Dear Sis,

I’m sure you noticed by now that I love homeschooling, from the time on the couch reading with my little humans, to the selection of the actual curriculum itself. This compilation for Evelyn is the best of what I’ve stumbled upon in the past three years! Many of these items are curated by the folks at Timberdoodle. We have purchased both their preschool and pre-k kits in recent years. You can see those reviews here: Timberdoodle Preschool Review & Timberdoodle Pre-K Review.

We focus on play-schooling and read-alouds, so this list is pretty light on workbook suggestions:) The workbooks that are suggested are very gentle and require very pencil work. Individual lessons take 5-15 minutes to complete! I’ve included printable checklists for a 36 week program that can spread out over the course of a full calendar year, if desired. I’m able to lend you many books and materials, all the items that are consumable… or my kids won’t part with, are linked so you have a shopping list of sorts.

Curriculum by Subject

Art / Fine Motor

Any set of lacing cards will do, but if you haven’t invested in these yet, this Wooden Alphabet Double-Sided Lacing Cards by Melissa & Doug are a great pick!

Any set of geoboards will do, but we will be lending you this set by Guidecraft, which pairs well with the geoboard letter patterns provided in the Pre-K Curriculum Handbook, 2020-2021 Edition by Timberdoodle.

Please order this pair of cutting workbooks: Let’s Cut Paper! & Let’s Cut Pater! Amazing Animals by Kumon.

Please order this guided drawing book: Little Children’s Drawing Book by Usborne.

We purchased these as part of Eve’s birthday gift! Play and Learn ABC, 123, and Shapes and Under the Sea by Do-A-Dot Art! with this set of “dot” or “dauber” markers.

These Tri-Finger-Grip Writing Tools are a must! We are giving you our old set of crayon rocks (since yours were chewed up by little people) and a Write Size Pencil with a Tri-Hold Pencil Griper. You will need to purchase your own Kum 4-in-1 Pencil Sharpener, that can sharpen wide pencils, and a chunky eraser.

A play dough mat set by DJECO. They swap out the kits periodically, this list includes what is on Amazon at present. You can choose from the following depending on what skills you think need practice: Prints and Shapes Dough Craft Kit (practice flat rolling and cutting) and/or Dough Circles Shaping Kit (practice rolling balls). We had another one that focuses on rolling long skinny strips, if you’d like to borrow it!

Emotional Intelligence / Health

We have these illustrated Feeling Flashcards by Todd Parr you can borrow. For those who don’t already own a set, it might be better to choose a set with real human faces:)

My Very First Body Book by Usborne

Language

Any Alphabet Books! We are lending you three of our favorites A is for Apple, Montessori Letter Work, and The Usborne IllustratedAlphabet.

Any Alphabet Puzzles! We are lending you a pair of Upper Case and Lower Case puzzles with the writing strokes beneath each piece.

Please order this pair of alphabet workbooks: PlaySmart Alphabet, Ages 2+ & Ages 3+ by Gakken Workbooks. I’ve scheduled each one workbook for each semester.

Wimmelbooks, set of 4: we are lending you Animals Around the World, Cars and Things that Go, and On the Farm. You will have to purchase a fourth book because William is not giving up Dinosaurs! There are several others from which to choose.

Picture Book Activities: Fun and Games for Preschoolers Based on 50 Favorite Children’s Books by Trish Kuffner (Try to get through 20-25 books this year! That will save 25-30 books for your Pre-K year!)

Mathematics

Any counting/number games! We recommend Count Your Chickens and Snug as a Bug in a Rug by Peaceable Kingdom, Uno by Matel, and Dominos by Melissa and Doug. This domino set only goes from 1-6 and is color coded to help little ones. An adult set goes to 12 and is black and white. We put three games in your loan pile!

Any counting/number manipulatives! We are lending you our Montessori Bead Stair and Wooden Number Peg Boards.

Any counting/number puzzles! My kids are still using ours so you will have to source your own. We like these by Melissa and Doug: See-Inside 0-9 Wooden Peg Puzzle and Self-Correcting Wooden Number Puzzles, 1-20.

The Usborne Big Book of Things to Spot by Gillian Doherty

Please order: Mathematical Reasoning, Beginning 1 by Critical Thinking Co.

Please order: My First Sticker by Numbers Book by Price Stern Sloan.

Preschool Math at Home: Simple Activities to Build the Best Possible Foundation for Your Child by Kate Snow

Science & Engineering

“Koala Crate” monthly subscription from Kiwi Co.

My Very First Our World Book by Usborne

Nature’s Wonders by Alejandro Algeria and Gustavo Mazali

Primary Science Set by Learning Resources

Plus-Plus Big building set with weekly model patterns in the Preschool Curriculum Handbook, 2019-2020 edition by Timberdoodle.

ThinkPlay Preschool building set by Morphun

Social Studies

A Street Through Time by DK (Second Semester History)

Any Globe and World Wall Map! Yes, the inflatable Globe from Dollar Tree and the quilted map of the world wall quilt I made for Grant’s room count!

Any U.S.A. and World Floor Puzzles! Simple puzzles, without a bunch of graphics crammed on each landform are best, but harder to find!

Great Buildings by Mack van Gageldonk (Second Semester Geography)

Me on the Map by Joan Sweeney (First Semester Geography)

Montessori Map Work by Bobby and June Goerge (First Semester Geography)

My First Atlas of the World by National Geographic Kids (Second Semester Geography)

Now and Then by Peter Firmin (First Semester History) I purchased this out-of-print Osburne book on Bookshark.

Preschool Tips & Clips: Neighborhoods: Community Patterns and Activities by Marilynn G. Barr

What Do People Do All Day? by Richard Scarry

Thinking Skills

Please purchase Building Thinking Skills: Beginning 1 Workbook by Critical Thinking Co.

Bunny Peek-a-Boo puzzle game by Smart Games

Day and Night puzzle game by Smart Games

Please purchase this pair of workbooks: Play Smart Brain Boosters, Ages 2+ & Ages 3+ by Gakken Workbooks (One for each semester)

Please purchase this pair of workbooks: Play Smart Skill Builders, Ages 2+ & Ages 3+ by Gakken Workbooks (One for each semester)

Now that you have rounded up all your curriculum and materials, its time to pace everything. I like to work with 36 checklists. Sometimes the checklist is done is done in a week or so. Sometimes it takes a month. I don’t care as long as we finish within a calendar year!

Printable PDF Weekly Check Lists

These checklists are by 9 weeks, because that is the shortest book cycle. Print a new list each week and circle the week number to stay on track.

Printable PDF Book Cycles

This printable includes book cycles as follows: What Do People Do All Day? 2 (18 week cycles), My First Atlas of the World 2 (9 week cycles), Then and Now 2 (9 week cycles), Great Buildings 1 (18 week cycle), and Out World Book 3 (12 week cycles).

I cut these lists out and tape them inside the respective books so I always have quick access to our weekly reading portions.

Happy Homeschooling!

Love,

P.S. New This Year from Timberdoodle

Each year Timberdoodle updates their curriculum kits in April. I just received the new catalogue and placed our kindergarten order for this coming school year. In any case, I thought I’d add the updates below incase any look like something you and Eve might enjoy:)

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