Three-Year Old Homeschool Preschool

In past generations, small children learned (and learned a lot) through their play, daily interactions at home, etc. Schooling toddlers and preschoolers is a fairly new phenomenon, and I would go as far as to say that formal schooling for your toddlers and preschoolers is actually not a necessity. With that being said, please understand that when it comes to Three-Year Old Homeschool Preschool, you can not mess it up – I promise!

Homeschool Preschool is simply a way to describe you taking advantage of opportunities to guide your little learner as they discover the world around them. When I chat about homeschooling preschoolers, I’m talking about reading with them, playing with them, and involving them in those day-to-day life moments that have the power to teach.

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When my oldest turned two, I decided to begin venturing into the world of Homeschool Preschool. I felt that we would both benefit from the structure and routine it would provide during our days together, and as a former classroom teacher, I must admit I was especially excited to plan learning activities for him.

I simply couldn’t help myself!

While I am a firm believer that children learn best through play as well as through interactions with others, I thought it would be fun to have just a few minutes each day dedicated to these learning activities – definitely something that can be practiced while simply playing and reading books aloud with your little one, but I decided to take it a step further – just for fun.

Are you wanting to do the same? If so, simply choose the areas where you would like to focus with your little one, and then gather resources that will assist you in meeting those goals. Please don’t drive yourself crazy overthinking the details. I assure you that there is no wrong way to do this. The only danger is trying to take on too much at once – overwhelming yourself and your child. My first piece of advice for two-year old homeschool preschool?

Keep it simple – Keep it fun.

I assure you it will make all the difference!

This post will provide you with tips and ideas that will make it possible for you to navigate Three-Year Old Homeschool Preschool at home with your child, and my hope is that you and your little one will have a lot of fun learning together!

Three-Year Old Homeschool Preschool

What Do I Want My Three-Year Old to Learn?

For the three-year old year, I like to focus on the following areas:

Your goals for your little one may differ, but this list will provide you with a good starting point!

• Letter Recognition
• Letter Tracing
• Letter Sounds
• Counting to 20
• Basic Shapes
• Colors
• Sorting/Classifying
• Cutting/Pasting
• Gross Motor Skills/Fine Motor Skills
• Memorization

What Curriculum Resources Do I Use?

• Abeka’s Phonics Charts 1 & 2
• Abeka’s Letters & Sounds for 3’s
• Abeka’s Numbers & Skills with Button Bear

As part of our daily exercises, we use Abeka‘s Phonics Charts 1 & 2. These two charts lay the foundation for Abeka’s entire phonics program.

• letter recognition
• tracing skills
• letter/word association

The Numbers & Skills book offers great counting practice – but it also includes a variety of pages that will encourage:

• color recognition/application
• reasoning skills

ABC Jesus Loves Me is just one of many websites that offer letter/number printables to use at home! I printed mine on cardstock and laminated them. They have been great for all kinds of different activities. For example, when we are learning about letter B, we might cover of B‘s with plastic bugs or colorful buttons or craft blocks (pictured below) or blue pom poms.

For letter C, we roll and cut play dough to create Cs on our mat.

For letter V, we might form Vs using vegetables!

POST UPDATE: It has come to my attention that the ABC Jesus Loves Me website has changed in its set up – If you find it difficult to access these particular ones, there are lots of other great freebies out (Check Pinterest for sure!) or you might be interested in what Bitty Beginnings offers along these lines! I have really liked her resources!

Check out my favorite laminator! – Laminating sheets available here.

As with the approach we use for two-year old homeschool preschool, I like to focus on one letter of the alphabet each week – starting with A and working our way through Z over a period of 26 weeks. Out of order works great, too if you prefer to do it that way! This letter-a-week approach serves as the framework for my lesson planning (I use that term loosely.), and books like this have been great resources.

I simply use my personal day planner to jot down three things:

• #1 – Each Monday is marked with a note of the letter of the alphabet we will be focusing on that week.
• #2 – On each day of the week, I make note of any workbook pages I want to complete.
• #3 – On each day of the week, I list the activities that I want to do.

Check out my favorite planner: Simple & Inexpensive!

I typically plan out 1-2 months at a time – leaving room for any holidays, out-of-town trips, etc. that would take us away from our usual routine. There is no need to be strict and rigid with your schedule. One of the most beautiful things about homeschooling is the flexibility it provides. Don’t be afraid to embrace that.

What Do My Lesson Plans Look Like?

Each day begins with our morning time where we do the following:

• Read from our Children’s Bible
• Practice Memorizing Psalm 23
• Recite The Pledge of Allegiance
• Sing the Days of the Week Song

(Sung to the Tune of “Yankee Doodle”)

Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday.

Don’t ask me to sing again, because I’ll do it anyway.

Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday.

Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday.

• Sing the Months of the Year Song

(Sung to the Tune “Michael Finnegan”)

January, February, March, and April

May and June

July and August

September, October, November, December

These are the months of the year.

