with a story, followed by breakfast and chatter. Then you could tackle the kitchen chores or start the laundry together, letting your child know their contributions like clearing the table and folding wash cloths are important and helpful. A morning walk might be a fun thing to add to your routine. The possibilities are endless and you can follow whatever works with the realistic needs of your family.
Keep Preschoolers Busy & Active
If you have other children to care for, it can be helpful to have a few items on hand to entertain your preschooler, especially if you’re homeschooling older siblings. Alyssa Riggan shared fabulous ideas complete with photos, that may put a little extra time in your day. Don’t miss her HomeschoolingFinds.com post: “Sensory Bins and Preschoolers.” Another HomeschoolingFinds.com post shares interesting information on the physical activity needs of homeschooled preschoolers. “Children should not be sedentary for more than sixty minutes at a time, except when sleeping,” according to “Fun Physical Activities for Young Children! (Dr. Craft’s Active Play! Books Review).”
If you would like to keep reading on the delightful subject of preschool, start right here on HomeschoolingFinds.com with Charlotte’s article “4 Tips for Homeschooling Preschool.” The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine has many articles on preschool too, and you can read the magazine online or on your phone—free! Use the search feature in the TOS App (HomeschoolApp.com) or in the Digital Magazine Library to find preschool articles, especially geared towards homeschooling. The Homeschool Minute recently covered the topic “Should Preschoolers be Homeschooled?” The Homeschool Minute is an eNewsletter you’ll love that includes four godly authors sharing unique insight into preschool.
Here’s one last idea to make the most of preschool days: keep a record of some of the funny things your preschooler says. Start a page in your planner, perhaps, and jot down some silly sayings that will help you remember these extraordinary preschool days. Keep a list for each child around this stage. The memories of preschool days will be a treasure to add to your family history and certain to give you a grin in the years ahead.