How I Homeschooled Preschool

You’ve taught your child so much since birth.  You can do preschool better than any preschool because you know your kid.  You can do this!  

When my children were preschool age (3-4), I did a bit of structured learning focused on Reading, Writing and Math, topped with lots and lots of library books - some educational, some just for the joy of reading a great story.  When our schedule allowed, we added story time at a local library.

How Do I Know What To Teach?

“Home Learning Year by Year” by Rebecca Ropp is an invaluable overview resource for me.  This was especially true for me preschool through 1st grade and before I purchased a complete curriculum.  Check your library for this resource or purchase a copy for yourself.  Since it was published in 2000 some of Rebecca’s resources may need updating, but it lists the critical things to teach your child through 12th grade.  I refer to it regularly to assess my children’s readiness for the next grade.

“Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons” (http://startreading.com/) is an exceptional resource for teaching a child to read.  My children have all learned to read using this as they were ready between the ages of 3 and 6.

When it comes to math, the Math-U-See Primer (https://mathusee.com/) is an easy to use option that launched my kids well.  All of my children used this in preschool or kindergarten.  It is a good introduction to math concepts, and helps you determine when they are ready to learn how to write their numbers.  My children enjoyed watching the lesson introduction videos, doing the worksheets and, most of all, playing with the manipulatives. These blocks that represent the numbers often become toys around our house.  Additionally, Steve Demme’s unique and engaging methods teach place value, clocks and telling time in a memorable way that sticks with children.

For Preschool, K and 1st grade, I didn’t use a complete packaged curriculum.  A lot of ordinary workbooks you can find at WalMart, Walgreens, office supply stores or Dollar General are just as effective.  Budget tip -- I actually found a bunch of mine in thrift stores, most barely used by the previous owner!  These workbooks gave me inexpensive resources to see what my child was good at, how they liked to learn, and offered art and game ideas.  Some of my children enjoyed coloring, others didn’t.  Knowing this helped me plan for future learning activities that would work well for each child.  The workbooks also enhanced our learning of reading and math concepts, and introduced both science and geography concepts.  I especially enjoyed the “Comprehensive Curriculum of Basic Skills” workbooks.

How Should I Structure My School Day?

School in the early years shouldn’t be a formal all day long enterprise.  Structured learning at the preschool and K level should be 90 minutes or less, and involve foundational mental and motor skill developers like: lots of playing, experimenting with paint and play dough, learning how to hold a pencil, learning how to cut with scissors, running around outside, kicking balls, etc.  Read, read, read together!  This fosters a love of books and an interest in learning to read.  Make learning fun.  Library books let you explore wonderful stories and non-fiction books about people, places and things, and even early science concepts while costing you nothing.  If you’re looking for lists of great books to search for at the library, I recommend: http://amblesideonline.org/00bks.shtml

Or:

https://simplycharlottemason.com/planning/preschool-guide/preschool-foundations/favorite-read-aloud-books-for-preschoolers/

Also, I just discovered these:
http://www.gatewaytotheclassics.com/browse/books_browse_by_level.php

Nap time is a must at this age.  It’s good for the child.  It’s especially good for the parent.  Even when my children seemed to be “outgrowing their nap time”, I required quiet time.  After lunch, all my children may take three books and lay down on their bed to read.  Often my preschool and kindergarten children fall asleep after looking through their books.  This came in handy when my older children needed my attention for read-alouds and other subjects I was teaching them.  While my small children have “quiet time” on a blanket on the floor of the living room, my older children listen to me read.  My younger children listen in as well, and they learn until they fall asleep to the soothing sound of my reading aloud.

Also, don't neglect teaching your preschoolers to help you around the house.  Mine have helped me with sorting dirty laundry into loads, sorting clean laundry into the right family member's basket, pulling weeds, gathering trash from small wastebaskets around the house into one big trash can,  and putting unbreakable clean dishes and silverware away.  Depending on the tools you have available, they might also help with vacuuming and sweeping floors.  My preschoolers are responsible to help clean up any toys they played with and put their clean laundry in their own drawers.  I try to impress upon all of my children that we all help with the chores because we all contribute to the mess, and we are a team.

Adding music is a great way to learn for all ages, but especially for the early years.  I hoarded Scripture Memory CDs.  We learn a lot of memory verses through music.  Preschoolers especially love songs that have actions.  The Wee Sing series of CDs come with lyric booklets, and many of their songs include actions.  Songs can also teach academic concepts like the days of the week.

Try this song to the tune of “The Addams Family” theme song:

Days of the week (snap, snap)

Days of the week (snap, snap)

There’s Sunday and there’s Monday,

There’s Tuesday and there’s Wednesday,

There’s Thursday and there’s Friday,

And then there’s Saturday.

Days of the week (snap, snap)

Days of the week (snap, snap)

Or another days of the week song which is the tune of “Oh My Darlin’ Clementine”:

There are seven, there are seven, there are seven days in the week:

Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday.

Also, I have taught this song to my preschool class at a homeschool co-op for the months of the year.  The tune is “Ten Little Indians”:

January, February, March and April,

May, June, July and August,

September, October, November and December.

Twelve Months in the year.

I also love several of the color-spelling songs my middle daughter learned in public school Kindergarten, and I’ve used them in my preschool co-op class.  I discovered they come from Frog Street Press.  Here is their song for the color yellow: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bC7UctwCvrI

Also, check out Twin Sisters Productions (https://twinsisters.com/) who have a ton of educational songs, and in some cases, books to go with them.  My favorites are the Scripture memory songs.  You can listen to these at home or in the car, and the music helps your child put good things to memory.

For fun music I also love everything from The Go Fish Guys.  Their “Party Like a Preschooler” CD is my kids’ favorite at this age.  https://www.gofishresources.com/music

Homeschooling my preschoolers is very rewarding for me.  Watching my children grasp new concepts, ask questions and make comments on what we're learning gives me insight into their thoughts as they gain independence and learn new skills.  I hope these resources provide you a great launchpad for homeschooling your preschooler.

Check out the rest of my series on “How I Homeschooled” for the following grade levels:

How I Homeschooled Kindergarten

How I Homeschooled 1st grade

How I Homeschooled 2nd grade

How I Homeschooled 3rd grade

How I Homeschooled 4th through 8th grade

How I Homeschooled High School