What about the little ones? Here are our best tips for planning preschool activities for your homeschool year.
I’m coming off of a weekend of spending a good deal of time planning, researching and seeking out the tools I’ll need to teach my older children.
But besides “Will you homeschool through high school?” here is a question I get often. What about the little ones? It’s a valid question since with five children – I’ve had preschoolers for roughly seventeen years.
Planning Preschool Activities for the Homeschool Year: What About the Little Ones?
So, yes, I spent a good amount of time planning for the little ones too.
And, by spending some time planning for my preschoolers, I can save money. How’s that? Several families I know enroll their preschoolers in mother’s morning out programs. These programs are wonderful. My eldest was enrolled in our church program when she was just two. But guess what I found through experience? By the time I loaded everyone up to deliver my preschooler and then again to pick up my preschooler, I had expended quite a bit of energy. Not to mention monthly tuition. What’s the answer? For us, the answer is morning room time.
Morning Room Time is the habit that blesses all ages. It’s how I can be in two places at once! Both helping our littlest ones and helping the older ones with math. It’s the answer to that question I get most often.
Create Preschool Activity Bags for Homeschool
I also spend some time over the summer refreshing preschool activity bags. Activity bags are simply a zip top storage bag filled with a ready-to-go activity. The concept is very much like workboxes. Here are a few examples of favorite activity bag fillers:
- Paint with water is something my preschoolers love – and it’s just water and not so messy. Easy to say yes!
- Ingredients for homemade playdough or store-bought playdough
- Manipulatives like teddy bear counters from Saxon Kindergarten Math
- Matching games
- Lapbook components
- Puzzles
- The highlights of Slow and Steady Get Me Ready (a preschool activity once a week –needed items placed in activity bag).
- Answers for Preschoolers activity
- A new Rod and Staff preschool book or a Saxon Math calendar
- A card with permission for 15 minutes of Click Start or Starfall http://www.starfall.com/
Preschool Homeschool Curriculum Resources
Here are some of our favorite curriculum resources for preschool learning:
- Rod and Staff Bible Stories to Read and Bible Pictures to Color (my review)
- Curriculum Choices for Homeschooling Preschool (all our favorites)
- The Ultimate Guide to Preschool Homeschool Curriculum
- 100 Helpful Homeschool Habits at Your Best Homeschool
- Books We Love: Preschool Edition
Nature Study Activities for Preschool Homeschool
Have children eager to be outside? You can think of the earliest years outdoors with your children as the way to grow a love and curiosity about the natural world. This habit develops gradually over their childhood. The earlier you start building a habit of nature study in your family, the easier it will be to encourage children to be engaged in nature study.
- Homeschool Nature Study Printables for Toddlers and Preschoolers are included in Delightful Preschool Homeschool Nature Study Plans in Homeschool Nature Study membership!
- Easy Preschool Science Journals (with a free download)
- Don’t miss the free sample of preschool nature study curriculum in this post!
Art Activities for Homeschooling Preschool
Art with preschoolers can feel a little scary and overwhelming, but it is, even more fun and rewarding. Here are some marvelous tips for encouraging your young artist.
- 30 Online Preschool Art Lessons for Your ‘Big Kid’ Homeschool
- Preschool Art and Music Curriculum for Your Homeschool
- How to Make Time for Preschool Art in Your Homeschool
- ABC Art Activities for Kids
Enjoy your Time Homeschooling Preschoolers!
See, our preschoolers are always part of the action. Yes, it takes more effort (and patience) but the results are worth it.
The joy in their eyes when they get to help with the dishes and dip their chubby hands in bubbles piled high!
Cooking and baking? Yes, restocking the Cook Box is in order as well.
Recently I have been running a series at Hodgepodge on the Helpful Habits that make up our homeschool day. I’ve found that being intentional in preschool planning is just as important as school planning for my older children.
What about your little ones? What do you plan for them during your homeschool day?
Leave a Reply