What to teach a preschooler?

[Marbleheader.]

My son is five now but was in the same situation as your kid at 3 and 4 months. I would spend a lot of time on reading and sounding out words. Like a lot of things this just seems to click in a little one's mind at some point. We worked on this with our son for a while -- having him repeat the sounds of the letters and then trying to put them together. At about 3.5 years he went from not being able to do it at all to being able to read beginner reader books. THEN, once he could read on his own, he kept reading on his won to where he's now reading at a second grade level and he's not going to kindergarten for another whole year. The importance of reading is that once he gets it, he can learn a lot of other stuff on his own.

Another thing to work on with a smart 3-year old is critical thinking -- basically teaching kids to think for themselves. Not to get too controversial here, but I remember him coming home from preschool at 3 telling me about Noah's Ark -- he asked me if it was a true story and we spent a lot of time talking about how you have to figure some things out for yourself and not to simply believe what a teacher or other person says.

 

[saddina]

To expand on the letters he already knows check out starfall.com, it's free, it does letter sounds instead of letter names, once he's past each sound, it has simple books he can read "Zac is a rat."

 

[CMV]

Quote:
Thanks so much for the info. I got on and checked out the site. It is so cool. I just had to commandeer my laptop from my 4 y.o. because she has been on that site since I found it. Thank you! Thank you!

 

[deb1]

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quote=DawnSuiter]
Quote:​

My ONLY regret, is that our homeschooling didn't teach her to

1. Sit in one seat for an hour or several hours at a time
2. Walk in a single file line
3. Not to speak out of turn
4. That she wasn't the center of the universe
5. It's rude to question your teacher
6. Follow a schedule whether you like it or not

I think that if a homechooling parent wants their child to attend college then at some point they should teach all these things.

My daughters have never been to either public or private school, but they do go to Sunday School. Sometimes my youngest will raise her hand to ask me a question. So even a little exposure to a regular Sunday School classroom should teach your child all these skills.

 

[saddina]

Quote:
Thanks so much for the info. I got on and checked out the site. It is so cool. I just had to commandeer my laptop from my 4 y.o. because she has been on that site since I found it. Thank you! Thank you!

Glad to help, my youngest taught himself how to read using it (I'd let him do letter while I worked with his brother).

 

[louloubean]

cooking? simple helper stuff, scoop and dump, stir, spoon, scrape, portion
measuring?
telling time? analog AND digital
tying shoes?
art? going to museums, music, dance, dressup
volunteering? going to the local nursing home, doing meals on wheels

such a short and precious time. enjoy enjoy enjoy

 

[PlymouthRocker]

At this age and well into kindergarten we did Rhyme Time all the time. By first grade it morphed into Spelling Rhyme Time. Everything you are doing is awesome! Keep up the great work!

Stacey

 

[claud]

Quote:
We already found that site. He loves it!!

 

[claud]

Wow! So many great ideas.

We do frequent the library often.

Thanks! and keep the ideas coming - I will take them all into consideration.

 

[debilorrah]

Quote:
Everything you child knows is required for kindergarten these days. A bit much if you ask me, but.... My child was advanced at that age, and I used 1st grade flash cards with him ALL the time. He wound up reading a book at 4 years old.

I know there is sooo much more available for kids likes yours now. My son is 20 now.... There is a store called the Imaginarium. Look for it online - the specialize in teaching tools that fun.