How to Prepare Your Child for School Without Preschool
Are you investigating educational options for your preschool-aged child? Are you feeling “sticker shock” at the cost of many preschool programs? Do you want to help your child develop his talents and the skills necessary to succeed in school and in life? Homeschooling your preschooler may be the answer that you have been searching for. Here are ten steps to get you started:
1) 1. Realize that you have been educating your child all along.
Parents are a child’s first teachers. Think back to all the things that your child has learned in the past three or four years. You have been right there with your child, helping and encouraging him to reach every milestone. Homeschooling your preschooler is merely a continuation of the process. You can do it! You have been educating your child all along.
2) 2. Discover how children learn.
It has been said that all you need to homeschool your child is love and a library card, but it is also helpful to have some understanding of how children, especially very young children, learn. At this age, exploration and play are the main tools by which children get to know the world. Respond to your child’s questions and follow where they lead.
Dedicate some time to learning about early childhood education. “How Children Learn” by John Holt is one classic. “Homeschooling: The Early Years” by Linda Dobson is another useful resource.
3) 3. Integrate learning into everyday life.
The world is a wonderful classroom. Math is learned by counting objects around you, measuring ingredients for a recipe, talking about what time it is, or finding today’s date on the calendar. Scientific exploration takes place in the great outdoors observing different plants and animals. During the winter, a kitchen or bathtub can be the site for experimentation. What types of items float? How are things put together? What happens when you cook different ingredients?
Letter magnets on the refrigerator are great for learning the alphabet and spelling simple words. Point out words on signs. Have your child practice writing her name on greeting cards. If you are taking a trip, plot out your route with your child in a road atlas. Look up places where relatives live on a map or globe. Just as you remember best those things that have some practical use in your life, so will your child.
4) 4. Read to your child
Reading to your child is one of the most important things you can do for your child’s education. Set aside some time every day to curl up with your child and read. As your child begins to recognize some words, he can help you read.
5) 5. Nurture your child’s creativity
Little children love to create and should be encouraged to do so. Crayons, markers, paints, clay, blocks, paper towel tubes, and just about anything else you can think of are all tools of the trade. This is no time to be critiquing your child’s artistic development. It is all about the process at this stage. Give them the raw materials and then get out of the way!
Music is another important component of education. Expose your child to a variety of recorded music. Dance with him to help him feel the rhythm. Sing silly songs as your child gets dressed or takes a bath. Use pans and kitchen utensils as musical instruments. Let your child know that music is part of life!
6) 6. Allow time for imagination
An imagination can only be developed in childhood. To do that, your child needs to have time to daydream. Every waking moment does not need to be filled with a documented educational activity. When your child is acting out a story, or talking to himself or his toys, he is involved in the very important world of make-believe.
7) 7. Take advantage of your local library
The library is an amazing resource. Where else can you go and discover whole new worlds for free? Take your children often so that they can help pick out their books. The library also has media resources such as DVDs and computer software that you may want to incorporate into your child’s education.
8) 8. Find one or two social outlets for your child
The biggest argument people will give you for not homeschooling is socialization. “How will your children learn to get along with others?” they will ask. Just being in a family teaches children how to cooperate and negotiate with others. However, it is important for your child to have some peer interaction. Taking your child to the park, signing up for your library’s story-time, or attending a playgroup are all ways of making sure your child knows how to play well with others.
9) 9. Keep a record of your child’s days
Keep track of what educational activities you do each “school” day. A list of books read, places gone, music listened to or performed, scientific explorations, and anything else that strikes you as important can be included. Also keep a folder of selected artwork, writings, etc. In the event anyone asks, you will be able to show him how much your child is learning. Perhaps more importantly, however, you will be amazed at just how much a child learns in a day.
10) 10. Enjoy your homeschooling journey
Homeschooling your preschooler is a wonderful opportunity to bond with your child and help them grow. While there will obviously be moments of frustration (just like parenting in general), it is amazing to watch your child’s eyes light up when they finally figure something out that they have been working on. It’s great to be there when your child recognizes her first written word, learns how to write his name, or can add 2 + 2! Whether you decide to send your child to kindergarten or continue to homeschool, you will have gotten your child off to a wonderful start and created memories that will last forever.
