Last year I "homeschooled" Wesley for Preschool. He called it "tivity" time - his version of "activity time" - which is what I called "school." I put it in quotation marks because it didn't seem like school at all. Just part of helping him learn and grow as a child with a little direction and organization. He loved it and I had a lot of fun. Our activity time was very laid back. Sometimes we spent only a few minutes and sometimes over an hour and we didn't do it everyday. Many people have asked me what we did and the books we used so I thought I would just compile it all in a blog entry. I've done countless hours of reading and research (and I really love it!). I hope this takes the load off of you so you don't have to do it (unless you really love it too!)
First of all, to really understand why I chose the books and resources I did, you should check out my Preschool Education philosophy. It really did/does guide how I think about what to include in my curriculum.
God’s Little Explorers (motherhoodonadime.com) was our PK4 base. It is a simple 28 week curriculum that centers on chronological Bible stories matched with a letter and topic that begins with that word (for Q we read about the manna and the quail in the dessert with Moses and learned about quails and other birds). It also included simple math concepts and other subjects thrown in here and there. as well as a memory verse, songs, and lots of extras for each week. And best of all, it’s free! Or you can get even more and pay $15. We did the free version and loved it. I didn't focus on writing very much, just familiarity with the name of the capital letters and a bit with the sounds. There were many activities you could do each day but I only picked two or three at most.
In addition to this curriculum I added some other resources. Here's a short summary. At the beginning of each week, I read from The A-Z Picture Book on the page that represented the letter for the week. On other days of the week, I read stories that represented that letter, and read the Bible story suggested from the curriculum and the activities that went along with it. We also did a coloring page for the bible story. I tried to find science concepts that matched the letters, like animals that started with the letter, etc. Also, I read from A Year at Maple Hill Farm at the start of each new month and we read poems that were about things that started with the letter of the week. We did holiday themes and lap books occasionally too. Sometimes we did Before Five in a Row books and activities. I threw in simple art projects here and there too. We also talked about the calendar and the seasons - but not consistently. We played card games often to encourage number recognition and some other math concepts - like War (a very slow version!), Crazy 8s, Go Fish, Uno and matching games. I made up a few other card games and little dice games too. Of course, Pinterest has a ridiculous amount of anything you want to find! I learned quickly though that much of the activities on Pinterest take too much time and resources to put together and that simple is always better, and honestly most of those kinds of things can be taught just through natural living and learning like colors, shapes, numbers, counting, etc. We also went on nature walks and watched youtube videos that went along with whatever peaked their interests or went along with what we were "studying."
I know this sounds like a lot, especially when you look at the other lists of books below but again, as I said before, I didn't spend more than an average of 30 minutes of concentrated time a day on this! I was able to do all of this by reading poems and rhymes and watching at snack times. I read to them before nap/rest time every day and before bed every night and sometimes at other times of the day here and there. Also, my boys love to listen to stories on cd. They listen to one each night when we turn out their light.
In addition to this curriculum I added some other resources. Here's a short summary. At the beginning of each week, I read from The A-Z Picture Book on the page that represented the letter for the week. On other days of the week, I read stories that represented that letter, and read the Bible story suggested from the curriculum and the activities that went along with it. We also did a coloring page for the bible story. I tried to find science concepts that matched the letters, like animals that started with the letter, etc. Also, I read from A Year at Maple Hill Farm at the start of each new month and we read poems that were about things that started with the letter of the week. We did holiday themes and lap books occasionally too. Sometimes we did Before Five in a Row books and activities. I threw in simple art projects here and there too. We also talked about the calendar and the seasons - but not consistently. We played card games often to encourage number recognition and some other math concepts - like War (a very slow version!), Crazy 8s, Go Fish, Uno and matching games. I made up a few other card games and little dice games too. Of course, Pinterest has a ridiculous amount of anything you want to find! I learned quickly though that much of the activities on Pinterest take too much time and resources to put together and that simple is always better, and honestly most of those kinds of things can be taught just through natural living and learning like colors, shapes, numbers, counting, etc. We also went on nature walks and watched youtube videos that went along with whatever peaked their interests or went along with what we were "studying."
I know this sounds like a lot, especially when you look at the other lists of books below but again, as I said before, I didn't spend more than an average of 30 minutes of concentrated time a day on this! I was able to do all of this by reading poems and rhymes and watching at snack times. I read to them before nap/rest time every day and before bed every night and sometimes at other times of the day here and there. Also, my boys love to listen to stories on cd. They listen to one each night when we turn out their light.
Other Teacher Resources/Student Workbooks
The Three Rs - Ruth Beechick - excellent resource for teaching in a natural way
Slow and Steady, Get Me Ready (for birth through age 4, I liked it especially for 2’s and 3’s)
Before Five in a Row - Jane Claire Lambert
Alphabet Art - Judy Press
Rod and Staff workbooks set 1 ( for 3-4), set (for 4-6) A-L (milestonebooks.com)
Explode the Code Books A,B,C (if ready for it - 4’s or 5’s) We didn’t start this until Kindergarten this year with Wes, but David might be ready for it next year in PreK4. It is excellent!
Count on Math (4’s and up) or Math Play (3-6)
5-10 Minute Science Activities for Young Learners (I didn't have this book at the time but I would have used it if I had known about it).
Read Aloud Books We Used Often
Animals, Animals by Eric Carle (Poems about animals with Carle's beautiful illustrations)
Tomie DePaola’s Favorite Nursery Tales - Tomie DePaola (I've looked at a TON of nursery tale books - most of them have very dark tales that I don't think 3-6 year olds are ready for or should even be exposed to - strong words, I know! This book does a good job of including only stories that don't have that dark element to them, or at least retells them in a way that takes most of the darkness out.)
