Homeschooling your preschooler can be a rewarding experience, but it also requires careful planning to ensure a successful and enriching educational journey.
While you might be able to just “wing it” the first year of preschool, homeschool planning is a must as you get more into skills and lessons that should be taught.
Here is everything you need to know about planning your homeschool preschool year.
This post contains affiliate links and I was compensated for my time to write this article. All opinions are my own.
Homeschool Planning Your Preschool Year
1. Set Clear Learning Goals
Define your objectives and what you want your child to learn by the end of the year.
Consider both academic and non-academic skills such as socialization, creativity, and emotional development.
2. Create a Flexible Daily Schedule
Establish a daily routine that includes learning time, playtime, and breaks.
Keep in mind that young children have short attention spans, so make sure to incorporate fun and interactive activities into your schedule.
Here’s an idea of what a homeschool preschool day might look like.
3. Choose a Preschool Curriculum
Select a preschool curriculum that aligns with your child’s learning style and interests.
Look for resources that cover various subjects like math, language arts, science, and art.
Remember that at this stage, play should be a huge part of any homeschool preschool curriculum that you select.
4. Plan Our Your School Year
There are many different ways to plan out your year, but, in my experience, the best way is to use an online planner and work backward.
So, To schedule out your homeschool year backward, start by identifying the end date of your academic year.
Then, consider any fixed events or holidays throughout the year.
Next, determine the number of days you plan to dedicate to instruction and divide the total number of days by the number of subjects to create a rough daily plan.
Prioritize key topics or skills that need more time for mastery – usually, this is in the language arts and math topics that you’ll be tackling.
Don’t forget to allocate breaks!
Finally, work backward from the end date, assigning specific topics or units to each week or month to ensure all material is covered by the end of the year.
Regularly review and adjust the schedule as needed to stay on track – and this is where an online planner comes in.
For me, Homeschool Planet has been the key to making sure that I cover everything I need to throughout the year with the flexibility to rearrange lessons and activities as I need to.
Online Homeschool Planner
For those of you not familiar with Homeschool Planet, it’s an online planner that was designed specifically for homeschooling families.
I’ve been using it since my kids were little, and it has served us well throughout our homeschooling journey.
One of the key benefits of Homeschool Planet is its flexibility and customization options, allowing you to tailor the planner to suit your unique homeschooling needs. (Pink background, anyone?!)
With features such as customizable subjects, grade tracking, attendance recording, and scheduling tools, Homeschool Planet simplifies the homeschooling process and helps you stay organized.
Even if you’re not assigning formal grades for your preschooler, you can still indicate that the assignments have been completed, so you know you’re on track.
(And, if you’re homeschooling older kids at the same time, you can use the planner for each child!)
Homeschooling preschoolers can be challenging enough that adding a complicated paper planner that you have to keep erasing and rewriting should not be part of your worries.
Homeschool Planet makes homeschooling preschool easy!
The ability to schedule breaks, incorporate playtime into the daily routine, and track progress in a visual manner are especially beneficial for preschool homeschooling.
The option in Homeschool Planet to include to-do lists and notifications ensures that you stay on top of your preschooler’s learning schedule is priceless!
Take Homeschool Planet for a 30-day test drive and see how it works for you and your family. Click the button below to get the 30-day free trial!
5. Gather Learning Materials
Stock up on age-appropriate books, art supplies, educational toys, and manipulatives to support your curriculum.
You can also utilize online resources and educational apps to enhance learning.
6. Engage in Hands-On Activities
Encourage hands-on learning experiences through experiments, crafts, sensory play, and educational games.
These activities help children develop critical thinking skills and foster creativity.
7. Foster Socialization
Arrange playdates, join homeschool co-ops, or participate in community events to provide opportunities for your child to interact with peers and develop social skills.
8. Monitor Progress
Keep track of your child’s progress through informal assessments like observations, checklists, and portfolios.
Adjust your teaching strategies based on your child’s strengths and areas for improvement.
This is why a flexible planner like Homeschool Planet is soooooo helpful! You can just drag and drop lessons if you get ahead or behind!
9. Stay Connected
Join online groups (like our Homeschooling Preschool Facebook Group!), attend homeschooling conferences, and connect with other homeschooling families to seek support, exchange ideas, and stay motivated throughout the year.
10. Be Flexible and Patient
Remember that every child is unique, and learning may not always go according to plan.
Stay flexible, be patient, and be open to adapting your approach as needed.
Successful Homeschool Planning for the Preschool Years
Planning your homeschool preschool year requires dedication, creativity, and a nurturing environment that fosters learning and growth.
It also requires a ton of patience and flexibility!
By following these tips and staying committed to your child’s education, you can create a memorable and enriching preschool experience at home.
Join our Homeschooling Preschool Facebook Group for more support, encouragement, and ideas!