Here are some ideas which I have come up with as I've unschooled my two preschoolers. There are many more which I have not included here due to a lack of time. I will be adding more in the near future.
"To Do" List.
- Start the day with a "To Do" list.
- Talk to your children and let them decide what you will all do for the day.
Alphabet
- Cover the alphabet daily.
- Focus on one letter per day.
- Emphasize the phonetic sound/s which the letter makes.
- Write words beginning with this letter or which feature the letter on the blackboard or on paper.
- Sound out words.
Blackboard
- Each day write the day, weather, feature a letter, phonemic sound, number, focus on alphabet, count up to 20 (initially).
- Free time for child to draw anything they like on the blackboard.
Building Toys
- Duplo, Lego, wooden blocks, etc.
Colouring
- Crayons, coloured pencils, colouring books, print out colouring pages from the internet.
Computer
- Educational software - particularly great for children with visual-spatial strengths.
- eg Edmark's Bailey's Book House.
- Edmark's Millie's Math House.
- Edmark's Sammy's Science House.
- Knowledge Adventure's My First Encyclopedia.
- Microsoft Explorapedia.
- Creative Wonders' Sesame Street Let's Make a Word.
- Creative Wonders' Sesame Street Get Set To Learn.
- Davidson's Fisher Price Ready For Preschool.
- Davidson's Science Blaster Jr.
- JumpStart Toddlers.
- JumpStart Preschool.
Cooking
- Bake bread, pizza, cookies, cakes, etc.
- Children can find the right measuring spoons, etc.
- They can measure and add ingredients to bowl, mix, knead, pour into cake pan, loaf tin, etc.
Counting
- Count up to 20 initially daily, then work up to 30, etc.
- Focus on one number per day.
- Write featured number on blackboard, count up to that number writing from 1 to that number on the board, draw that number of spots on the board and count them, count that number of blocks (or whatever) on the floor, etc.
Drawing
- Free access to paper, pens, pencils, pencil sharpeners, scissors, etc.
Focus on Your Child's Interests
- Get books out of the library, search the internet together, find out as much as you can about the subject while always having your child play a large part in the "finding-out" process.
Garden
- Give each child their own garden plot.
- Look through gardening magazines, garden books, landscape design books, etc.
- Show your child a variety of plants - learn their names, what they look like, whether it is a herb, flower, plant, vegetable, whatever.
- Your child can choose what to plant in his own garden. He can buy the seeds, plant them, water them, watch them grow and then plant them into his own garden.
Grown-up Activities
- Always include your children in as many of your own activities as possible.
- Children really want to be a part of the adult world.
- Let them help at meal-time. They can wash the vegetables, you can help them cut the vegetables, they can stir the meal, place sauces, etc on the table, set the table - placemats, knives, forks.
- Allow extra time so your child can help and you won't feel pressured into hurrying them along or taking over and doing it yourself.
Library
- Visit the library regularly and give your child plenty of time to choose their own books.
Painting
Playdough.
Puzzles
- Jigsaws, matching games, etc.
Reading
- Lots of rhyming books, alphabet books, easy readers such as the Little Critter books by Mercer Mayer, sound out letters in words, point out various words if child is interested in them.
- Allow the child to comment and talk about the books as much as possible.
TV
- Watch educational programmes such as the Animal Show, Barney and Sesame Street.
- Record documentaries featuring animal information so child can see them again and again.
Windy Day Activities
- Balloons.
- Blow bubbles.
- Windmill.
Writing
- When your child is ready, encourage them to practice writing letters.
- They can try to write their own name initially and start out with the more easily formed letters ie o, t, l, i.
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