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snowyowl
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| Posted: Sept 07 2005 at 11:03pm | IP Logged
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Hello,
I'm not sure if this is the proper place to post my question, but I'll give it a try! I have two children (ages 2.5yrs and 7mon) whom I plan to homeschool. In the meantime I am trying to figure out what sorts of topics and activities I should be working on with my two-and-a-half-year old Dd. Can you please share what sorts of "stuff" you do with your pre-preschoolers?? 
I read to both kids every day, work on letters and numbers, use clay/paint/crayons, build with blocks, play with dolls, etc. but I feel like I should be doing something more to prepare Dd for preschool. I have looked into the CHC Little Saints program but I think it's way to advanced for us right now - and I'm not interested in rushing her, just in making sure I'm doing everything I'm supposed to be doing! I hope that makes sense. I've tried to find lists of "things 2yr olds should be able to do" online but haven't had much success.....
At any rate, thanks for any advice or input you can share.
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amiefriedl
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| Posted: Sept 08 2005 at 6:01am | IP Logged
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There are two nice books called:
Games to play with your baby
Games to play with your 2 year old
Got a wiggly one in my arms right now so I can't get the author just yet.
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In Christ the King through Mary our Mother,
Amie
Blessed with an awesome hubby and Mom of ds10, dd7, dd3 and dd 10months.
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mary
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| Posted: Sept 08 2005 at 7:28am | IP Logged
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I used Before Five in a Row (when my ds was 3) and then Learning at HOme by Ann Ward (when he was 3 1/2).
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Patty
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| Posted: Sept 08 2005 at 7:36am | IP Logged
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I did all the kinds of things you mentioned you are already doing. I talked to them ALL the time, and took them with me to the grocery store, post office, fabric store, etc. etc.
I never did any formal preschool program like Little Saints, though I'm not knocking that. Our oldest is now 21. She received a full scholarship to a Catholic college, and my next oldest is in seminary college. Everyone else is still at home.
I think kids can do quite well just being in a loving, stimulating home without any formal preschool at all. I think homeschoolers see others putting their kids in pre-school and think their kids will be missing something if they don't do preschool at home in a systematic way. When I was young, I don't think there even WERE any preschools in our little town...and it did not seem to hurt us in any way.
Keep reading to your little ones, play with bubbles, puzzles, let them explore, etc. Do a program if you want, but don't worry too much about your kids "falling behind" at this age.
God bless you!
Patty
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Karen E.
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| Posted: Sept 08 2005 at 7:54am | IP Logged
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snowyowl wrote:
I read to both kids every day, work on letters and numbers, use clay/paint/crayons, build with blocks, play with dolls, etc. but I feel like I should be doing something more to prepare Dd for preschool. |
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You're a wonderful Mommy! Life is school at this age, and the things you're doing with your kids are the things they need. They need love, stimulation, tactile experience and conversation. They need activity and exercise and running and jumping. They need the world around them to be defined and explained when they ask, "Why, Mommy, why? What's that? How does that happen?"
They need to see that books are a source of joy and comfort and loving times together. They need, in short, the things you're giving them.
I have long felt that the talking I've done with my kids over the years has truly been the greatest part of their education. It started when they were babies and I explained everything I was doing, and it's continued as they've grown and we read and discuss everything. And I sometimes wonder why my kids are so talkative .... 
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Karen E.
mom to three on earth, and several souls in God's care
Visit my blog, with its shockingly clever title, "Karen Edmisten."
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Willa
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| Posted: Sept 08 2005 at 11:39am | IP Logged
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I think all that has been suggested sounds great, and you sound like you're already being a great mom, Snowyowl. The only thing that hasn't been mentioned is chores -- in the preschool years, inviting the kids into the housework and yard work to be done, working WITH them to help them maintain their room and personal hygiene.
Probably you do that already but I wanted to mention it because I see now that it slows down things in the short run, but pays off big in the long run. I used to get impatient when the little ones did it "wrong" and be tempted to pop in a video so I could just blitz, and I'm not saying no one should EVER do that, but I try to be conscious of the desire for a preschooler to be involved in work and the way it develops their sense of responsibility and also a lot of the kind of motor skills that you will find in a Montessori album -- like pouring, etc...
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AMDG
Willa
hsing boys ages 11, 14, almost 18 (+ 4 homeschool grads ages 20 to 27)
Take Up and Read
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Willa
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| Posted: Sept 08 2005 at 11:43am | IP Logged
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Oh, and here is an online Montessori album with Practical Life Skills -- a lot of them are things you would do naturally around the house anyway, and so it's not hard to include the little ones -- I think it also lists age ranges as well.
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AMDG
Willa
hsing boys ages 11, 14, almost 18 (+ 4 homeschool grads ages 20 to 27)
Take Up and Read
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Karen E.
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| Posted: Sept 08 2005 at 5:45pm | IP Logged
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WJFR wrote:
| The only thing that hasn't been mentioned is chores -- in the preschool years, inviting the kids into the housework and yard work to be done, working WITH them to help them maintain their room and personal hygiene. |
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That's a great point, Willa. I'm finding that I do this so much more with Kate than I did with my older kids, and it *does* pay off ... even though she's only three, I can see the independence and willingness to learn developing beautifully. Wish I'd known all these things 11 years ago.... 
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God bless,
Karen E.
mom to three on earth, and several souls in God's care
Visit my blog, with its shockingly clever title, "Karen Edmisten."
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4Real Forums : Living Learning
Topic: "Schooling" before preschool....
