Preschool Curriculum Activities

Some of my favorite preschool curriculum activities were spontaneous. Ideas of things to do would just pop into my head...songs, building things, cooking, playdough. Some folks are interested in more "schoolish" activities for their children. If you have been reading my site long, you will know that that is not my idea of how learning should happen, but every family is different. My children loved hands on activities, my niece loved workbooks. Every family is different.

I am a certified elementary school teacher and spent 3 years as a preschool teacher when my children were young. It is so amazing to watch how much kids learn at that age.

I found that "unit studies" were a very suitable preschool curriculum activity. To create a unit study, you pick a topic ~ dogs for instance. Then you gear all your activities around that topic. For example, you have and idea to do a unit study on dogs, you can learn the songs "How much is that doggie in the window?" and "B-I-N-G-O". You can focus on the letter "d". You read all the books your library has about dogs. Watch a dog video (Lassie, perhaps, if you can find an episode that isn't too scary.) Learn about the sounds a dog makes. Paint a picture of a dog. Take a trip to a vet's office or dog groomer's shop. Color pictures of dogs. Talk about the characteristics that dogs have ~ 4 legs, fur, bark, 2 ears, teeth. Get the idea? You can center unit studies on anything...a letter, a color, animals, modes of transportation, a story, plants, community helpers, careers, your body, insects ...the sky is the limit.

Unit Studies Made Easy Dump tedious textbooks---and make the most of your child's home-based education! Learn to create student-tailored curriculums with this 4-in-1 collection. Combining How to Create Your Own Unit Study, The Unit Study Idea Book, For the Love of Reading, and Success with Unit Studies---plus new and expanded material---it covers everything from evaluating resources and understanding educational philosophies to getting started and record-keeping. 336 pages, softcover from Bendt Family Ministries.

Everything You Need to Know About Homeschool Unit Studies A mother of eight children herself, Jennifer Steward has created more than her fair share of unit studies! Now compiling years of experience and practical know-how into one book, she offers inforamtion, tips, ideas and insights that she's learned throughout the years. Whether you're looking for a roadmap or some new and fun ideas to try, you'll enjoy her conversational tone, intriguing quotes and easy-to-follow explanations of what exactly a unit study is, and how it comes about. 197 pages, softcover.

Some children love to do preschool workbooks . My niece absolutely lived to complete page after page of worksheets when she was preschool age. These are available almost anywhere ~ even most grocery stores carry them. If your child loves to do workbooks, great! My suggestion is to take a break from them for the day BEFORE the child wants a break. Always leave them wanting more. I would never pressure a preschooler to "just finish this page and we'll be done." There is too much of a chance they will end up forming a bad opinion of learning opportunity they currently love.

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