Preschool Archives - Our Life Homeschooling

Best Counting Picture Books for Preschool Kids

Sheri — Sat, 12 Apr 2025 20:29:28 +0000

Do you have a preschool child who is starting to understand number concepts? These interactive counting picture books will help your preschooler learn to count in a way that is fun and engaging!

As a homeschool mom of 15+ years, I think the best way for young children to learn to count is through play and games. As your preschool child shows awareness of number order, however, reading interactive picture books is a fantastic enrichment activity to enhance his or her understanding.

**This post contains affiliate links which means I may make a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thanks for supporting our family.

Best Counting Books for Preschool Kids

My preschoolers love these counting books! We read them over and over together.

Over in the Meadow by Paul Galdone

My daughter (now eight years old) used to love this book through her toddler years, asking constantly for me to read this book to her. Because of its rhyming text, I like to sing this book when I read it to my little learners. Here is the link to the tune I sing. Every number up to ten shows a mother and her children, starting with a mother turtle with her little turtle one to a mother fox and her little foxes ten.

Sale

Over in the Meadow: An Old Nursery Counting Rhyme

Used Book in Good Condition
Paul Galdone (Author)
English (Publication Language)
32 Pages – 06/01/1989 (Publication Date) – Aladdin (Publisher)

Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed by Eileen Christelow

Do you want to know the silly story behind the song about the five little monkeys jumping on the bed? You will learn here, as Eileen Christelow tells of the monkeys getting ready for bed. They jump on the bed until one of them gets hurt. But when the doctor tells them not to jump on the bed, they mischievously do it again. This rhyming book is also a song. If you can sing books to children, they love it!

Sale

Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed Padded Board Book (A Five Little Monkeys Story)

Christelow, Eileen (Author)
English (Publication Language)
30 Pages – 04/04/2017 (Publication Date) – Clarion Books (Publisher)

Ten Little Ladybugs by Melanie Gerth

Count with your small children one by one, almost all of the ladybugs get distracted by other insects except for the last one. This ladybug is left alone until a breeze comes along and blows her home with all the other ladybugs and wildlife.

Bendon Ten Little Ladybugs Piggy Toes Press Storybook

TACTILE: Uses tactile ladybug buttons to teach young children to count
COVER: Hardcover with ladybug counting toy built in
SIZE: 22 pages, 9.2 x 7.2 inches
COLOR: Toddlers love the bright colors and disappearing Ladybugs

The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle

On a warm, sunny morning, a baby caterpillar pops out of an egg. Follow the caterpillar, trying one apple, two two pears, and many more interesting foods. But all this eating results in a stomach ache. Finally, he finds the right food for him — a delicious green leaf. After emerging from a cocoon, the caterpillar transforms into a beautiful butterfly.

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The Very Hungry Caterpillar (Rise and Shine)

Now even younger children can follow the little green caterpillar as he eats his way to becoming a beautiful butterfly in this sturdy board book
Great for early development
Children will enjoy this delightful tale
Ages 3 to 7
Hardcover Book

Ten Red Apples by Pat Hutchins

The style of the illustrations in this book is very unique. The wooden hinged figures with intricate designs render a Dutch farm theme. A farmer is trying to keep his ten beautiful apples growing on the apple tree. Animals keep running by and stealing them one by one, until they are all gone. Next thing he knows, the animals carry him away and he finds out what happened to all his precious apples.

ten red apples

Pat Hutchins (Author)
English (Publication Language)
32 Pages – 06/12/2025 (Publication Date) – Scholastic (Publisher)

Richard Scarry’s Best Counting Book Ever

Your kids will count along with Willy Bunny in this story. He is bored and begins to count the number of items and things he encounters that day. Kids love interacting with the books that we read to them!

Best Counting Book Ever

Scarry, Richard (Author)
English (Publication Language)
64 Pages – 01/02/2014 (Publication Date) – HarperCollinsChildren’sBooks (Publisher)

My First Counting Book Golden Book Illustrated by Garth Williams by Lilian Moore

In this board book, the reader counts different kinds of animals throughout the story. Garth William’s (illustrator for the Little House on the Prairie books) colorful illustrations display the animals’ different ways of each of their life cycles and environments.

