Hi all, I'm new to homeschooling and would love any tips or advice you may have. I've got two toddlers currently and I love all the Pre-K stuff i've read here. I also decided to start a blog as a resource for other homeschoolers of young children. If anyone would like to view the blog and give me ideas it would be appriciated! thanks emma
Hi Emma, welcome! You didn't say the ages of your little ones, but toddlers to me sounds like between 1-3 so I guess my suggestions are to have fun and get on the floor and play as much as you possibly can Which is what I bet you're doing anyway *wink* Take them places and show them things and get them interested in the world around them. My sons are 6,5 and 15 mo and we're just now getting 'serious' with the schooling. Most days it still just feels like playing but thats what I love about it. I suppose I've been homeschooling for 6 years now technically since I've always known I wanted to and started gathering info when mine were toddlers too. Also I would suggest getting all the legal info that pertains to your state and keeping up with any changes or proposed changes in your laws. You didn't list where you are, but I know there are many states with lots of steps you have to take and reporting and tests and stuff. Unless you're lucky enough to live in Texas with me (or a few other states with very relaxed hs laws), it helps to know what will be expected when dealing with the local school district. Anyway, sorry to ramble, nice to see you here, and enjoy those little ones of yours! Jennifer
We have been doing walks which just excite my 2 and 3 year olds. My oldest is like we have done this already, why are we doing it again. She's 7. I told her that school time isn't just about her, it includes her brother and sister now. One day we looked for acorns, pinecones, the helicopters (don't know the name). Next it was rocks. They collected a bag of rocks. now it's the leaves since they have started to change. It' a new thing for them and they LOVE being outside.
Hi Emma, Welcome! I always considered it homeschooling once they were school age. So I considered it being a mom until they hit school age (K or 1st), THEN it was homeschooling. Otherwise EVERYONE would be homeschoolers! :lol: So anyway, when I say we are starting our 10th year of homeschooling, I mean that from the time we started homeschooling my oldest in 2nd grade (he went to K and 1st grade at a local Christian School). We have been homeschooling ever since. My two younger ones have never been to school outside of our homeschool. I did a LOT of pre K stuff with my kids---a lot of hands-on learning, based on their interests and what I felt they could learn. It varied with every child, since they all had their unique personalities. I feel that's something to point out on your blog---that just because a certain thing worked for the oldest, doesn't mean it'll work for the next child! Be open to learning your childrens' learning styles, and making changes to suit that style, so they will really be learning in the best way for them! That's something a ps teacher, with 20 or 30 kids in a classroom, cannot possibly do! Pre K kids have a LOT of years to do school ahead of them! I know that some parents want their child to be a genius, or at least smarter than their neighbors and friends kids, so they push them to read early and do this or that at a very young age. By the time that child is 9 or 10, they are sick and tired of school because they've been pushed so much! Let the little ones do a lot of hands-on things and exploring on their own! Do fun things with them---their brains are still growing and absorbing new things---they're learning plenty just with that! Also, everything is connected in their brains yet, so certain coordination skills will take some time. As they get older you can add more things, and allow them to develop at their own rate. Just taking walks and talking about the plants and trees or finding bugs or frogs---those are GREAT pre K learning activities. Also, READ a LOT to them! They love it, and it helps them figure out how to put the English language together correctly! They love to talk, so let them tell stories, and you write them down, then have them illustrate it. You can put that together into a book the child was the author of! So to sum it up I guess I'd say: Let them be kids, allow them to be themselves, and make learning fun!
I have 2 toddlers, 1 1/2 and 2 1/2. We are starting preschool this year.. which for us means each day they will have their own school work while my oldest works. What will their work be??? Big Letters to color, numbers to color, listening to stories, coloring shape pictures, coloring animal pictures, get the idea.. coloring coloring coloring...lol. We also read alot (sometimes the same 10-20 word book 10-20 times a day). We got some sorting beads this for this year, and plan on getting some wipe off boards for them to play with. They see their big brother working, and they want to work too. Just from my dd (the 2 1/2yo) watching and listening to me count as I do simple things (washing dishes, folding clothes) she can count to 10 on her own. We also sing alot and try to listen to kids music on a regular basis. They also watch things like Sesame Street, Barney, Between the Lions and Reading Rainbow. They play with alot of imaginative toys.. kitchen set, little people, farm animals and dinosaurs. To a toddler, every aspect of life is a learning experience. I don't push, just keep the opportunity there. We had planned on following letteroftheweek, but decided to just use it as a very basic guide.
Actually, we have a thread going right now on tips. You should check it out. My big tip is Mommy Time! (Which is all the veterans on board's cue to tune me out, they've heard it PLENTY from me before, lol!) Seriously, while your kids are napping in the afternoon, take a half-hour to do NOTHING! No housework, no lesson planning. Have a cup of tea, read, do your Daily Quiet Time if you're a Christian. As your kids get older, phase the nap time into when they go to their room for a half-hour to look at books and later to silent reading time. My children are 13, 11, and 7, and all three spend a half-hour of silent reading on school days. They know they don't interrupt me during this time unless they can see flames shooting into their room, lol!
