Can I really prepare my kids for Kindergarten?

Short answer - absolutely! In fact, PreK is more about play and learning through play than anything else. Our modern education system has rushed the process to the point that kids are stressed and tired of learning early in their elementary school years.

When you homeschool, it doesn’t have to be that way. My younger kids always want to emulate their older siblings. It’s just part of being in a family - they want to do what the “big kid” is doing.

So, let them! And let them do it at the pace that fits them. I don’t mean we let our kids run the house or that they get to decide what they want to learn and when (if that’s what you’re looking for, check out some blogs about “unschooling”). What I do mean is allowing our children to learn at a pace that is appropriate for them and their stage of life.

For more on the importance of play for young children:

Prioritizing Play: The Importance of Play-based Learning in Early Education

The Power of Playful Learning in the Early Childhood Setting

I would even argue that our American culture tends to rush kids through childhood in some aspects - forcing information and “learning” on them faster than they are necessarily ready - but then keeps them in childhood longer than they should in other aspects - such as treating young adults like they are just kids and don’t need to accept responsibility. Ok, I diverted… The point is, let’s let our kids learn as they are capable and their brains are ready.

So, can you prepare them for kindergarten? Do you know your letters? And your numbers? Colors? Ok. then yes.

Let’s take a look at some resources that you can use if you want to teach your four year old. Just remember to keep it SHORT and SIMPLE especially if you are doing “workbooks” and other more “traditional” school styles…

Heads Up: The links below are affiliate links. That just means that if you purchase through one of my links, I may earn some money, at no extra cost to you. Learn more. As always, I seek to provide HONEST reviews!!

Basic PreK Stuff

My husband spent a day with our boys recently teaching them “basic dude stuff.” I honestly am not even sure what all they covered (because I’m not a dude), but I think it was things like going to Home Depot to get supplies to fix something.

Anyway, here is some basic PreK stuff…

If you are anxious about what you “need” to teach your kid in preschool (in other words, while they are 4 years old), you might want to check out a book like “What Your Preschooler Needs to Know” or even “What Your Kindergartener Needs to Know.”

Or, for a FREE option - check your state’s requirements for that age. Again, you DON’T HAVE to do this. Just if you would like some other “official” opinions.

Below I’ve listed a variety of resources that I have found helpful in working with my preschoolers through the years.

Let me give a disclaimer here, I sent all three of my kids to preschool (mothers-morning-out), so they each had some “Pre-K” from that program. I did not solely homeschool them for preschool. However, I’ve still found these resources to be helpful for either supplementing or for homeschooling them if you choose.

Some of the books below are more hands-on, while others tend to be more “academic” or workbook style. Browse them and see if any would be helpful for your kiddos.

Don’t think you need to buy all of these books, or do every single activity in any of them. Just use what you want as a springboard and let preschool be PRE-school. (Or, if you are able and interested, don’t feel guilty for sending them to a mothers-morning-out program while you homeschool your “bigs.” That’s how I made it the first few years.)

Let them play a LOT. Even when you are “teaching” them directly, if you can make it a game then they will learn so much better! For some kids, doing a workbook is a game - they enjoy it! But for others that feels tedious.

So, keep in mind your specific child’s interests and capitalize on them.

Math Activities

In Kindergarten your child will learn a lot of the basics of math.

But for now, work on some of these concepts:

Shapes - can they spot them, name them, and maybe even draw them?
Colors - start with the “basics” (red, blue, green, yellow, orange, black, white, brown, purple) and then add other tones if you want.
Numbers/Counting - count to 10, count to 10 with your fingers, count objects up to 10. At this point don’t worry to much about them writing the numbers. They can trace them and write them if they want. But focus on the concepts for now.

Math Resources

Preschool Math At Home

Buy it: Amazon, ChristianBook, RainbowResource

This is one of my favorite resources for PreK math concepts. Kate Snow’s Preschool Math at Home covers all the simple activities that your preschooler needs to know before kindergarten using supplies you probably already have on hand. The subtitle, “Simple ideas to build the best possible foundation for your child” is true. They are SIMPLE and they are “Foundational.” (For her Kindergarten math that we also use check out this article.)

This tiny book (very thin, approximately 5x7 in.) is a very hands-on style with no “written work” - just games and manipulatives. This book is a fantastic way to keep learning playful!

Mathematical Reasoning Beginning 1

Buy it: Amazon, ChristianBook (different edition), CriticalThinkingCompany, RainbowResource

This one is a bit pricier - but these books have over 200 pages of full color with tons of critical thinking activities. The Beginning 1 book says it is for 3 year olds, but I have found it to be more appropriate for older 3’s or even 4 year olds. This book works well to sit down and “read” together, letting your child point and count to answer the questions. You can reuse it with multiple kids by copying the few pages that are intended to be written on (the copyright allows this!). My kids really enjoyed snuggling on the couch and doing the “games” in this book together.

Mathematical Reasoning Beginning 2

Buy it: Amazon, ChristianBook, CriticalThinkingCompany, RainbowResource

Like book one above, this has over 200 pages of full color with tons of critical thinking math activities. The Beginning 2 book says it is for 4 year olds, but I would use it with an older 4 or even a 5 year old to prepare them for kindergarten. It is perfect for the PreK year. Like the first book, this also works well to sit down and “read” together, letting your child point and count to answer the questions. But, there are more pages in this one that are intended to be copied. However, you can photocopy those pages to use with more than one child (the copyright allows this!). Again, focus on making this playful by not pushing it but doing what they can handle and are interested in.

Reading Activities

Here are the basics for preschool. Read to them. Let them “pretend” to read. And start learning their letters and letter sounds. If they can learn how to write the letters that is awesome!

Again, I am not stressing the “standards” here - so check your own state for reference if you’re worried about staying on the same page as the public schools.