My First Counting Book

Hardcover Book
Moore, Lilian (Author)
English (Publication Language)
24 Pages – 02/01/2001 (Publication Date) – Golden Books (Publisher)

Bear Counts by Karma Wilson

Bear looks up at the sky and begins to count the insects, the birds, the clouds. Mouse follows him, and together, they count all the wildlife in the forest. “Numbers, numbers, everywhere. Now YOU can count too, just like BEAR!”

Sale

Bear Counts (The Bear Books)

Hardcover Book
Wilson, Karma (Author)
English (Publication Language)
32 Pages – 05/12/2015 (Publication Date) – Margaret K. McElderry Books (Publisher)

Chicka Chicka 1,2,3

My littles love the Chicka Chicka Boom Boom books and were excited to find that there was another version but with numbers! All the numbers race to the top of the apple tree, but what they meet at the top will send them tumbling back down.

Sale

Chicka Chicka 1, 2, 3

Chicka Chicka 1 2 3
Hardcover Book
Bill Martin Jr. (Author)
English (Publication Language)
40 Pages – 08/01/2004 (Publication Date) – Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers (Publisher)

Ten Black Dots by Donald Crews

What can you make with dots? Read this basic counting book to find all the creative ways to see black dots in everyday objects. This is a fun way for young children to learn number concepts from one to ten.

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Ten Black Dots

Crews, Donald (Author)
English (Publication Language)
32 Pages – 09/21/1995 (Publication Date) – Greenwillow Books (Publisher)

The M&M’s Counting Book

This is a good book with bright colors, as the M&M’s characters teach counting in their rhyming words. It is a great tool for teaching not only counting, but also the shapes and colors. It also has a little bit more advanced math concepts that are great for four to six year-olds.

The M & M’s COUNTING BOOK

BARBARA BARBIERI MCGRATH (Author)
English (Publication Language)
30 Pages – 06/11/1994 (Publication Date) – Scholastic Inc. (Publisher)

Count to 10 With a Mouse by Margaret Wise Brown

Margaret Wise Brown is one of my favorite authors. Big Red Barn and Goodnight Moon are two of my favorite books of hers. Count to 10 With a Mouse, another one of her works, but as a simple counting book. A mouse lives in his hole in a book, before he decides to explore to the next page. Each one has a different number of birds or animals that the mouse counts.

Count to 10 with a Mouse

Brown, Margaret Wise (Author)
English (Publication Language)
06/12/2025 (Publication Date) – Parragon Book Service Ltd (Publisher)

Birdsongs by Betsy Franco and Steve Jenkins

What I love about the book Birdsong is that it’s a great for little readers to learn a different variety of birds while also learning to count. As the sun slowly rises, these birds go about their normal routine in their habitat. This delightful book could have a dual purpose, teaching math and nature study.

Sale

Birdsongs

Hardcover Book
Franco, Betsy (Author)
English (Publication Language)
40 Pages – 01/09/2007 (Publication Date) – Margaret K. McElderry Books (Publisher)

How Many Snails? by Paul Giganti Jr.

How many Snails invites children to interact with the reading as they count different items based on their qualities. Each page shows a number of one kind of animal or object, and the reader will be asked simple questions like how many trucks out of all of the trucks are fire trucks? And how many dogs are spotted?

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How Many Snails?: A Counting Book (Counting Books (Greenwillow Books))

Giganti Jr., Paul (Author)
English (Publication Language)
24 Pages – 09/21/1994 (Publication Date) – Greenwillow Books (Publisher)

This Little Pup by Laura J. Bryant

Follow a young puppy in this children’s book as he chases after a ball. The ball bounces past cows, and chickens, and pigs, and all sorts of animals there on the farm, counting them as he goes. It bounces past everything, until finally, the little pup catches it.

This Little Pup

Hardcover Book
Bryant, Laura J. (Author)
English (Publication Language)
32 Pages – 04/01/2020 (Publication Date) – Albert Whitman & Company (Publisher)

Big Fat Hen by Keith Baker

This is a great book that borrows lines from Mother Goose’s nursery rhyme, “one, two, buckle my shoe”, a nursery rhyme that I often read to my little ones. The simple illustrations show the hen and her eggs, and in the end as they hatch into chicks. It is a great way to teach your young readers math skills, and have so much fun reading the rhymes!

