Struggling to homeschool a preschooler? You’re not alone! Here’s how I finally got my preschooler interested in homeschool.
My little terror runs through the house destroying whatever comes in his path, getting him to sit down and focus for more than 20 minutes and on anything besides PAW Patrol is a challenge. My daughter was never like this; she loved doing her lessons; they were always fun and exciting to her. As we know, no two children are the same, and when it comes to preschoolers, why would it be any different!
Preschooler Homeschool: New Terrain
I found myself on new terrain. My daughter is well into her elementary school years; for the most part, she loves doing school. My son, on the other hand, has always been different. It isn’t that he doesn’t like to learn, he just gets excited by different things and different approaches. I needed to find a way to excite my preschooler when it came to homeschool. How was I going to find a path with him, without losing everything I already thought I mastered?
Tips for Getting Your Preschooler Interested in Homeschool
Getting your preschooler interested in homeschool isn’t difficult, it comes down to some fundamental principles which we tend to forget. They can even be applied past preschool age, whenever your child is in a rut and losing their love for learning.
- Keep it short and simple
- Follow their lead
- Follow their interest
- Be flexible
Keep It Short and Simple
Most preschoolers cannot hold attention for too long; an hour of focus is pushing it. It is easy for us to jump into homeschooling, get really excited, and start planning out grand lessons for our kids to do. With preschoolers, it isn’t realistic to have grand plans that include our little ones sitting and focusing from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Keep lessons short and sweet and move them around throughout the day or week.
Follow Their Lead
Following their lead doesn’t mean handing over all the control. You can still have a schedule or a routine, but you may want to follow their urges to make it all easier for you in the long run. If your child wakes up and wants to read, then follow their lead and read! If they want to color after lunch, get out the crayons and color with them. Get out some plain paper and teach them about the different colors and what would happen if you mix two colors together, or try out writing the alphabet.
Follow Their Interest
This is where we go a little unschooled. It is hard to get your children interested in things that don’t feel fun for them. Find their passion or obsession and use it to their advantage. If your preschooler is obsessed with dinosaurs, I mean, who isn’t? Use their obsession to excite them in school. Have them practice the letter D for dinosaurs and then go into certain dinosaurs. Read books about them, color sheets, cut them out, add them up, etc.
Be Flexible
I think flexibility is our golden rule as homeschoolers. Things are always popping up to keep us on our toes and working with little kids, well it makes you work on your flexibility. Go with the flow, if they are in a mood and it just isn’t working don’t think twice about letting the day go and focus on play. Kids learn so much through play and for preschool, it should really feel like play.
Homeschooling Preschoolers
Homeschooling a preschooler can be a challenge, but it is setting you up for all the hurdles that are to come. No one age or grade level is a breeze; you will go through ups and downs just as with anything. A great rule of thumb is to just focus on your child. You are most likely homeschooling because you feel like your child is important, and they are. If your main focus is on your child and what is best for them and makes them feel like they are at their best, then you are on the right track. You got this!
