Preschool Questions

My 4yr old is going to a pre-k and her teacher recomend this cd it helps with the letter recognition and sounds...."Sounds like fun" you will find it at discovery toys for 12.99 and we love KUMON books....I get the 2 and 3 year old, so she can do it all by her self, she loves art.....GO to School Box you will find lots of toys that will help him develop motor skills....
Pam

You need to call around to different pre-schools and see if they are sponsored by the GA Lottery. It is free to send them if they are sponsored.

You could be teaching him to write his name. His colors, shapes, the alphabet. Recognizing letters A for apple etc.

You might want to google preschool curriculum. I am sure the web has what preschoolers learn on it. I googled and got alot of hits like http://www.preschoolcurriculum.com/, http://cubbiescurriculum.com/index.htm, http://www.thelearningboxpreschool.com/pages/Curriculum.htm. try that out

Hi M., Coming from a early childhood teacher's point of view and a mother of a 4 year old who is at home with me and not in prek. i too feel they have their whole life to be in school so just let them be kids while they can. I do run an in-home daycare and do a circle time type of thing everyday with a new letter each week. we also do a song and poem that has to do with that letter. we read books that have to do with the letter and art projects. we also play a lot of board games. he loves memory and is really good at it. Don't stress they will get the needed structure in school. while he is at home just try to find some fun things to do that are educational as well and he won't even realize he's learning. Here's a couple good website/resources for you to look at. http://letteroftheweek.com/index.html
http://www.kidzone.ws/
On another note, so many parents are pressuring their kids to know all this stuff before school and then when they get to kindergarten they already know 1/2 of the Kindergarten curriculum. I taught K,1,2 for many years and they learn their number, letter/sounds, colors, shapes, etc... in Kindergarten. Just my opinion though.

Kindergarten mostly centers on early reading skills. So practice those letters and their sounds. Bookstores carry a lot of early reading books that only cost a few dollars and are meant for parents and children to read together. Don't feel like Preschool is a prerequisite for school. Your child will pick up everything just fine and now is a great time to be at home with mom.

Don't feel bad about not sending him! He'll do fine at home with you! I have a 4 year old as well, and he is not going to preschool this year. I can afford to send him if I wanted, but I chose to have him stay home with me. They have many years ahead of them in school, so enjoy this last year with him at home - he will learn just as much spending time with you and not picking up germs and bad habits. Check out this website: www.starfall.com , it has great games that help with reading readiness, and it's free. Also, check out the children's museum in your area - they have free days sometimes. Go to storytime at the library, check out lots of books, and read, read, read! Relax, he'll be fine!

Hi!

First, Preschool is very important, not just for the academic lessons learned during the day. I suggest that you first contact local church preschool programs and see if they can help out. Often, they provide scholarships or financial help. We all need that help from time to time and it's for your child so please try.

Second, if your little boy turned 4 before Sept. 1, he is probably eligible for FREE Pre-K, the kind my daughter is in. EVERYONE gets this and you can ask the local preschools about it I paid for private preschool until my daughter was 4 and what a relief that I no longer have to pay!

Good luck!

S.

M.,

Because preschool is optional and is private not governtment regulated I think they have different requirements at each. My son is 4 and he will be learning to write all of his letters upper and lower case as well as the sounds they make for the first half of the year. For the second have of the year they will actually have spelling tests. FOr math they work on counting and number recognition as well as recognizing patterns. I do believe that this is on the higher end of what preschoolers are learning. I would think that your sons should now all of his letters and the sounds they make before entering kindergarten but not neccisarily know how to spell words.

Good luck balancing everything. I have 3 young boys and know how tough it can be!

K. M

Here is a link a friend of mine uses with her triplets. She seems pretty happy with it and you can customize it to meet you and your son's needs too!! http://www.letteroftheweek.com/

Don't stress about your son being left behind! If you read to him when you can, and go over some numbers (1-10), colors, and letters for familiarity, he'll be all set. It's a blessing for him that he gets to stay home with you this extra year. That alone, will have him well prepared for schooling.

My son just started kindergarten and was in preschool last year. These are some of the things it would be helpful to him to know:

Recognize letters, capital and lower case, and the sounds they make
Recognize numbers ... maybe up to 20
Write letters and numbers as best he can (and this is tough... my son's motor skills kind of came together toward the end of this last preschool year so don't panic if this is a tough one for now!)
Writing their name ... capital 1st letter and then the rest lower case

I saw someone mention the Pledge of Allegiance and yes, that is something he learned in preschool.

Also, personal information such as birthday, address, phone number

Recognizing money (coins, what they are called, what they are worth, etc..)