Big Fat Hen

Baker, Keith (Author)
English (Publication Language)
32 Pages – 04/01/1999 (Publication Date) – Clarion Books (Publisher)

Looking for a way to enhance your child’s number sense? Reading these picture books with your small children is a fun way to do that! What books would you add to this list?

Rhyming Books for Preschool Through Kindergarten Ages

Sheri — Thu, 20 Feb 2025 21:17:19 +0000

Since young children learn through repetition, rhyming books are the perfect choice for kids in preschool and Kindergarten ages. The repeated sounds and rhythmic patterns help children to remember what they hear, which in turn increases their literacy skills.

From the time my kids were little, I read nursery rhymes to them. Why do children love rhyming stories? Because when you can’t read something, your mind is looking for some form of stimulation. Repeating the same sounds and rhythms IS your reading. They are building a repertoire!

To better understand why rhyming stories are good for young children, I recommend reading Pam Barnhill’s blog post The Benefits of Nursery Rhymes on Preschool Development.

What happens when a child hears nursery rhymes and rhyming books every day? They will repeat them throughout the day. You will most likely hear hear your child beg, “Again! Do another one!”

Children love to hear the same phrases over and over so that they can remember and repeat them. The books in this post are some of the favorite rhyming books I have loved reading to my preschoolers over the years.

** This post contains affiliate links which means I make a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting our family!

Mother Goose’s Nursery Rhymes

Mother Goose’s Nursery Rhymes is a classic book of rhymes that belongs in every home library. Rhymed verses such as Hickory, Dickory, Dock,Little Miss Muffet, Humpty Dumpty, as well as many other rhyming stories are so much fun for little readers. Many nursery rhymes have been put to song. If you can sing some of them and add motions, your preschooler will relish this time with you. You will be folding laundry and hearing them in the next room saying, “this little piggy went wee wee wee aaaaaall the way home!” with delight.

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The Real Mother Goose by Blanche Fisher Wright (2-May-2007) Hardcover

Hardcover Book
unknown author (Author)
English (Publication Language)
Blue Sky Press; Library Binding edition (2 May 2007) (Publisher)

Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin Jr.

Brown Bear, Brown Bear is a simple, yet engaging children’s picture book. It is a rhyming story going through the different animals imaginatively seen, like a purple cat, a blue horse a black sheep, and many other animals that see another animal on the next page.

Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?

Martin Jr., Bill (Author)
English (Publication Language)
24 Pages – 09/15/1996 (Publication Date) – Henry Holt Books for Young Readers (Publisher)

Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown

Goodnight Moon is my favorite bedside book for kids. As the reader turns the pages, he discovers every little detail in a young bunny’s room. He wishes the house and the mouse and the socks and clocks good night. Lastly, he says goodnight to the moon.

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Goodnight Moon

Beloved by generations of readers and listeners
Quiet poetry and gentle, lulling illustrations combine to make a perfect book for the end of the day
Author: Margaret Wise Brown; Illustrator: Clement Hurd
32 pages
Brown, Margaret Wise (Author)

Hop On Pop by Dr. Seuss

This is the perfect Dr. Seuss book for early readers! Its silly rhymes (sometimes boring for adults) engage younger children. It is also a great way to introduce picture books to newer readers. Young readers get excited to move on from reading lesson books to “real” books. Hop on Pop has little stories with fun rhymes that will improve kids language skills without them even realizing it.

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Hop on Pop: The Simplest Seuss for Youngest Use

Combines phonics and word recognition
Highly recommended
This is one of the books of the ‘beginner books’ series, which by exacting blends of words and pictures encourage children to read all by themselves
Hardcover Book
Dr. Seuss (Author)

Llama, Llama, Red Pajama by Anna Dewdney

A young llama is worried when his mom leaves him to fall asleep and begins worrying that something has happened to her, and he feels alone in his quiet room. Eventually, his mama llama comes in and reassures him that she is always with him.

