rose Posted July 22, 2015 Share Posted July 22, 2015 I'm wondering if anyone has suggestions for good preschooler worksheets that would take more than 2 minutes to complete. It seems to not end up being worth my time to sift through 20 crummy ones to find one good one when I'm really just trying to buy time for schooling my big kids. Are there free printable books of worksheets that could save time in printing? Other ideas? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lang Syne Boardie Posted July 22, 2015 Share Posted July 22, 2015 I'm wondering if anyone has suggestions for good preschooler worksheets that would take more than 2 minutes to complete. It seems to not end up being worth my time to sift through 20 crummy ones to find one good one when I'm really just trying to buy time for schooling my big kids. Are there free printable books of worksheets that could save time in printing? Other ideas? I'm sorry, I don't think there is any such thing. Two minutes is about the right amount of time for an academic preschool activity, for one thing. :) I'm afraid you'll stay frustrated if you keep looking for time-consuming worksheets at this stage. Not that there aren't good preschool materials, like the readiness books from Sonlight, MP's letters, colors, and numbers, Kumon -- but those are to be done with you, as you know, so they don't help to occupy preschoolers while you do something else. Open-ended toys and activities will probably buy you some more time. Blank paper, or writing surfaces, of various kinds (construction paper, newsprint, lined paper, patterned paper, cardboard; chalkboard, white board, magnadoodle) Writing implements of various kinds (chubby crayons, regular crayons, markers, chalk) Easel, board, newsprint, and preschool-friendly cups of paint (with lids and thick brushes) Block play Toy houses, farm sets, train sets Water table, sand table -- some children will play literally for hours, bathing their dolls or digging tunnels for cars and trucks 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happypamama Posted July 22, 2015 Share Posted July 22, 2015 Tibbie is right; two minutes is about right for preschoolers, open ended toys get a ton of mileage at my house. Duplo/Lego, trains, blocks, the kitchen set, and the Imaginext Batman stuff are favorites. (But the best toys of all are his brothers; there is one 33 months older and one 25 months younger, so he's rarely bored or lonely.) However, my preschooler asks to do school like the big kids do. He wants actual papers to hold and to show Daddy at the end of the day. He does a lot of finger paint, water colors, crayons, etc., but sometimes he wants more. So I google "free printable preschool pack theme" (where theme can be dinosaurs, super heroes, fall, dogs, whatever), and lots of good stuff pops up. He gets little things he can sort and glue by size, cutting lines, stuff to trace, shadows to match, rows of things where he circles which one is different, etc. I generally pick ones he can do on his own if I tell him what to do (I'll tell him to sort them by size, and then I'll work with the next biggest brother, who sits next to the preschooler at the table, so I am right there. But I also spend some time doing the counting ones and helping him with the letter ones if he wants. If you're on Pinterest, PM me here, and I'll give you my Pinterest link, because I have plenty of preschool packs on my Pinterest boards. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Momto4inSoCal Posted July 22, 2015 Share Posted July 22, 2015 I am thinking I'll just order the rod and staff workbooks. They are so cheap its probably less to buy those than to print random worksheets. They are the two min and done type though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lori D. Posted July 22, 2015 Share Posted July 22, 2015 Love Tibbie's suggestions. Also check into lacing cards and the preschool activity bag ideas at Paula's Archives. How about Letter of the Week free printables and activities? You can get The Complete Book of Preschool (200 pages of full color worksheets, basically for shipping -- this older edition is $.01 + $3.99 shipping) -- that's about 2 cents/worksheet. ;) To see similar kinds of worksheet activities, here's the new edition that has the "look inside" feature. Scissor practice / activities? (here, here, and here are printable ones How about reusable stickers / sticker scenes? Pattern blocks and designs to recreate? (here's a site with printable patterns) Paint with water? (small bucket of water, and old, clean paint brush -- child goes outside and "paints" the fence, the side of the house, etc.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pegs Posted July 22, 2015 Share Posted July 22, 2015 Mazes and tracing activities? They can be engaging for tiny people who are into that stuff, and don't require a parent at elbow. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heidi Posted July 22, 2015 Share Posted July 22, 2015 Kumon maze books, I think there are 4. I don't allow them to write in them, they have to use their finger to go through the maze. That can last a while, and they use them over and over. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmasc Posted July 22, 2015 Share Posted July 22, 2015 The Do-a-Dot Markers with the Do-a-Dot 'coloring' sheets entertained my youngest when he was 3. They're fun, plus they can help with fine motor skills. I got them from Rainbow Resource. If the markers are well-liked, Confessions of a Homeschooler has printables that are letters for Do-a-Dot markers too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ms.Ivy Posted July 22, 2015 Share Posted July 22, 2015 I love Kumon workbooks and the Christian Liberty Press Preschool workbook. I think they're the most developmentally appropriate (as much as workbooks can be, anyway). My preschoolers LOVE doing "school" with the big kids. But the pages don't take long to do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted July 22, 2015 Share Posted July 22, 2015 There's a cute book of Cuisenaire rod based worksheets that we had that were "good." Coloring is good for kids this age for small motor skills, but if they only spend two minutes, then that's what they spend. I used to sit with my sons and make the worksheet together. I'd draw pictures and ask them to circle the ones with a certain sound or I'd start drawing an amount and ask them to finish so there were five or seven or whatever. Mostly I agree with all the above advice. Worksheets and preschoolers aren't a great match all the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilverMoon Posted July 22, 2015 Share Posted July 22, 2015 This is where I buy those chunky, colorful workbooks from Costco. They're usually around the $10 mark, which is well worth it for the ink, paper, and time it saves. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.