preschool mania

It seems like everyone is having fun with preschool this year. Kim at Starry Sky Ranch is posting a weekly feast of ideas at her Friday Funschool, and Elizabeth and Katherine are taking a trip Along the Alphabet path with Waldorf inspired activities at Serendipity. Beautfiul! I love the Apple pie with the As all over the crust.

I didn't really have any plans for preschool this year. With the twins here, I was going to take things very casually with the littles and just let them explore their new house and yard, playing most of the day.

Apparently they have other plans! I have been overwhelmed with requests for more schoolwork from both of them each and every day. They love doing work, can't get enough of it, and are actually learning things. The four year old is writing letters, numbers and starting to draw, and the 2 year old is counting, learning her colors, and matching shapes.

Being the second time through preschool here, I am enjoying their curiosity and natural desire for learning without the stress of wondering if am I doing it 'right' or messing them up for life by trying to school at home. It turns out, this is actually fun :-)

Here are some of the things we have been doing (and we are planing more to come):


File Folder Games:



These are the best invention.. They store easily, the kids love doing them, and they are cheap and easy to make:

You start with an empty file folder, open it up and glue on the 'game', then cut out the pieces and place into an envelope that is glued onto the front. They take the pieces out and match them to the places on the 'game board'. When they are done, they put them away in the envelope.

So far, we have made an ABC matching one, a number 1-20 matching one, and a butterfly color matching one. Now I want to buy a laminator so they will last longer.

You can purchase these online, to print off yourself, or you can find some of the free ones out there. You can even try your hand and making your own from scratch. (I don't have time for that)



Here are some good links:



Childcareland.com : free printables.. we used a few of these and like them.

Preschoolprintables.com

Enchanted learning.com I love their ideas of using yarn as lines to match shapes.

Phonics file folder games: some great ideas using pockets where you place pictures with the same sound.

MyFileFolder games: these cost $$ but look really good.

Handwriting

We really love Handwriting Without Tears around here. Some of the manipulatives they sell are these wooden pieces that can be laid out to make letter shapes. I haven't had the time or money to go out and buy them so I decided to make my own. I cut the pieces out of craft foam, and made some templates to lay them on from card stock.


Both the 4 year old and 2 year old like this game.

If I had that laminator, I would laminate the card stock mats and then they could also use them to roll out playdough into the letter shapes too.

Guess I know what I'll be asking for Christmas.