Preschoolers at home need education and variety- as do their daytime caregiver! In my case, embracing being a stay-at-home-mom has led me to explore, adapt, and use the many free ways to teach my children some basics to prep them for school, life and to have fun with them!
Probably the most used by me for teaching resources for my kids is the internet because it's handy and free! To elaborate, many elementary school teachers nationwide maintain beautiful websites with rich arrays of lesson plans free for the using! Many teachers, being the organization buffs that they usually are, neatly and thoroughly arrange subject themes to be carried out from abundant options such as experiments, recipes, crafts, games, songs, and more! Finding a nice gingerbread play-dough recipe opened my mind to the possibilities of making free toys for keeps and to give as gifts!
Moving on to the old classic: the local library. The library is great because the books are free to check out, organized, and easier to retrieve information from jam-packed bound books, compared to printing online pages out, especially when all is needed is directions. Also, many libraries have preschool song and reading time for kids and their caregivers in a nice group setting to help develop little youngsters' social skills.
Last, the great and FREE outdoors is such a versatile "classroom." From energetic galloping, skipping, running, leaping, swimming and other sports galore to quiet bug-watching, leaf/flower-collecting and sitting back for a renewing rest, being in nature, even if just right out the door step, is good for the soul.
To close, in my opinion, the TV is not a child's favorite teacher; the caregiver is! So be prepared- for free! The effort in instructing preschoolers from home is multiplied exponentially in the bond that is built and the fun that is had!
By Erin R. from Seffner, FL
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There are many educational toys on the market, but they're often pricey. Yet, as parents, we want to buy toys for our children that build their minds as well as entertain their personalities.
Makes a great big sister/big brother gift when the new baby arrives or a nice stocking stuffer.
Do you have a toddler or pre-schooler who likes to participate in small activities during the day? Organize them!
Help your young preschooler (3-4 year old) in hand strengthening, fine motor skills, name and shape recognition.
I got this awesome list from my dear friend, Hannah, who is a teacher. I got her blessing to publish this list of activities she sent out to friends who were looking for ideas of what to do with their kids during the COVID-19 school and daycare closures.
Transform a paper plate into an inexpensive teaching tool. Follow the steps below to make a paper plate clock for teaching your little ones how to tell time.
These amazing little mint tin play boxes are a wonderful project to take on and the recipients will adore them. Check out the accompanying craft and try your hand at it. Older children might also get hooked.
Teach your young child how to count by making this cute carrot counting activity. Toddlers will have fun placing the correct number of paper leaves into the carrot pockets to match the number on the carrot.
This cute paper bag craft is the basis for a math game that will make learning addition fun. It can be tailored for different ages and skills.
This is a page about free educational materials. There are free educational materials available whether you are homeschooling or just trying to enrich your child's learning experiences.
This is a page about game ideas for toddlers. Keeping your toddler active and engaged can be a challenge. There are many games designed for this age that are fun and/or educational.
