How to Homeschool Preschool

As you look at your active three or four-year-old, you may be contemplating what step to take next. Should you put them in preschool? Try it out at home? The questions may be swirling through your mind making you wonder if you should homeschool preschool?

Homeschooling preschool is a great option for a lot of parents. And it just may be what you are looking for!

Homeschooling Preschool is great practice!

If you have thought about homeschooling but are not sure if it is for you, then preschool is a great place to start! Preschool is a lot of fun, and working with your child at this age will give you an idea into whether or not you could educate your child at home long term.

Teaching Preschool is easy!

The three and four-year-old range is the best age to teach (in my opinion). Lots of hands-on activities make up learning shapes, alphabet, and numbers. That and a lot of books (preschoolers LOVE books!).

Homeschooling Preschool gives you time!

Keeping your child home an extra year gives them time to mature, and time to spend in a home environment. I don’t think this could ever be a bad thing! It also gives them time to be potty trained (if they are not yet), and to become more independent.

Homeschooling Preschool does not have to be permanent.

I know a lot of families who have homeschooled preschool then sent their children to kindergarten. Homeschool does not have to be an all or nothing approach.

So, if you are thinking about homeschooling preschool keep these things in mind and do what you think will work best for you and your family! If you make the decision to homeschool preschool your next task will be to decide what to teach.

Preschool is such a fun age and is usually the age range where parents are trying out homeschooling. Preschool does NOT have to be complicated, and teaching this age is far from difficult.

The Basics

Homeschooling preschool starts with the basics. Preschoolers need to know their shapes, colors, numbers, and letters. You will also want to teach them things like how to wash their hands, get dressed, undressed, and how to put on their shoes.

How do you teach these things? By living life! Point out colors while you are at the store. Read books and notice letters and numbers. Shapes can be found everywhere and shape hunts in your own home are lots of fun!

Life skills like getting dressed can be done every day. Encourage your preschooler to try and put on or take off his socks. Get a book from the library that has zippers and buttons and practicing those fine motor skills. Slip-on shoes are a must have at this age because tying is not required. Teaching the basics to your preschooler can be done easily just by going about your normal routine.

Behavior

Preschoolers are at the age where they are independent. They want to do what they want when they want to do it. Yet, they are also inquisitive and eager to learn. You will want to teach your preschooler to be patient, wait in a line, and to sit for small periods of time.

While you are running errands, explain how a line works. We have to wait our turn, patiently, and quietly. Encourage your child to share while at homeschool group, or with his siblings. Check out books on sharing, and friendships from the library.

Make preschool part of your daily routine by having your child sit and color, read books or play games at the same time each day. This will get them into the routine of school, without actually “going” to school.

There is a lot of pressure to get children “ready” for kindergarten, but really if you play with your child, read books and have fun your child will have successfully “passed” preschool. And you will have successfully taught preschool!

Author Bio: Misty Bailey is the blogger behind Joy in the Journey and the podcaster behind Joyfully Homeschooling. Her goal in this online space is to encourage and inspire you on your homeschool journey by providing practical tips for real life homeschooling. Through real stories, real struggles, and real life, Misty encourages her blog readers and podcast listeners to embrace imperfection and strive for a more joyful homeschool.