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Llama Llama Red Pajama

Baby Llama turns bedtime into an all-out llama drama!
Tucked into bed by his mama, Baby Llama immediately starts worrying.
Children will relate to Baby Llama’s need for comfort.
Hardcover Book measures 10.51 x 10.51in and contains 40 pages.
Recommended for Ages: 3 – 5 years.

Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site by Sherry Dusky Rinker

My two year old is fascinated with construction vehicles and wants me to read this book over and over. This is a fun book with great rhymes about a big construction site, as they conclude their day’s work, putting aside their labor and going to sleep.

Sale

Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site

Author Sherri Duskey Rinker’s sweet rhyming text soothes little ones into a peaceful rest|Full of irresistible artwork by illustrator Tom Lichtenheld| Goodnight Goodnight Construction Site is the perfect read-aloud |Ideal for children ages 3 to 5 years old|Great for young construction fans|This adorable hardcover bedtime book is a go-to gift for any occasion
Hardcover Book
Rinker, Sherri Duskey (Author)
English (Publication Language)
32 Pages – 04/20/2011 (Publication Date) – Chronicle Books (Publisher)

Time For Bed by Mem Fox

This is an excellent kid’s bedside book by Mem Fox, with cute illustrations. Listen and watch as the baby animal’s mothers tuck them in for bed. I like to read this to my toddlers before afternoon nap. It’s a soothing book that helps them to settle down.

Sale

Time for Bed

A bedtime story with rhyming text and lovely watercolor images of baby animals.
Hardcover Book
Mem Fox (Author)
English (Publication Language)
32 Pages – 09/24/1993 (Publication Date) – Clarion Books (Publisher)

Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss

Another classic story out of the many written by Dr. Seuss, this comical storybook follows Sam, as he tries to convince his friend to share his enjoyment of green eggs and ham. His friend, however, is in a definite state of absolute refusal. He has to go to great lengths to get Sam to eventually try the infamous green eggs and ham.

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Green Eggs and Ham

Sam-I-Am mounts a determined campaign to convince another Seuss character to eat a plate of green eggs and ham
Illustrated in color
By Dr. Seuss
Hardcover Book
Dr. Seuss (Author)

Chicka, Chicka, Boom, Boom by Bill Martin Jr.

This is a funny book with great rhymes as the letters of the alphabet try to all clamber up onto the coconut tree until the tree collapses and they all get banged up. However, the race to climb up the coconut tree is still ongoing!

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom

Amazon Kindle Edition
Martin Jr, Bill (Author)
English (Publication Language)
36 Pages – 03/22/2011 (Publication Date) – Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers (Publisher)

Bear’s New Friend by Karma Wilson

One of Karma Wilson’s great bear books, Bear’s New Friend describes in its simple rhymes the adventures of Bear. He is out playing in the woods on a hot summer day when he meets many friends along the way.

Sale

Bear’s New Friend (The Bear Books)

Hardcover Book
Wilson, Karma (Author)
English (Publication Language)
40 Pages – 04/01/2006 (Publication Date) – Margaret K. McElderry Books (Publisher)

Each Peach, Pear, Plum by Allen Ahlberg

The book begins with a young boy, Tom Thumb, and a poem-filled I-spy game, where the reader meets characters from both fairy tales and nursery rhymes, ending as they spy plumb pie — and everyone!

Sale

Each Peach Pear Plum (Picture Puffin Books)

Ahlberg, Allan (Author)
English (Publication Language)
32 Pages – 10/07/1986 (Publication Date) – Puffin Books (Publisher)

Sheep in a Jeep by Nancy Shaw

One of the best picture books by Nancy Shaw with its humorous rhymes and drawings, this is a great read for young kids about some silly sheep and their troublesome dealings with their jeep.

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Sheep in a Jeep (board book)

Recommended Age: 0-3 years
Recommended Grade: Grade VPK
Weight: 0.7 lbs
Satisfaction Ensured.
Produced with the highest grade materials

Big Red Barn by Margaret Wise Brown

This is one of my favorite books to read to the kids. Margaret Wise Brown’s children’s books are so beautifully depicted in their soothing and simple words and stories. In this sweet story, the reader is introduced to all the animals on the farm and the comfortable environment in which they dwell.

