5 Important Tips to Homeschool a Preschooler

Early education is very important for a child. keeping this in mind, parents are keen to send their kids to preschool. Sending our kids to school is not mandatory, giving them early education is the major part. We can do this from our home as well. The goal of my article here is to share 5 Important tips to Homeschool a Preschooler.

Being a mommy of a proactive girl, I have learnt few ways that can help parents to provide homeschooling to their kids at their own comfort. And I would love to share my experiences with other parents. So spare few minutes to go through it and I can assure you it will save a lot of your time in homeschooling your kids and will add more fun to your journey.

What is a preschool?

Preschool is the term used for education establishments which provide an early childhood education to a kid. It is a way of developing and grooming kids before going to primary school. So the name is preschool, a school before going to primary school. Sometimes there is confusion between preschool and daycare, but they are unlike. Daycare is providing daytime care to the kids so that their parents can pursue their profession, daycares are not responsible to educate kids.

What is Homeschool and right age to start homeschooling

Homeschooling in simple form is teaching and guiding our kids at home. Trying to provide early education that encourage and develop all the skills that boosts their growth. Parents are the primary educator for their children. Homeschooling help children to learn at their own pace.

Kids go to preschool around the age of 3-4 years. In homeschooling there is no such restricted age to start. Parents can start anytime, as there is no fixed age to educate your child. We need to observe the readiness of a kid, and that is the best way to know when to start. If we feel they cannot grab well, so we have to wait before trying again.

Choosing Homeschool / Preschool

Every debate has its own for and against. Choosing Homeschool or Preschool is also a never ending debate. Everyone has their own view depending upon their lifestyle. We need to analyze what is good for our kids. If we can spend a few hours exclusively for our kids, I would prefer homeschool over preschool as it will give us a lot of flexibility and freedom to us and our kids. But for parents staying and working outdoors it will be difficult for them but can still try as they are not only educating their child but also creating a special bond between them.

In homeschooling there is no fixed time to meet any milestone. You can set your own milestone depending upon your kid’s pace. And there is no tension of peer pressure too.

Business Insider has emphasized Homeschooling and stated that it could be the smartest way to teach kids in 21st century.

5 Important tips to homeschool a preschooler

Homeschooling a kid gives us an opportunity to relive our childhood by doing all those delightful and fun-filled activities again with our sweethearts. We should never overburden ourselves and our kids with hectic and unplanned homeschool schedule. We should always remember 2 things about homeschooling your preschooler.

1. Learning through fun
2. Readiness for primary school

Without any more delay let’s see the 5 important tips to Homeschool a Preschooler

1. Preparing for Primary School

Homeschooling is an early education period before they join primary school. So during this time we need to teach them to sit for a bit long time (may be half and hour at a stretch) in a particular place, as they are supposed to do so in school. We can provide them some fun filled activity to keep them engage and motivated. Read stories to them, give a story book with bright colorful pictures which will grow their interest for book.

You can also read: Ways To Raise a Reader

2. Development of Motor Skills

Motor skills include gross motor skill (large muscles) and fine motor skills (small muscles). It is necessary to develop gross motor skills before fine motor skills. Like a kid should know, painting larger strokes with a paint brush before holding a pencil.

Gross motor skills activities include:

• Skipping
• Hopping
• Throwing and Catching a ball
• Walking on a line

Fine motor skills activities include:

• Holding a pencil
• Putting beads in a string
• Cutting with scissors
• Picking up small objects

3. Focus On Visual Differentiation

We should focus on the kid’s visual discrimination ability. It is the ability to differentiate objects around them based on colour, shapes, patterns, size and numbers. And this ability will help them in reading and writing skills in their near future. We can play a visual memory game with them like showing a picture to them and ask them to tell something about that. We can ask them to arrange various colors of blocks in their respective color basket.

4. Progression of Sensory Organs

You should introduce new smells and tastes in your preschooler’s life. Involve them in activities like walking through a garden and let them smell a rose. Give them varieties of food so they can taste and feel the difference in each food. After completing each activity, interact with your kids and listen to them how cheerfully they will express their experiences. It is ok if they find it difficult to form a complete sentence or mumble, but this will enhance their skill.

5. Character Development

Being parent it is our responsibility to instill the important traits of good character from an early age. We should love them in abundance, trust them. And teach them to love and care for other living beings. We need to do all the things that we teach them so that they can observe them and will follow them in their life too. We should never forget to applause them for their each little achievement, this will boost their confidence.

Conclusion

Homeschooling style is distinct in each family based on their motto, curriculum and schedule but overall expectation or the journey remains the same. It is the same good parenting with little more attention on letters and numbers. The time we invest in the early years will help them succeed in academics and build them a better human being.