They are working on all of these things in Kindergarten. Spending time in his class, I can tell you some kids know most of this, some are just learning a lot of it... so don't feel like your son has to be expert on all of this... just might help him get a jump start.

Read, read, read. It's good to run your finger under the words to he understands it runs from left to right, etc... My kids loved going to the library and picking out books. Story time at the library is another great thing... and free.

Try to make it fun. My kids always balked at sitting down for a "lesson". That said, there are preschool workbooks you can get just about anywhere that my kids found to be kind of fun at times. Oh... and cutting and pasting! Mastering scissors was something they worked on in preschool. Make letters out of clay, use magnets, puzzles...

One thing my kids liked is this go-fish game we got, and I've seen it lots of places... it has a capital letter and an animal that starts with that letter and the match has a lower case letter and the baby animal. They loved playing go-fish or using it as a matching game. Helped them recognize lower case, I think.

Just try to make things fun and look for teachable moments throughout your day... waiting in line, etc... you can ask him to read signs, count things, etc...

OMG! they are four years old people! None of my kids went to preschool! My FOUR yr. old daughter still stays home no preschool. My oldes is 17 guess what??? they are all doing great! Don't stress too much, just talk and play with you kid. and yes read a book every night.... Kids go to school from the time they are five through college now, i say let them be kids, turn noggin on, and just chill... don't beat urself up, the first grade teacher here is the one who convinced me not to put my daughter in the pre-k program... lol... she said let them be kids, they learn so quickly once school starts, that by the end of kind. most are on the same level anyways...

Just a quick note to suggest you work on letters, numbers and colors. Also teach him to know his phone number, address, parents' names, and any other important information like that. Beyond that I would say read to him a lot and play games! Have fun because they grow up fast!

K.

After homeschooling through K and 1st grade, I realize how many opportunities you have to teach them. Keep everything fun and games! You already have a great set of criteria below, but remember to make it fun and make it constant. When you step in an elevator, get him to tell you the number 2 (later you can say "what if we went 1 floor more than 2 - would that be 3?" - etc,), when you go in the grocery, get him to tell you the color of the boxes, etc. Play in the sand, make letters with noodles, paint, paint, paint - mix those colors. The 8 month can play the same. Check out www.georgiahomeschool.com for some seminars if you like. Randi (the owner of the site) also provides a some counseling for moms interested in homeschooling. She has homeschooled 7 and has an amazing background before that. There are also homeschool support groups that may be fun for you to be a part of, but not necessary at this age.

Have fun - you are a mom - and mom is a great teacher. No worries!
J

Not to pressure you or anything but my son is in the Pre-K program and I would say both him and my 3yr old daughter are above what they are teaching. Both of them know their ABC's, Phonics, Numbers, Shapes and quite a bit of Spanish. So this year we are working on Estimation, Addition, Spelling and Reading. So far they know about 11 site words. Education comes from home. Hope this helps.

hi,
you can check the kindergarten curriculum for your local school, and try to make sure he is ready by seeing what they will cover. usually, (i did teach kindergarten, but it was along time ago), they are expected to know how to count to 20,identify the letters, abc's,(know the sounds of the letters, and identify the letters), cut with scissors, hold a pencil...i know that some kids enter kindergarten knowing how to read nowadays, but it is not required, and they will not be behind if they don't do it. i have two boys who did go to preschool, and neither of them read before first grade. You should check out a homeschooling website, to see what they cover before first grade also..good luck! by the way, socially, they need to be able to share, sit still and listen to a story, not interrupt, etc...those will also be helpful in kindergarten.

It's more than just using time when baby is napping to "teach" your son. Use all contact time to teach things, such as "right" and "left." When putting on shoes/socks, use these words. Take 10 toys and have him put them in groups: 1)according to color, 2)as to size 3)if they have wheels - use your imagination. When you work on alphabet, pick 1 letter and find things all day that start with that letter. Cut out pictures of items that start with that letter; draw things that start with that letter. Do the same with numbers. Don't overwhelm him with too much at one time. Make it fun: not a chore, not a "lesson." Most importantly, read with him. Ask questions about the pictures and focus on books with colorful pictures. Go to the library; many of story time for children.
L.

I, too, am a SAM and have always sent my kids to preschool...I have an area church that is closer to my house than my church, and is much more reasonable to afford than the preschool at my church.

I might still try and shop around and see if they have any openings; and shop for price. If you are ANYWHERE close to Easley, SC I would highly recommend Easley Presbyterians' Preschool program. It is an excellent service to the community.

Also, look in your local school and see if they offer k-4 in the elementary school. In SC they can go if they qualify, and sometimes even if they do not, if the program has room.