Read Aloud Rhymes for the Very Young
A Year at Maple Hill Farm - Provensen (I love their books - beautiful illustrations!)
What Do People Do All Day? and other Richard Scarry books
The A-Z Picture Book - Gyo Fugikawa (there are a couple of kind of scary pictures in this book but they didn’t seem to bother my boys)
Let’s Read and Find Out About Science Series Level 1 - I love this science series, many titles!
Henry Pluckrose books for math concepts - shapes, lines, length, etc.
Other Books We Love
Friends at Maple Hill Farm - Provensen
Oh, What a Busy Day! - Gyo Fugikawa (her books are beautiful! I now own 7 of her books!)
Bear Snores On - Karma Wilson (and many others)
Bear Snores On - Karma Wilson (and many others)
Madeline - Ludwig Bemelmens
Haircuts for Woolseys - Tomie DePaola (and many more)
Make Way for Ducklings - Robert Mccloskey
Blueberries for Sal - Robert McCloskey
A House is a House for Me - Mary Ann Hoberman
Rosie’s Walk; The Wind Blew; Good Night Owl - Pat Hutchins
Ferdinand - Munroe Leaf
Over in the Meadow - John Longstaff
Snowy Day and others - Ezra Jack Keats
The Tale of Peter Rabbit - Beatrice Potter (and many others)
The Further Tale of Peter Rabbit - Emma Thompson
Owl Moon - Jane Yolen
Jobs Around Town - Jan Berenstain
My First Little House books series
The Story of Ping; Angus Lost - Marjorie Flack
Corduroy - Don Freeman
A House for Hermit Crab; Walter the Baker; The Mixed Up Chamelion; The Grouchy Ladybug; The Very Busy Spider; The Very Hungry Caterpillar; The Very Quiet Cricket; 123 to the Zoo; Head to Toe: Pancakes, Pancakes - Eric Carle
Where the Wild Things Are - Maurice Sendak
Caps for Sale - Esphyr Slobodkina
Lyle the Crocodile - Bernard Weber
Harry the Dirty Dog - Gene Zion
Feathers For Lunch - Lois Ehlers
Little Bear - Else Holmelund Minarik
Frog and Toad (all); Grasshopper on the Road; Owl at Home - Arnold Lobel
The Little Engine that Could - Watty Piper
Katy No-Pocket - Emmy Payne
Tikki Tikki Tembo - Arlene Mosel
The Little House; Mike Mulligan and the Steam Shovel; Choo-Choo - Virginia Lee Burton
The Giant Jam Sandwich - John Vernon Lord
We’re Going on a Bear Hunt - Michael Rosen
Go Dogs Go - P.D. Eastman
Ten Apples Up on Top - Theo LeSieg
Green Eggs and Ham; One Fish, Two Fish; Hop on Pop - Dr. Seuss
Amos and Boris - William Steig
The Fox Went out on a Chilly Night - Peter Spier
The Quilt Story - Tony Johnston
Wait Till the Moon is Full - Margaret Wise Brown (and many others we love)
Goodnight Little Bear - Richard Scarry
Scuffy the Tugboat - Gertrude Crampton
The Jolly Barnyard - Annie North Bedford
Apple Farmer Annie - Monica Wellington
Ox Cart Man - Donald Hall
Angus Lost; The Story About Ping; Ask Mr. Bear - Marjorie Flack
Harry the Dirty Dog - Gene Zion
Trainstop - Barbara Lehman
Ox Cart Man - Donald Hall
Angus Lost; The Story About Ping; Ask Mr. Bear - Marjorie Flack
Harry the Dirty Dog - Gene Zion
Trainstop - Barbara Lehman
Winnie the Pooh - A.A. Milne
Danny Meadow Mouse - Thornton Burgess (and many others!)
Danny Meadow Mouse - Thornton Burgess (and many others!)
Little House in the Big Woods - Laura Ingalls Wilder
Other Resources (Some we have, some we don’t)
Elizabeth Mitchell Music (the Woodie Guthrie remake is great!)
Songs for Saplings (and others) Dana Dirkson
Wee Sing Children’s Songs and Fingerplays - a big hit!
Wee Sing ABC
100 Bible Stories and Songs
Birds, Beasts, Bugs and Fishes Little and Big Animal Folk Songs - Pete Seager
Classical Baby HBO DVD Series
Leap Frog Letter Factory DVD
I Spy Shapes in Art; I Spy Colors in Art, etc.
100 Bible Stories and Songs
Birds, Beasts, Bugs and Fishes Little and Big Animal Folk Songs - Pete Seager
Classical Baby HBO DVD Series
Leap Frog Letter Factory DVD
I Spy Shapes in Art; I Spy Colors in Art, etc.
Smithsonian Backyard Series
Preschool Busy Book (didn’t have this one but checked it out from the library)
Other Good Authors for 3’s and 4’s (and there are many more!)
Cynthia Rylant
Kevin Henkes
Lois Lenski
Leo Lionni
Tony Mitton
Tony Mitton
Patricia Machlachlan
Bill Martin
Patricia Polocco
Marjorie Priceman
Eloise Wilkins
Vera Williams
Denise Fleming
Lucy Cousins
Eve Bunting
Jan Bret
Donald Crews
Ruth Krauss
Bill Barton
Audrey Wood
Jim Arnosky
