Homeschooling Preschool - You’ve Got Questions, We’ve Got Answers

Written by Vida Mercer | 11/3/22 6:09 AM

If you’re the mom of a preschooler, or soon will be, there are likely a million questions swimming in your head, and a ton of them probably have to do with your child’s education. In-person schooling is no longer the obvious choice, and home education, in all its various forms, is becoming more and more popular. This alone can present a problem—too many options!

This article is going to get you started in the right direction, answer a few of the most common questions about homeschooling preschool, and point you to where you can find out more. (Because no single article is going to tell you everything you need to know, right?)

Can I actually do this homeschooling preschool thing?

The short answer is . . . yes, you can! With preparation, a positive mindset, and some trust in yourself (and your child!), homeschooling preschool can be much more than just something you do. It can be a treasured time spent in exploration, growth, and discovery as you forge a learning partnership with your child.

Now, let’s be real. I’m not saying your home is going to look like an IG homeschool influencer’s or that there won’t be days with tears (sometimes your child’s, sometimes your own). I’m saying that with planning and research—some solid advice doesn’t hurt either—there is a way to overcome or even avoid many of the common challenges and pitfalls.

Not even sure what those are? Read on.

Common concerns about tackling preschool at home are things like: How will I know what to teach? Isn’t it going to take a ton of time and money? Will my child be ready to enter a traditional kindergarten if I keep them at home for preschool?

The good news is that there is really just one answer to all of these concerns: plan ahead. There are tons of ready-made preschool curricula to choose from. Not sure how to pick a good one?

We’ve got you covered for that as well.

If you have a limited budget and more time on your hands, you can craft your own high-quality curriculum from free resources and items you already have. [Hint: Your home is already jam-packed with learning resources. You just need to learn how to put them to work!]

And will they be ready for a traditional kindergarten experience? By starting with what a kindergartner needs to know and working backward from there, you will be confident that your child is just as ready (dare I say more ready?) for that first big day of big-kid school than if you had dropped them off at preschool.

At what age should I begin homeschooling?

Well, I love to say that you have already been homeschooling since the day your child was born. After all, we are their first teachers, sharing a gentle introduction to this big, wide world.

Okay, okay. I know you’re looking for something a little more specific than that. Let’s start with when a child would typically begin kindergarten. Most states begin kindergarten programs in the fall of the year in which a child has turned five by August, sometimes September. Sometimes, the cut-off date for turning five is January 1st, making it possible for a child to start kindergarten at age four and a half.

Now, let’s dial that back to preschool. If we generalize that kindergarteners are five-year-olds, then around age four is a good time to begin adding some structure to your home learning experience. However, many preschool programs offer two-year courses, so there is also nothing wrong with beginning some light learning activities earlier than four. Just remember that keeping it fun and going at your child’s pace is the key to a successful learning experience. Technically, the earlier you start, the more time you have to take it slow and easy.

On the other hand, there is no need to freak out if you are starting to homeschool preschool later than four. This just means you need to prioritize what you are going to teach. If your child will be attending a traditional kindergarten, you can get them up to speed with the basics in a matter of weeks or over the summer. Focus on the skills that will help them get through a school day, like fine motor and social skills, and forgo intensive academic learning, which they’ll cover in kindergarten anyway.

What do I need to teach?

To be honest, preschool skills and knowledge are not very different from the early-learning and life skills we naturally teach our toddlers. They are just taught more systematically and with the goal in mind of laying a foundation for more formal learning later.

Here are the subject areas to focus on:

- Motor skills, especially fine motor and pre-writing skills
- Social-emotional skills
- Foundational math and number skills
- Foundational literacy and pre-reading skills
- Language skills
- Cognitive skills

In addition to skills, it’s important to expand your little one’s general knowledge by reading, talking, exploring, experimenting, and answering their questions!

What should a homeschool preschool schedule look like?

Questions about scheduling or time spent on different subjects are some of the most frequent questions I get. And the first piece of advice I give is to remember . . . you’re homeschooling preschool, not doing preschool at home. Big difference! Don’t feel the need to replicate a preschool schedule. When you have 15 kids in a class and a superintendent to report to, you must have a ton of structure. Instead, what you have is one preschooler and a life to live.

Ideally, learning activities are, for the most part, woven into daily tasks and playtime. This accomplishes so many things, like:

- You can incorporate homeschooling preschool into your life without adding a whole other job to your plate every day.
- You can homeschool preschool even if you work outside the home and your child goes to daycare because learning tasks fit into your daily life.
- Your child actually absorbs more information and enjoys learning more because it’s not a chore.
- You and your child are less likely to experience burnout because the learning process is natural and integrated.

So, a homeschool preschool schedule might look something like this:

- Reciting ABCs while you get dressed,
- Counting cereal pieces while you eat breakfast,
- Practicing following directions and fine motor skills while you get ready for your day,
- Incorporating complex sentence structure while you answer your child’s curious questions in the car,
- Honing social-emotional skills while you play at the park with other kids,
- Working on pre-reading and literacy skills while you read a story before naptime . . .

I think you get the point. You might reserve one day a week for a special project where you explore a topic in more depth or create a fantastic piece of art. But a great preschool schedule will take very little extra time out of your day.

Where on earth do I start?!

Since preschool is not mandatory in any state, you don’t need to register anywhere to homeschool. However, if you homeschool your child into kindergarten, it’s a good idea to check out the laws in your state so that you’ll be aware of any upcoming reporting deadlines. (Caveat: If you have already enrolled your child in a traditional preschool and opt to unenroll them, there might be papers to file. Check with your state’s Department of Education if this applies to you.)

The best place to begin is by finding the right kind of resources and advice for you—the ones that align with your parenting style and your educational goals for your child. Next, you’ll need to explore curriculum options. Will you create your own or buy one pre-made? How will you narrow down the choices?

I started this article off by saying that no single article could fully answer your questions about homeschooling preschool. This is where I invite you to read the materials on this page that will take you from tentative toddler mom to confident homeschool teacher.

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