THAT SAID--as long as he can count, recognize colors, maybe recognize some letters...he just needs to remember his own phone number and address. And skills that will assist him, like throwing and catching, tying his own shoes...things like that. The real benefit to preschool in addition to getting them used to a "school" set-up with little pressure, is social. I would try and network with some moms and see if you can start a little "mom's" club where you leave him with the other moms and they have a playdate. You would reciprocate with the other moms as well. It would get your little man ready to function with other adults and kids around his own age without you around. K-5 will be a big deal for him if they are in school all day. That was a difficult transition for my kids even though they went to preschool. I would also REALLY talk it up. About how cool and grown-up it is to go to school. That way, when next fall arrives, he will be excited.

I think it would be good to find out what they expect them to already know in Kindergarten. My daughter is in preK4 right now and I know they are focusing on learning how to write their name. They are learning letters & numbers. Each week they focus on a letter and number. For each letter they do, they are learning what words start with that letter, what sounds the letter makes.

Begin with the alphabet ~ making sure that he recognizes capital and lowercase, your basic shapes (square, rectangle, circle, diamond, triangle, oval and octagon). Point out shapes of signs going down the road. Know his colors. Start "dotting" his name on paper and each day let him trace over your dots. You may think he isn't getting it, but one day, he will really surprise you. Count. At least to 10, more if possible. Understand the concept of position words (behind, beside, etc.) Know his first and last name separately. If there's anyway he can associate with other children, that will be very beneficial. There are some great websites that can give you good ideas (try www.kidzone.com, first learning) You've got time ~ good luck!! You'll be glad one day that you kept him home to enjoy him!

The most important thing your child can learn is independence.

It may not be too late to enroll him in a GA-Pre K program. My 7 year old went and it was great now my 4 yr old son is going and he loves it and it's free! They provide instruction,nap time and meals. Alot of them have reasonable after and before care programs. If thats not for you then barnes and noble and borders has books on HOme School leasons and activities

It's probably too late unless you have one nearby that isn't full, but did you check out the state lottery funded pre-k programs? They're in public schools and free. Since that's probably not an option at this point. I would certainly make sure that he knows his ABCs, colors, shapes, counting -I would say at least to 20 if not higher -those basic things. I do cognitive assessments on lower income children who are in pre-k and about to enter kindergarten the next year. I'm basing my advice on the fundamentals they need to know. Depending on where you live and where he goes to kindergarten -the basics may not be enough. Give him some reading prep too. He doesn't have to be reading, but he needs to know what direction you read in, what titles of books are, etc.

Hi M.,

I have two suggestions. Have you tried a Moms Morning Out program. They range from 2-5 days and are generally half day. That is a GREAT place to start, especially for social skills that he can not get at home or from playgroups alone. The second is asking a local kindergarten tacher. Go to the local elementary school and ask whom you can speak to. I am sure they will be more than helpful.

Good luck,
S.

I bought the Jumpstart prek software and had my four year old do this. He loved being independant and I could get things done while he spent time on the computer. Good luck.

Did he not qualify for the free Pre-K programs?

Depending on your area and whether you are doing private or public, you would probably be shocked at things that they are expected to learn during PreK. The are expected to know the letters in their name, to recognize their name in print, to be able to write all letters and the letters of their name. They should be learning the phonics of letter sounds. Possibly learning to read. Know their numbers to at least 20 and be able to write them. Know their abcs and writing them. recognize abcs out of order. I was shocked. My son is in private school and went to GaPreK. I was told that all of the GaPreK kids and most of the Private PreK kids did not know what they needed to entering Kindergarten and that the teacher was having to do a major review. If you look at Walmart and other book stores there are these workbooks that are for PreK etc. I would get the PreK and Kindergarten ones. Honestly the my son is in first grade now and already is adding and subtracting simple numbers, reading chapter books, comprehension worksheets, etc. I think he is doing what I did more like in third. To graduate Kindergarten he had to know 1-100 in print and verbally, count by 2s, 5s, and 10s. I am totally astounded by the stuff they are taught. My daughter missed the PreK cut off but the class is still teaching her to write numbers, write her name, etc. They run it like a PreK.

Flashcards! Go to the library and get him the books on the first stage level especially by Dr seuss. My 4 year old is in a half day program and because I kept him out of daycare from April until now, he's reading. It also helps to watch the pbs and etv tv stations they do learn some things from tv. Oh, for the flash cards I did colors, animals, simple body parts, foods, directions like stop and go, or well I guess that could also be opposites and just words out of those books. I think they are called I can read! Good luck! 4 is such a good age.. Question I have alil girl due at the end of the month and my son is super excited .. What emothions did your child go through with his new siblings, did he have alot of behavior changes?

