I have mentioned before that I’m really not a big fan of doing preschool curriculums. I think for the vast majority of preschoolers, having to sit down every day and write, and attempt reading, and doing math is just too much. I’m not saying they can’t do it. . .but I think they get farther by being allowed to play and explore.
However, I have two school aged children and three preschoolers. You can be sure that there are times when I either need to occupy my preschoolers or they really want to take part in what we‘re doing. I have found compromise in my “preschool should be fun” learning approach and their demand to do “big kids work” in helping my four year old create a notebook based on the alphabet.
What You’ll Need to Start
A Notebook. . .I highly recommend buying a flexible notebook and some additional dividers. The notebook I’m referring to is like a three ring binder but it has a flexible binding so that it can grow much bigger.
Dividers. . .You’ll need enough dividers for each letter of the alphabet. You’ll eventually take the dividers out of the finished project but before the project is finished it will help keep things neat. (Or you can actually have your child glue the letters onto the dividers and keep them in.
Scrapbooking Supplies. . .I don’t scrapbook so I really don’t have a lot of supplies. However, fun papers and maybe a few edging scissors and some stickers work nicely. Remember though, that this is your child’s project. I wouldn’t buy any scrap booking items that your child can’t use easily.
To Begin. . .
I got alphabet coloring pages from Everything Preschool. Perhaps your child can sit in one sitting and just color 26 pages of the alphabet but mine cannot. This is why I suggested dividers. Also, if you set up dividers you can begin to put things in other sections before your child technically gets to that letter and still keep the project organized.
Meghan colors one page per day generally speaking and while she’s coloring we talk about the name of the letter, the sound it makes, and things that start with the sound. Throughout the week I try to think of things that go with one of her letters. For example, the week she colored ‘b’, I took pictures of us baking brownies and included the brownie recipe into her book. You can also incorporate science and social studies.
Some Tips:
Don’t feel like you have to go in order. Meghan has A, B, C, D, M, and T done. ‘M’ was done when she wanted to learn how to spell her name and T was done this week when we made a ‘Thankful Tree’. We will probably do ‘P’ very soon for pumpkins and pilgrims.
Put stickers to good use. For each letter that we have done, we have a sticker page that has stickers of things that start with that letter.
Remember that it’s your child’s project. It does not have to look perfect. They will learn far more from doing their own work. It won’t look as pretty as if you did it. . .but it will be more valuable to them.