We have always homeschooled. From the beginning. Therefore, my children know of nothing else. When the big yellow school bus drives by the house, there is nothing for them to “miss.” They don’t hold any sort of emotional attachment to the traditional way of schooling. Which is nice. Of course this then means that what they learn is my responsibility. My sole responsibility. I have to set my priorities straight and start preparing my young ones early to establish good habits in the area of education. Do I feel that I have done a perfect job in this? I don’t know if anyone does but I have seen methods that have worked, and ones that haven’t thanks to successful as well as not-so-successful endeavors of my kids. What I mean by this, is there were certain areas in which with some children I worked hard with my kids and with others I let things go assuming it would just, “come to them when they were ready.” My first son, I taught cursive in kindergarten. My second is now in fifth grade, and is just now learning it!
Here are a few activities that are beneficial for preschoolers to help prepare them academically.
Connect The Dots
Once you have taught your child the correct way to hold a pencil, they are ready to attempt dot-to-dot worksheets. You can print them out online or by them in workbook form. These are great for little hands to practice drawing lines without the lines having to be completely straight or perfect. As long as they roughly stay the course they will be rewarded by seeing a finished picture in the end. Even if your child doesn’t know all their numbers yet, this is a great way to help teach them because the patterns are usually pretty simple to follow.
Letter Tracing
Tracing letters in salt, sand or another rough surface helps the formation of the letter get ingrained in their little minds. Even if you just draw the letters using a thick marker and have them trace the lines, in the order that they should be drawn, will help prepare them for writing letters.
Coloring Within Bold Print Lines
Instead of handing your preschooler just any old coloring book when teaching them to color, be sure to find single images on a page with bold print lines around them. I usually search images on the internet and print out ones that I think are a good fit. This boosts confidence in children who are determined to color within the lines. The large lines around the images gives them a bit more wiggle room and makes it easier to accomplish this task. Once they know they can do it using this method, they will be more willing to risk more traditional coloring pages.
Puzzles
Simple puzzles that are only eight to fifteen pieces or so are great to boost your preschooler’s self-esteem. Not only does it build confidence but it teaches them patience and that hard work pays off!
Expect Them To Sit Still
Even if it is only for a few minutes a day, set aside some time for your preschooler to be required to sit still. Whether they are leafing through a picture book, drawing or listening to you read, set a timer or keep track each day. Use this time to train them to stay focused. The key here is not the activity that they are doing but sitting still. If they deviate, continue to correct them so they understand what is expected from them.
String Beads
Using large beads and a waxy-type string that does not fray, this activity is great for both boys and girls to help with their fine motor skills.
What Are Some Ways You Help Prepare Your Preschooler?
