The following is a post from contributing writer LaToya Edwards of LaToyaEdwards.net
It can be a little tricky trying to figure out what to get for your preschooler when it comes to homeschooling. Here’s what I have used with both my boys for preschool:
ABC Jesus Loves Me
This site has full curriculum for ages 2-5. These lessons are wonderful! There are great bible and character lessons as well as preparation for kindergarten school work. There are lots of book lists, hand-ons activities, and fun ideas. Each curriculum set can be printed from the site for free. However, if you want to you can purchase the set as well along with all the worksheets and save your printer.
Brightly Beginning Resources
This free online curriculum is great for kids from birth on up! The preschool lessons focus on preparing your child to read. There are 4 levels of lessons: prep lessons, letter of the week, sound of the week and story of the week. Each level has fun activities and crafts, great books and a year long schedule. Once of your preschooler moves up there are also elementary ages curriculum as well.
Letter of the Week by Confessions of a Homeschooler
Erica has put together some wonderful stuff for this curriculum. I have used it with both my boys including her Prek 4 expansion packet and LOVED it. Each lesson is full of fun and hands on activities to help teach basic math and reading skills. My boy have learned to count, read and developed their fine motor skills with this lessons. You can see this curriculum in action here.
Before Five in a Row
BFIAR is a fun and easy way to do preschool at home. This curriculum is based on some wonderful children’s books. Each week you read a story and do a few activities that help reinforced basic skills and character development. We had fun “rowing” some of the books last year and I really enjoyed introducing my childhood favorites (like Katy No Pocket) to my boys. Also if you have an older preschooler, Jolanthe from Homeschool Creations has some awesome printables that go along with many of the books.
What are some of your favorite sites for preschool activities and curriculum?
LaToya is a single, homeschooling mom of two rambunctious boys. She lives for those quiet moments of the day which are few and far between. You can find out more about her life on her blog, twitter,google plus or facebook page.
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With my oldest, I was a “Newbie” and really wasn’t sure what to buy. I ended up kinda just winging it. I did a lot of things on my own (Created it my self ). When my youngest, got old enough, I decided I wanted something a bit more structured and Fun for him. So, he did the Time4Learning Pre-K program.
( http://www.time4learning.com/preschool-games.shtml )
Wish I would have found it with my oldest! It is Great for Newbies or Veteran Homeschooling Moms 😉
I unschool both my girls, starting when each was about 2.
Most of the homeschool Curricula I found labeled “preschool” seems to be designed to keep little ones busy while mom works with bigger sibs. Since both my girls were preschoolers a the same time I really didn’t need that.
I read to them, let the play, and talked about what we saw. I had my oldest take some informal tests at 4 1/2 and she scored 1st grade in reading and math and 2nd in social studies and science.
I had intended to unschool only while the girls were little but after seeing the success of those years, decided to stick with it.
Thank you so much for posting these resources! I have found it difficult to sift through all the information on homeschooling out there, and most of what I have found has had more to do with the WHY of homeschooling rather than on the WHAT, the actual teaching of kids in the home. This post is exactly what I’ve been looking for and has me headed in the right direction. Thanks again!