Preschool
The dynamics have changed. That sweet little one has become louder and a larger blur of motion. However, you can now converse in your native tongue, instead of primarily toddler-ese. Congratulations! You've reached the preschool years! Your little one is old enough to start a small amount of more formal learning, but still too young for truly formal education.
For preschool, my focus is on numbers and counting, colors, shapes, and patterns. I start to introduce the difference between letters and numbers, but I do not focus very much on letters at all for the instruction.
I don't recommend much seatwork for this age, unless they request it. Hands-on is really the best way for them to learn. Refrigerator magnets of the alphabet (and numbers!) are a treasure! Get at least 2 sets, 3 is preferable. We also have the animal magnets. This is great for first letter sound matching (Elephant starts with...). Here are a few links*:
For preschool, my focus is on numbers and counting, colors, shapes, and patterns. I start to introduce the difference between letters and numbers, but I do not focus very much on letters at all for the instruction.
I don't recommend much seatwork for this age, unless they request it. Hands-on is really the best way for them to learn. Refrigerator magnets of the alphabet (and numbers!) are a treasure! Get at least 2 sets, 3 is preferable. We also have the animal magnets. This is great for first letter sound matching (Elephant starts with...). Here are a few links*:
At this age, mine have started asking for "schoolwork" to do. They want to be a big kid! To fill this desire, I have found a few simple resources:
In the fall, check out those $1 bins at Target. These get renewed with school things sometime around the end of July to mid-August. You'll find a great selection of little workbooks for the alphabet, for numbers, math concepts, coloring, and other preschool age things. There are also workbooks for the older ones, too! =) We have loved these - simple and cost-effective.
At Walmart, you can find a Preschool Workbook by Mead. It's located near the school supplies, possibly on the bottom shelf. It's on Amazon (link below), too, but it's less expensive at Walmart. ;)
In the fall, check out those $1 bins at Target. These get renewed with school things sometime around the end of July to mid-August. You'll find a great selection of little workbooks for the alphabet, for numbers, math concepts, coloring, and other preschool age things. There are also workbooks for the older ones, too! =) We have loved these - simple and cost-effective.
At Walmart, you can find a Preschool Workbook by Mead. It's located near the school supplies, possibly on the bottom shelf. It's on Amazon (link below), too, but it's less expensive at Walmart. ;)
Quiet Book
My kids have adored their secondhand one. It contains a good number of varied activities that appeal to the toddlers up to school age!
My kids have adored their secondhand one. It contains a good number of varied activities that appeal to the toddlers up to school age!
Floor Puzzles
My oldest daughter has just discovered the joy of floor puzzles. My son can do them, but really has no interest, so ours had been accumulating dust for a while. Now they are out nearly every day, and sometimes multiple times a day!
These have fairly large pieces (up to 5-6 inches across), so they are easy for little ones to handle and to see the pictures on them. 24 pieces is a good starter size, with the finished size around 2' by 3'. We do have one 48 piece puzzle of roughly the same size. Some of these suggestions are 24, some are larger. There are SO very many options for the pictures! =)
My oldest daughter has just discovered the joy of floor puzzles. My son can do them, but really has no interest, so ours had been accumulating dust for a while. Now they are out nearly every day, and sometimes multiple times a day!
These have fairly large pieces (up to 5-6 inches across), so they are easy for little ones to handle and to see the pictures on them. 24 pieces is a good starter size, with the finished size around 2' by 3'. We do have one 48 piece puzzle of roughly the same size. Some of these suggestions are 24, some are larger. There are SO very many options for the pictures! =)
*many links on this site are affiliate links. This helps to support our family and homeschool (and this site) through a small amount of income, at no extra cost to you!