He should learn his letters, both Capital and small, memorize his name, address and telephone number and also the names of both his parents. Let him spend lots of time coloring and writing to help the muscles in his fingers develop. Play with modeling clay, paint some with water colors. Go to a school supply store and purchase activity books for his age group and do a different one at least every week. He should learn how to paste things on a picture. At Thanksgiving, decorate a turkey, christmas - a stocking and a tree. Put his artwork on the fridge with magnets. Now in the 5 year old kindergarten they are reading by January so you must prepare him. He also can learn his sounds of letters. Check with your library on books for his age group. Educate him on living things at his age level such as Butterflies, etc. Your librarian can be a great help and keep your expenses down. V.

M., there are books you can buy that help teach the child how to write, draw, shapes, etc. The books range from pre-school up to elem. You can get them at WalMart. It is a dry erase book. My son is in 1st grade now, sometimes at night I still make him practice correct formation of the letter with the book. Your son will be fine in Kindergarten, no need to worry. He won't be behind.

Hi, M.!
I used to teach 4-year-old preschool. My advice to you would be to expose him to as many everyday activities as you can. Just a trip to the grocery store teaches so much. He can choose a variety of colorful fruits and vegetables, big or small packages, hot or cold foods, etc. He can learn about waiting in line and taking a turn. Point out the colors of items, make comparisons, let him pay the cashier, let him load and unload groceries.
When you can, let him get messy and explore how things feel. Let him play with mud, bugs, playdough, shaving cream, paint the side of the house with a bucket of water and a large paint brush, color the driveway with chalk, dance in water puddles, catch fireflies, lay on the grass and look at the stars at night, make up stories about the clouds, collect leaves, rake them and jump in them, basically just explore the world from his viewpoint.
Also, I would take him to the library as much as possible. If there is not one close by, be sure to visit book stores that have reading areas. You can build your own library inexpensively by buying used books at thrift stores or yard sales. Read to him several times a day.
Play music in your home and sing with him. Dance to the rythmn of the music.
I would not be extremely concerned with him being able to identify letters, numbers, writing, etc. The most important thing is that he is ready to learn when he gets to school. Being able to share, wait a turn, listen quietly, play with others, express himself verbally, and a love of exploring new things are all more important than academics.
Enjoy this last year at home...it goes so fast.
D. Callahan

My daugher goes to pre-school and she is learning how to wright letters and her name. Also the has learned by doing a song, the months of the year. She has also learned "I Pledge Allegens" I also bought her a book at toys "r us by Brain Quest. Its a work book that helps your child learn to write letters, recognize letters, matching, numbers. At our toys r us in N. Charleston they went from pre-school to age 10 I believe. Its a fun book and will help your child write. We do it on the weekend to help her retain what she has learned at preschool. Good luck and have fun with it dont stress your self out. Olivia who is 4 goes to St. Timothys in Goose Creek 5days a week from 830a-1130a. Its not all day. They also have 4yr old 2 days a week. That cost $120.00/month. They also have 4yr 3 days a week $165.00/month. You do not need a lunch. Once every 2weeks you will need to bring in a snack for the class. All the parents take turns and depending on how many kids there are depends on how often you need to bring in a snack. Your Son needs to be potty trained as well.

I teach pre-school children at a nature center. He will need to know his A,B,C's, how to count to 20, how to write his name, know his colors and shapes, etc. He will learn in Kindergarten how to write his name, learn his phone number, how to follow simple rules, how to sort things. If he hasn't mastered some of the things listed above before K, don't fret! He will learn it in school.

Hope that helps! Have fun together while learning all of this and take lots of outside breaks:)

Work on numbers 1-10 and then later in the year try 11-20.
Work the alphabet. Crucial.
Colors
Structured environment. Have a place for him to sit when snacking. A place to go to for his studies. ECt....
Put a mat out for him to sit on during story time.
Read to him lots.
ARt projects. Learning how to use all of the supplies.
Hope it helps.

First, make learning fun, nothing to stress over for him or for you. By the time my children started kindergarten, they knew their alphabet, letters, numbers, colors, shapes and could read! I didn't do that on purpose! We just read a lot, and they had the kinds of toys and books that promoted their learning. Children learn naturally without stressing them out if information is provided to them in a non-stressful, playful way. Read to him every night, and during the day when you can if he likes that! My children also watched Sesame Street faithfully. Some of these newer shows for kids are useless, some are good. One hour a day of an educational program does wonders for helping them learn, too. Make sure he gets some "other children" play time at least every few days, as well. This will help him with socialization skills. Just normal stuff and fun stuff and relax. He'll be fine. He will probably learn as much or more from you at home for this year as he would have at a school with many other children around anyway. When my girls started school, the school teacher was amazed that they could already do some reading and already knew everything it took the school a year to teach, sometimes not so successfully. He'll be fine.