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I love gaining perspective from mothers in all stages of homeschooling! My guest writer today has such a bright and encouraging personality. Elizabeth and I met on Instagram and I just love seeing her heart for encouraging mothers and helping them point their children toward the truth. With three sweet boys at home, she’s not far behind our family in her homeschool journey. She’s right in the thick of early education with a toddler and so her experiences are fresh. I’m excited to have her share her favorite preschool tips so far with you today! -Kristen
Preschool Tips For Homeschool Beginners
So, you have a preschooler! Now what? I frequently see moms rushing into formal education and pressing their kids into a curriculum. Other moms worry they aren’t doing enough and enroll their preschoolers in a formal class or mother’s day out program. You may not realize there is a way to slowly get your preschooler ready without those potentially stressful options.
The last hour or two after a nap, but before daddy gets home, were some of the longest and hardest times of the day for me. I decided to use that time for our benefit and give a little bump in our preschool learning. That left the whole morning for play dates and free play, and helped me prepare my mind and heart to “be” with them when I knew they would need more attention!
Here are five simple preschool tips that have been helpful as I’ve started to homeschool.
Read Good Stories
I’m sure this is the most obvious of all preschool tips, but it matters so much. I love to put a little habit-tracking calendar on my fridge and try to read at least three stories before marking off the day. Reading to your preschooler may feel like such an unsatisfying task as a mom because you can’t “see” results right away. Creating a visual helped me great this habit for the long term.
Don’t feel like you have to rush through the story, or even read the words. You can “read” the pictures together! Count the flowers on the pages. Have them name their body parts as they’re mentioned in the book. Name the colors you see on the page or have them look for those colors. Ask them what they like about the picture or what they think is happening.
As they get closer to kindergarten have them tell you the story back. Questions I’ve found helpful are:
- What happened in this story first?
- Can you tell me about the characters?
- What was your favorite part?
- Do you remember what happened last?
Reorient the pencil when your child is coloring
Coloring and drawing are great ways to prepare for preschool. I wish someone had told me with my firstborn that gently correcting his pencil grasp would make such a difference. Or even just handing him the crayons in a way that guided him to proper hand position. Doing this with my second two has saved me so much stress and teaching time.
Help get them ready for writing by playing with stickers and cutting with age-appropriate scissors. Both of these can keep little ones busy for hours! I always like to take the backing off of sticker sheets to make the stickers easier to grasp. And if you’re ever in need of beginner cutting ideas, Pinterest is a wealth of simple activities. Other activities like tracing using a sand tray, forming shapes with play dough, or painting with a brush or fingers can improve those fine-motor functions.
Sing with Intention
Sing the alphabet as you go potty or change diapers. Play music that helps them count and skip count. We also love Bible verses set to music! Keep searching until you find songs you and your little ones love and create a special playlist together. You can listen during breakfast or lunch, during playtime, or in the car. Taking that time up front helps so much in the long run!
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Count and Name Everything
As we drive, take walks, or cuddle we name and count everything. “Tree starts with the t sound. Can you make that sound? What color is the tree?” As they get older you can reverse it. “Hey that’s a tree! What letter does ‘tree’ start with?” This game keeps kids engaged. Try “I see something that starts with a ‘t’ what do you think it is?” Have fun with classic games like “I’m thinking of a color” and “the license plate game”. Any opportunity to add learning to your day will pay ten-fold in creating a homeschool lifestyle.
Formal Lessons vs. Intentional Formation
Just because you aren’t doing formal lessons, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be intentional. I notice these concepts are often lumped together, but they are very different things. Your child will have so many interests at this age. Being intentional in how you’re directing their attention and providing an educational atmosphere will steadily get them ready for formal learning. When it’s simply part of every day, it becomes fun!
Choose the things you scatter around them with intention. Examples of this are:
- alphabet puzzles
- color wheels
- books with beautiful illustrations and colors
- toys that require imagination (hint- no batteries needed)
Simple is often better, and the presence of you as their mama is best!
What preschool tips would you add? If you’ve passed the preschool years, what advice would you give to those just starting out?
About the Author
Elizabeth Santelmann is the homeschooling mother of 3 boys. She loves reading and always has a large stack of books by her bed. On Instagram she calls herself the “stay-at-home mom co-worker”. She hopes to share what she is learning about gently nurturing, educating, and guiding children toward the gospel with her life and speech. Her blog, Sunshine In My Nest, has over 100 helpful articles for Christian or homeschool families. You can also find her on Instagram sharing her motherhood and homeschool journey.
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