Homeschooling Preschoolers through Thematic Learning

Welcome! My name is Genevieve, and I am a new stay-at-home mommy to two beautiful children…Ella, an inquisitive, four year old fairy princess, and Ethan, an adventurous, two year old ball fanatic. Before having the privilege of staying home, I educated young minds and hearts as an elementary librarian for two years, as a third grade classroom teacher for five years, and as a technology integration specialist for one year. I have a bachelors in Elementary and Middle Education and a Masters in Educational Leadership. I am also certified as a Library Media Specialist.

Based on both my training and experience, this is what I believe:

1. Kids learn best through experience and fun…aka…playing.
2. Introducing a concept for a day or two and then moving on to something new is almost guaranteed to fail the average child.
3. Repetition of an activity or idea sets learning into the long-term memory.
4. Thematic learning is a way to have fun, gain experience, and integrate learning on a deep level. Thematic themes interweave big topics into smaller learning goals, skills, and educational benchmarks, creating cohesiveness and bridging children’s rapidly spreading brain synapses and life-connections. 
5. Every child is different. Every child has different strengths, learning styles, and learning goals. Learning is most effective when it is varied and tailored to individuals. 
6. Literature and technology play a valuable role in educating today’s youngest generation. They become even more powerful when integrated into learning.

Motivated by these pedagogical beliefs, I am homeschooling my preschoolers through thematic learning. For example, the thematic theme of September will be APPLES. Most of the activities in math, writing, science, cooking, art, music, large motor, etc. will revolve around apples. 

Every month I will focus learning on a new theme. I will compile a new set of online resources into a list (teaching 101: never reinvent the wheel). The resources will be organized by type of learning experience…my attempt at keeping it well-rounded and multiple-intelligence minded, although many of the activities will fall into multiple categories. 

You can use the compiled lists as a starting point for your own homeschooling or simply use them for supplemental activities. If you find you like the thematic activities I have compiled and are looking for more, there are SO many resources out there for you to discover and use with your preschoolers. 

Enjoy! Genevieve

Photography by Kirsty Gungor. Visit her blog Lovelies In My Life