The Complete Hitchhiker's Guide to Preschool

The Complete Hitchhiker’s Guide to Preschool

February 10, 2011 in Joy Troupe News, Preschool at Home by Meghan

The Joy Troupe NOVA has a sub group called the Preschool Resource Group, which is a forum for folks who want to create a learning environment for their kids at home- whether they go to a traditional preschool or not.
I’ve been struggling for some time with the fact that a sub-group wasn’t necessarily the best way to fulfill the mission of the Preschool Resource Group… which is not only to connect folks with resources that help build Better, Smarter Preschoolers Who Take Over The World (just kidding- we all want happy kids who are learning and developing cognitively, which is the aim of this group), but also to let folks who wish to form preschool co-ops get together and find each other.
The current setup is clunky- first you have to join, then you post, wait for interested folks to respond, and then you either have to manage your group elsewhere or wait for me to set up a sub-group for you.   And to belong to the PRG, you must be a Joy Troupe NOVA member- which is fine unless you have to wait for our membership approval process before someone you’ve met through another source can see your group pages. Or unless you live somewhere other than one of the communities where JTNOVA is most active.  At which point, it’s not so ideal.
Well, I’d like to introduce to you…

A new, fully integrated, stand-alone website for preschool parents.  With help from some trusty volunteers, we’ll be moving the Resource Forum history over there (in Blog Format, which will make it easier to navigate and more fun to read), and the membership will be “ported” as well.
The site allows users to form and control their own sub-groups, which is ideal for our mission!  I invite you to check it out today: http://preschool.joytroupe.com/

Words, and more words: BIlingual Education Resources

In my search for information on how to introduce a second language to preschoolers, I found a lot of crappy advertising sites. Here is a compilation of the good resources I found... hope you find them useful!

Juegos y Canciones
http://www.juegosycanciones.com/

Tips for Teaching Spanish, French or German in Preschool
http://languagestudy.suite101.com/article.cfm/foreign_language_circle_time

eHow article on how to teach Spanish in Preschool
http://www.ehow.com/how_5166259_teach-spanish-preschool.html

Spanish Songs for children
http://www.bookslibros.com/SpanishForNinos.htm

Free downloads like vocabulary coloring pages, flash cards (I'd use them in matching games, etc.)

Spanish http://abcteach.com/directory/languages/spanish/
French http://abcteach.com/directory/languages/french/

Basic ESL lesson plan:
http://www.teach-esl-to-kids.com/baby-esl-lesson-plan.html

Reading is Fundamental has both languages available and reads to them and signs songs in spanish:
http://www.rif.org/kids/leadingtoreading/es/leadingtoreading.htm

I've been searching UTube for good bilingual songs - here's what I've found so far!

Sing A Lingo - Hola Amigos: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQSJxtbZgxs

Boca Beth Counts to 10: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GdlFk8KPK8I

Boca Beth Greeting http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M1T7yGhDVec

Head and shoulders: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=daDl2ZLrZsw

http://www.primeraescuela.com

Lots of free printables and activity ideas.

http://www.biculturalfamily.org

http://www.languagelizard.com/

http://www.spanglishbaby.com

With thanks to loramichelle and thejfamily08.

Montessori in the Home

Washing dishes after snack

The Baby Steps and Building Blocks Co-op opted to go with a Montessori-based approach to preschool.  Below is a compilation of resources from my research for the lesson planning for that group, which started in September.

The group is mainly using "Mommy Teach Me!" as our curriculum. Buy the book or learn more here: http://tinyurl.com/buyMommyTeachMe
Your purchase using this link benefits the General Fund.
Also very helpful has been "Mommy, Teach Me to Read!" You can buy that one here: http://tinyurl.com/buyMommyTeachMeToRead
Teaching Montessori in the Home: Pre-School Years: The Pre-School Years
http://tinyurl.com/kjew73
The general overview and presentation doesn't impress me to nearly the level of Mommy, Teach Me!, but the additional "make your own" materials section and the few extra lesson plans for the age group I'm working with made it worth picking up.

 More sites & helpful articles

Montessori Mom Blog: http://montessoriconfessions.blogspot.com/
Downloadable lesson plans, etc: http://www.montessorifortheearth.com/
Q&A: http://budurl.com/fmwd
About: http://www.preschool-lessonplans-and-activities.com/montessori-method.html
Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montessori_method
This article beautifully illustrates the premise at the heart of the Montessori method, plus adds info from new studies that support the value of it.
http://budurl.com/ckx8
Montessori at Home Blog: http://moosehuntress.blogspot.com/
(Includes articles on making sensory materials yourself)
http://kids.lovetoknow.com/wiki/Preschool_Curriculum
What is the "three period lesson?"http://budurl.com/qpj6
Adapting the "three period lesson" for younger children: http://budurl.com/bmnx
Incorporating Montessori ideas into the daily routine at 24-36 months: http://www.dailymontessori.com/montessori-age-24-36-months/
Montessori Index http://www.montessori.edu/
Homeschooling section of the site: http://www.montessori.edu/homeschooling.html
Montessori homeschool activities: http://www.monthome.com/
Maria Montessori's book as an e-book: http://digital.library.upenn.edu/women/montessori/method/method.html
Free Montessori printables: http://www.montessorimom.com/welcome/
International Montessori Society: http://imsmontessori.org/what-is-montessori.htm

Preschool Curricula You Can Use at Home

The Joy Makin' Mamas have helped to compile the following list of information about where to get a preschool "curriculum" online. We all know you can't stop kids from learning and that chances are, they'll pick up whatever they need to know without an "organized" course of learning, but it's often helpful to us adults to feel like we have a course charted. 99.9% of the time you won't follow your "plan" exactly, but at least if you KNOW there's a road to come back to, you don't have to feel like you're wandering in the wilderness!

