But I also make sure there are things available to him that are just for school times, to keep him busy and make things fun for him. This sticker book is one such thing.
Painting is another good option for us. Watercolors are readily available and easy for me to set up. I don't mind a little mess as long as we have some quiet time to work. Here he's painting some cardboard packing material, I mean, a bridge for his cars. This occupied him for a long time.
Part of including him in our schedule means he does some school right along with us. He absolutely loves our science book. We just started the chapter on insects, and after reading aloud, I had the kids make a notebook page using photographs we had taken of insects. He could do this too, and he loved it. Then I store the page in his very own folder which makes him so proud.
If nothing appeals to him that day, I send him out to find something. I sent him out looking for a bug this day. He came back with a ladybug and some rocks. It was his idea to build a rock house for his bug.
The wooden blocks are kept in the school room with a few cars. He loves to build roads, towers and bridges with these.
After all the table work is done, it's his time. We cuddle in a chair and read some books and talk about letters.How do you incorporate your preschooler into the homeschool environment?
15 comments:
Here's a very old post of mine about preschoolers!
http://smallworldathome.blogspot.com/2008/06/nov-28-2005-what-to-do-with-little-ones.html
I don't have any more preschoolers, but it's nice that you encourage messy play. I admire that. :)
I so admire all of you with little ones. I have given thought to homeschooling my nephew in a year or so (my sister would love for me to) but I am just not sure I can juggle him with mine! I have wondered before how it would handle it if we were to have a baby. I am sure I would manage but the thought of makes me think I couldn't.
Great ideas! Wish I'd had them when mine were little.
I'm long past the pre-schooler stage. But one thing I used to do when I had them was to designate daily time for each of the older kids to play with the little one(s) while I worked with the other. This provided a break from schoolwork for the one doing the entertaining and some one-on-one schoolwork time with Mom for the other.
Once Biz went to school at age 14, I no longer had that option, and so when I needed 1-on-1 time with Cheez, I had to resort to PAVS for the little ones. You know, "Passive Audio-Video Stimulation", eg educational television & videos. (a) Bad mom, or (b) Ya do what ya gotta do.
When your kids are spread out in age, it is so great to find curriculum that they can all enjoy together. Like Milo w/science, my youngest LOVED joining us for history when we started Story of the World. It was so wonderful to have something that ALL the kids still at home (5-8-13) would sit at the table & listen to. Sometimes I felt it was a poor use of my 13-y/o's time to sit at the table and color history pages w/her sibs while I read SoW, but then I'd think, No, she enjoys it, and we are all at the table together and that is priceless. I just supplemented for her with extra independent history reading and that was fine with her. Point being, you're doing well to have some things they can enjoy together, even if at some point you start feeling like Clementine might be "too old" for it.
Sorry for the novel. btw, my kids love using packaging for car bridges & buildings, too. Fuzz even turned one into a mini Versailles last year, along with a large piece of cardboard painted up to resemble the "grounds".
How did the birthday party go yesterday? Ours went quite well.
i am not sure yet how i am going to incorporate my 4 year old, but i hope that i have as much success as you...those are all great tips i am going to have to remember.
I love these ideas! Milo seems very creative (gets it from his mom, I'm sure). ;)
I know Alan will more and more want to be with us during school time. We are big fans of watercolors at our house, too. I also plan on putting together gallon-size baggies of different activities that will be just for school time. Not sure what will go IN the baggies yet, but we'll get there. :)
Love these ideas. I also will let Colton play with Legos, playdoh or he can play a game on the computer from Noggin or PBSKIDS. He can spend lots of time building his train set or playing with blocks. I'm always looking for things for him to do that are fun and educational for his age.
Oh, what a mom and teacher you are! Such bright futures your children have!
Dozer has really been enjoying the Kumon workbooks geared for his age. The Tracing book helps him get a handle on controlling a pencil (or crayon). And he really surprised me with his scissor skillz on the Kumon Cutting workbook!
He also merrily occupies his time with puzzles; paper and a hole punch and maybe a glue stick; sorting and lacing with the wooden beads; playing with Play-doh; and making cards and "mail" with some colored inkpads and a stamping set.
Oh how fun! I can't wait to have a preschooler! What a neat age! :)
Sounds like you're doing a fabulous job 'incorporating' him!
Love Jessica
Great ideas! I do my one on one hs time with my 3 yr old before I work with anyone else. I spend 30 minutes with her reading a book, doing a worksheet, or making our Alphabet Notebook. It helps to work with her first so that I don't procrastinate and never get around to it. Plus she's satisfied that she got to 'do school' and is less of an interruption while I am working with the others.
It sounds like what you are doing for Milo is perfect- giving him the opportunity to join in when he wants to and some quality activities to do when he's not interested.
It's been a few years since I've had a preschooler, but I remember setting up a few centers- books, puzzles, playdough, art, etc. I tried to change them a bit each week to keep them fresh and enjoyable to my kiddos.
I found you at the Carnival of Homeschooling. Great blog!
your post has taken me back almost 40 years - wow time goes by
I am looking at your older homeschooling posts and loved this one about keeping Milo busy. Great ideas.
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