• Practice Abeka Phonic’s Charts 1 & 2

These are all daily practice activities that we go through each morning and then we walk through the worksheets/activities planned for each day.

We typically do one Letters & Sounds for 3’s worksheet and one Numbers & Skills with Button Bear worksheet each Monday and Wednesday with a third Letters & Sounds for 3’s worksheet either on Tuesday or Thursday  – for a total of five worksheets per week. Five worksheets?! Five worksheets a week?! For a three-year old?! Let me clarify! Each of these worksheets are very basic with a simple activity of either tracing [for example] one uppercase and one lowercase letter or tracing a single number and coloring a picture that goes with it. Simple. Simple. Simple. I am absolutely not in favor of overwhelming little ones with an over abundance of worksheets!

Here’s an example of what our first two weeks of three-year old homeschool preschool might look like:

Week #1: Letter A

Monday, September 1st: Letters & Sounds for 3’s Page 3 and Numbers & Skills Page 3; Color or Paint the Letter A page from the Melissa & Doug Easel Tablet; Cut up an apple – Count the pieces – Eat the apple.

Tuesday, September 2nd: Read animal books; Use the A alphabet stamp to “stamp” A‘s on a flat piece of play dough; Play with alphabet stickers; Serve asparagus with dinner.

Wednesday, September 3rd: Letters & Sounds for 3’s Page 5 and Numbers & Skills Page 5; Count to 10 with counting chips; Complete cutting/gluing Activity; Attend Storytime/Musictime at the local library.

Thursday, September 4th: Sing the alphabet using letter flashcards; Letters & Sounds for 3’s Page 11; Trace zigzags with highlighter; Play shape-matching game.

Friday, September 5th: Play with alphabet puzzles; Use popsicle sticks to create the Letter A; Paint with q-tips; Interact with Starfall website; Attend drop-in art class at the local art center.

Now I Eat My ABCs Available Here

Week #2: Letter B

Monday, September 8th: Letters & Sounds for 3’s Page 7 and Numbers & Skills Page 7;  Color or Paint the Letter B page from the Melissa & Doug Easel Tablet; Trace student’s name with a highlighter; Blow bubbles; Make banana icecream.

Tuesday, September 9th: Read bug book; Using an B-shaped cookie cutter, “cut” B‘s out of play dough; Play with alphabet magnets; Serve beans with dinner.

Wednesday, September 10th: Letters & Sounds for 3’s Page 9 and Numbers & Skills Page 9; Count to 10 with counting bears; Complete cutting/gluing Activity; Attend Storytime/Musictime at the local library.

Thursday, September 11th: Sing the alphabet using letter flashcards; Letters & Sounds for 3’s Page 13; Sing a song while passing a ball back and forth; Using a letter B alphabet stamp [and washable ink pad], cover a piece of construction paper with letter B‘s; Play shape-matching game

Friday, September 12th: Read bear books; Cut large, colorful letter B‘s out of a magazine, and allow your little one to glue them to a piece of construction paper; Interact with a favorite preschool math YouTube channel;Attend drop-in art class at the local art center.

*Some of our favorite YouTube Channels: Super Simple Learning, Maple Leaf Learning, Oh My Genius, Storybots, Edewcate, Jack Hartmann, Patty Shukla, and Mother Goose Club.

Complete A-Z Alphabet Letter Learning Packet Available from Bitty Beginnings

As you can see, I like to keep the activities as simple as possible – No complicated crafts and projects here! I only list ideas that I know can realistically be carried out in our day-to-day, and I keep my list short and sweet – unless I need to make additional notes to trigger my memory regarding the details of a specific activity.

For example, Monday’s notes for Week #2 might simply say: 

• Color Letter B
• Trace Name
• Banana Icecream
• Bubbles

Alphatales Big Book Available Here

Alphatales Book Bundle Available Here

This quick list is all I need to guide me in carrying out the activities I have brainstormed for each day. You may find that a different method works for you, but my goal is to keep things simple and fun!

Shapes Trace-n-Erase Chalkboard: by Chalk Full of Design

Please know that these specific activities have been tailored to fit the needs of my little ones and you may find yourself drawn to different ideas for your learner. Another beautiful thing about homeschooling is that you can plan your lessons specifically for your child, so don’t hesitate to do just that!

Overwhelmed by the way I just explained my lesson planning?

Maybe this view will help:

Our Weekly Schedule:

Monday:

Bible Reading/Bible Memory/Memory Songs

Abeka Phonics Charts 1 & 2

Letters & Sounds Tracing Worksheet

Numbers & Skills Counting Worksheet

Hands-On Letter/Number Activities

Tuesday:

Hands-On Letter/Number Activities

Wednesday:

Bible Reading/Bible Memory/Memory Songs

Abeka Phonics Charts 1 & 2

Letters & Sounds Tracing Worksheet

Numbers & Skills Counting Worksheet

Hands-On Letter/Number Activities

Visit to the Library

Thursday:

Bible Reading/Bible Memory/Memory Songs

A Beka Phonics Charts 1 & 2

Letters & Sounds Tracing Worksheet

Hands-On Letter/Number Activities

Friday:

Hands-On Letter/Number Activities

Visit to the Art Center

Interested in having access to ALL of my lesson plans A through Z? I’ve released them HERE!

