Preschool Mom's!

[Mommee & Baba]

I'm in need of some guidance, direction, advice, and just some encouragement!

 

DS will be entering preschool this upcoming year. I know ALOT of what we lacked on when I started my dd's in preschool and I want to be sure to NOT do that again.

 

I'm torn on a couple things. First I know for SURE I can't just "wing it" and "enjoy and play"...my ds and MYSELF need something structured and scheduled.

 

I really am liking a boxed already prepared for you preschool curriculum that I'm being swarmed with. There are just too many. I was going to go with Carol's Affordable Curriculum, but read alot of reviews on blogs that it's very cheaply done and it's really an impressive or fullfilling curriculum. That was a shame! Then I found a couple others that I really liked but about died when I saw they would cost me $350 for the 9 months he'd be doing preschool! That's just crazy!!! This of course includes all the supplies for crafts, the lesson plans, and all the activity sheets, and teaching tools. STILL that's alot of money for preschool! :001_huh:

 

Then I started to look into the Letter of the Week brightly beaming curriculum and although I would have to print it out, file and organize it myself I was set on doing this. THEN I rediscovered Joyful Heart Learning for 3's curriculum and I like this one MORE than LOTW. I don't like the idea of preparing everything myself but I like the cost of $$, but not the cost of time! Where do I give here???

 

I have kumon write and wipe cards for the lower case letters, upper case letters, shapes, and numbers. I have build a word flash cards, first words flash cards, shape flash cards, alphabet flash cards, alphabet magnets, numbers magnets and flash cards. I even have leap frog dvd's and magnet systems by leapfrog. I have LOTS of hands on tools for his age that I purchased from Melissa and Doug. But just letting him play with this stuff isn't filling the niche he's needing and he's only doing totschool! He sits down and tries to read books and will even repeat words after me during our story time. I plan to move at his pace and honestly his pace is way too fast for what I expected. :confused:

 

Just preparing the Prep Curriculum from Brightly Beaming for my ds this year took me a span of on 3 SUNDAY's (6 hours at a time). I know this seems so minimal for education, but it was STRESSFUL! My dh nor the kids liked me being surrounded by papers, craft supplies, and the filing cabinet. And frankly I didn't like it much after a couple hours either! Even though I have all the crafting supplies in my drawers, printer paper, printer ink, sheet protectors, laminating machine, and binders for putting his curriculum together I'm really debating on buying and not preparing his preschool one. I'm more focused on a program that is CRAFTY heavy, teachers with lots of reading, learning letters, numbers, colors, shapes, and some themed fun. Plus I will even buy a program that LISTS the supplies needed and NOT include the supplies. I can do that much! I just need it laid out for me so I can go from there. This pulling stuff together and filling in the gaps that I had to do with the Brightly Beaming Prep curriculum is boggling. I had to add 3 times MORE crafts to her lessons to fit my ds.

 

WWYD? and Why?

 

Let me add....my ds LOVES crafts!!! And I love doing them with him too!! He's not a coloring kid. He loves to cut, glitter, paste, paint, and such things.

Edited January 26, 2012 by mamaofblessings

[ebrindam]

I am doing Before Five In a Row with DD (3 in April) now. There are a ton of free resources online for it. Next we plan to do Sonlight P3/4 and All About Reading Level pre-1 and Handwriting Without Tears: Get Set for School.

I do not want to be printing my curriculum...

[JKKJ04]

I can't really help you out much, I pieced things together and kinda fly by the seat of my pants. Wht has helped us is getting out of the house and being with other kids. I do try to play games, our reading/writing curriculum has cutting, coloring, gluing activities and games with it so that has helped make it more fun for her. I do incorporate the computer into the day for something else too. I try to at least do reading/writing and math regularly. I think you know you and your kiddo the best. Good luck choosing!

[Mommee & Baba]

I am doing Before Five In a Row with DD (3 in April) now. There are a ton of free resources online for it. Next we plan to do Sonlight P3/4 and All About Reading Level pre-1 and Handwriting Without Tears: Get Set for School.

