Are you wondering what Pre-K homeschool curriculum you should use?
Do visions of Pre-K workbooks dance in your head as you consider homeschooling a Pre-K child?
Are you feeling overwhelmed by available choices of workbooks and curriculums?
Have you been shocked and confused because your Pre-K is not nearly as thrilled with ‘book work’ as you are?
I have good news for you.
These are the years when children learn best through play.
The most effective homeschool preschool plans involve lots of play. When planned with a focus on skill development, play-based activities are more than just free time.
Skills gained through play will prepare young children for the years of pencil, paper, and textbooks ahead.
Encouraging play involving both fine and gross motor skills will helps with coordination and muscle strength.
Children will learn to use their eyes, hands, and feet together in a coordinated way. That ability will help improve handwriting and pre-reading skills.
Offering opportunities for independence and self-reliance sets the stage for independent learning once reading skills mature.
Working on visual-perceptual skills will prepare your child for reading and writing to come. Simple play-based activities are sufficient for developing these skills.
Are you thinking, “What about math?”
Play can offer ways to practice skills like matching objects, making pairs, observing likes and differences, and finding patterns. Those activities are actually beginning math skills.
These years are also the time to let your child experience the broader world around them. Field trips to the zoo, park, fire station are great for young children.
Theater and orchestra productions for young children are great trips for early learners.
Communication skills grow out of the ability to talk about and describe these trips. When children practice talking about things they see and do, they are better able to write about them later.
Whether you choose a prepared curriculum or create activities of your own, look for resources that encourage the following skill sets.
Don’t try to cover each one every day. Pick combinations that work for you. Rotate them on a regular basis!
What to Include in a Pre-K Homeschool Day
- developing an attention span and listening skills (games like Mother May I?)
- fine motor skills (cutting, dot-to-dot sheets, tracing large shapes, clothes pin games, etc.)
- gross motor skills (climbing, running, jumping, catching, pushing, swinging, etc.)
- crossing the mid-line (Not sure what that is? See this link.)
- pre-reading skills (letter recognition, putting events in order, etc.)
- pre-writing skills (using play dough, sidewalk chalk, rice trays, etc.)
- early math skills (counting to 10 and recognizing the numbers 1-10, playing ‘store’ etc.)
- problem solving skills (don’t ‘fix’ everything – let them wrestle with and overcome small challenges; puzzles, sorting activities, etc.)
- communication skills (dictating a story to you, giving you instructions on how to do something, etc.)
- creativity (offer plenty of creative opportunities with art, dress up, wood working, etc.)
- social skills (field trips, make believe play w/ costumes and props like play food, play dates, etc.)
- social studies/history/science (reading library books about community helpers, planets, Little House on the Prairie series; watching The Magic School Bus, easy cooking projects, etc.)
Include Experiences in the Pre-K Homeschool Day
Listen to music, set up finger paint outside and let them go to it. Blow bubbles and count how many they pop.
Activities like matching socks offer great ways to sort patterns which is an essential math skill. And, what mom doesn’t need help with that chore?
Every field trip counts as school because your Pre-K is a sponge constantly soaking up the world around them.
Consider these examples:
- A field trip to the fire department introduces them to community helpers and fire safety.
- A trip to a dairy farm helps them understand where milk comes from.
- Visits to the library offers a chance to play with puzzles, hear stories, sing, and maybe see puppet shows.
- A theater or orchestra performance for young children broadens their world view.
- Meeting other homeschoolers for a park day offers opportunities for socialization, PE, and just plain fun!
After each activity, have your Pre-K dictate a ‘story’ to you about their favorite part of the day.
Post it where family and friends can see it. Now you have a pre-writing, pre-reading, socialization, and social studies activity all rolled into one!
Wondering where to find preschool ideas that don’t involve workbooks?
Download my free resource sheet to see my top 5 picks for preschool inspiration.
When you click on the link, it will take you to a new page. Click the link on that page. Your resource sheet will download with one click!
Stephanie