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I’m embarking on the home school journey.  At first, I had a sense of urgency mixed with fear that I wouldn’t know what to teach my preschooler, and thus he’d be left behind, not learning what he should.

I did some digging in Facebook groups, and I found some other moms to connect with who also home school, and depending on your state, mine was Washington, I had a difficult time finding a state-supplied curriculum. Like, I contacted and emailed school-district officials, who then sent me to sites I’d already visited with very vague resources on curriculum.

I don’t know what state you are in, or the state rules, but the purpose of preschool is to prep for Kindergarten. There are a lot of Kindergarten tools out there, which you can use and back-track from. I’m actually planning on getting the A Beka K5 Homeschool set because it was referred to me by our nanny! She said she was raised on this program, it was vigorous, challenging and biblically-based. We aren’t ready for it yet because my boys are still immature, wild and young. She really spoke highly of it, and her friend happened to use it with her family as well. I trust her opinion, and I plan on reviewing it on the blog when we get there!

I wrote another post on how I’m teaching my toddler to read. That is a part of my homeschool program for Kindergarten. Reading is one of the most essential skills they need to learn as soon as possible. I also wrote a review of the Kindergarten Toolkit, which is one of the tools I love and use! This kit comes with the sight-words your toddler needs to learn, a white board to practice writing, and the letters, shapes and numbers they must learn as well. Its a basic kit that will get you started, with out all the messy extras.

Teaching your toddler to read is an essential in preparation for Kindergarten. That really should be a main focus. To do this, I have a few things that I use, which leads to the first essential:

Preschool Homeschool Curriculums:

LeapFrog LeapStart Interactive Learning System for Preschool & Pre-Kindergarten

Okay, this isn’t technically a curriculum, but I need to mention it because I’ve had such good luck with the LeapFrog DVD’s for reading only. The technique they use, stories and songs just seem to stick with kids, and this is the system I mention and recommend when I talk about how I’m teaching my toddler to read. I think the value of the electronic stimulation in conjunction with the lessons taught is great. It comes with 16 activity books that slowly progress your child from preschool lessons to first grade. That’s basically a curriculum in my mind. The device itself is kid-friendly, so it’s not as easily broken like an ipad. It’s also a lot more affordable than a standard curriculum purchase, but that is because it doesn’t cover as much.

I believe in this as a fun asset to offer a way to help piggy-back off of what you are teaching your children with a standard book and writing method. I think, if we solely allow technology to teach our children, they are missing out on some important cognitive connecting the dots that they need to practice and grow.

So, let’s move into the standard preschool curriculum.

Alpha Omega Horizons Preschool Curriculum & Multimedia Set AOP

This is serious stuff here. A real, teacher student set that looks expensive at first, but in reality, think of the years of preschool payments your saving. I know most preschools are around $300 a month, give or take, so this actually isn’t that expensive. The package is super comprehensive, and perfect for a mom who is structure-oriented. I love that this is biblically-based. The lessons incorporate faith and biblical principles, so we really get a lot of great learning packed in. I really like that there is a sing a long CD. I can bring this in the car with us to keep our learning going while we are out and about, and my boys seem to really grasp lessons in song-form.

The Creative Curriculum for Preschool, 5th edition

This is a unique curriculum because it is focused on developing your child’s learning style.The latest version is based off one of the country’s leading research-based preschool curricula which applies the theory and best practices in teaching and learning developed by professional organizations. That’s me summarizing their description for you. It basically means they’ve researched a more creative take on learning, which seems to be proven to do well. This curriculm is more goal and objective based, rather than a rigid program, which may be better if you have a more creative process for doing things. I personally like this method better for myself because I don’t like a strict plan. I like to understand a goal, then figure out a fun way to get there. Definitely look into this one if you are less-than structured.

Teach My Preschooler Learning Kit

This is not quite a curriculum in the standard definition, but it comes with the cards, activities and fun to teach your preschooler everything they need to know. Rather than a standard book of lessons and learning, this is flashcards, magic drawing board, posters, flip books, counters and more. There isn’t much room for boredom here because of the flashy colors and diverse set of activities.

Nature Preschools and Forest Kindergartens: The Handbook for Outdoor Learning

Nature preschools are rapidly growing popularity for good reason. We get children outside to learn! This is on my list to purchase, once we get through some of our reading work. Ideas to help me create lessons while we out on walks and exploring the beach is such a big help to me! What a great way to learn in our daily activities.

Going well beyond a history lesson, these experts provide the framework to understand the concepts and build a learning community that stimulates curiosity and inquisitiveness in a natural environment. This helpful guide provides the curriculum, ideas, and guidance needed to foster special gifts in children. It also gives you the nuts and bolts of running a successful nature preschool business, such as potential obstacles, staff and curriculum design, best practices for success, site and facility management, and business planning

I personally wholeheartedly believe in the power of nature to teach and full-fill the soul of a little one. I’m currently on the hunt for more ways to incorporate nature into my homeschooling/reading lessons, so if anyone has inspiration or ideas, I’d love to hear it!

Have any home school tips, tricks or curriculum sets you like? Leave them in the comments! I love all the help I can get!

 

*this post contains affiliate links. I only recommend items I am confident are high-quality, useful to my readers, or have changed my life in some way for the better. Amazon links are affiliate. It is a teeny, tiny percentage that goes to me for referring you to a quality product they sell. My Amazon disclosure is on the bottom of my website on every page. 

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