The first month of homeschool preschool can be overwhelming. Simplify it with this step-by-step guide to beginning homeschooling preschool!
New to Homeschooling Preschool
Whew! The decision to homeschool preschool is no easy feat. Your brain may be flooded with a million and one things to do, and it can be a bit tricky to know where to start.
We’ve developed a step-by-step guide to help you navigate through the first month of homeschool preschool.
First Month of Homeschool Preschool Guide
1. Choose a Curriculum
In order to choose the right curriculum, it needs to be a good fit for both you and your little one.
Deciding what is important when it comes to homeschooling preschool will help you narrow down the curriculum choices.
Although homeschooling preschool doesn’t require a curriculum, many moms find it helpful.
2. Browse the Curriculum You Chose
Set a few minutes to a half hour aside to get yourself acquainted with the curriculum you chose.
Taking the time upfront to learn how the curriculum works and decide how to implement it will save you headaches down the road.
3. Gather Materials
Once you have decided on the curriculum or program(s) you will be using, you need to gather the necessary materials.
Each curriculum is unique.
Some may require printing, stapling, cutting, etc., while others may show up on your doorstep ready to be used.
It may be helpful to have counters on hand. If need be, colored cereal or cheese goldfish can be used for many different lessons.
Help yourself stay organized with these hacks. This will help your first month of homeschool preschool to go a bit smoother.
4. Create a Learning Space
Learning spaces are a great way to signal to your preschooler that when they are in the space, it is time to work.
Having an alphabet line and numbers around may be a nice touch.
If you don’t have the space for a dedicated homeschool room, you aren’t alone. Create a rolling cart or basket that can hold your homeschool preschool items. Then, when it is school time, you can grab the cart or basket and bring it to the kitchen table.
5. Set Goals for the First Week
Starting slowly and implementing a little bit of your homeschool routine will help your preschool adjust from playing all day to doing some school work. Set simple goals for the first week of homeschool preschool.
Goals like:
*read a story together each day
*do (a part) of the curriculum
*do music and movement each day
*loosely follow the daily routine
6. Establish Daily Routine
We have a blog post detailing how to create a daily routine.
Remember that the first month of homeschool preschool is all about getting into the groove and finding out what works for your family.
After you try it for a few days and see how well it works, your ideal daily routine may need to be changed.
Try making a visual schedule using cards with pictures to show what your day will look like.
7. Begin Basic Lessons
Choose a part of your curriculum that you want to start doing. This may be a morning time meeting or introducing letters.
Keep them short and sweet, so your little one (and you) aren’t overwhelmed.
8. Observe and Adapt
Take time to see how your preschooler is reacting to the lessons. If something isn’t quite right, don’t be afraid to change it! No two homeschools look the same. They should be unique to each learner and family.
9. Bit by Bit, Add In More
Add more to your homeschool day throughout the first month of homeschool preschool.
This looks a bit different for each family, but by the end of the first month, you should probably be able to start all of your curriculum and add your additional things.
Things like field trips to the park or story time at the library can be added near the end of the first month.
10. Continue to Set Goals, Observe and Adapt (Again)
Throughout your homeschool journey, you will constantly need to set weekly goals, observe, and adapt.
When you find something that isn’t working, change it! What works for one family doesn’t always work for another. We aren’t teaching or parenting the same exact kids, after all.
Homeschooling Preschool for the First Month
The first month of homeschool preschool can be a bit challenging. Don’t give up! There is so much for you (and your little one) to learn and discover. From curriculum choices to a routine that works to balancing it all, you got this!