Since I will be starting homeschooling with preschool this year, I thought I ask what you favorite books or products are for this early age. I really want this year to be about fun and learning, but also to be about establishing some routines, observing my 4yo for learning styles, etc. He is really interested in learning to read, but doesn't even recognize all his letters yet. I would love to hear any suggestions, things you loved or hated, etc.
Hands down fav! http://www.starfall.com/ My son LOVED this when he was first learning to read. We used all the workbooks, back then they were still free for educators.
One thing I did with my younger ones that is "teacher made". You pick the letter you are going to work on. Then you make "John's B Book". Get on your computer and find all kinds of B pictures...boy, ball, bow, bear.... I find these in clip art and paste them in a Word "document". Print this out and have the child cut them out. Then get paper, cut it in half length-wise, fold them in the middle and glue them along the fold to make a book. Glue one picture on each page, writing what it is. I make the target letter big and in a different color. You can do the writing, have the child write or the child can trace, whatever is most appropriate. If the child's name starts with that letter, be sure to include his picture, as well as family members. Eventually, we do Word Family books...the "AN" family, with a fan, van, man, can, etc. The kids love "reading" them to everyone!
for preschool/preK I made my own-- Around the Room with the ABC's Each week had a letter theme. Everything we did for Art, it would be A- apple prints, B- Butterfly painting ( you fold the paper after putting paint on it and let them rub it, open it up and its a butterfly!) C- Crayon pictures... many different ideas on that one if you want them! I would incorperate play in my schooling, such as Legos or other fine motor skill building toys, bead stringing, ( the big wooden beads) Peg boards for counting ( again BIG pegs! small ones like to be swallowed! ) We made a special craft/work project with the letter of the week that was in the shape of the letter to teach it clearly. Find songs about the letter or make one up. have weather check, We actually did Circle time in our preschool years , the older kids joined in for fun and enjoyment! Look at Scholastics.com for more ideas for those ages!
Our favorites are Lauri products. Most of their puzzles are made of rubber - can't break and bendable. We love the lower-case letters one. All the letters are textured so that the kids can run fingers over them for a prewriting skill. If you want to make something similar, make letters out of sandpaper. It again gives the textured approach.
We used a phonics book called "Phonics Pathways". It is cheap and easy to use, I would do 10 minutes a day with my 4 year old (or one page). It taught her to read in just a couple months. I highly recommend it! My kids also love starfall.
I have decided to start the jolly phonics, with my 2.5 yr old as he is going to preschool for 2 yrs, (because it is all play based and my dd1 loved it there ) and this is the programme they use, so i am introducing a letter sound each week, how much he takes on board is anyones guess but at least he is not going in blind and i can continue it at home once he leaves to be home schooled
Math-U-See blocks. Even without the program they're a great resource and my son has made some connections with math using them.
Bob Books, and the library. Homemade play dough ( I will post the recipe in the morning when I'm at home) We made our own letter/number pages. Coloring. The Big Book of Preschool. I think that is about it, and lots of playing and reading aloud.