Ian doing his "homework."

Some of these are materials available for purchase, but a great many are free resources, so be sure to browse before you shell out any $$$!

Curricula links

http://www.kidsparkz.com/index.html

This one offers sample pages so you can evaluate the curriculum before you buy. They also have smaller packages of activities each month for ages 2-5 for about 8 bucks.

http://www.preschoolcurriculum.com/

This one has kits you can order that include all the supplies and are ready to go. You can order a single child or a group kit.

http://chubbiecubbie.com/

This one also offers kits and some free printables.

http://www.preschoolcorner.com/

This one has kits or just the curriculum, some $.99 downloads, and says it's for ages 3-5.

http://www.first-school.ws/

First-School features free fun preschool lesson plans, educational early childhood activities, printable crafts, worksheets, calendar of events and other resources for children of preschool age. The preschool crafts, lesson plans and activities are appropriate and adaptable for toddlers, preschoolers and kindergarten level (ages 2 to 6).

same as above, but in Spanish:

http://www.primeraescuela.com/

http://www.valuesparenting.com/joyschool

This is a paid curriculum but has a very inclusive package, with music. I haven't seen it or heard it, but what I can see of their website looks like a really great approach.

http://www.mothergoosetime.com/

this one was recommended by a coop group in another state. Apparently they love it, and it takes a lot of the work out of the planning for them. It comes with all the materials you need for the lessons and seems to be geared mostly toward 3 & ups.

This one has free five day a week plans for several age groups:

http://www.letteroftheweek.com/

Free online Math curriculum: http://ceure.buffalostate.edu/~csmp/

Free online school curriculum : http://www.amblesideonline.org/index2.shtml

Another place to get fun preschool stuff online: http://www.enchantedlearning.com/Home.html

This article lists the top 100 educational websites.

http://www.homeschool.com/articles/top100-2009/default.asp

This site is maintained by a teacher and has lots of free goodies.

http://www.freewebs.com/momofallboys/

http://www.everythingpreschool.com/lessonplans/

has some sample 6-day weekly lesson plans and lots of activities organized by theme.

Tips for introducing the Spanish alphabet (page is in English):

http://www.drlemon.net/Grammar/alphabet.html

Lillian Jones' Curriculum

Excerpt:
"If you've been raising a child up to the age of "pre-school" or "kindergarten," you've already begun homeschooling. In those early years, the most appropriate homeschooling activities are things that gently introduce a child into the wonders of his immediate world and the imagination. As Einstein said, "Imagination is more important than knowledge" - and those early years are the perfect time to provide an atmosphere where the child can freely dream and play and explore and grow in both body and imagination.

These are lots of things a parent can do to help a child develop a love of learning and searching - things that will carry through as a foundation for a life of joyful and successful learning. Most of these are things a parent does at one time or other anyway. A bonus is that your child will be getting a good foundation for later studies, even picking up some elements of reading, writing, and math!"

Sophie creating a masterpiece.

http://www.besthomeschooling.org/articles/lillian_jones_ps_kdgtn.html

http://www.homeschool-your-boys.com/homeschool-preschool-curriculum.html

Full of hands-on activities you can do with materials you have around the house. Says it's for boys but equally appropriate for girls.

http://www.universalpreschool.com/how-to/teach/cognitive_development.asp

Starts out by explaining objectives and continues to detailed descriptions of activities to accomplish them.

Reading List for Preschool Moms

Having decided to go the homeschool co-op route for preschool, I needed a reading list. (Sorry, it's just what I do.) I have transcribed the following information directly from our BigTent group, so some of the links go to member-only pages. As I am able to move that information here, to the Joy Troupe blog, I'll update this article to include public links.

Be sure to check out our list of online curriculum resources and add your own, in the forums: http://www.bigtent.com/group/forum/message/14374043

(Non members will find a compilation of information from this discussion thread here.)

And the preschool activity listing: http://www.bigtent.com/group/forum/message/28694281

Toys for Preschool Skills Widget: http://tinyurl.com/buytoysforpreschoolskills

Recommended book list for preschool homeschool mamas or anyone who wants to pursue enrichment for their child age 0-5:

Mommy Teach Me http://tinyurl.com/buyMommyTeachMe
Teaching Montessori in the Home: The preschool years http://tinyurl.com/kjew73
Mommy Teach Me To Read http://tinyurl.com/buyMommyTeachMeToReadAmazon

These books all have lesson plans that are toddler appropriate which have kept us busy so far this year and should take us straight up to kindergarten. I can additionally recommend:

What Your Preschooler Needs To Know http://tinyurl.com/buyWhatYour-PreschoolerNeeds
Mommy, It's a Renoir! http://tinyurl.com/buyMommyItsaRenoir
Unplugged Play http://tinyurl.com/buyUnpluggedPlayamazon

Northern Virginia Library Links

Just a quick index of local library system websites. I'll add DC and MD at another time. You can look up their events calendars or find out how to reserve meeting space.

Arlington, VA
Alexandria City
Fairfax County
Loudon County
Prince William County
Fauquier County
Stafford