I do not want to be printing my curriculum...

 

Me either! I think that's why I'm gearing AWAY from the amazingly neat free preschool online curriculum's. I'd rather pay to have it ALREADY printed! Even though I have the binders and laser printer. It's just alot of additional work PLUS filling in the gaps and getting the supplies together. I'd rather just gather supplies and own a printed copy of the curriculum.

 

BFIAR isn't my style at all. I've flipped through it at our local homeschool headquarters and was sadly dissappointed!

[Mommee & Baba]

I can't really help you out much, I pieced things together and kinda fly by the seat of my pants. Wht has helped us is getting out of the house and being with other kids. I do try to play games, our reading/writing curriculum has cutting, coloring, gluing activities and games with it so that has helped make it more fun for her. I do incorporate the computer into the day for something else too. I try to at least do reading/writing and math regularly. I think you know you and your kiddo the best. Good luck choosing!

 

I appreciate you stepping in to give me some support. I'm feeling so torn and defeated!

 

I want to save money, but I can't save time too. And reality is this...if I pay for my ds to have a nice $350 curriculum this means he doesn't get an ipad. I think him having an ipad for his preschool educational activities, car trips, and such things will be more beneficial in the LONG run than spending $350 on his preschool curriculum. :lol: PLUS he'll use the ipad for future grade levels and not just preschool!

 

GOSH I'm a wreck over here!

[beaners]

Is there a reason you can't just buy a bunch of little workbooks on letters and numbers and colors and shapes from Target for him to color on and cut and glue? You wouldn't need to print things, and it would be much cheaper than buying the same materials published as a curriculum. Just add in some storybooks and science books from the library.

[Mommee & Baba]

Is there a reason you can't just buy a bunch of little workbooks on letters and numbers and colors and shapes from Target for him to color on and cut and glue? You wouldn't need to print things, and it would be much cheaper than buying the same materials published as a curriculum. Just add in some storybooks and science books from the library.

 

I do own workbooks that he currently uses at the kitchen table when I'm washing dishes, folding laundry, or he's needing some mommy one-on-one time. So he already is doing those. Maybe just buy a BIG FAT preschool workbook?

 

I'm just TERRIBLE at the "just wing it" schooling. I failed MISERABLY with both my dd's!

[3peasinapod]

I am terrible with just winging preschool too. I have to schedule it all out with things for me to check off during the week. You could still get those little workbooks, figure out how much he can do in a week (making sure to not overschedule it), and plan it out. It shouldn't take too terribly long. SL's P3/4 schedule is loose with a little structure. The guide is only about 10-15 dollars, and it is organized into 3 trimesters, according to the difficulty of the books being read. Plus they have some fun activities to go with it that you don't have to think of yourself. They are very simple and easy to do.

 

Just some thoughts. :001_smile:

[misslissa]

Instead of focusing too much on sitting time, I would buy Carol Kranowitz's How to Raise an In-Sync Child and do those activities with some stuff from blogs like

www.icanteachmychild.com or http://www.modernparentsmessykids.com/.

[hmschooling]

I'm in need of some guidance, direction, advice, and just some encouragement!

 

DS will be entering preschool this upcoming year. I know ALOT of what we lacked on when I started my dd's in preschool and I want to be sure to NOT do that again.

 

I'm torn on a couple things. First I know for SURE I can't just "wing it" and "enjoy and play"...my ds and MYSELF need something structured and scheduled.

