Preschool Homeschool Basics: Life Skills

I see a lot of questions asking how to go about homeschooling preschoolers. I also see a lot of people giving them advice to use one curriculum or another. The truth is, preschool is just that... pre-school. During these years, age 3 and 4 you need to focus on teaching the child every day skills necessary to take care of their own bodies, and a few simple concepts that you can cover in every day life.

Your homeschooled preschooler needs to develop good motor skills. Teach them to run, jump, hop, march, and walk in a straight line. Teach them to walk down stairs steadily, holding on to the banister and alternating feet in stead of taking it one step at a time. Once they have accomplished those skills, teach them to stand on one foot for five to ten seconds, and walk backwards for five feet. To build hand eye coordination, teach your homeschooled preschooler to throw a ball, clap their hands, touch fingertips together, use scissors, and hold a pencil or crayon. They should also learn to glue objects, complete puzzles with just a few pieces, and copy simple shapes on paper. Preschoolers should also be able to draw simple pictures and color beyond a scribble. You may want to teach them to use a computer mouse or mouse pad and a 'Paint' program.

Social and emotional training is important for the preschool homeschooler. These important skills should be learned in everyday life. Potty training, blowing their own nose, and brushing their own teeth and getting dresses are basic preschool skills for a preschooler. You should also make sure your preschooler homeschooler knows his or her full name, knows the parents full names, and knows his or her home phone number. Other skills a homeschooled preschooler must learn are carrying a plate of food, exhibiting self control, and carrying a plate of food. Finally, they must be able to play well with others, help with household chores, and carrying on a conversation with others. These skills are taught through every day living with the parent stepping back and allowing the child to do these things on their own instead of helping them.

The preschooler homeschooler needs to show readiness to learn. They should be able to follow simple directions, and to listen when you are speaking. They should be able to repeat a sequence of sounds and repeat a sequence of numbers told to them orally. The child should be able to retell a simple story in the same order and recognize common sounds. For some fun online activities that will help with these skills, consider using Fisherprice.com online games and activities. You can also purchase preschool computer software such as Reader Rabbit for preschoolers.