I’ve made it no secret that I’m not a fan of formally schooling kids before age 6. I think our society has pushed the idea that kids need to be educated earlier with the Universal PK agenda, but I still maintain that providing good experiences to little ones is more important than providing the 3 R’s at an early age. This isn’t an academic blog so I’m not going to delve into that research here. However, I thought it might be helpful to talk about what preschool might look like in a homeschooling setting.
Turn Off the Television
I don’t believe the majority of homeschooling families let their kids sit in front of the television all day and to be honest, I actually don’t personally know any homeschooled kids out there who would want to do that. Television is numbing to the brain, but kids aren’t dumb and they know that experiences gained when they’re not in front of the television are much more fun. As my four year old says, with a few exceptions, “T.V. is for when you’re sick.”
Good Literature
Studies show that kids whose parents or care givers regularly read out loud to them, soar in reading comprehension when they are older. Exposure to ideas, advanced vocabulary, and simply the bonding time that reading out loud provides are essential to building early literacy skills. In fact, I would argue that before you ever pull out a flashcard or start teaching phonics, reading out loud should be a regular part of your day. Not sure what to start reading? You can start with Caldecott award winners or search for reading lists.
Conversations
I am the first to admit that it is exhausting to talk to a three year old all day. Yet in doing so, you’re teaching them. When you think they’re not listening or not getting it, rest assured they probably are. Our favorite “conversational” activity is cooking. . .but even just sitting on the floor and playing with your kids is effective learning.
Toys, Toys, Toys
I mention this only because I often hear the question, “What preschool curriculum do you recommend?” I recently saw one preschool curriculum, complete with workbooks, phonics and preschool math, sell for a price tag of $400.
If you’re going to spend money on preschool curriculum, I would advise getting good toys that make kids think and role play instead. You’ll get far more ‘learning’ for your ‘dollar’. Need a few suggestions? Set up a play area with toy household items. Or go for the Cranium super fort. (They’ll need adult help but the options are endless.)