A parent’s decision to homeschool is personal and often backed by evidence showing that homeschooled students excel at higher rates than students at, for example, public school. Homeschooling can begin earlier than kindergarten or first grade, though.
Do Children Need Preschool?
Studies that show children with working parents benefit from preschool because they learn concepts such as numbers, letters, and shapes. Preschool helps children become independent, as they pick up tasks like pouring and setting tables.
So where does that leave stay-at-home parents and homeschoolers?
Not So Different
Parents who choose to homeschool should not feel pressured to start shoving textbooks at their four-year-olds. Think of what goes on at a typical preschool: finger painting, singing, reading stories out loud, etc. These lessons can easily be incorporated at home. You may already have been utilizing them.
Balancing Learning and Play
Just like any preschool, it’s important that your toddler’s education be fun. It’s the best way they’ll learn.
ABC’s
Teaching your preschooler the alphabet isn’t restrained to a song. Try:
- Memory Games—Write letters of the alphabet behind index cards and flip them over. Ask your child to find certain letters.
- Exercise—For every letter, come up with a dance move or exercise. For example, your child can crouch like a cat for C.
Handwriting
The days of tracing over dotted letters are in the past. You can teach them handwriting and stimulate their senses with:
- Salt/Sand Trays—Have your child practice their letters in a tray of colored salt or sand.
- Gel Bags—Fill a bag with colored hair gel and place it over a letter tracing worksheet.
Numbers
Think beyond your fingers when it comes to teaching counting. Try:
- Hopscotch—Have your child hop to numbers using a hopscotch game.
- Dominos—Use dominos to teach your preschooler numbers and counting.
If you plan on homeschooling your child, giving them a head start is never a bad idea. Just remember to let them still stay kids.
