Has anyone ever used the preschool Curriculum at http://www.mothergoosetime.com? It looks like it would be really great. Just curious to see what you thought of it.
I LOVE IT...except for the price!!! OUCH! If I wanted to do this program for my 3 year old for 5 months it would cost me at least $230!! IMO (and it really is JMO) I wouldn't waste the money on it when there are SO MANY other kinds of FREE sites out there, ESPECIALLY deticated to Preschool things!! It looks like they have "Language arts": Read to your Presschooler an then ask them questions about it as they go along/have them suggest an alternate ending and so on. Creative arts and Music: Create all different kinds of art relating to a theme, it can be as simple as a coloring page, or as complicated as buying canvas with brushes and paint! Use unconventional things to paint (string, spoon, car wheels), make molding clay (also doubles as math for fractions and science for a liquid to solid conversion). Science: Study a different animal every week/ learn about their habitat, make a shadow box (I made one in school about lady bugs and my ladybugs were red beads that I put black dots on w/ a permanent marker). Cook with them so they can experience steam, and so on. Math: IXL.com does, I think 20, free math problems per day. Our son uses this and learns SOOO much!! Social Studies:: Learn about your town history, visit some monuments, be a community leader and do things to help out the environment, plant a tree. Sign up for our Flat Stanley's Swap in the Homeschooling thread and have your child make one and send to another family to learn about a different place! There are so many options, that I wouldn't mess with buying one. Even if you think that your curriculum wouldn't be as good, I guarantee you that your child wil still learn and HAVE FUN! Their little sponges, and anything you do with them they will have fun with it!
Here are some free websites: www.starfall.com www.perpetualpreschool.com (232 Everyday themes for Preschoolers) http://www.thesmilingteacher.com/sight_words_kindergarten.htm (sight words for preschoolers) http://www.homeschoolshare.com/level1.php http://www.letteroftheweek.com/preschool_age_3.html (learning one letter/sound per week with other curriculum ideas to accompany) http://family.go.com/parenting/pkg-preschool/article-800421-kindergarten-readiness-checklist-t/ (A kindergarten Readiness CHecklist) http://www.aaastudy.com/kinder.htm#topic1 (SOme kindergarten Lessons, I use some of these for my DS for a tougher challenge when we both feel up to it) http://www.childcareland.com/free.html (random fun activities) http://www.eduref.org/Virtual/Lessons/Guide.shtml (you don't really need this, but I use it, and did use it when I was in college writing lesson plans. It gives details and really is helpful) http://www.funfonix.com/ (make your own Phonix worksheets)
I used it for 3 years and loved it. However, I was also teaching preschool to the children of 3 friends (in addition to my son). I split the cost between them and they got off with really cheap preschool, and I got off with free curriculum. It really worked out for us. I loved how each day had a craft and learning activity packaged and ready to use. It was worth it for the crafts so that I did not have to buy supplies and materials. Each month, the kids were so excited to take a peek through the box and see what interesting things we would be getting to use. It also comes with a CD every month (it didn't in the beginning) that had some great songs based on the theme of the month. However, if it were just my son, I do not think I would have been willing to pay that much per month.