But, in my opinion as a reading specialist, teacher, and mom, just keep it basic and fun in preschool. Let them recognize the letters, name the letters, say the sounds they make, and start writing the letters. Otherwise don’t sweat it.

Kindergarten and first grade are for learning to read.

Some kids are ready earlier than others - and, I believe, girls are sometimes ready earlier than boys. So, if your kid is excelling in this and you want to push into learning to read by all means do! But go with what your kid is interested in and what clicks.

If they aren’t ready and are actively (or emotionally) fighting you, it probably won’t go well. Once they are ready they will show more interest in it and it will be SO MUCH EASIER. (If they still aren’t “interested” by age 6 I’d still go ahead and work with them then; but before that, keep it short, simple, and playful.)

Reading Resources

Explode the Code A, B, and C

Buy it: Amazon, ChristianBook, RainbowResource

I have supplemented my main reading program with Explode the Code from the time my oldest was in Kindergarten. But until my third child was PreK, I hadn’t tried out their first two books - A and B.

Since my youngest was eager to “do school” with us, I got these two phonics primers for her. Note: Books A-C cover consonants only. This is fine with me since I am using it as a pre-primer and supplemental resource.

To clarify, at the point of writing, I own books A and B and have used book A. We plan to continue with book B and I may order C unless I determine at that point that my child is ready to move on. Again, this is not the only phonics instruction my child is receiving, so it is a supplement.

Book A

So far, Book A has been a gentle intro to phonics workbooks that cover the following skills…

consonants b, f, k, m, r, and t.
phonemic awareness
letter formation
fine-motor skills
following directions
listening comprehension.

Book A activities include:

Circle the letter that matches (the original letter)
Draw a line from the letter to a picture that begins with that sound
Trace the letter with your finger and with a pencil
Circle the pictures that begin with the letter
On teacher directed pages, they listen as you describe one of 7-8 items on a page and then follow the directions you give

Book B

Book B appears to continue the consonants in the same style of worksheets. It covers the following consonants: d, h, j, n, p

Book C

Book C finishes up the consonants study with consonants: c, g, l, q, v, w, x, y, and z.

There is a Teacher’s Guide for these books (it’s one guide for all three levels) but I have not needed it and from reading others’ reviews of it, the guide wasn’t necessary for them either.

You can purchase these books individually, or as a package. I have linked the image from Amazon, but they are available many places online…

Digital Subscriptions for this product are available at the publisher’s website (Disclaimer: I have not tried this!) - Check it out here.

There is an adorable wall hanging that I’ve never used but is available here.

All About Reading Pre-Reading Level

Buy it: AllAboutLearningPress, ChristianBook, RainbowResource

I have written extensively about my use of the All About Reading program. And I will be creating a full review of the Pre-K program soon. For an initial review, read my comments about this level on the post All About Reading Curriculum Review.

The letters are taught in order from A to Z, beginning with capital letters A through Z then lowercase letters a to z, and finally going back through the alphabet teaching the letters' initial sounds.

My favorite part of the Pre-Reading level is the phonological and phonemic awareness games included. Not only are they fun, but they target essential pre-reading skills for little ones.

Want to read more about this? Check out this article.

Other Activity Books

Tell Me a Story: Storybooks that Teach Critical Thinking

Buy it: Amazon, ChristianBook, TheCriticalThinkingCo

The subtitle should be “Picture books that teach critical thinking” because it doesn’t actually have any words to read to the kids. Instead, questions to ask the kids about the pictures are given on each alternating page.

There are two stories in this book. And each has colorful pages (25+ pages of pictures for each story). My kids enjoyed looking at the pictures and then answering the questions as I read them from the opposing page. Funny thing, even my older kids would come join us because they thought it was so much fun - which of course led to arguments about whose turn it was to answer the questions.

In other words, these little stories are engaging for preschool and elementary schoolers alike. But it’s geared toward PreK to 1st grade, and I’d agree with that assessment.

The pre-reading skills covered include:

Observing
Identifying and evaluating evidence
Comparing and contrasting shapes and objects
Inferring (evidence-based prediction)
Cause and effect
Identifying and describing a sequence of events

This is the type of book that could be “read” for just a few minutes each day. I’d read 2-3 pages and then save it to continue the next time.

Can You Find Me? Building Thinking Skills

Buy PreK level: Amazon, ChristianBook, RainbowResource, TheCriticalThinkingCo

I have the one that is intended for grades K-1 (green book), but I am linking both it and the one for PreK (blue book). These books are full of riddles in a variety of subjects - reading, math, science, and social studies. They is non-consumable, intended to be read and discussed, not written in.

Buy K-1 level: Amazon, ChristianBook, RainbowResource, TheCriticalThinkingCo

The pages don’t have to be completed in order and some of them are particularly hard and young children may need a lot of “coaching” to get to the right answer (esp. with the deductive reasoning problems). Granted, my experience is with the older book (K-1st).

If you’re looking for a book to help challenge your PreK-1st grader, these riddles are fun to do together occasionally.

Although they are all intended to be completed orally, you could reproduce a page for your own home so your kids could mark on it as you talk through the riddles.

An answer key is provided in the back as well as matrices that show what skills are covered in each riddle.

You’ve Got This: Wrapping Up

Remember, when “homeschooling” a preschooler, keep it simple, keep it fun, and don’t overthink it. Play is learning. Conversations are learning.

You don’t need a perfect schedule or a stack of workbooks to “get them ready” for kindergarten. Use these suggestions as springboards for your plans. And don’t feel like you need to go buy all of them.

If you want some extra ideas, check out my free printables or some of my favorite homeschool resources to make this season of learning even easier. And, come hang out on my email list for more tips and resources!