Tips to Teach Preschool and Kindergarten at Home
1. Make sure your kids have the character that is needed.
If they struggle with following their morning routine of getting dressed, cleaning up their room, brushing their teeth, etc., without complaining or being reminded, they aren’t ready to begin formal academics.
Obedience is the first and foremost character trait to teach your kids before starting academics with them.
Another character trait they need is attentiveness. If you haven’t taught them to be attentive, be still, and listen, you aren’t going to be able to teach them anything.
If you want to enjoy homeschooling with your preschoolers and kindergartners, make sure that you have laid the foundation of character before you begin academics. Without that character, frustration is going to set in very quickly, and you are going to be discouraged. If that foundation isn’t laid, take the time to work on character issues. When they have the character they need, they will do much better academically.
God says our priorities should be pointing our kids to Him and His Word, training them in character, and THEN adding the knowledge, or academics.
II Peter 1:6 ….add to your faith, virtue (character), and to virtue, knowledge…..
2. Keep homeschooling simple.
How do you teach preschool at home? Beginning to teach your kids to read and do math is just a natural progression of your lifestyle of learning at home. You have taught them many things already, so don’t feel you have to get all stressed and spend hours on school now that they are in preschool or kindergarten.
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Keep lessons simple, and move as quickly or slowly as desired, according to your child’s level of readiness. Some children will be ready to write, some won’t. Some children will be ready to read, some won’t. Your child may not want to do anything other than play, and that’s okay. They learn through play!
A few ideas for keeping it simple:
- Read lots of books to them! Kids can learn so much from all the books you read to them. They can learn about science, geography, and people in other countries from the books you read to them. On top of that, it will build their vocabulary and give them a love for books.
- Don’t feel like you have to invest in a complete curriculum. A good phonics program will help your child learn to read in 3 to 6 months if they are ready. No need to drag it out through kindergarten and into first grade. (unless the child needs the time, or isn’t quite ready)
- If you want to do more, I suggest avoiding textbooks and workbooks and going with a fun kindergarten program like Five in a Row. My kids really enjoyed learning phonics with Explode the Code.
3. Make homeschooling preschool and kindergarten fun.
- Do puzzles, play games, build with blocks, etc.
- Do hands-on teaching activities throughout the day. For example, count the plates as you set the table. Talk to them about the color and shape of the plates.
- Learn about things your child is interested in. If they are curious about something, get books about it, and let those interests guide your studies.
You want to make the early learning years FUN, so they develop a LOVE for learning, so make it interesting and fun.
More Preschool & Kindergarten Tips
- Scripture Verses Your Preschooler Can Memorize
- 5 Tips for Enjoying & Surviving Life With Little Ones
- 9 Tips for Character Training in Preschoolers
- 15 Homeschool Activities for 4 Year Olds
