What helped me was to realize that even playing is learning. We love the curricula from
www.hubbardscupboard.org that has age related activites and not just paper and reading etc but fun stuff like writing in pudding. Hands-on fun like matching socks things that the children naturally want to do like dressing themselves. More or less we encourage practical skills and life skills more I guess like montesorri, pouring, sifting, matching, sorting type things nothing heavy like school but just practical everyday movements and learning. I love to see my children removing the sticker from the sticker paper that is an accomplishment to a homeschooling mom, brushing teeth, brushing hair, dressing with different types of fasteners, fun stuff like hopping on one leg, skipping, things that developmentally they should be doing. Playing is also fun dressing teddy or undressing teddy. Rolling, pushing, pulling cars on the floor. Those things if you want to consider 'teaching' them we consider them just playing and being a kid. However, we intereact with the children, getting in the floor with them, instructing slightly and reinforcing proper handling of toys, clothing, etc. We as 'teaching' set back and let the children explore different objects in the home and allow the child to feel like they are apart of the home instead of just in the home. we have a shelf just for snacks for them, their toys, their clothing, their school toys, and their daily hands-on workboxes. I think confessions of a homeschooler and Tot school have great ideas about that as well. With all of the children over 100 that have came through our doors including my own three I have learned that everychild is different and we can't go on statistics to homeschool. I have 4 and 5 year olds that enjoy learning so much that it is hard for me to keep up. And I have 2 year olds that are the same then I have some who really just wanna play with their toys and that is okay. No matter where you are and what your child is doing they are learning, even with just playing they are learning. I know children who have never had a formal instruction of like school at 4 years old and are beginning to read, they just taught themself because they were eager to learn. From cereal boxes, road signs, and sadly but from TV titles. If your child is active and loves to learn why not enjoy the learning time now. One reason that some may dislike the idea is because when enrolled in public school they may be more advanced then the majority of the class so therefore the child may get bored and then behavior issues rise then later on like in 2nd grade the child falls behind due to the fact of being in that behavior routine. Well my experience anyway. so that is why we made the choice to home educate for as long as we can and are permitted. Home education can be done even if the child is enrolled in public school for as parents and or guardian we teach and or instruct the children every minute we are with them either by our words, actions, and or attitudes. oh and just a hint who is writing the home school boards that you are reading? homeschoolers or ? Homeschooling isn't for everyone and or every child either. Some children may need the social interaction and or routine of a school setting some may not do well, depends. But we never deny the right for a child to learn if the child is interested in learning why not, you never know who they could grow up to become.
and I do agree that certain topics and subjects need to be left for later when the child is more mature and or age appropriate. Staying with the proper guidelines for each age level is important. there are many guidelines to follow for each age and remember not every child has the attention span as others as well.
here is a PRESCHOOL Guideline that we use.
Preschool Skills
Language Skills:
Communicate and converse well.
Know how to speak in sentences.
Listen well and follow simple directions.
Repeat simple directions in sequence.
Understand letters and alphabet.
Follow along with stories and books.
Take part in daily reading activities.
Remember, retell, and discuss stories.
Know and repeat nursery rhymes.
Print letters and numbers.
Know meaning of common words.
Understand directions, such as up and down, over and under, in and out.
Social Study Skills:
Understand family and relation to family.
Know community places and simple directions.
Know difference between city and country.
Know domestic, farm, and zoo animals.
Know types of transportation, such as cars, buses, trains, planes.
understands about cultures and people
Math and Science Skills:
Know colors and shapes.
Match colors and shapes.
Understand numbers, their purpose, and count to 10.
Copy numbers and letters.
Understand more and less, empty and full.
Understand alike and different.
Understand sizes, such as big and little, tall and short.
Enjoy simple experiments.
Enjoy hands-on games and projects.
Enjoy asking questions, exploring, and learning.
Health and Life Skills:
Know full name and parents' names.
Know full address and phone number.
Know age and birthday.
Print first name.
Dress self, button buttons, zip zippers.
Care for belongings and toys.
Care of self and personal hygiene.
Run, jump, hop, march.
Color, paste, cut with safety scissors.
Hold crayon, pencil, paintbrush well.
Build blocks, put together simple puzzles.
Play with clay, put together construction sets.
Play with friends and siblings well.
Use appropriate social skills, manners, and respect
Knows about strangers versus monsters
Knows about Fire safety
Knows about Tornado and or storm safety
Knows how to dial 911
Knows safety boundaries outside
Knows about germs, dental care, hand washing, blood
Puts away items if asked, knows where items belong
Knows about home safety, not to open the door, not to unlock door, not to go out with an adult
Knows where to exit, and or find help in case of emergency or lost
Vehicle safety in and out of the vehicle
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