 

I really am liking a boxed already prepared for you preschool curriculum that I'm being swarmed with. There are just too many. I was going to go with Carol's Affordable Curriculum, but read alot of reviews on blogs that it's very cheaply done and it's really an impressive or fullfilling curriculum. That was a shame! Then I found a couple others that I really liked but about died when I saw they would cost me $350 for the 9 months he'd be doing preschool! That's just crazy!!! This of course includes all the supplies for crafts, the lesson plans, and all the activity sheets, and teaching tools. STILL that's alot of money for preschool! :001_huh:

 

Then I started to look into the Letter of the Week brightly beaming curriculum and although I would have to print it out, file and organize it myself I was set on doing this. THEN I rediscovered Joyful Heart Learning for 3's curriculum and I like this one MORE than LOTW. I don't like the idea of preparing everything myself but I like the cost of $$, but not the cost of time! Where do I give here???

 

I have kumon write and wipe cards for the lower case letters, upper case letters, shapes, and numbers. I have build a word flash cards, first words flash cards, shape flash cards, alphabet flash cards, alphabet magnets, numbers magnets and flash cards. I even have leap frog dvd's and magnet systems by leapfrog. I have LOTS of hands on tools for his age that I purchased from Melissa and Doug. But just letting him play with this stuff isn't filling the niche he's needing and he's only doing totschool! He sits down and tries to read books and will even repeat words after me during our story time. I plan to move at his pace and honestly his pace is way too fast for what I expected. :confused:

 

Just preparing the Prep Curriculum from Brightly Beaming for my ds this year took me a span of on 3 SUNDAY's (6 hours at a time). I know this seems so minimal for education, but it was STRESSFUL! My dh nor the kids liked me being surrounded by papers, craft supplies, and the filing cabinet. And frankly I didn't like it much after a couple hours either! Even though I have all the crafting supplies in my drawers, printer paper, printer ink, sheet protectors, laminating machine, and binders for putting his curriculum together I'm really debating on buying and not preparing his preschool one. I'm more focused on a program that is CRAFTY heavy, teachers with lots of reading, learning letters, numbers, colors, shapes, and some themed fun. Plus I will even buy a program that LISTS the supplies needed and NOT include the supplies. I can do that much! I just need it laid out for me so I can go from there. This pulling stuff together and filling in the gaps that I had to do with the Brightly Beaming Prep curriculum is boggling. I had to add 3 times MORE crafts to her lessons to fit my ds.

 

WWYD? and Why?

 

Let me add....my ds LOVES crafts!!! And I love doing them with him too!! He's not a coloring kid. He loves to cut, glitter, paste, paint, and such things.

 

Little Hands to Heaven and Teach Me Joy's Animal Play...both are loads of fun, give you that structure you desire and teach preschool/K-prep skills, are much less expensive than what you listed, and did I say FUN?! There are crafts and hands-on in both and it's just absolutely loads of fun and play that is meaningful and memorable! Also, they are both little to no prep and I was able to use both together and take more than a year to do it...then TMJ's Fruit for Tender Hearts is a great program to follow up with followed by HOD's level after LHTH called Little Hearts. I also love to add WCV for all my kids, from the 2yo and up! Hmmm...what else does my preschooler enjoy....Pick and Draw Cards (great for creative fun, fine motor skills, building creative planning and much more) and Developing the Early Learner which might be a little old for your child? Maybe....I got mine from Rainbow Resource.

Edited January 26, 2012 by hmschooling

[SorrelZG]

Out of curiosity, what was it you failed to provide for your older children when they were preschool age that has been detrimental to them?

[extrafor6]

I like Developing the Early Learner and Sonlight P3/4 (but we love reading aloud, so if you don't have time...). Also, have you ever seen Raising Rockstars on 1+1+1=1's blog?

http://www.1plus1plus1equals1.com/RaisingRockStarsPreschool.html

I love her ideas!!!

Or what about What Your Preschooler Needs to Know from the core knowledge series?

I also like to go on Amazon and search Preschool resources. Let me know what you come up with. I think these next couple of years I'm going to have to do a more formal preschool with my youngest :)

[serendipitous journey]

Out of curiosity, what was it you failed to provide for your older children when they were preschool age that has been detrimental to them?

 

I am wondering, too, what you have noticed missing with your older ones ..

