DH wants me to do some PreK with dd next year

[GaHadley]

I'll have a 1st grader, a PreKer, and a baby (due at the end of Feb.)

 

any recommendations on something simple, fun, and educational for PreK? I'm not sure what direction I even want to go as far as structure of the learning.

 

Thanks for any ideas or thought-provoking questions :)

[kmacnchs]

look at the 1+1+1=1 blog (tools for tots) for some great ideas!

[MissKNG]

I started my dd with Carol's Affordable Curriculum. Very gentle and super easy!

 

http://www.carolscurriculum.com/

 

I bought the 2-5 year old Son Shine curriculum. It comes with everything you need minus scissors, glue and crayons. All the supplies for the crafts are included.

[MamaReads]

This is my favorite site for preschool resources. It it a laid back approach backed up with lots of information for parents:

 

http://www.besthomeschooling.org/index.html

 

I've also used peak with books quite successfully

 

http://www.movingbeyondthepage.com/curriculumPreschool.asp

 

That with letter sound recognition & math games is plenty. Plus don't forget that your youngers will be around the table with your 1st grader. My 3 year old chimes in with answers to the questions I ask my 6 year old all the time!

[Dinsfamily]

I LOVE Sonlight's P3/4 for PreK. You can even add some extra math and reading readiness if you want. I haven't felt the need for any of that with an older brother around for him to learn from. The story selections include a lot of variety and are perfect for the age.

[Tracy]

I'll have a 1st grader, a PreKer, and a baby (due at the end of Feb.) Any recommendations on something simple, fun, and educational for PreK? I'm not sure what direction I even want to go as far as structure of the learning.:)

 

I highly recommend the Five in a Row series (4-8yos). You didn't say what age your PreKer is, so Before Five in a Row (2-4yos) might be more suitable.

 

My dd loves this curriculum so much, she is already asking to do it again next year. It is very flexible and can be as simple or advanced and complex as you want it to be. The lessons can very short or a lengthy hands-on activity, depending on your needs and circumstances. It doesn't feel structured, at all, yet every week, we are hitting on social studies, language arts, art, math and science. Every day, we just put the little one to bed and cuddle up on the couch with a book and use it to learn something different everyday. Some days, we end up looking up things on the computer, engaged in dramatizing the story, or drawing and coloring at the table. Other days, it is just a short discussion, and we are done. You can see more of my review on my blog.

 

We jumped right into FIAR, but if I had known what a hit it would be, I would have started with Before FIAR so I would have two years of material.

[duckens]

Congratulations on the new baby.

 

With a new baby, I recommend the Carol's Affordable Curriculum advised earlier. I am using it as part of our day with dd and C3. Everything but glue, tape, crayons, and markers, arrives in the box once a month. All googly eyes, feathers, cereal pieces, etc, are in the box with an activity for each school day of the month. Some are just coloring pages, but others required cutting and gluing. We often suppliment with a lot of glitter in our house. Over the course of a school year, the letters, numbers, shapes, and colors are covered. Everything is in the box, and it is all self-contained. No muss, no fuss.

 

I also recommend "Letter of the Week." I did this last year with dd and C3, and, with a few other additions to the curriculum, both are well on the road to reading this year. Just know that LOTW is a little more effort than CAC, and with a new baby...........

 

http://www.letteroftheweek.com/preschool_age_3.html

 

If your daughter is already a wiz at the alphabet, explore the Letter of the Week website for the Sound of the Week outline.

[2_girls_mommy]

For preK we did Letter of the Week, and began the Rod and Staff ABC preschool/kindergarten workbooks. We would do the LOTW activities the first few days of the week, then towards the end of the week, she would do a page or two in the R&S.

[christielee7278]

ETC primers and letter of the week (I borrow ideas from here and here.).

[Mandy in TN]

If I had it to do over again, I would again use B4FIAR and Letter of the Week.

http://www.letteroftheweek.com/index.html

 

To throw into a school-time only play box, I would purchase the 3-4yo preschool products from My Father's World.

http://www.mfwbooks.com/preschool.htm

 

I would also toss wedgits and magnetic foam pattern blocks with a magnet board into that box.

 

OTOH- I already own all this stuff, so easy for me to say. If I owned nothing Carol's Affordable Curriculum does look easy!

 

HTH-

Mandy

[AngelBee]

Technically for K, but I really like http://www.lessonpathways.com

 

Also my little ones LOVE http://www.brainpopjr.com