Buying a homeschool preschool curriculum? Check these 5 things...
Is it necessary to purchase a homeschool preschool curriculum (or kindergarten curriculum)?
Many parents that desire to begin homeschooling their children ask-
"What do I need to teach?
How do I teach it?
How will I fit it into an already busy schedule?"
A homeschool preschool curriculum will generally answer those questions but there are things to consider before purchasing one.
1. It is literature rich?
Does it provide good literature or links to good literature, to read to your child each week?
Including daily literature in your homeschool routine teaches children that books are for reading, that the black marks on the paper represent words and letters, that letters represent sounds, that print is read from left to right, and that there are many different ways that they can respond to literature.
2. Is it age appropriate?
Choose a homeschool preschool curriculum that understands how young children learn and that does not have a lot of formal, highly structured learning experiences. Young children need to learn by touching and experimenting with activities that are hands on and at their level of development.
3. Does it do the planning for you?
A major reason to go with a homeschool preschool curriculum is that it saves you time. Adding research and planning to a parent's already busy schedule can be unrealistic. A curriculum that helps you establish a routine, tells you what to teach in an easy well planned format will make for a more relaxed learning environment and give you more time to spend with your children.
4. Does it cover the learning outcomes preschool and kindergarten children need to accomplish?
A well planned homeschool preschool curriculum will give you the confidence that you are teaching the important academic concepts that your preschooler needs to learn. Although there are many opportunities to teach concepts in an everyday environment without using a curriculum, following a step by step curriculum makes sure you are not missing anything.
5. Is it fun and easy to follow?
Even teachers get overwhelmed and groan trying to plow through curriculums that have pages of complex instructions. A straight forward curriculum that gives you what you need each day is preferable. If you are less than enthusiastic about the curriculum, your children will be to.
Looking for an online preschool or kindergarten curriculum?
If you are working or working at home as well as home schooling your young children, you may want to supplement your hands on program with an online curriculum.
I recommend, ABCmouse.com, a subscription based site. One parent account allows 4 children to use it with their own separate logins for less than $10 a month.
ABC Mouse is geared towards preschooler and kindergarten age children, but older children like to help their younger siblings complete the curriculum.
The curriculum includes learning sounds, letters, colors, numbers and counting. The sections include reading, math, the world around us, art & colors, music, nursery rhymes, library, puzzles and games. Children can choose or parents can assign lessons for the children. The curriculum is broken into six levels. All text is spoken when moused over, so even children not able to read fluently can participate.
The Reading curriculum overview has sections on:
- learning spoken words
- recognizing sounds in words
- knowing letter names and sounds
- sight words, and
- understanding stories and books.
The Math curriculum has sections on:
- numbers and number sense
- shapes
- measurement
- patterns
Children earn tickets for the work they do and then use those tickets to buy things which teaches them about money. Try it out for yourself for free...
