Pre-K toddler

[calitaz81]

I am looking for suggestions to teach my 3 1/2 year old daughter. She is not learning her numbers or letters. We go over both three times throughout the day. She gets to watch cartoons and play with her toys in between. I have made flash cards for the alphabet using different colored crayons with the capital and lower case letters. I have tried using them ;both in and out of order. We count on our fingers. I feel as if I am doing something wrong since she is not learning them. We work on them during the week as her father works during the week and I like to give them as much time as possible on the weekends.
I have substituted for 7th and 8th grade math and science classes nad am lost with a three year old. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. PLease help!!!

[hscoach]

Since your daughter is only 3 years old, she really doesn't need to know her letters and numbers just yet. If she just happens to learn them, along the way, while doing fun activities, I think that's okay. But doing flashcards at her age might be stressing her out.

The best advice I could ever give you is to read, read, read books to her. Read to her all throughout the day. Read as long as she will listen and as long as she is enjoying it. If the book is an alphabet book or a number book, then she will learn her letters and numbers but she won't feel like she's being drilled. She will just think she's having fun and won't even realize that she's learning.

When you read books to her, you will be instilling a love of reading and a love of learning in her. It's also a good idea to take her at least once a week or so to your local public library. Allow her to check out books that interest her.

She is also old enough to be listening to books that have cassette tapes or a cd with them. She can listen and look at the pictures in the book. This is a valuable experience. My 2 year old daughter listens to regular old fashioned records that have a book with them. (They were mine when I was a child.) She likes to listen to them and look at the book while she eats breakfast and lunch. (You can check out the books w/cds at the library.)

A really fun site that your daughter would enjoy is starfall.

http://www.starfall.com/

And here is a link about homeschooling 3 and 4 yr. olds that might be helpful.

http://www.redshift.com/~bonajo/early.htm

[calitaz81]

Thank you so much for your advice Laura. I started the flash cards because nothing else was working. I must have missed the manual that came with my daughter!! I was not sure when she was learning what. What activities can I do with her besides going to the library. She has over 30 books of her own that she enjoys looking at and reading over and over. I know crafty stuff should be attempted. She enjoys coloring and playing with her playdoh everyday.

[Skool Time]

Heres a site that might help too.
http://www.ziggityzoom.com/

[hscoach]

Besides going to the library, here are a few ideas.

*Cook recipes together in the kitchen. She can learn to crack an egg, use a hand mixer, measure and pour ingredients, etc. She will be learning math and she'll be learning to cook and be independent. You could get some cookbooks from the library or search recipes online that are just for kids if you like.

*Go for nature hikes. Walk slowly and quietly. Watch for small things. Listen. You will see and find many amazing things. Start a nature collection. Take pictures. Let her start a nature journal. She can tell you verbally what to write in it. Then she can draw a picture of what she saw. Collect and observe insects and small animals. (release later) Take pictures with a camera. When you get home, research the things you saw online or check out library books to learn more. All of this is science.

*Listen to music in your home. (all kinds of music) Classical music is especially good.

*Go on some field trips that are good for her age. Examples..........
-dairy farm
-fire station
-pumpkin patch
-zoo
-etc.

*Take her to a park. Let her play on the playground equipment.

*Go ahead and join a homeschool support group now. Even though she is young, you can participate. You can attend fun activities and she can begin to make friends with other homeschooled children her age. (You can make friends with the moms too.) You can even enroll her in a homeschool co-op. Co-ops usually have preschool classes and meet once a week. Your local support group can tell you about any co-ops in your area. Here are two links where you can find a group in your town.

http://www.home-school.com/groups/

http://www.localhs.com/

These are just a few ideas. There are many more. Here are some links that might be helpful too.

http://www.redshift.com/~bonajo/prescho ... vities.htm

http://www.preschoolrainbow.org/

http://www.shirleys-preschool-activities.com/index.html

http://www.teachersandfamilies.com/open/ps-themes.html

http://www.crayola.com/