Homeschooling a preschool aged kiddo and a Kindergartener can take a little juggling. Last year as we worked through the Mother Goose Time curriculum they each worked on the projects at their own capacity. Fine motor, language and sensory experiences were Q’s focus, while X was working on letters, math and bigger concepts.
Now, I’m doing two different programs with them and using MGT to bridge the gap. Q is working on the Mother Goose Time in its entirety, while X is getting more in depth on the topics and learning to read.
Here’s a peek at what our day looks like.
After we wake up we cuddle and read a few books. Then we sit down for breakfast. After that the boys do some free play on their own while I clean up and get ready for the day.
X starts his morning with reading. He’s most focused first thing. Q will happily look through his own books while X and I work through a few pages in The Reading Lesson.
Next we usually jump into the Invitation to Create or the Make and Play, depending on what is provided that day. This is a great opportunity for them to work side by side on the same thing, but following their own ideas. Today X used a hole puncher to make “germs” and then brushed the germs off his tooth. Q explored the included toothbrush by using paint.
Then we do either sensory play or a gross motor activity. This year MGT includes a variety of STEM station ideas that are so much fun. This one was just perfect to go with learning about our teeth. The boys had a blast brusing and squishing the shaving cream.
Then we usually do a little reading. After all that fun the boys are ready to focus again. We’ll read the books suggested by MGT for that days theme. We also find the section in our Usborne books about the body to learn more facts. Today that involved learning about our tastebuds!
Next we worked on some fine motor work and counting with a little bit of adding for X. Both the boys loved this activity!
We finished up with this fun activity from our Alex Ready, Set, Bodies! kit. These activities have been such a great addition to our learning this month! They used cups to add teeth to the mouth. Then X put stickers on the tongue for different areas of tastebuds. Finally they got to brush away the germs and food stuck between the teeth. So much fun!
Today the boys were really engaged in all of our activites, so it filled our school time. Other days they move a little more quickly through the activities and I’ll supplement with our tray activites for Q and some critical thinking games or workbooks for X.
After school time we have lunch and then nap. We spend our late afternoons playing and exploring outside before dinner.
I really make sure to alternate fun, creative or gross motor activites with the activites that take a lot of focus. This allows them to get their wiggles out and gives them the ability to focus on harder tasks. It really makes the flow of our day easier. I also completely follow their lead on how long we spend on each activity. The beauty of homeschooling is we can spend as little or as much time on activities as we want. Often times we also revisit an activity (usually a sensory play or STEM activity) after nap. I love seeing the variation on play when doing something again. They make completely new discoveries and connections.
Care.Craft.Cook 