[Mommee & Baba]

Out of curiosity, what was it you failed to provide for your older children when they were preschool age that has been detrimental to them?

 

Reading big time! As well as basic math skills!

[Aspasia]

Reading big time! As well as basic math skills!

 

I was curious about this as well. If it's just reading and math you're worried about, I would just get workbooks for those subjects and keep doing what you're doing for other things. I wouldn't stress over (or pay for) crafts and craft supplies if your real concern is reading and math, you know? And honestly, if we're just talking about getting it done, I really think Letter Factory plus workbooks would do it all. If you want to make it more fun/interesting, that's where the other stuff comes in. For my dd, we really like file folder games. She loves to play them over and over, which means she is always reinforcing skills. You can buy them all ready to play or you can print out free ones online and prepare them yourself, whichever you feel up to. we also love pattern blocks and things like that (which it sounds like you have a lot of).

[imagine.more]

Me either! I think that's why I'm gearing AWAY from the amazingly neat free preschool online curriculum's. I'd rather pay to have it ALREADY printed! Even though I have the binders and laser printer. It's just alot of additional work PLUS filling in the gaps and getting the supplies together. I'd rather just gather supplies and own a printed copy of the curriculum.

 

 

 

:iagree: We're ordering Handwriting Without Tears, Miquon Math, finishing up OPGTR, and then we'll do a new unit study every couple of weeks with some printables but most of our stuff will be pre-printed and ready to go. Another thing I realized with printing out these great online curriculums, is we end up spending a ton on ink, paper, and everything. not to mention the time involved, and that even with laminating a lot of things aren't going to last through more than 1-2 kids. Right now I'm thinking it's better to order the curriculums per subject that I like.

[Mommee & Baba]

I was curious about this as well. If it's just reading and math you're worried about, I would just get workbooks for those subjects and keep doing what you're doing for other things. I wouldn't stress over (or pay for) crafts and craft supplies if your real concern is reading and math, you know? And honestly, if we're just talking about getting it done, I really think Letter Factory plus workbooks would do it all. If you want to make it more fun/interesting, that's where the other stuff comes in. For my dd, we really like file folder games. She loves to play them over and over, which means she is always reinforcing skills. You can buy them all ready to play or you can print out free ones online and prepare them yourself, whichever you feel up to. we also love pattern blocks and things like that (which it sounds like you have a lot of).

 

This is why I'm coming to The Hive. This place is where our homeschooling journey lifted off in such an amazing way!! When I began homeschooling my dd I was so CLUELESS and didn't even get the books on WHAT my child should know. I was just so out of my realm! BUT I finally got into the swing of this board when I was having to homeschool my 2nd child. I then caught back up on reading with my oldest by using Hooked on Phonics. This helped immensely! Then by her 2nd grade year she was doing the level she was suppose to do. I felt like I had finally accomplished the reading department. Then this year we go into 3rd grade reading and she's struggling again! But I finally just went with reading eggs and dropped hooked on phonics and within 3 months she was UP TO her reading level again, whereas at the beginning of the year she had regressed back to mid 2nd grade level. I think alot of this was because I didn't ENCOURAGE extra reading and would fill in any gaps she struggled with. NOW I require her to sound them out 1-2 times BEFORE helping. This has helped. I think it's more of a parental expectation than a program issue. I need to enforce more reading from my kids.

 

My 2nd dd I tossed in Leapfrog letter factory and word factory and her reading improved 100%!! Plus I started her with AAS1 and wow I was floored. She didn't like OPGTR, 100ez lessons, The Reading Lesson, Hooked on Phonics, or BoB books. She however LOVED the SAM books and Reading Eggs.

 

I'm just afraid that I will lack in the reading department again with ds if I don't get a handle on the BASICS early on. So I want to start preschool with good reading and math skills in a FUN way...that's why I mention crafts so much because he is fully engaged when we bring out craft anything.