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Big Red Barn

Brown, Margaret Wise (Author)
English (Publication Language)
32 Pages – 01/06/1995 (Publication Date) – HarperCollins (Publisher)

The Owl and the Pussycat by Ian Beck

This sing-song rhyming book, from the original poem by Edward Lear, is a fun and adventurous story. An owl sings a love song to his love the pussycat, and the author creates an imaginative scene around them, including the land where the bong tree grows.

The Owl and the Pussy-Cat

Edward Lear; Ian Beck (Author)
English (Publication Language)
10/02/1997 (Publication Date) – Corgi Childrens (Publisher)

Sheep Out To Eat by Nancy Shaw

Nancy Shaw tells about a flock of sheep out to eat at a restaurant. They are confused about the dishes served there, and end up causing havoc in the entire restaurant. Finally, they find the type of food that they like and are finally contented.

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Sheep Out to Eat (Sheep in a Jeep)

Shaw, Nancy E. (Author)
English (Publication Language)
32 Pages – 03/27/1995 (Publication Date) – Clarion Books (Publisher)

Madeline by Ludwig Bemelman

“In an old house in Paris,” twelve little girls and Miss Clavel do everything together. But when Madeline wakes up crying one night, she is taken to the hospital to have her appendix removed. The other girls visit her and see all the gifts she gets before she returns home.

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Madeline

Hardcover Book
Ludwig Bemelmans (Author)
English (Publication Language)
54 Pages – 01/01/1967 (Publication Date) – The Viking Press (Publisher)

Little Blue Truck by Alice Schertle

This cute book follows the Little Blue Truck down the road, as he makes friends with all the road-side animals. They all make their noises and call to him. When his friend the Dump gets stuck in the mud, the Little Blue Truck and all his animal friends come to the rescue.

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Little Blue Truck

Hardcover Book, Little Blue Truck Alice Schertle Author Jill McElmurry Illustrator Children’s Books Toddlers Trucks Cars Animals Kids
Hardcover Book
Schertle, Alice (Author)
English (Publication Language)
32 Pages – 05/01/2008 (Publication Date) – Clarion Books (Publisher)

Little Blue Truck Leads the Way by Alice Schertle

The Little Blue Truck enters the busy, fast, city. Every one of the cars is in a hurry and agitatedly honks at Little Blue. Finally, the mayor steps out and tells the cars to listen to Blue’s proposition to go slow, and patiently take turns.

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Little Blue Truck Leads the Way Board Book

Schertle, Alice (Author)
English (Publication Language)
38 Pages – 07/07/2015 (Publication Date) – Clarion Books (Publisher)

Barnyard Dance by Sandra Boynton

Barnyard Dance was a favorite of our daughter when she was a toddler. She had us read it to her over and over again. All the farm animals gather and begin a dance in the hay of the barnyard, making all the fun sounds that animals do!

Sale

Barnyard Dance! (Boynton on Board)

Boynton, Sandra (Author)
English (Publication Language)
24 Pages – 09/27/2022 (Publication Date) – Boynton Bookworks (Publisher)

Over in the Meadow by Paul Galdone

Over In the Meadow is a counting rhyme book. The book begins with mother and “her little turtle one” and ends with a mother fox with her ten babies. It has little bits that describe what the animals are doing and saying as they go about their day and finally go to bed. This book has been put to a song which I sing to my child each time I read it.

Sale

Over in the Meadow: An Old Nursery Counting Rhyme

Used Book in Good Condition
Paul Galdone (Author)
English (Publication Language)
32 Pages – 06/01/1989 (Publication Date) – Aladdin (Publisher)

Five Little Monkeys, Jumping on the Bed by Eileen Christelow

Do you want to know the silly story behind the song about the five little monkeys jumping on the bed? You will learn here, as Eileen Christelow tells of the monkeys getting ready for bed. They jump on the bed, and when one of them gets hurt and the doctor tells them not to jump on the bed, they mischievously do it again.

