Preschool at Home
We are in a current state… of preschool! I am thrilled to begin this journey with my youngest. My thoughts were few, though, when it came to starting an actual activity list for an almost three-year-old. The good news is I have decided to keep it very simple! I have recently read multiple posts of concern over what to engage a preschooler with, and I am here to assure you that keeping it simple is key!
Lesson learned: remember, the attention span of a preschooler is extremely limited. Actually, their age is a good benchmark for expectation. I have doubled my son’s age, which is about six minutes of time per activity. Occasionally, he will sit longer or be engaged for a longer amount of time, but an average of six minutes is what I’ve got. If we keep our expectations reasonable, we won’t get frustrated over a lack of them paying attention.
From the advice of some fellow moms and following some other blogger wisdom, I have created a Preschooler Activity Pack. I had an accordion file folder with lots of pockets and filled them up. I took a few days with some hour chunks and designed some activities based on what our learning goals would be. For a three-year-old, our goals are mastery of the alphabet, matching similar objects, mastery of colors and shapes, number learning, upper and lower case, work on fine motor skills like coloring in the lines and scissors, and talking frequently about Bible stories and creation. I added a color wheel to match colored pom poms, a number train by drawing a train on paper, labeling with numbers 1-10 and cutting different colored circles to place atop the numbers, felt pieces that tell a Bible story, and letter cards made from card stock for matching upper and lower case. I have found that, so far, he enjoys the different textiles, and that keeps him interested. Make as much variety as you can with felt, pom poms, wooden pieces, plastic, and paper. The possibilities are endless! Each morning, he asks for his “bativities book,” so I am encouraged that he is looking forward to it daily.
Visit your local supercenter for pre-made crafts to top off your collection. I found thick, felt fold-out pads for matching vegetables to their respective colors and names, animals to match to their sounds, and even an activity for how to make healthy eating choices. His very favorite activity has been the miniature plastic cogs that fit together to build wheels, flowers and all sorts of designs. This has already helped him acquire patience in his multiple attempts to have them stay together for whatever he is trying to build.
You may choose a small box or 3-ring binder to contain your preschool activities. Whatever you choose, keep in mind the container size when you purchase materials. It seems good to keep the activities small and contained and, most importantly, out of reach of the preschooler! These are ONLY for school time, not for free play. After all, if your house is anything like mine, you may never see the activities again in one piece if you hand them over.
I am excited to embark on the preschool adventure, and the good news is that you can do it at home! The best learning for this age is through play, but if you are looking for a little structure, put together an activity pack you can go to on a daily basis! For more information on details of the activities I have chosen, feel free to email me at: mysonshinecrafts@gmail.com.
Hi! Laura here, enjoying writing, crafting, baking and outdoor time with my kiddos! Growing up in East TN, I am drawn to the mountains and anything with trees and woods. I am a novice gardener and enjoy experimenting with what will grow in our area. Speaking of, my little family of 4 currently lives right outside Atlanta, GA with our coonhound Dixie. My daughter Olivia (9 years old) and I have incorporated a side business into our school time, making kits for families to get back to hands-on craft time! I look forward to sharing some of our craft ideas and other creative thoughts with you!
Link to our Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/133835950644792/
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