Preschool is probably the most fun age to teach. Have you seen the crazy fun ideas for teaching our youngest students on Pinterest? My post about creative ways to occupy preschoolers has been very popular, so I know you have!
The Problem with Preschool
With the collective ideas of homeschool moms and teachers online, creativity isn’t the problem when teaching preschool; organization is! Preschool teaching, activities, and crafts require time to organize. And most moms who have preschoolers just don’t have that time. We get so busy, we put preschool on the back burner. And that’s a shame for our little ones and for us.
There is an Answer
What if all the ideas were organized and the materials were prepared in a 26-week curriculum for your three or four-year-old so you were ready to teach whenever you could find the time? That’s what Encompass Preschool is.
Four days a week there are morning board activities–this is like a bulletin board you create to focus attention on what you’re learning. Everything you’ll want to add to your morning board is ready for you to print. Don’t have a bulletin board? A large piece of cardboard (like those at craft stores for science projects) would work beautifully.
Encompass also includes group activities for siblings or friends, making your preschooler feel like a big kid! My older kids always loved doing preschool games and crafts with their younger siblings.
Workbox activities are also included. Workboxes are like learning kits for little ones. Fortunately, you won’t have to come up with the ideas for these, because Kathy Gossen, the creator of the curriculum, has already done the work for you!
Encompass really does encompass so much. Kathy shares that after completing this curriculum, your preschooler will have developed fine and gross motor skills, music, art, math, Bible, recitation, literacy, and cooking skills. They’ll be ready for kindergarten learning because they will be able to recognize all basic upper and lower case letters, numbers 1-20, basic shapes, colors, time to the half-hour, U.S. coins, write his/her full name, and demonstrate basic reasoning skills. In addition, he/she will have the opportunity to memorize several well-known Bible verses, poems and nursery rhymes that will hopefully have a life-long impact on behavioral development.
I can tell you that my preschoolers didn’t accomplish all that, but I wish they had!
With “over 400 exclusive printables, 3 PowerPoint presentations, editable lesson plans, a detailed scope and sequence, and nearly 300 links to the best supplemental resources found across the web including more free printables, YouTube videos, music downloads, computer games, iPad games, and more,” you would expect to pay a LOT for the convenience and breadth of this preschool curriculum.
That’s why I’m shocked and delighted that it is JUST $10.
After reviewing the quality of these materials and appreciating the incredible value of them, I asked Kathy if I could be an affiliate for Encompass and share it with my readers. I’m so crazy about it, I wish I had a preschooler to use it with!
If you will be teaching a preschooler, don’t miss this opportunity to spend less time preparing for preschool and more time enjoying it. Give yourself and your child the gift of Encompass Preschool.
This week, as we settle into our homeschool year, I thought you might like a little inspiration from a homeschool mom of many. I know I appreciated it!
I told my curriculum connection about these fabulous ideas and she asked me if I’d ever heard of Visualize World Geography. Of course, I hadn’t! She explained that while it was an expensive curriculum, she found that it quickly and easily taught her kids the names of countries that most adults don’t know. I found the best deal (and reviews) of it at Homeschool Buyers Co-op. If you purchase used, make sure you are getting the DVDs as these are apparently the best aspect of the program.
More and more homeschooling parents are looking for online curriculum that allows their older students to be independent. Barbie of My Freshly Brewed Life shares a review of Uzinggo–a curriculum I’d never heard of, that works for her middle school daughter.
I had preschoolers in the house for ten years of homeschooling. I had to keep them busy before blogs and Pinterest were a help. Now I enjoy looking for activities that I know would have worked for me. If you’re beyond the preschool (or kindergarten years), share this post with someone who could use it. Really make their day and offer to watch the kids for an afternoon!
I remember too well how hard the early years were–mostly because I took everything too seriously. I wish I had written this fabulous and funny article from The House of Hendrix.
The two’s have to be one of the toughest ages to keep occupied when you’re homeschooling. It can also be hard to figure out what activities to enjoy together. Kids Activities Blog to the rescue!
Teaching young children fire safety isn’t just educational, but can be life-saving. This fantastic list of activities and free printables will engage your preschoolers almost as much as a firehouse field trip.
I loved studying a letter a week with my preschoolers and these crafts are the perfect complement. No special craft materials required. Thank you, Mommas Fun World!
I write a monthly round-up post where I share what’s going on in our homeschool, recipe reviews, crafts I’ve made and more. Here’s the link to last month’s post.
This is the time of year I consider how I’m doing as a mom and homeschooler. The articles I have for you this week reflect that as well as my desire to get OUT OF THE HOUSE with the kids. If you can relate, you’ll love this issue.
I wasn’t surprised by this cure because I have a son who has the same wonderfully frustrating style. I had to learn how to teach him the hard way, but this article from Hip Homeschool Moms will save you the hassles!
I have made both of these choices and my fervent desire is to make the better choice every day. The difference in results is huge. Women Abiding gives us some excellent food for thought.
The mom who cured her resistant learner mentions her son’s desire for grades. Whether you agree with Blue Manor Education’s position on grades or not, it’s important to think about where grades fit in your homeschool.
I had never heard of formative assessments before Teacher @ Home shared this article, but it’s exactly the kind of testing I want to do with my kids. If you have younger learners, you’ll appreciate the letter recognition assessment, too.
These adorable balloon bugs from Teaching Mama are supposed to be for the little guys, but I would love to get my hands on these, too. They’re excellent for fidgety kids of all ages.
I am so ready for some screen-free time. It’s been a verrrry long winter. If you want some fresh ideas for what to do together apart from staring at a box, check out this article from The Holistic Homeschooler.
Now it’s your turn to share what’s hot in your homeschool this week. Please grab the button from the right footer of the blog or link to this post. If you were featured, please grab the Featured button if you like, too.
I’m a Christian psychologist turned homeschooling mother of six. My life can be a little crazy, so I look for sanity-saving ideas to use and share. I hope you’ll read my About page to learn more.