Sale

Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed Deluxe Edition (A Five Little Monkeys Story)

Hardcover Book
Christelow, Eileen (Author)
English (Publication Language)
40 Pages – 10/07/2014 (Publication Date) – Clarion Books (Publisher)

The Seven Silly Eaters by Mary Ann Hoberman

The seven Peters kids are a strange bunch in all their unique and separate food preferences. Mrs. Peters can hardly keep up with all the food she must prepare every day. She gets tired of it — and tomorrow is her birthday! The seven kids all put their dishes together, and it turns out so horrible they hide it in the oven…but their mother wakes up to a big surprise!

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The Seven Silly Eaters

The Seven Silly Eaters By Hoberman Mary Ann Frazee Marla ILT
Hoberman, Mary Ann (Author)
English (Publication Language)
40 Pages – 08/01/2000 (Publication Date) – Clarion Books (Publisher)

There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly! by Pam Adams

If you know the song for this book, your preschooler will just love singing it with you! This old lady thought nothing would happen by swallowing a single fly — but she keeps swallowing bigger and bigger animals. What will happen when she swallows a goat, a cow, a horse? ”Perhaps she’ll die!”

There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly (Classic Books) (Classic Books with Holes Board Book)

Adams, Pam (Author)
English (Publication Language)
14 Pages – 11/01/2000 (Publication Date) – Child’s Play International (Publisher)

There’s a Wocket in My Pocket by Dr. Seuss

Here is a simple story that your children will love. The main character goes about his house, showing off all the creatures that live there. For example, the Zable on the table or maybe the Geeling on the ceiling.

There’s a Wocket in my Pocket: Dr. Seuss’s Book of Ridiculous Rhymes (Big Bright & Early Board Book)

Dr. Seuss (Author)
English (Publication Language)
24 Pages – 05/08/2018 (Publication Date) – Random House Books for Young Readers (Publisher)

Jamberry by Bruce Degen

The bear and his friend go on a berry adventure — collecting all kinds of berries — blackberries, hayberries, cranberries, and pawberries! This storybook concludes with an overwhelming berry jamboree!

Jamberry

Degen, Bruce (Author)
English (Publication Language)
32 Pages – 01/22/2008 (Publication Date) – HarperCollins (Publisher)

This list of books is a wonderful selection to collect for your home library! Find a cozy spot in the house and read these great books with your preschooler. What classic rhyming book would you add to this list?

Looking for more resources for preschool? You may enjoy these similar posts!

Best Alphabet Books to Help Kids Learn Their ABC’s

How Do You Homeschool With All Littles?

Days of the Week Free Printable Display and Coloring Sheets

When Is it Best to Start Teaching My Child to Read?

10 Reasons Why HOME Is Better Than Preschool

5 Important Routines for a Homeschool Preschool

The post Rhyming Books for Preschool Through Kindergarten Ages appeared first on Our Life Homeschooling.

Best Alphabet Books to Help Kids Learn Their ABC’s

Sheri — Wed, 22 Jan 2025 21:43:33 +0000

As you prepare your young child to learn the alphabet, these adorable ABC books will entertain children with a wide variety of interests using colorful illustrations and delightful writing.

Before I teach my kids the letters of the alphabet, we spend the first several years of life reading excellent books together. Creating a literate environment is the key to reading readiness.

Often parents are pressured into thinking they should start teaching their children to read long before they are ready. If you wait until they show signs of interest, kids will learn much more quickly. Here are a few signs I watch for in my kids to know when they are ready to start learning their letters.

They will…

point to letters and ask what they are.
pretend to read familiar books.
try writing letters.
listen attentively when you read simple picture books to them.
try to read words on the cereal box or road signs or other words around the house.

For more information about teaching a child to read, these resources are a great place to start!

When Is It Best to Start Teaching My Child to Read?
Teach a Child to Read With Two Importannt Habits
Simple Steps for Teaching Reading That Work
Companion Beginner Guide for Teaching Bob Books

*This post contains affiliate links which means I make a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting our family!

Alphabet Books for Kids

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin Jr. and John Archambault

In this fascinating book, the letters are racing to the top of the coconut tree. Chicka Chicka Boom Boom uses interesting words to captivate its listeners. This is one of our favorite alphabet books.