 

We own ENOUGH things to do preschool here at home because I've learned from what I failed to do with my dd's. We own workbooks, educational learning toys, flash cards, write and wipe flash cards for all the letters, numbers, and shapes. We have pattern blocks in 3 different forms, we have links, we have blocks in 4 different forms, we have MORE than we need as far as tools! I think it'll be fine, I'm just having that ugly monster in the back of my mind telling me to not forget this and not to forget that. I'm just freaking myself out.

 

:iagree: We're ordering Handwriting Without Tears, Miquon Math, finishing up OPGTR, and then we'll do a new unit study every couple of weeks with some printables but most of our stuff will be pre-printed and ready to go. Another thing I realized with printing out these great online curriculums, is we end up spending a ton on ink, paper, and everything. not to mention the time involved, and that even with laminating a lot of things aren't going to last through more than 1-2 kids. Right now I'm thinking it's better to order the curriculums per subject that I like.

 

I'm getting the Prek HWOT book. My second dd got to start with this book and LOVED it! This is what my oldest dd didn't get and struggled with writing until we used this program. I tried all the free printable papers and although they were nice it didn't engage her like HWOT did.

 

You are RIGHT about the printable programs. I really don't need to print and laminate alot of things. I think I need to pick up the book "What your preschooler needs to know"...and use that as my guide and STOP freaking out!

 

As far as the curriculums we like, we OWN them! So I don't need to buy them.

 

THANK you guys so much for letting me know that I need to take a :chillpill:!!! Just writing this reply has made me realize that it wasn't so much WHAT I was using, but that I didn't even have a CLUE on how to teach to MY children in the way they would learn. I had NO idea the learning style of them and I had NO idea of my teaching style. Atleast now with my ds I can look for signs in the way I'm teaching to better know whether to adjust something. Starting out it's just like a big ocean and it's so EASY to get lost!! THANK goodness The Hive was my school of fish who brought me into school and is just like my neighborhood when I need a cup of sugar!

Edited January 28, 2012 by mamaofblessings

[teeniebeenie6]

Have you checked out starfall.com? It teaches letters, sounds and reading free. My kids have all loved it. My now four year old knew her letters and sounds at two. I was teaching her older sister and she would toddle over and join in and just picked it up.

[Mommee & Baba]

Have you checked out starfall.com? It teaches letters, sounds and reading free. My kids have all loved it. My now four year old knew her letters and sounds at two. I was teaching her older sister and she would toddle over and join in and just picked it up.

 

Yes ds loves starfall too! He also has done 2 lessons on reading eggs. He knows a fair amount of his letter sounds already thanks to Leapfrog Letter Factory.

 

I realize I'm freaking out & stressing out & need to just keep doing what were doing already.

[serendipitous journey]

Reading big time! As well as basic math skills!

 

Well, that makes sense!

 

You've gotten so many good suggestions here. You may want to pick a "spine" or two and work along those as a way to feel organized & relaxed. For example, working along the starfall website is great reading prep. We ourselves used the Phonics Pathways book, but I think you are doing more on the computer than we did and might prefer starfall.

 

For math, several options come to mind that would move you gently and fairly systematically through the important concepts. If you and/or your little ones love books you can use the lists at livingmath.org to read your way through early math. You could also move through the progression of Kumon workbooks (or other workbook programs) if you like workbooks. A nice manipulative-based approach would be to use the Cuisenaire rods: this thread has some resources for preschool math using the rods and Timberdoodle sells an inexpensive set with an activity book. If you prefer structured programs, when the children are ready -- maybe four years old, or three if they just love math -- you could start with the Miquon Math orange book, MEP math year R (for "reception"; MEP has the advantage of being both excellent and free), or MathUSee I suppose. Button just loved math so we started MathUSee Primer when he was three but I don't think it is the easiest early math option nor necessarily the best. Finally, there are many many online number learning videos and sites, of course, and I'm sure if you posted for information about them you'd get a lot of help.

 

Remember to have as much fun with the little ones as you can!

