--->Curricula we've used-Abecedarian Academy Homepreschool

Like many moms, becoming a stay-at-home mom was a major life change for me. I needed to rediscover long forgotten nursery rhymes, dig up the words to Frere Jacque, learn about the growth process from birth to age two, to age three, and four. My storehouse of knowledge covered feeding, burping and changing didees, some funny faces, and beyond that I was in a bind. Armed with my internet connection and library card I set forth. Here is what I found that worked for us.

Age two

Hands On Homeschooling
I purchased the two year olds edition when it came out in 1999. I was so happy to have an actual set of lesson plans all laid out for me. As you probably already know, it's hard to find prepackaged lesson plans for a two year old, especially a whole year's worth. It was exciting when Hands On Homeschooling for two year olds first came out - it's all based on the skills lists written by Michele Lewis. Julian loves all of the art activities and that's what I like best about this curriculum. Arts and crafts are an enjoyable way to expose very young children to shapes, colors, and the alphabet, and to reinforce what they're learning in their daily lives. Just doing laundry and preparing food and driving around town provides a vast array of opportunities to talk about shapes, colors, and the alphabet. Another thing worthy of note - even if I miss a day, a week, or even a month, it's no problem. For example, the month of December is so busy and we have plenty to do what with church, Advent, doing our Jesse Tree, getting gifts, baking, and on and on. But I can pick a few activities from December's lessons to squeeze in, then jump right back in when January arrives. Also, I like that the Bible and Spiritual Growth lessons are built into it. But alas, Julian is three and still isn't ready for those activities. Someday he will be and I'll be ready! I ended up using HOH over the long term because everything is laid out for me by day, by month, for a whole year. Here is an overview of the first three months for age two so you can get a good idea of what it covers. If you like what you see go to their Web site for more.
http://www.handsonhomeschooling.com

Before Five in a Row (B4FIAR)
This was the very first curriculum we ever used. I give it five thumbs up. It's designed for two to four year olds and it's excellent. Actually, B4FIAR touts itself as a non-curriculum. Say it's not a curriculum, say it is, I don't care. It gives me ideas and instructions for things to do with my two year old and that's what I want! Suffice to say, it's gentle learning, it's fun, and a super start. After you've done a few books with B4FIAR you'll be noticing the tiniest details in all picture books you read.
http://www.fiveinarow.com

Age three

Sonlight
I found at Sonlight a pre-k package that consists of a lot of good reading books and four workbooks. Sonlight's pre-k program is literature based and since there's no such thing as reading to your child too much I felt I could easily add it to what we're already doing (Hands On Homeschooling). We've especially gotten a lot of use out of the 20th Century Children's Treasury which is a collection of children's books shrunk down to fit in one big book. I saved money with not buying each book separately and when we do come across a story he really likes then we check out the full sized book at the library. Julian has enjoyed the workbooks a great deal and we only started writing in them at age four; before that, we just talked through the pages without working them. The workbooks are called Developing the Early Learner by Simone Bibeau and they help you see how your child is developing at four levels: motor, visual, auditory, and comprehension. They gave me a good idea of where he was developmentally. The giant treasury of Peter Rabbit has been a bust for us. He's not interested in those stories yet, and same with the Treasury of Children's Literature. We'll get our use out of them eventually.

Sonlight Pre-K has no teacher's manual, however one mom very generously posted the schedule she developed and many use it as a guide in lieu of a teacher's manual. If you join the discussion group it is accessible via the Files link. Occasionally, discussions about the curriculum as well as other topics regarding parenting little ones, can become quite lively!

All of the books for Sonlight Pre-K Complete can be purchased directly from Sonlight. A free catalog can be requested from the Sonlight website. Some people prefer to buy the books used, some people check them out from the library, and some people buy some of the books but not all of them.

Sonlight home page http://www.sonlight.com

Charlotte Mason
Charlotte Mason is not a curriculum but an educational philosophy. Much of it is more appropriate for older children but some of it I've used with Julian. Particularly, no twaddle books (that means reading living books, not texts, not dumbed down editions) for reading, and nature walks and nature journaling. Julian has a darling nature journal that is and will be a treasure. He has no idea that people don't go walking in the rain either. lol! If it's raining he just puts on his raincoat and galoshes and expects to go for a walk. Here's an article about the Charlotte Mason approach - Charlotte Mason in a Nutshell. I highly recommend the nature journaling. We would take a walk and he'd draw a picture of something he saw. As your child grows up it will become a precious piece of her or her history. It preserves a piece of time.

Online resources

Age four

Singapore Early Preschool Math
Singapore Math is quite popular. We tried some of the example sheets on the Singapore Web site and Julian liked doing them online. I first heard of it, on many discussion boards and lists, when he was about two. I waited until he was age four years and seven months to purchased it. I leave the book out where he can see it and we do it when he mainly when he asks to or during time we set aside especially to do homeschool. By the time he started first grade he was half a year ahead in math. I recommend Primary Math 1A for the child who is ready for written work.
http://www.singaporemath.com - math placement test

Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons
I bought this from amazon.com a couple years ago for my sister. She didn't like it and I asked for it to try it out with Julian. He likes it. We started using it when he was four and a half. We're not doing the writing part regularly, just for fun when he wants to and usually on the chalkboard. A site to use along with 100 EZ is Worksheets Unlimited but there's only one little old link for free pages at the bottom of the main page. A fantastic page for beginning handwriting practice is at Donna Young's site. We're doing only a little handwriting right now. I didn't start writing till I was about six and I think that's soon enough. There are some reviews for 100 EZ at http://www.epinions.com. We ended up abandoning this book. He just didn't like it after awhile. I do recommend that if your child will be attending regular kindergarten, he or she should be able to write his or her name before the first day of school.

In general

Last but not least, every now and then I refer to the World Book Encyclopedia for its Preschool Curriculum Guide. It's not age based and I like that a lot.
Worldbook.com preschool curriculum standards

Age five

Ah! Age five! Julian will be five in May of 2002 and we shall begin kindergarten in September. Currently we plan to join a charter school and use William Bennett's K12 curriculum. We're looking forward to it. I'll write all about it when we get there, but that will be the topic for another web site!
http://www.k12.com/