Anything I could be doing now?

[dogmom327]

Read to them as much as you can. Talk to them about everything you do during the day (housework, cooking, hobbies, etc.). Give them fun "educational" stuff like puzzles of the alphabet, the US states, etc. I really think it's about laying a foundation at that age. That's pretty much what we did with DS and he started reading at 3 1/2 and at almost 5 is mid-second grade reading level (he just seemed to pick it up, we didn't formally do anything).

[Solomon's Mama]

Originally Posted by New cloth lover Love this We already read everyday, starting counting, interacting with other kids, and of course are giving TONS of hugs and kisses (I think that's the best part!) I guess I just have no idea where to start in terms of how to narrow down all the different homeschool programs. Like a PP said, it's really overwhelming. Is there maybe a site that you all would recommend?

Are you wanting to narrow down preschool programs or start looking into older curriculums?

I honestly don't know of a site that gives a good overview of lots of different preschool programs. I know there are some reviews on Homeschool Reviews and you can always search "preschool" on the Well Trained Mind forums and come up with some stuff. What exactly are you looking for in a preschool program? Maybe I can help you narrow it down

[cdeweese]

Right now I'm focusing on anything related to the 18 month to 5 year age range. Something that would hold her attention (included art) and be fun for her to do. I don't want something that takes a great deal of time every day, but I also don't want a bunch of coloring sheets Not sure if that makes sense We're pretty religious, so a curriculum that had some focus on Christianity and character would also be a plus.

[Solomon's Mama]

There aren't a lot of boxed curriculums that I know of that are for under 3. Most seem to start around 3.

Carol's Affordable Curriculum has a bible option which basically adds in a bible verse and mini lesson on it each day that you can elaborate on if you wish. Then each day has a topic, like a number, letter, shape, or something seasonal. For example, one day last week we did the letter O. The bible section talked about how God's love is like an O, a never ending circle. Then we said our ABC's, practiced the O sound and words that start with O, and then read a couple of books and looked for O's on each page. Then there were a couple coloring sheets with owls and an octopus. Some days the hands on activities are coloring sheets and other days they are more crafty, like making a hat or gluing stuff. Like I said, its short and sweet and gives a basic framework that you can build from if you want to to reinforce concepts.

I'm trying to remember some others that would work for your ages.
Heart of Dakota has a program that starts at 2 called Little Hands to Heaven. I may add that in some time this year since it has more devotional stuff than Carol's.

There are also books like What Your Preschooler Needs to Know or The Toddler's Busy Book that give daily activities.

A lot of people like online resources like ABC Jesus Loves Me, Starfall, or Letter of the Week.

For the 3-5 range, Sonlight, Winterpromise, and Horizons have good programs.

Just some things for you to google

[cdeweese]

I went ahead and got 3 months worth of Carol's Little Disciples to try. It seems simple enough to incorporate into our daily routine

[Solomon's Mama]

Originally Posted by New cloth lover I went ahead and got 3 months worth of Carol's Little Disciples to try. It seems simple enough to incorporate into our daily routine

Hope you enjoy it! I'm sure there are fancier curriculums but for this age, and for that price, it is great.

We usually do it midmorning after we have had breakfast and a little play time. Its a lot better than watching Mickey Mouse lol!