Homeschooling A Kindergartner? My Advice For Getting Started
“I am just starting out and will be homeschooling a kindergartner this fall. What would you do if you were in my shoes?”
It is really, really weird to be the homeschool mom on the other end of the journey.
Next year marks my oldest son’s senior year in high school and my youngest’s last year in middle school.
A decade of homeschooling means I am often asked by moms, new to homeschooling, what I would do or did do when we were just starting out.
I love to answer – mostly because I felt like I had no one to ask back then and know how lonely, scary and isolating it can feel. I also remember just how fun it was, homeschooling a kindergartner.
Because of everything in our world right now, I have heard from a large number of families who are choosing to homeschool their Kindergartner next year.
Every single time I read one of their emails or messages, I smile. It seems like yesterday that my youngest son was a little, almost six year old, excited to “start school” with his older brother.
Today, I want to share what worked for us and encourage you as you begin your homeschooling journey.
Homeschooling A Kindergartner? My Advice For Getting Started
What I need to begin with is this – you have plenty of time for all the things. I promise.
What has surprised me most about homeschooling my boys is how worried I was in the beginning, when they didn’t understand a particular concept or when we didn’t get all the work done for the day. I was sure I was failing them, all the time.
I wasn’t and you won’t either.
The best thing about homeschooling a kindergartner is that you can accomplish so much with what seems like so little.
In my experience, stories and play make the best teachers at this age.
Please know, although I was compensated for my time in writing this post, I only share products and services that work well for my family. It is my hope that they help yours as well.
Curriculum For Homeschooling A Kindergartner
I did use a curriculum our first year homeschooling, and actually for almost every year since.
The key for me was finding one that best supported my goals and approach to learning (remember – stories and play were 99% of what I think actually worked for us).
We used Sonlight back then to help us get started. What’s even better now, is that Sonlight has a highly requested new level, just for Kindergarten.
Literature Based
Sonlight has a literature based approach to learning that I found to be invaluable for my children, especially my youngest. Because of his learning differences, I found stories to be a much more effective way of helping him learn. A standard worksheet and memorization has never been the best approach for him, so the wealth of books and focus on history as the core of the curriculum was perfect for his needs.
Sonlight is also faith based and includes different bible verses for discussion and/or memorization each week.
Mom Friendly
What I found to be most helpful for us, when we were just getting started, was Sonlight’s structure and planning.
I could literally pick-up the instructor’s guide and start our day with almost no prep. In a way, those early days with Sonlight’s weekly learning plans helped me learn how to structure my child’s day. It helped me think of interesting ways to discuss the stories we were reading. It was like having a master teacher helping me along the way.
I needed the support of a fully developed curriculum. I felt encouraged, seeing how it progressed throughout the week, month and school year. I loved that it carefully walked me through each day.
Take A Peek At Sonlight’s Exploring American History: History / Bible / Literature K
In an effort to really show you the advantages of this type of curriculum, especially as you are just starting out, I put together two quick videos, walking you through the program. I also think it’s nice to see something in action, before deciding if it will work for your family.
Try Sonlight Curriculum for FREE
Right now, you can try Sonlight for free.
With this free sample, you’ll experience exactly what it’s like to use Sonlight– the books, the schedule, and the notes.
Sonlight Kindergarten American History Giveaway
Even better? Enter to win a your own Kindergarten set!
One winner will receive Sonlight’s New Kindergarten History / Bible / Literature Program: Exploring American History.
Contiguous US mailing addresses only ENDS 6-30-2020
Good luck and happy learning!
