What do you do for "preschool"

575 Views 9 Replies 10 Participants Last post by Vermillion, Jun 9, 2005

~Megan~

Discussion Starter · Jun 8, 2005

do you use a curriculm or just flow freely with the learning (that sounds really hippish

)?

dd just turned 3 and she is being "socialized" in a variety of different ways so we are skipping preschool (even if we could afford it!)

I have the Hooked on Phonics program that my mom used with my younger siblings. Should I start that or do you think its too intensive for a 3 yr old?

Just some general suggestions fo where to start with dd would be great.

TIA

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reeseccup

· #2 · Jun 8, 2005

I just go with the flow, offer up lots of fun things to do from books, board games, computer programs (jumpstarts/reader rabbits/school house rock, Ispy, ect), talking, videos (letter/word/math factory leap frog i think..these are AWSOME btw), sing a longs (they have the words as they sing highlighted), dd (6) set up the tv to show the closed captioning, she loves to read along as she watches tv...anyway the world is full of lessons. OH and when I read short, simpler books to the kids I put my finger under the word as i say it so their eyes focus on what i'm saying and making a visual connection to the word on page. I read slow and clear and give plenty of time to look at words and pictures and discuss the story.

i've never used hooked on phonics, so not sure how that'll work.

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teachinmaof3

· #3 · Jun 8, 2005

I just go with the flow too. If they seem interested in something we learn about it...otherwise we just do everyday stuff.

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LeftField

· #4 · Jun 8, 2005

We don't do anything on purpose, if that makes any sense. We just play and talk. I do read to the kids and I try to use the library for new books. Sometimes, I check out free programs in our town, like a series of kids' concerts held by our orchestra or a kids' science talk. If their interest is not present, we don't go again. I buy toys based on their interest, some of which do develop skills. I guess playing in general does that. Like, my oldest has always been into spatial things, so he had a lot of building toys. They have a lot of crayons. That's it for us.

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Lillian J

· #5 · Jun 8, 2005

My son actually attended a pre-school years before we found out about homeschooling, but it was back when they just played, sang, and did little craftsy things that had the aura of pre-reading, etc., about them. I've seen the question comes up so much online over the years that I wrote an article that provides a lot of information and links to fun sites for finding age appropriate things to do with little ones.

A Homeschooling Curriculum for Pre-School and Kindergarten

Lillian

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littlest birds

· #6 · Jun 8, 2005

I WATCH them learn. That is simply the BEST. It might be the greatest pleasure I have had in my children all along is just seeing them learn. Miracles upon miracles!

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TanyaMT

· #7 · Jun 9, 2005

I use a curriculum because my personality is wwaaaayyy schedule oriented. I feel better. However, I chose Sonlight, a Christian literature-based curriculum. Basically I read to him, which I did anyway, but now I feel secure as I have a schedule that says to do so (yes, I'm laughing at myself as I write this).

Actually though Sonlight recommends their pre-K for a slightly older crowd to I intend to spread it across 2 years. I joined a Yahoo group about Sonlight and am using a schedule make by one of the ladies on that list, using the materials from the Sonlight pre-K kit. This schedule is themed so we read the books in pieces according to the theme, and I add our own and library books according to the theme of the week (this week is "farms") and I add artwork and field trips according to the theme (we are going to the county fair this week to look at the animals).

The schedule has some workbooks we are not really using yet. DS occasionally will ask for a "worksheet" and we do one together when he asks. Some days he wants lots of art and we do that. DH has musical ability (I definitely don't really) so DH sings and plays guitar with him at night. I buy cassettes and we play them together.

We do use videos. DS can do his alphabet and count to 20 from these videos and likes to do that so we do. He can read some words it seems he picked up just from our reading (can spot them out of context of known stories so I think he actually knows them). We aren't "teaching" reading really. We play some computer games like the ones on SesameStreet.com.

That is about it for our curriculum other than he does most of what I do every day like vacuuming, gardening, cleaning, laundry, walking, talking with the neighbors, visiting the park, etc.

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Sasha_girl

· #8 · Jun 9, 2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by deeporgarten
I WATCH them learn. That is simply the BEST. It might be the greatest pleasure I have had in my children all along is just seeing them learn. Miracles upon miracles!

Yup. My 4 year old has no structure at this point. My almost 6 year old only does sometimes. :LOL

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pixie-n-hertwoboys

· #9 · Jun 9, 2005

we went with the just flow freely hippy learning :LOL

IMO as long as you spend quality time with your little ones they will learn w/ very little intervention. Just w/ reading to my ds and "writing" when he was young he has taught himself to write and now how to read. We do a lot of what Reececup said, reading slowly, etc.

Just lots of artsy stuff, real conversations, lots of reading together and outdoor time was our 'preschool'!

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Vermillion

· #10 · Jun 9, 2005

We just go with the flow. My son has a lifetime of learning ahead of him. Right now he just needs to have fun and be a kid without the burden of any formal education.