Preschool Post.

Because more than a few people have asked, I have decided to provide a list of the resources I use for preschool and just how I use them.  Let me start out by saying that I do not force preschool, at all. The  primary focus when they are younger should be learning by playing and learning by working beside mom and siblings.  That being said, sometimes they ask to "do school" especially if you have older siblings that you are schooling at home.  Also, sometimes you just really need them working on something quietly beside you (while tending to said older siblings).
    The information that I will post below with accompanying links will be massive, and it will seem that we do So Much for preschool.  In actuality though, I just like to have a lot of different ideas and activities on hand that I can pull out at a moments notice.  All said, I think I *maybe* spend 5 minutes a day on actual seat work for preschool. As I said, children learn so much more when they experience the world with you.
   My base or spine for preschool this year is doing a letter a week.  There are a million different programs, and these are the ones I have been using.  I start the weekend before prepping.  I use Twenty-Six Letters to Heaven as my inspiration and starting point.  This is a Catholic preschool curriculum that provides saint and virtue's for each letter, book lists and activity and math ideas, simple craft ideas, and even recipes.  I use bits and pieces as I need them depending on the week.  I don't use all of her ideas, but there are plenty to choose from to keep you busy.  I will request books from our library that fit the letter theme.  (We are very lucky to have a bookmobile that brings the books only a block away, I love that I don't have to drag all the kids through the library while searching for books, they happily pull them and bring them right to me).
   I also like to download and print the corresponding letter pages from "Saintly ABC's" over at Crusaders for Christ.  These lovely pages contain a sweet poem about saint with that letter, tracing or copy pages for letter practice, a prayer with the letter and a saint coloring page.  I will usually read the poem and talk about the saint at some point in the week.  I leave the coloring page in reach with crayons, and if my preschooler feels like it, I will even teach him how to form his letter.  Sometimes an older sibling will pull out these sheets and work with our preschooler while waiting for me.    The other thing I love to use for preschool from the Crusaders for Christ blog is "The ABC's of a Child of God".  Each letter has a page with a picture to color and a simple poem.  This particular one is great for tracing over the poem.  (The Crusaders for Christ blog provides an abundance of beautiful Catholic handwriting and copy work in cursive and print I love to keep her stuff on hand for the days when I just can't think)
     The other set of sheets I like to print out and keep on hand are "Writing the ABC's on Little Hearts".  These are sweet coloring pages for each letter with a corresponding virtue.

    So how does my typical preschool week look? (In no particular order)
-  I will start the week introducing the letter.  I make sure to do it when big brother are around so they can help emphasize the letter sound.  They are also very creative at coming up with words that start with our letter.  Older siblings are so excited to teach younger siblings that I will hear them all the rest of the week talking about our letter.
- I will pick a saint that begins with that letter and talk just a tiny bit about them (why they are special, when and where they lives, maybe a family story about how that saint has helped us).
-  I will read our virtue words that start with that letter.  At some point I will read the little poems I can find with that letter sound.
- My little guy LOVES orange, so he has a special orange marker he can use when he wants to practice writing his letter.
-Throughout the week when we read together I will pick one of our letter of the week books.
-  If he is interested I will get him started on a simple craft with our letter.
- I read our letter page from "Big Thoughts for Little People" by Kenneth N. Taylor and we will talk about the pictures and what we see that relates to the virtue and what we see that relates to our letter.
- Throughout the week as he is interested and I have time I will pull inspiration from the "Twenty-Six Letters to Heaven" round out his learning.
-  I also like to pick a simple letter themed food for him to help me cook.  (A week we made apple pie, B week was bread etc...).
- Finally, because I am a bit of a music nerd, I have been trying to find a classical music piece for each letter. (B week was "Flight of the Bumblebee, C week was Carnival of Animals).  Not to really talk about too much, more to get him listening and enjoying.

We have other things that we do not related to our letter.
-We recently did a busy bag swap with some fellow homeschoolers so I have many small activities to have him work on if he wants.
-I have an M &M's counting book that is always a favorite.
-Sometimes we color in the "Before the Code" books.
-We read a lot.
-We sort and make patterns.
-We cook and clean
-We draw pictures Ed Emberly books are great for little ones.
-We tell each other stories.
-We count anything we can think of.
-We go on shape scavenger hunts in the house.
-We listen in with big brothers when learning about the sky or animals or history, or anything else that captures our attention.
-We go outside and see what we can discover.
-We learn by doing.  

So we keep busy, and we are always learning even if it looks very different from a brick and mortar preschool. I love having my little guy with me and the toddler and preschool years are some of my favorite times. The whole world is beginning to open up for them, it is magical to see the world through their eyes.  All you have to do is be present.  Guide them a little bit.  Help them discover in safe and not too destructive ways.

I hope this helps for those who were wondering. If you want even more just let me know. I am no expert by any means, but I will be happy to share what I know.