Does anybody have a recommendation for a good preschool curriculum? My granddaughter is three, and it’s been a long time since we were in the market for home school materials. I do recall in the early years we used Abeka. Don’t know what’s the going thing these days.
Tnx,
SR
Any truly phonics-based reading curriculum would do. Sam Blumenfeld’s Alpha Phonics is one good example. There are others
You don’t need a curriculum for math at 3. Just teach counting and number recognition. When she is older just teach her all the math facts using flash cards until the answers are automatic responses. Then you can move to Saxon 5/4 and she’ll finish it doing most of the problems in her head in about six weeks. I’ve done it three times, and I got the idea from Art Robinson’s site - robinsoncurriculum.
You are probably looking for an pre-set instruction book filled with clear directions detailing precisely what to do for pre-schoolers, but I would suggest leaving the structured things behind at least through the pre-school years. I think the best preparation for pre-school years is for the child to learn to explore things she is curious about, learn how and where to find more information about a subject, learn how to follow instructions and learn how to stay on task to completion even if it is difficult.
For example, take her on nature walks naming the plants you know and if you find plants she in interested in, help her do rubbings, or make pictures by glueing leaves on paper, or take photographs of the plants and help her look them up in nature books at the library or on the internet when she gets home. If you enjoy bird, animal or bug watching, you both can do that too.
Cooking with young children is another way to teach them a number of skills such as arithmetic, measurement, fractions, patience. With a pre-schooler, I would stay away from anything that required the child to use the stove.
Playing games can be very instructional. Hopscotch, for example, is a very good game for math.
Five in a Row (http://fiarhq.com/fiveinarow.info/index.html) is excellent for children’s literature with related activities to do with your granddaughter. The Before Five in a Row program may be something you are looking to use. We used the Five in a Row program and we enjoyed it.
I have known many homeschoolers who have used Abeka and have found it very useful, but I personally prefer more hands on type instruction especially for younger children.
A couple of years ago, homeschoolers on FR gave their recommendations for educational books and other materials, and I compiled a list at the link below. (Scroll down past post #4 to a listing organized by subject and with links.)
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2346553/posts
IMO, much of the curriculum for those early years is just a money maker for the textbook companies.
At that age kids can absorb a tremendous amount of information about the real world around them without learning to formally learning to read, write, and figure.
As you read to her, she’ll learn to read. She’ll learn math as you discuss everyday situations. History will not make much sense until she’s got a better grasp of more abstract concepts of passage of time and politics and social issues. Kids at that age are very concrete learners and do well with science kind of things.
A book that deals with this is called *Better Late Than Early* by Drs. Moore and Moore, a couple of public school educators who became some of the foremost advocates of homeschooling before it really took off in this country.
I think Ruth Beechick’s book, Language and Thinking for Young Children, is an excellent resource. I agree that a hands-on, lifestyle of learning approach is the best way to work with preschoolers. Of course, there are some that actually like worksheets....
http://www.starfall.com is the BEST