Yes, I’ve done all the work for you – providing you with a multi-sensory approach to teaching more than JUST the alphabet: Library Lists, Snack Ideas, STEM Activities, Sensory Explorations, Art Experiences, Outdoor Play, and more!

Now, for my #1 homeschool organization tip: On Sunday night, I gather any workbooks/supplies I want to use in the coming week – usually placing everything down in a basket. Once a busy week begins, everything I need is right there at my fingertips…which ensures the activities will actually happen as I hope.

Where Do I Find My Supplemental Activity Ideas?

I like to brainstorm ahead of time about what kinds of activities my child will enjoy doing. Does your child love board books? Puzzles? Do you own any educational toys/games that they especially enjoy? Is your little one artistic? Musical? Consider these kinds of questions and then tailor your activities to their interests. This guarantees they will enjoy learning with you, and that is most definitely the number one goal!

Alphabet Animal Flashcards Available Here

If you find that an activity isn’t working well (and there can be a variety of different reasons why this might be the case), don’t stress. Simply stop what you’re doing and redirect. No worries!

If you’re having trouble coming up with ideas for your little one, I have one word for you: Pinterest! Hey, even if your creative juices ARE flowing, I would still suggest checking out Pinterest. Search “Letter of the Week Activities”, and you will be all set with fun ideas to last you from A to Z...and then some! Free letter/number printables, simple alphabet-related craft ideas (Have I mentioned that I’m all about simple?), tasty snack suggestions for each letter of the alphabet, and more – It’s all there for you! In fact, you will discover more ideas than you could ever possibly do, so just pick a few that sound especially fun [and do-able], and you will be all set for a great year.

FREE A-Z Do-a-Dot Packet Available Here – Another great FREE Set Here

Do-A-Dot Markers* Available Here – *These have also been spotted at Marshalls/TJ Maxx!

In the early days, that is what I did- putting all of my favorite activities together in this resource that I make available here at This Little Home of Mine:

Where Do I Find My Supplemental Resources:

Most of my educational supplies/toys have come from yard sales, thrift stores, and consignment sales! You can even find great resources at the dollar store/in the dollar spot! You do not have to spend a lot of money to provide great resources for your children.

A Few Final Thoughts:

Some educators feel that Abeka’s curriculum is too traditional, but I love the strong foundation it provides! This is not to say that the program is for everyone! Every child is different…every parent teaches in their own unique way…but this is simply why we have chosen to use it for our preschoolers. Some parents may feel overwhelmed by the thought of learning Abeka’s phonics curriculum. I can completely understand this as it may seem like a foreign language to those who have never taught it; but I promise that after a little bit of time, it becomes second nature to you and your child! Abeka‘s preschool curriculum allows you to start with basic concepts and then grow from there as your child moves along in the program.

Curious about how to extend Abeka’s Phonics program on in to the four-year old year? Click here!

In addition to the above lesson plans, we also like to incorporate Kumon workbooks in to our at-home learning routines. We have used Kumon workbooks throughout the school year as well as during the summer months. They provide great reinforcement, but I would highly suggest testing the waters to see what your child is able to do as you definitely do not want them to feel overwhelmed.

My First Book of Uppercase Letters Available Here

My First Book of Lowercase Letters Available Here

My Book of Numbers 1-30 Available Here

There are so many great [age-appropriate/developmentally-appropriate] workbooks and activity ideas out there – find what your little one loves and let that be your guide! Don’t over think it. Don’t compare to others. Allow their play to guide you, and you will be amazed what your preschooler will learn!

FREE Alphabet Printables Available Here

Whether we realize it or not, lots of learning is going on during typical childhood activities: rigorous outside play, building with blocks, assisting with household chores, coloring/painting at an easel, cutting/pasting with paper and glue, designing with play dough, creating with Legos. Especially at this age, it is important that we value these things!

My kids love when I read aloud to them! They are big fans of play dates at the park and trips to the library for music time/story time. They enjoy going to the art center and doing little projects in the garage with their dad. They love taking “nature walks” and playing outside with water, bubbles, sand, and chalk. These daily experiences are where so much learning is happening, and in my mind, Homeschool Preschool is simply for reinforcement and enrichment.

Want access to a printable that you can use to brainstorm fun activities for your little ones?

Interested in more information about homeschooling your preschooler? I offer the following posts:

• Two-Year-Old Homeschool Preschool
• Three-Year-Old Homeschool Pre-school
• Four-Year-Old Homeschool Pre-school

as well as a free Homeschool Preschool e-course designed to encourage you as you get started!

Want to read more about our family’s Lifestyle of Homeschooling? Our daily schedule? A look at our week? I would be honored to share with you how we have adopted a lifestyle of living and learning together and how you can do the same with your own family: