Preschool curriculum ideas are an answer to prayer for busy homeschool moms teaching several ages at once. While preschoolers don't need a lot of traditional schooling in their day, having a few projects for them to do can keep them busy and learning.
Preschoolers Need Life Experiences
Most experienced homeschoolers do not concern themselves with a lot of preschool curriculum. The preference for this age is to spend lots of time reading good books aloud and allowing the child as many life experiences as possible. Going to the the library, museums, the zoo, and the police station may not seem like much, but these are the types of situations in which children two to five learn best.
If you feel the need to have some sort of curriculum, look for one that allows your child to be active and does not require sitting still and passively learning. This age is a great time to use the unit study approach, either by creating your own unit study or using a prepared plan like Five in a Row.
Choosing a Complete Curriculum
When you are reviewing the hundreds of possibilities it can be confusing to try to decide what to use. How can you tell which is going to work for your family and which is not?
- Does it fit your lifestyle?
- Does it fit your teaching style?
- Does it fit your child's learning style?
- Does it fit your budget?
No matter how great a program works for your best friend, if it isn't something you love you won't use it. Consider how much time you have to prepare for each lesson before you commit to a traditional curriculum.
Traditional Preschool Curriculum
If you are most comfortable using a traditional approach to preschool curriculum, you may want to consider one of the following publishers. These curriculums are very traditional and will work well if you are preparing your child to go to school at some point.
Themes
A great way to teach your preschooler, and have fun while doing it, is to create themes throughout the year. Here are some ideas for preschool themes:
- Winter
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- Snow
- Snowflake Bentley
- Winter Olympics
- Hibernation
- Holidays
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- Valentine's Day
- Easter
- Christmas
- Thanksgiving
- Sports
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- Football
- Basketball
- Animals
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- Habitats
- Diet
- Birds
- Horses
Of course there are many more themes you can use. Just keeping track of the weather on a daily basis is a wonderful teaching idea for preschoolers. Keep whatever you do as simple as possible, so you can keep up with it without stress.
Suggesting Read Aloud Books
Reading aloud to preschoolers is an important part of their development. Some recommended picture books are:
- Katy and the Big Snow
- Mike Mulligan and the Steam Shovel
- Peter Rabbit
- House at Pooh Corner
- Velveteen Rabbit
- A House for Hermit Crab
- Stellaluna
- Make Way for Ducklings
- Owl Moon
You can also get recommendations from your children's librarian or by doing a search on Google for read aloud picture books. Children who have books read to them on a regular basis tend to develop a love of reading and actually learn to read more easily than those who do not.
Internet Resources for Preschool Curriculum Ideas
There is so much available on the Internet that unless you want a specific curriculum like A Beka there is no need to purchase curriculum at all. Here are some of the websites where you can find curriculum ideas, themes, printables, lesson plans, and much more.
While you are looking at preschool curriculum ideas it is important to remember that play is an important part of a young child's development. You have the unique ability to guide his learning by choosing toys that are not only fun but educational as well. He will develop his tastes and ideas about learning based on what his experiences are. Allow lots of time for play and give your child a wide variety of toys to choose from. In this way he will develop a love of learning that will last a lifetime.
