Homeschool Preschool Social Studies Topics
Where do you start when it comes time to teach preschool social studies?
Here is a list of 10 units to add to your homeschool.
This article may contain affiliate links to products that may help you when homeschooling preschool.
Why Teach Preschool Social Studies
Preschool social studies is a great way to teach little ones about the world around them.
Conversations at a young age about different communities, helpers, and traditions teach preschoolers that many people in the world may do things differently.
Acceptance of others and seeking knowledge can happen in a safe environment at home.
Through meaningful conversations, books, and play, your little one can begin to learn about people that are different from herself.
This may minimize the loudly asked questions in the store about someone who looks different 😉
The preschool social studies topics will help start conversations and teach your little one about her place in the world.
This article may contain affiliate links to products that may help you when homeschooling preschool.
Social Studies Topics for Preschoolers
Family and Friends
Teaching your little one about her family and friends is a great way to introduce the concept of a community.
After teaching about her family, you can teach how all families differ.
If you are looking for more ideas on how to teach about families, check out this post.
Community Helpers
Many different people in the community are helpers.
Point out to your little one the people helping keep the community thriving.
Reading community helper books is another way to showcase many helpers.
Try making a dramatic play area with different community helper hats, too.
Your Neighborhood
What better way to teach about neighborhoods than to explore your own?
Walking (or driving) to see different parts of the neighborhood if possible.
When you get home, you can make a map of the neighborhood.
Adding landmarks or specific stores, the playground, or the library will help orient your little one.
You can bring the map with you the next time you head out of the house.
This *may* keep your little one occupied while you travel.
Cultural Celebrations
Find out about different cultural celebrations and use that to teach about different cultures.
There will undoubtedly be books, activities, and videos about many significant celebrations.
Maps and Geography
Introduce the concepts of maps and geography to show your little one that there are more places than just where she calls home.
Doing the activity in the neighborhood section is a great way to teach about maps.
You can even make a backyard (or living room) treasure hunt by marking trees, chairs, tables, etc, on a drawn map.
Put an ‘X’ where the treasure is.
This is a fun way to learn about social studies topics for preschoolers.
Transportation
Things that go are a big point of interest for many preschoolers.
Teaching how people and items get around can help your preschooler see how different parts of the world are connected.
Check out our transportation book list to enhance your preschool social studies unit.
Historical Figures
When little ones learn about honorable or inspiring people, they tend to emulate the traits of that person.
Choosing people like Rosa Parks and Abraham Lincoln, that made a positive impact is a great place to start.
Diversity and Inclusion
Each person is unique and has a place in this world.
Teaching preschool social studies lessons about this help little ones embrace this fact and move to include all people.
Many excellent books talk about people being diverse and ways to include everyone.
Art and Culture
Arts and crafts are great ways to keep little hands busy while learning about social studies topics for preschoolers, like new cultures and techniques they use.
Art and music play a significant role in many cultures, so it’s a beautiful place to start when it comes to teaching kids about different cultures.
Check out our posts about Ireland and Africa if you want preschool lessons worldwide.
Wants Versus Needs
Wants versus needs helps kids to see that not everything (even the toy they reallllly want) is a need.
Cut out pictures of items like food, water, clothes, shelter, toys, televisions, etc.
Talk with your little one about what they need to survive and what they want to make their lives more enjoyable but could live without.
Have them sort the pictures out into wants and needs.
Preschool Social Studies
With many different topics, this list of social studies topics for preschoolers is only the tip of the iceberg.
Use it to add to what you already have on your plans or to create a plan for your year.