 

ETA: I should have asked what problems were caused by the older children not having done reading & math activities. Because my suggestions are fine for most little ones, I think, but certainly not necessary.

 

For instance, was the transition to a WTM-style first grade difficult? If so, might you consider following just the WTM suggestions for preschool (singing the alphabet song, counting, and so on) and kindergarten (some phonics, I think, and maybe some very simple math, for just a few minutes each day) along with the book Slow and Steady Get Me Ready? Also I can imagine that a first grader might not be ready for the 30-odd minutes of "free reading" suggested in WTM: there's no need to set them down for independent reading until they are older, if they cannot read yet or if they just don't like sitting and reading.

Edited January 28, 2012 by serendipitous journey

[PRTGSw2K]

My 3 yo has been begging to do school. I've been resisting, but she keeps insisting. I finally just bought ETC book A and SM Essentials K (book1). I think she's too young, but we started using them, and she's actually doing really well. So I just plan to use that for now. Eventually, I'll add in Phonics Pathways. Those, lots of reading, and crafts are my basic plans for the next 1-2 years for her. And only when she asks.

[Mommee & Baba]

Well, that makes sense!

 

You've gotten so many good suggestions here. You may want to pick a "spine" or two and work along those as a way to feel organized & relaxed. For example, working along the starfall website is great reading prep. We ourselves used the Phonics Pathways book, but I think you are doing more on the computer than we did and might prefer starfall.

 

For math, several options come to mind that would move you gently and fairly systematically through the important concepts. If you and/or your little ones love books you can use the lists at livingmath.org to read your way through early math. You could also move through the progression of Kumon workbooks (or other workbook programs) if you like workbooks. A nice manipulative-based approach would be to use the Cuisenaire rods: this thread has some resources for preschool math using the rods and Timberdoodle sells an inexpensive set with an activity book. If you prefer structured programs, when the children are ready -- maybe four years old, or three if they just love math -- you could start with the Miquon Math orange book, MEP math year R (for "reception"; MEP has the advantage of being both excellent and free), or MathUSee I suppose. Button just loved math so we started MathUSee Primer when he was three but I don't think it is the easiest early math option nor necessarily the best. Finally, there are many many online number learning videos and sites, of course, and I'm sure if you posted for information about them you'd get a lot of help.

 

Remember to have as much fun with the little ones as you can!

 

ETA: I should have asked what problems were caused by the older children not having done reading & math activities. Because my suggestions are fine for most little ones, I think, but certainly not necessary.

 

For instance, was the transition to a WTM-style first grade difficult? If so, might you consider following just the WTM suggestions for preschool (singing the alphabet song, counting, and so on) and kindergarten (some phonics, I think, and maybe some very simple math, for just a few minutes each day) along with the book Slow and Steady Get Me Ready? Also I can imagine that a first grader might not be ready for the 30-odd minutes of "free reading" suggested in WTM: there's no need to set them down for independent reading until they are older, if they cannot read yet or if they just don't like sitting and reading.

 

Thanks for the link to the rods!! My ds will love those. He plays with the rods by themselves during the older kids school time. He also enjoys pattern blocks with the cards that came with them! He also loves some I found printable online that I laminated.

 

We have used MEP in the past and LOVED it. We'll be using MEP for pre-k & kindergarten then move into MM :)

 

I'm also going to get him the prek HWOT book.

 

I think I've finally felt a little bit more at peace with what's going to be set for him next year. I would like to get some "preschool activity bags" made up and put into his drawer so when he's feeling the need to do some more school than I had planned he can just go pick one out.

 

As for what caused my dc to struggle in the beginning was me. I didn't pick good curriculums (good in the terms of what was GOOD for us), I used mostly freebies the first couple years of my homeschooling journey and I didn't go by any guide. I regret NOT picking up a simple guideline book. So I want to get one for this last go around. I own them for my other children so it makes sense to get them for him. I guess I'm kind of reliving what I did in the beginning since this is my last dc to homeschool and I'm NOT wanting to screw it up.

