Our Learning and Play Room
My Top Educational Toy Recommendations
Our Classical Education Homeschool Style
My Top Educational Toy Recommendations
Our Classical Education Homeschool Style
Sensory Exploration, Art, and Messy Play
Weekly Wrap-Up
Home school Preschool
- August 11, 2013- Fine Motor Skills and Forts!
- September 13, 2013- If Jesus Came to My House
- September 20- With Sensory Play
- October 6, 2013- Fall Break
Home school Preschool
- Spring Activity: Planting Beans
- Big Magnet Fun
- Chapter Books and Preschool
Field Trips
Hey! Just wanted to say you are an awesome mom! I cant wait to get more into homeschooling! I am really excited to find out if it is something I can do, and also if it is right for our family. I feel like it is but just am a little overwhelmed with information as I am researching it. It is really good to be able to read your blog and see what someone I know actually does on a daily basis. I look forward to following your journey! :) Oh and I was going to ask if you were going to use any certain curriculum? I am about to start researching free online christian preschool curriculum, like Easy Peasy and ABC Jesus Loves Me. I dont know much about them now but want to check them out.
ReplyDeleteLauren, this put the biggest smile in my heart! I am so happy to hear you are considering homeschool. If it is right for your family, you will know. Keep it in prayer. =)
DeleteIt is overwhelming- very, very overwhelming, all the information and curriculum choices.
I know Hayden is young, but I am not sure what she already knows? I did not use a curriculum when Lexie was younger. She learned her ABCs by playing with a set of foam bath letters. She learned her numbers the same way. We sing an ABC song that taught her the sounds of the letters. We didn't start memorizing memory verses and things until she was about 2.5 years old. I will take a video of her singing the ABC sounds song and post it for you. =) It is easy and fun.
We use Before Five in A Row from the time she was a little over 2, until now. The book itself isn't expensive, but collecting all the books on the reading list can be. We bought most of ours used off amazon, but I am telling you they are the best books to read together. They're classics. We also checked them out at the library. The Before Five in A Row curriculum book has activities and ideas that go along with each story- this includes Bible, science, math, literature, projects, etc that are gentle and fun for both parent and child, but it does require you put together the lessons (I think all preschool curricula do, though). Then there are wonderful websites that offer printable activities and ideas as well.
If Lexie didn't already know her letters, numbers, and sounds, I would probably not have used a curriculum for those things, but just taught them the way I did, through play. Right now, at 3 we use Before 5 in a row, Singapore Math, and a a free reading currculum from This Reading Mama.com http://thisreadingmama.com/free-reading-curriculum/
She has a great preschool curriculum called Reading the Alphabet. We are using Phonics by the Book right now. For science we do whatever we want. Whatever she is interested in learning about. We are about to explore pumpkins. =)
I looked at easy peasy and ABC Jesus Loves Me when we first began thinking about homeschool, and I just didn't feel like we needed a curriculum yet. But I think both are nice and look like they have everything needed. I have looked at every curriculum out there, haha. You will too.
Now, for when she is older, like kindergarten and up, I am not sure yet. I am leaning towards a classical education model, and we have a Classical Conversations community close by, so we may do that. I love the classical education style. Developentally, I think she will be ready for Kindergarten next year when she turns 4, but I really don't want to put her in Kindergarten that young! So I think we will do either Five in A Row or Sonlight for a year, and then start real kindergarten. I am just not sure yet.
I think once you figure out how your girls learn, it will be easier to decide on curricula, at least you can narrow it down. Lexie does not need manipulatives to learn, but I can tell you right now Max will- he is such a kinesthetic learner where as Lexie repeats things and memorizes things (and I am pretty sure she has a photographic memory) So my challenge with her will be keeping her interested. When we get ready to do real school, I want to have what I need, and be done- But I have looked and looked and there are few curricula that you can buy the whole package and it work for your family. Chances are you will like the phonics or language arts but not the math they offer, etc. So don't be afraid to piece it together from different companies.
(I wrote so much I had to leave two comments- sad, I know. Can you tell I LOVE homeschooling!)
DeleteRight now I think we will be using Singapore or Horizons Math, probably story of the World for history, not sure about science and language arts. If we join classical conversations, I think language arts and science are part of what they offer. You choose your math and history curricula I believe. Anyway, I have read great things about Life of Fred for Math (it's very hands on I think). If your kids love books, Sonlight just looks amazing. I would love to do Sonlight, but just don't know yet. If we choose not to do Classical Conversations, I will probably go with Sonlight.. Their book list is awesome (and we will probably read those books anyway because they're so great) and you can choose what you want to use for your different subjects offered through them. If there is anything you want to leave out and get elsewhere, you can.
You will also find that some curricula are hands on, some are dry and direct, some are cutesy and over the top, and some are just the right fit.
I suggest getting a binder and writing down notes of what you research on each curriculum, etc. Narrow it down- this will take time. Maybe years (in our case...) But you will get there. It is so overhwelming. Remember, that there is nothing right or wrong in terms of preschool curriculum (in my opinion), it is just going to be what works for you and your girls. =)
I am sorry this is so long! Aaah- if you have more questions, email me. I will try to get a post up of the different curricula we are considering, with their pros and cons!