I have 2 daughters (3 and 5) and today I want to share our daily preschool at home routine.
I spend about 30-45 minutes per day doing a short preschool routine with the girls. Each day consists of 5 specific things: Calendar time, a story, a song, a themed activity, and some “learning time”… even though they are learning the entire time, haha!
This routine is simple, and it doesn’t take too much planning. (I spend about 20 minutes planning for the week.)
It’s a fun time for me and for my kids. (I absolutely believe in learning through play.) It’s a great way to add a little consistent learning time to the day without stressing anyone out.
Planner
Before I get into too many details, I want to share my planning page with you. This is how I keep track of what I’m doing, and it’s yours to download for free. 🙂
Click here to download and print the preschool planning page.
You’ll also get this sample schedule, with enough book and activity ideas to last you a month:
Plus, if you enter your email address below, I’ll send you my preschool planning pack:
These 5 printable pages include a year’s worth of sample theme ideas, a blank schedule and activity list, and a completed activity list with links to all of our favorite resources.
Picking a Theme
Each week I pick a different theme that we can learn about. The sky is the limit- As long as I can find a few books and activities to go along with the theme. Which, thanks to Pinterest, I almost always can.
This week we are learning about bananas. Next week is ants.
You can see my list of 100+ weekly preschool theme ideas here.
The 5 things we do during preschool time every day:
In all, these things usually take around 30-45 minutes to complete. I like to do this during my baby’s morning nap, but you can split them up and fit them into your day whenever you want.
1. Calendar
We first spend a few minutes going over our calendar. (Ours is very similar to this one.)
We check the weather, talk about what day it is, and sometimes sing a song about the days of the week or the months of the year.
2. Story
Next, I read a story to the girls. Normally, I find these books by going to my library website and searching for books about our theme. Then I put them on hold and pick them up next time I go to the library.
(If you’re having trouble coming up with books, just google, “best preschool books about your theme.” You’ll find a ton of ideas. Then check to see which ones your library has.)
Lately, I’ve been searching YouTube for read alouds. In the YouTube search bar, I just type in the name of the book I’m looking for, along with the words read aloud.
3. Song / Video
Next, we sing a song. We love songs with dances and/or motions. (These are some of our favorites!)
We also love GoNoodle, especially Koo Koo Kanga Roo and Moosetube.
4. Themed Activity
I plan one activity per day that goes along with our theme. These might be arts and crafts, games, science experiments, creative snacks, or ideas for new ways to play.
I find my activities by going to Pinterest, and searching for something like, “banana preschool activity.” Then I choose 5 things that look fun and easy- one for each day of the week.
While I’m searching for activities, I also use the notes section of the planning sheet to write down any supplies that I need to buy in order to do the activities.
5. Learning activity
Lately my 5 year old has been really interested in learning to read, write, and do math problems. So we spend a few minutes each day doing one of the following:
Online learning: These programs are either free, or you can sign up for free trials. They teach basic reading, writing, and/or math skills. Emma loves them!
Preschool curriculum: You can buy a simple activity workbook for your child, or print out worksheets that you find online. We have personally been using these resources. (Some are free and others are not.) My favorites are the science packets and the sight word curriculum.
Tips
Here are a few tips that I’ve learned along that way that make planning preschool at home a snap:
1. Ask your child what they want to learn about, and plan activities around those themes.
2. Pick activities that you know your child will enjoy- don’t worry too much about making them “educational.” Kids are always learning just by trying out new and exciting things… even if that means playing in the dirt or making a super messy painting. Trust me- they’re learning!
3. Encourage independent play- you don’t have to make sure your child is completing every activity perfectly. Let them be curious and explore- a little independence is good for both of you. 😉
4. Be flexible- be ready to change something or throw something out the window if it’s not working. If you don’t get to every activity in one week, just do them the next week. No big deal.
5. Have fun! Preschool is such a fun age. You might be surprised at how much you learn by doing preschool at home with your child- about them, about yourself, and about the world around you. Enjoy!
Thanks for reading, and happy preschooling!
-Laura
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