 

My dd's struggled with Math and Reading because I didn't encourage it as much as I should've. They are both wonderful at math now, my dd6.5 is even half a grade level ahead. My oldest loves multipication and fractions immensely! She's super excited to start division in the next couple of weeks. Reading wasn't something I really focused on with them because I didn't have a clue what I was doing! When we got our hands on hooked on phonics it was a world of difference. Looking back now I see that it wasn't so much the curriculums, it was how they were laid out. I didn't know THEN what I know NOW about myself. I need open and go and I need to be told what to say and do. I'm confident in what to use once he starts 1st grade. It's the preschool and kinder that I'm gonna feel insecure about because I know that's where I screwed up with my other children and had to make up for it.

[serendipitous journey]

My dd's struggled with Math and Reading because I didn't encourage it as much as I should've. They are both wonderful at math now, my dd6.5 is even half a grade level ahead. My oldest loves multipication and fractions immensely! She's super excited to start division in the next couple of weeks. Reading wasn't something I really focused on with them because I didn't have a clue what I was doing! When we got our hands on hooked on phonics it was a world of difference. Looking back now I see that it wasn't so much the curriculums, it was how they were laid out. I didn't know THEN what I know NOW about myself. I need open and go and I need to be told what to say and do. I'm confident in what to use once he starts 1st grade. It's the preschool and kinder that I'm gonna feel insecure about because I know that's where I screwed up with my other children and had to make up for it.

 

:) I'm so glad your little ones are excelling now! Congratulations on getting them going AND on having children who really enjoy what they're doing. I understand so much about liking open&go, those are my favorite programs right now, esp. with a toddler. -- and I only have _two_ children to manage!

 

PS: so glad to hear you liked MEP for pre- and K. I didn't find it until recently, and am thinking over whether or not to use it with Bot-bot when he's older ...

[birchbark]

Our preschool curriculum: 100 Easy Lessons, play with Cuisinaire rods, coloring, read-alouds, and lots of free play.

 

Next year we're using Wee Folk Art's program, which would also work well for preschool. There are regularly-scheduled crafts.

[Mommee & Baba]

:) I'm so glad your little ones are excelling now! Congratulations on getting them going AND on having children who really enjoy what they're doing. I understand so much about liking open&go, those are my favorite programs right now, esp. with a toddler. -- and I only have _two_ children to manage!

 

PS: so glad to hear you liked MEP for pre- and K. I didn't find it until recently, and am thinking over whether or not to use it with Bot-bot when he's older ...

 

Thank you!

 

We used MEP up until my oldest dd was part-way through 2nd grade, then we switched to MM. MEP is so solid and so mathy. We all LOVED it. The main reason I decided to switch was because I wanted something a BIT more independant and less books! MM has the instructions and lesson examples all on the same page as the student page. We love this!

 

Our preschool curriculum: 100 Easy Lessons, play with Cuisinaire rods, coloring, read-alouds, and lots of free play.

 

Next year we're using Wee Folk Art's program, which would also work well for preschool. There are regularly-scheduled crafts.

 

Def. going to use the cusinaire rods with ds. He's not a huge coloring kid. He's more into cutting and gluing :lol:. He enjoys story-time. We currently check out a new set of books every weekend together.

 

I really really LOVE the look and layout of the Wee Folk Art program! My other children will begin Harmony Fine Arts next year I believe so having something for him to do artsy will be enjoyable for all of us. We love hands on messy educational fun! :001_smile:

 

I was just getting lost into the whole "schedule" thing that is upcoming for my older children. I think some simple lesson outlines and some goals for ds and I to achieve together during his preschool year will be just fine. I will prepare somethings for him to go along with our goals.

 

I'm so thankful to you Hive ladies. Thank you all for your input! I really look forward to hear how your journey through preschool goes or continues, depending on where you are at in your homeschool adventure.