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom

Used Book in Good Condition
Bill Martin Jr. (Author)
English (Publication Language)
32 Pages – 08/01/2000 (Publication Date) – Beach Lane Books (Publisher)

My ABC Bible Verses by Susan Hunt

Next to each letter is a Bible verse, with the letter highlighted that corresponds with a word in the verse. Your kids will have so much fun learning Bible verses along with their letters.

Sale

My ABC Bible Verses: Hiding God’s Word in Little Hearts

Hardcover Book
Hunt, Susan (Author)
English (Publication Language)
64 Pages – 07/01/1998 (Publication Date) – Crossway (Publisher)

Alphabet Soup by Kate Banks

A little boy uses his alphabet soup to make words, and as he goes on a wild adventure, each word he makes solves a problem, the book showing the letters of the alphabet along the way.

Sale

Alphabet Soup

Used Book in Good Condition
Banks, Kate (Author)
English (Publication Language)
32 Pages – 08/09/1994 (Publication Date) – Dragonfly Books (Publisher)

Alphabet School by Stephen T. Johnson

Alphabet School, a wordless book, displays everyday objects, such as globes and windows, to make children see the hidden letters on each page. This is a creative way to teach young readers letter recognition in an easy-to-understand way.

Alphabet School

Hardcover Book
Johnson, Stephen T. (Author)
English (Publication Language)
32 Pages – 09/08/2015 (Publication Date) – Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books (Publisher)

Dr. Seuss’ ABC Book by Dr. Seuss

This book asks readers what begins with each letter of the alphabet in entertaining, silly illustrations. If you’re looking for ABC books that center on teaching the alphabet in a way that’s just plain fun, this book is a great one to start with.

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Dr. Seuss’s ABC (Beginner Books, I Can Read It All By Myself)

With Dr. Seuss as your guide, learning the alphabet is as easy as A, B, C
Simple words and illustrations that give clues to their meaning
Fun characters and bright colors
Ages 3 to 7
Hardcover Book

D is for Dump Truck by Michael Shoulders

If your boys love anything to do with cars, this book is sure to entertain them for hours. The creative rhymes and how each letter of the alphabet is used is a great way to introduce your kids to the alphabet.

Sale

D is for Dump Truck: A Construction Alphabet (Sleeping Bear Alphabet Books)

Hardcover Book
Shoulders, Michael (Author) – Ryan, Tamara (Narrator)
English (Publication Language)
32 Pages – 10/01/2016 (Publication Date) – Sleeping Bear Press (Publisher)

A to Z by Sandra Boynton

As this alphabet book goes through each letter, it shows each animal performing a different action, which is a creative way to show young children how a letter can be used in words. This book is sure to make our book recommendation list.

A to Z

Boynton, Sandra (Author)
English (Publication Language)
16 Pages – 10/11/1984 (Publication Date) – Boynton Bookworks (Publisher)

A is for Apple by Tiger Tales

This is one of my son’s favorite books! The colorful flaps showing what each letter represents is an interesting way to capture a reader’s attention. “‘I’ is for icecream and igloo. ‘J’ is for jet and jam.” It also shows how the letters are written using arrows which show children how to trace letters using their fingers.

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A is for Apple (Smart Kids Trace-and-Flip)

Tiger Tales (Author)
English (Publication Language)
26 Pages – 09/06/2011 (Publication Date) – Tiger Tales (Publisher)

On Market Street by Arnold Lobel

A little boy goes shopping on Market Street, buying things from each letter of the alphabet. The things he buys look like people with donuts for skirts or apples for arms. This ABC book, written by the acclaimed Arnold Lobel (Frog and Toad stories) and illustrated by Anita Lobel, won a Caldecott Honor award.

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On Market Street

Hardcover Book
Lobel, Arnold (Author)
English (Publication Language)
40 Pages – 08/25/2020 (Publication Date) – Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books (Publisher)

ABC’s on Wheels by Ramon Olivera

Simple and easy to understand, this picture book goes through the letters one by one, showing how they are used in everyday vehicles. As this board book shows a wide variety of cars and trucks, it is sure to be another one your boys will enjoy.

