Homeschooling a PreK and K aged student should be fun and exciting for the parents as well as the child. When I began researching to update this site, I realized that we have different ways of teaching our children what they have learned to this point in their lives. So why should teaching to their educational needs be any different?

What I am saying is you've done a great job up to this point, so why worry about continuing? Just keep doing what you've been doing. Pre Ker's need to learn through hands on and lots of play. If a child learns to love learning, they will most certainly excel.

 

For example, I love to write--all the time. Letters, notes, manuscripts, etc. When my son was young he wanted to write too. So after a ream of scribbled papers, we came up a way he could write and not cost us an arm and leg in paper. We laminated paper with connect the dots letters and a bucket of wipe off crayons (dry erase markers smell too bad) You can do this with numbers, colors, shapes and most important a full size tic tac toe board for hours of fun.

Reading is very important for many reason, but lets not force this. Read to your child several times a day. Whether it is the comics in the paper, to the bedtime story at night, there is always something to share. Even now, my son comes into our bedroom and brings reading material to share, whether he just crashes out on the floor reading to himself or reading something outloud to me while I am forever writing something. The morning paper is read everyday on the bed as well. We enjoy sharing great quality and family time around reading.

Go to the library and get books for the whole family. Especially the young children, even though they can't read the words they can "read" the pictures. When they pick up a new word, make a flash card out of it and post it on the refrigerator. Get some of those ABC magnets so they can "spell" the words on the fridge.

What about explorations, you might need Dad to help out. Play what is under the rock..get a jar and collect insects. Get an insect book from the library to identify your catch. Buy some lady bugs for your garden. Go to the nursery and get some butterfly attracting plants. Spend some time just watching ants. Have you ever wondered how the can carry what they carry.

And finally start a support group. Don't allow your child to become a burden to the older children of an existing support group (this I know from experience). Find others and plan dates and activities for your child and others their own age.

 

Just remember to have fun...the rest will come in time.

 

 

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