How early?

[Morr]

How early can I start working on homeschooling?

Both hubby and I agreed that Scarlet will be attending preschool at our Temple. Its a great preschool, I've worked there last year so I am familiar with the director and teachers, as well as the general curriculum. It will be 3-4 hours in the morning (9-12/1pm). I can choose either a 2 or 3 days program for her. So she will be home part of the week as well.

She has to be 2 years old to join, meaning she will be eligable in September of 2009.

In the meanwhile and throughout that time, are there any homeschooling programs/curriculums for parents to utilize as part of their plan to later homeschool?

As of now, hubby and I want her homeschooled, probably from elementary school and so on. I want her to develop social skills, so preschool and probably kindergarten are still in the picture.

So I was wondering when and where I should look for ideas to start developing and working on with her as soon as possible to build the basis for our homeschooling.

Anyone have any ideas? Anyone homeschooling their kids from a very early age?

Advice, websites, etc -- all welcome!

Thanks!

[Lyrien]

I honestly wouldn't do anything formal for quite some time. She will gain an insane amount of knowledge her first 5 years, you wouldn't need to do anything but play and talk with her. These early years are more about understanding your family life and her place in it than any form of schooling.

But if you really need something, reading to her every chance you get would be my biggest piece of advice.

[Morr]

Thanks!

I plan on reading to her, and we want to start music lessons for her early on (hopefully age 3 or so).

Just wondering if there are any ideas, games, etc for infants and toddlers that I can mold in preparing the building blocks for learning and education later on.

I guess hubby and I will have to be creative LOL

[ladyalpha]

What I always did was just games that went with their ages and abilities. Hiding object games, thumbkin song (Where is thumbkin..while you have your hands behind your back, then bring out your fists and show your thumbs, etc.). And other songs that can be found on line.
I spoke to them about everything I was doing. When I was making a bottle, I explained every step I was going through. And so on with the day. This calmed them when they were little and taught at the same time. (Although the teaching really wasn't a goal..just a wonderful bonus).
I showed them trees blowing in the wind and then taught them how to sway the same way. I explained in our play why trees bend and sway.

Later, when they were able to walk, we would count stairs while walking up and down them. Gradually working from counting forward to counting backwards.
When making sandwiches I would count the bread with them. I would show basic adding skills by explaining 1 piece of bread + 1 piece of bread gave us 2 pieces of bread. Then I would also explain halves and wholes the same way.
I have found that teaching math, no matter what the age, is much easier if there is a real life example used. My girls learned how to divide when they were little because I explained it as..if you have 4 cookies and 2 kids..how many would they get to be fair? They told me just recently that they still always use that type of example when they are doing dividing. lol

Later, when she is talking..answer all of her questions to the best of your ability. If you don't know the answer, be honest and tell her you don't know. Then look it up together. You both learn something new and she learns that nobody knows everything, no matter how old they are, and we can all continue to learn.
Also, make things a challenge. My girls and I once had a discussion when I was taking my oldest to kindergarten one morning. She asked me if flamigos fly. I asked her what she thought. Then I asked her sister. They had different opinions, so I told her that I would look it up and when school was out I would let her know which one of them was right. She looked forward to it all day. Along with the answer, I showed her the website that I had gone to and she was able to learn more about them.

Definitely read to her and keep books and magazines where she can have easy access to them. When she is older she will have you read them constantly but even when you can recite them with your eyes closed, and that day will come with at least one book, lol, continue to do it. That builds reading skills, vocabulary and a love for reading and learning. And it is great bonding time.

I hope this helps. Later on, you can get books with dry erase markers and things like that. But, even if you never buy any of those..drawing and writing letters in sand/dirt is fun too. As well as a simple box of crayons and paper. Magnets are huge hits with kids..and the underneath of the fridge. lol
But, you don't need to spend a lot of money on teaching her. Kids naturally learn and love to learn new things.
ladyalpha