Home schooling kindergarten can be simple, yet effective.
With all the options, how does one choose a kindergarten curriculum? The following simple resources will encourage and give you ideas on how to save time and money during your busy school days. (We moms are all for that!)
Preparation is the key. When we made the decision to homeschool, I felt overwhelmed and insecure. I was not a teacher, not even a college graduate, for that matter. Yet, I knew I could teach my children, provided I had the right tools. Here's what helped us on our homeschooling journey:
1. Support Group - Find a homeschool support group in your area where other parents come together and share curriculum ideas. Homeschool moms have an unseen bond with each other. Find another Mom, she understands the fears and uncertainties that come along with homeschooling. She has that natural desire to share with other parents what works and what doesn’t.
2. Helpful Books - I felt I needed a home schooling kindergarten curriculum. But I was wrong. All I needed was a little guidance in providing the perfect kindergarten home school. Don't become overwhelmed with all the fancy choices out there. You will do fine with just a few.
This is the first book I read on homeschooling because it was recommended by another homeschooling mom. As I pored over this book, my fears melted away. It will always remain one of my favorites.
I must admit that this set is overwhelming. (I got through them while nursing!) Even if you do nothing more than just page through, you'll still find some great ideas.
I originally had "The Big Book of Home Learning" 4 volume set. It was helpful, but a lot to swallow. This new book of hers is really all you need and completely up-to-date.
I believe this book was one of the turning points in deciding to homeschool. I have a number of close relatives in the field of education who do a superb job of teaching. But the job is getting more and more difficult for a number of reasons. I need not go into detail; the name speaks for itself.
3. Games
- We played and continue to play kid games. There are so many good ones to choose from. Start with “Twister” for the little ones (to teach them their colors and their right from left) to “Cashflow” for the entrepreneurial teen. Use them as you expand the knowledge of your children in a fun way.
4. K-3 Curriculum/The Three R's - Home schooling kindergarten can be intimidating and overwhelming. I was very thankful to learn of this simple set of booklets early on while homeschooling toddlers. Don’t let the number of pages deceive you. With each booklet numbering just under 30 pages, it is chock-full of priceless ideas for instructing kindergarten through 3rd grade.
Mrs. Beechick uses simple techniques at a fraction of the cost of other curricula. I’ll use this again if given the opportunity to teach my grandchildren! I can confidently say that this series is all your child needs for an excellent foundation in Reading, ‘Riting and ‘Rithmatic. Use these booklets to start home schooling kindergarten through 3rd.
5. Read...Read...Read! Sadly, I am noticing more and more children with their nose in a video game. Not to take their fun away, but to be honest, there is way more fun, excitement, and variety from the pages of a book than from the computer screen. We as parents need to kindle a love for reading early on, before the child becomes addicted to their video controller. The Children Learning Reading Program is an excellent resource for teaching your very young child to read. It's easy to use and quite effective. I cannot recommend it highly enough.
Let the following books simplify your role of teaching reading:
This is a big coloring book with a Bible verse on each page. The copyright allows you to photocopy the pictures so that they can color them more than once.
I must admit that we wore this book out. The cover has been mended numerous times. It's great for little ones learning to read. But don't let that stop you from reading it to them!
And speaking of reading, these last (but not least) two are must-haves especially if you were not an avid reader yourself. And because I wasn't, I relied heavily on these books.
They are both indexed in the back making it easy to find what you’re looking for. My copies are dog-eared and marked in, which is a sign that we used them a lot. I know you will, too!
Education is not the filling of a bucket but the lighting of a fire, W.B. Yeats. There is no better time than now to kindle and develop good character qualities in our children that we can be proud of.
Dr. James Dobson from Focus on the Family was the first to introduce me to the idea of homeschooling. We used to listen to him on the radio quite frequently. Around that same time, a couple of families at our church were homeschooling. So, I naturally observed their children. I noticed that they were obedient, friendly, joyful, dependable and attentive (to name a few). These were character traits I was hoping to develop in my children.
It was then I decided the importance of instilling Biblical principles at an early age. You will be surprised how easily those little ones can memorize. Take advantage of that now!
Annette putting the finishing touches on her Bible coloring page.
There are a lot of options out there when it comes to picking a kindergarten curriculum. Home schooling kindergarten can be fun and easy, if you just keep it simple.
Don't be tempted to buy something flashy or expensive, thinking it is the best. It’s not. Believe me.
Our experience proves simplicity is still the best. As your child masters the basics of home schooling kindergarten, he will have the foundation necessary to begin first grade home school.
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