This is our fourth year as a homeschooling family, and we still feel pretty new. The amount of resources available now is so vast that it is overwhelming. It is easy to feel bogged down with all of the options. We really tried to give ourselves room to ease in with our youngest. He is a reluctant learner, and a VERY busy boy. The amount of movement his body needs is honestly mind blowing. That said, there are a few things that we have found really useful for facilitating the basics of learning with him.
Education.com
People feel how they feel about worksheets, but we personally love them. We have really loved Education.com for all of our homeschoolers (Pre-K – 8th grade). There’s tons of great worksheets, games, and workbooks for every level. I typically look at what we have coming up in our curriculum for the week, and find a couple of worksheets for each kid. There are also some really great online learning games here if that’s your vibe.
Magnetic spelling tiles
This Hand 2 Mind spelling game has been a favorite for my 5 year old. It has held up well even with a child who is particularly rough on toys and tools. I think this has been the most used tool we have. It is a great visual for any spelling or phonics lesson. He can also play with this mostly independently while I am doing something close by, like folding laundry or washing dishes. It comes in a box you can use for storage, and the tiles are easy to clean up with the magnetic wand.
Biscuit books
It probably goes without saying, but reading together is the most important part of homeschooling your pre-schooler. All 4 of my kids have loved the Biscuit series. These are the cutest books, they are quick to read together, and they are really well suited for those first attempts at independent reading. I’ve never met a kid who doesn’t love Biscuit.
Rainbow scratch cards
The Melissa and Doug rainbow scratch art cards have been a really fun way to get writing or letter practice in. Sometimes just having something a little unconventional helps keep them focused. These are so open ended, there are tons of ways you can use them.
Leap Move
We recently got this Leap Move game system. It actually is a great tool and a lot of fun. It is perfect for a rainy day when you need to get more movement in but don’t want them literally climbing the wall. My child is a reluctant learner, so the more play based tools we can use the better. He doesn’t even know we are doing “school” when I pull this out. We also use it as a reward when needed. This is a great learning tool for your toolbox.
