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Toddler and Preschooler Homeschool Program

FAMILY· Kids· Posts

So, in my quest to figure out what the heck it is I am doing with the rest of my life, I have been trying to do a better job implementing a ‘homeschool’ curriculum for Lydia. She just turned 3, so she would qualify for a PreK type program if I had the money to enroll her in one; so instead, mommy is her teacher 🙂 I do have a doctorate in education…right?!

This is just a brief overview of what I started doing a while back, but I’ve added to it recently.

Monthly Themes: Each month, I choose a different theme. Some are timely, based on the holidays/events during that particular month, and some are random.

  • Food
  • Farm
  • Dinosaurs
  • Outer space
  • Spring/Nature
  • Winter/Holidays
  • Fall/Halloween
  • Love/Family
  • Our Bodies
  • Ocean
  • Transportation/Travel
  • Bugs & Creepy Crawlies
  • Wild Animals
  • Community Helpers
Within each theme, I do the following: 
  • Create art projects to design a themed bulletin board
  • Choose related books to fill our library
  • Set up exploration bins with small toys/sensory items
  • Set out theme-based, age-appropriate toys
 
Within our classroom, we always have:
  • Puzzles (e.g. wooden knob puzzles, floor puzzles, simple jigsaw puzzles)
  • Cause-effect toys (e.g. toys with buttons to press, balls to hit/drop, levers to push down)
  • Developmental toys (e.g. shape sorters, ring stackers, Mr. Potato Head)
  • Imaginative play toys (e.g. play food, Little People, small animals, farm)
  • Simple turn-taking games
  • Instruments
  • Building blocks (plastic and wooden)
  • Smaller manipulatives (e.g. pegs, wooden stringing beads, magnetic letters)
 
Classroom Furniture includes:
  • Table with 2 chairs
  • Lots of shelves, with toys organized in storage bins
  • 2 Area rugs
  • Bean bag chair
  • Small rocker
  • An easel
 
Incorporate Life Skills:
  • Toilet-training
  • Cooking/food preparation
  • Gardening
  • Outdoor play/exploration
  • Shopping
  • Socializing with peers
  • Movement activities
  • Computer/technology usage (we have the best ISP provider, which gives us a fast internet connection; you can visit Eatel here)
 
Curriculum Idea:
One prepackaged curriculum that I do recommend beginning when your child show an interest in writing is the Handwriting Without Tears PreK Curriculum. So much fun! It works on various skills, like bodily awareness, coloring, letter formation, and directionality. There are several components, but you don’t need to buy them all to begin.
 
Here are links to a few related posts:

Toddler Learning Environment

Structured vs. Unstructured Play

Fine Motor Activities

I hope this was helpful! Please feel free to ask me any and all questions. I really enjoyed writing this all out and organizing my ideas to share with my readers.

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