Putting together your own preschool curriculum can be accomplished in a variety of ways. In the broad sense there is the option of purchasing a homeschool preschool program from one of the many preschool curriculum providers. Take on the approach of an everyday life experience with your preschooler. This is accomplished in a much less structured avenue. Lots of reading to your preschooler and exploring life and their world together emphasizing what they enjoy doing while they are learning. If you're a bit stuck in the middle with what you prefer being a bit more on the structured side of a packaged preschool curriculum but your budget is definitely more in line with the latter, then why not design your own preschool curriculum! Start with a rough outline of what your learning goals are for your preschooler. There are websites available with criteria that will help you with evaluating your child's strengths and weaknesses. Just do a bit of searching on early childhood educational development evaluation criteria and you'll find checklists that you can use. After you have determined your learning objectives for your preschooler it is now time to search the web for some ideas for the upcoming school year. At this young age a great tool to use for your topics and focus is right on the calendar! Use the various seasons and holidays to develop broad theme type of learning material. At this age the learning is much more fun for the child and easy for you if you keep the overall environment colorful and relevant to what is going on in their life. Outside the calendar or even in conjunction with it, plan on and set up a few topical field trips around your community. Learning by experiencing life at the preschool age is extremely important and it is a great way to keep your preschooler's attention. As you work with your calendar and do a little brainstorming as you check out each month and the topical days or seasons they have to offer, begin making a rough draft or list(s) of all the materials that will need to support your preschool educational goals that you have established. You can refine the list later. As you begin to stockpile your material that has come from your lists, don't forget to use any and all of the items that you can around the house. Save boxes, plastic jars, lids, cans, anything colorful that you think you might use. Don't limit your imagination. There are ideas galore out on the web! Use it. Have fun and enjoy the journey. |
