Welcome, parents of preschoolers! Here you will find the list of some resources that those of us on the panel have used and enjoyed with our preschoolers. Please feel free to share these and ask any further questions you may have! Praying for you during this exciting and exhausting season in life.
Resources for the Preschool Years
Books / Curriculum/Media Resources
Reading – Sing, Spell, Read and Write; www.singspell.com
– Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons by Engelmann
Math – Abeka Arithmetic Workbooks; www.abeka.com
Character – Character First! Resources; http://www.characterfirst.com/aboutus/students-families/
Development – Slow and Stead, Get Me Ready by June Oberlander
Choosing Books – Honey for a Child’s Heart by Gladys Hunt
Curriculum – Before Five in a Row by Jane Claire Lambert; http://fiarhq.com/fiveinarow.info/index.html
Montessori – “Bringing Montessori Home” DVD – Rose Clancy; www.tacklemedia.com
Bible – The Bible in Pictures for Little Eyes by Kenneth N. Taylor
– Leading Little Ones to God by Marian M. Schoolhand
Websites
www.christainbook.com – homeschooling books and resources
http://www.rainbowresource.com/ – more homeschooling books and supplies than you can even imagine
www.education.com – Worksheets and activities searchable by grade level.
http://homeschoolshare.com/ – This site has numerous unit studies and lapbook resources, specifically ones related to Before Five in a Row and Five in a Row
http://www.starfall.com/ – Games for preschoolers to play. Especially at
the preschool age, I don’t let my kids sit and play on their own, but these
might be a fun addition to time you spend with your preschooler
http://www.homeschoolcreations.net – This is a website I find helpful for kids of all ages. A homeschool mom of 4 has shared all her printables and many plans and ideas from throughout her homeschooling time. She has focused a lot on the preschool years in particular.
Other
Local Public Library- Swan Library System – allows you to search for desired books through multiple library systems and have books delivered to your local library.
Museum Adventure Pass: from your library you can get free or reduced admission to various museums. This is for the Chicago area, but other states have similar programs.
A CD called Sounds like Fun from Discovery Toys (http://www.amazon.com/Sounds-Like-Fun-Discovery-Toys/dp/B0012NBP4E) is a great compilation of songs that cover early math, letter sounds, opposites, manners, nursery rhymes and even some Spanish sung to some classical guitar. Useful quiet time CD.
Games are an engaging way to incorporate learning fun at the preschool age and beyond — Zingo can develop basic word and sound recognition; Candyland for colors; Junior Monopoly for counting (and many other “junior” versions of favorite classics); Legos and Playmobile; other educational boardgames (great gifts for Grandparents to give if they are asking for ideas) like Sunken Treasure (http://www.amazon.com/Sunken-Treasure-Adventure%C3%83-Phonics-Beginning/dp/B00004TDTN)
Learn through work: sorting socks and other laundry is an effective early math exercise as is cooking and baking together (math and health lesson there); plant a garden; talk about money, checks, credit cards (never too young to learn healthy money habits)
A favorite pre-reading activity we have used: write large letters on pieces of paper spread around the room or with chalk on ground outside. Say a letter sound and have kids run (or hop or crawl) to the letter they just heard. Use capital or lower case or both depending on what they are learning.
Let kids “write” in salt or sand in a pie tin or plate, pudding (or whipped cream or shaving cream) in a sealed plastic bag is great messless finger painting or water and a paintbrush on the ground outside. Also make letters with playdough, pipe cleaners, sticks, fingers or their whole body.
Field trips – http://chicagolandhomeschoolnetwork.com/fieldtrips/
Recipe for Kool-aid Playdough (large batch)
5 cups flour
1 cup salt
4 pkgs kool-aid, any flavor
1/2 cup oil
3-4 cups boiling water (start with 3 and add more until kneadable)