Learning doesn’t only take place at school, find out ways to TEACH your child at HOME and think like a TEACHER with these EASY and FUN IDEAS!
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Whether you are a homeschooler or think homeschooling is crazy, as a parent you have a special role in your child’s education. It is important to show you are interested and involved in helping them learn and grow! I have TIPS to turn you into a teacher-minded parent so you can enrich your child’s learning at home.
For those of you who have preschoolers and toddlers, I am excited to share our A-Z themed Tot School and Preschool ideas for fun learning ideas based on the alphabet. You may also like the best free homeschool curriculum and you will LOVE the LEARNING Section of our blog so you can see all our educational activities + Freebies.
The posts will include:
- Crafts
- Games
- Activities & Sensory Ideas
- Recipes
- Book Inspiration
- Snack Ideas
- Free Printables
If you haven’t already, make sure to Subscribe to A Little Pinch of Perfect by Email so you don’t miss out. We would love for you to join in!
Simple Homeschool Ideas for Parents
Pin this post to find and share these helpful ideas!
Before school is in session, let’s start thinking like an educator. Here are my tips to help turn the average parent into a teacher:
- Collect garbage: All my life my mom (retired elementary school teacher) was collecting boxes, bags, plastic containers, lids, buttons, paper scraps, packing material… anything that can be used to count, sort, create, or play with has now become an important resource-so grab a bag and start collecting! Bonus: This is a great way to teach kids to think outside of the box and recycle.
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- Dollar Store/Dollar Bins: Don’t have supplies yet? Find a few cheap supplies at your local dollar store or dollar bins (I love the Dollar Tree and Target, they both have great teaching supplies). It doesn’t take a classroom full of stuff for a child to learn.
- Library: Books, books, and more books. If you haven’t visited your local library, now would be a great time. They often have educational packs with ready-made activities!
- Printables: There are amazing printables online to help kids learn every subject! I have teamed up with 2 wonderful blogs who have amazing free printables. Be sure to check out what everyone has to offer:
- A Little Pinch of Perfect-Printables Library-a growing collection of print-at-home kid activities including thousands of pages of FREEBIES and more.
- Totschooling–one of my favorites is the Free Board Book Printables for Toddlers
- Eager Ed -use our exclusive discount code: PINCH50 for any products you want to buy
- I have also started a collection of resourceful printables on Pinterest–Make sure to FOLLOW here: Follow A Little Pinch of Perfect’s board Printables on Pinterest.
- Plastic: Specifically a laminator and page protectors. Once you have a printable in hand, it’s a great idea to put it under plastic so you can reuse it and kids can practice over and over again without you having to reprint the activity each time–saving on ink!
- We have all of the above with a bunch of dry-erase markers.
- Play with Food: Cooking together is a great way to spend time side-by-side while learning. Also, there are some great food products (inexpensive too) that make awesome manipulatives, sensory activities, and craft supplies like beans, noodles, rice…
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- Repeat: Repeat activities and concepts. My mom has often told me that kids need to hear things at least 20 times before it sticks in their brain. Although I am sure your kiddo learns amazingly fast, be prepared to repeat yourself.
- Observe Surroundings: There is so much in our daily environment that can be used to teach; numbers, letters, colors, textures, animals, and nature finds… use them to your advantage.
- Eye-Spy
- Alphabet Search
- Number Search
- Grocery Shopping Eye-Spy–this one is a lifesaver when you’re at the store
- Examine Nature
- Ask Questions: Asking questions is a great way to find out what your kiddo understands and how they are processing the information presented. Questions also helps them think analytically and can be used as a way to guide the activity.
- Know your Child: The great thing about teaching your own child is you know your child best. That means you can adapt activities and present information when your kiddo is in the best mood for participation and learning.
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More Learning Ideas to Try:
Please stop by my lovely co-hosts to see their features too:
One Time Through Choosing Great Kids Books
Totschooling Book Activities for Preschoolers
(Originally published 8/21/14, Updated 2/12/24)
These are wonderful tips! I homeschooled my kids for Pre-K and I loved it. I was able to teach them plenty and get to see their little minds go. During the summer I keep school going at home. Pinterest, actually has made me a better teaching-parent 🙂
Thanks for sharing via Mommy Monday!
XOXO
Thanks so much. Isn't it fun watching your own kid learn!?! I am amazed at my daughters thirst for knowledge. You are so right about Pinterest, there are so many great ideas! Have a great weekend! 🙂
really great tips! thank you for sharing this post with the #pinitparty
Thanks Otilia!!! Have a great weekend 🙂
These are great ideas. We have always 'homeschooled' our preschoolers, and their kindergarten teachers have always been amazed at how much they know. We are always looking for new and better ideas.
Mommy Crusader
mommycrusader.com
Hi Deborah. Your family is adorable, thanks so much for visiting from Mommy Crusader. I am so glad to hear that your preschool homeschool was successful, I am hoping all goes well for us this year too. I hope you are able to glean some ideas from us and hope you stop by again 🙂
Dollar Tree is evil …LOL! I can never walk out without buying a ton of stuff 🙂
Hi Amanda, I can't either. Especially when the kids are with me!
Thank you for sharing with us at the #WWDParty!
Hi Antionette, thanks for visiting and for the fun party 🙂
What fabulous, fun, educational ideas!
Isn't the dollar store the best for educational supplies? I've discovered some fabulous finds there!
Thanks for sharing (and for linking up to the #SHINEbloghop).
Wishing you a lovely weekend.
xoxo
Hi Jennifer, thanks so much! I just love the dollar store 🙂
So many great tips – I love it! Thanks for featuring our science pirate ships!
Hi Laura, thanks so much and you are so welcome! It looked like so much fun 🙂
Some great tips, and I love Target and the Dollar Tree, too!
Thanks so much for visiting and the nice comment! It would be fun to take a shopping trip together to stock up on supplies 🙂
Great tips! Collecting garbage… funny but so true!
Thanks Viviana 🙂 I just realized I forgot another staple-toilet paper rolls.
Thanks for hosting and thanks for featuring my Alphabet Relay post! 🙂
Hi Danielle, thanks for linking up. You always have such great ideas! 🙂