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ABCs on Wheels

Hardcover Book
Olivera, Ramon (Author)
English (Publication Language)
40 Pages – 07/05/2016 (Publication Date) – Little Simon (Publisher)

Eating the Alphabet by Lois Ehlert

Each page shows different fruits that start with a certain letter. Included in the back is a guide to all the fruits mentioned earlier. Your little readers will love the colorful pictures and simple prose.

Sale

Eating the Alphabet

Ehlert, Lois (Author)
English (Publication Language)
28 Pages – 04/01/1996 (Publication Date) – Clarion Books (Publisher)

Picture books are a great way for you to start teaching your child the letters of the alphabet. Snuggle up on the sofa and read them together. Keep it relaxed and fun. Make your child’s first association with reading a delightful experience!

The post Best Alphabet Books to Help Kids Learn Their ABC’s appeared first on Our Life Homeschooling.

Fascinating Creepy-Crawly Bug Book List for Children

Sheri — Mon, 07 Oct 2024 03:14:03 +0000

Do you have any bug lovers in your family? Introduce your young children to a wonderful world of bugs by reading these insect books to them.

When we see the beauty, design, and variety in the world around us, the evidence for a Creator is overwhelming! God’s fingerprints are in every detail!

Job chapter 12 says, “But ask the beasts, and they will teach you; the birds of the heavens, and they will tell you; or the bushes of the earth, and they will teach you, and the fish of the sea will declare to you. Who among all these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this? In his hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of all mankind.”

Teaching Kids About Insects

Instead of pulling out a textbook when I teach science to my young readers, I like to read great books with fascinating facts and vibrant illustrations.

After putting this list of books together for you, I’m excited to do an insect unit study, using these as our core science curriculum for the next few weeks. I don’t have any worksheets or planned experiments. Simply reading these books with colorful photographs and detailed illustrations will be enough to pique my children’s curiosity!

The fun facts in these books will answer all your kids’ questions!

How do honey bees make delicious golden honey?
Where does the praying mantis get its name?
How does a caterpillar turn into a beautiful butterfly?
Why do ladybugs have spots?
How do lightning bugs light up?
Do dragonflies breathe fire?

You may also enjoy reading this similar blog post!

How to Keep a Simple Nature Study Notebook

*This post contains affiliate links which means I may make a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting our family!

Picture books

Perhaps my favorite books about bugs are Eric Carle’s books. His collection of stories with colorful illustrations is a treasury that should be in every home library.. Follow the very hungry caterpillar through its life cycle to watch it unfold into a beautiful butterfly.

The Very Hungry Caterpillar

The Very Busy Spider

The Grouchy Ladybug

The Very Quiet Cricket

Sale

The Very Hungry Caterpillar (Rise and Shine)

Now even younger children can follow the little green caterpillar as he eats his way to becoming a beautiful butterfly in this sturdy board book
Great for early development
Children will enjoy this delightful tale
Ages 3 to 7
Hardcover Book

The Bee Tree by Patricia Polacco

In this classic picture book, a little girl follows her Grandpa on an adventure to find a bee tree. Along the way, a crowd of people follow them and everyone gets to enjoy the sweet honey together. Her Grandpa admonishes her that just as they had to work hard to get the honey, books are full of sweetness, but you have to work hard to find it.

Sale

The Bee Tree

Polacco, Patricia (Author)
English (Publication Language)
32 Pages – 05/04/1998 (Publication Date) – Puffin Books (Publisher)

Rhyming Bug Books Preschool Age

Books with repeated sounds and songs are wonderful for children who are learning to talk! When I read these books to my preschoolers, I can hear them repeating them throughout the day!

Some Bugs by Angela DiTerlizzi

This rhyming book is a great introduction to different kinds of bugs for a younger audience. After reading Some Bugs, kids will want to look in their backyard to find their favorite bug!

Sale

Some Bugs (Classic Board Books)

DiTerlizzi, Angela (Author)
English (Publication Language)
34 Pages – 06/14/2016 (Publication Date) – Little Simon (Publisher)

I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly

In this story, an old lady swallows a fly and then keeps swallowing bigger and bigger animals. It is a silly rhyme that originates from an old ballad. My kids like me to sing the song as I read it.

Sale

I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly

English (Publication Language)
22 Pages – 03/03/2020 (Publication Date) – LB Kids (Publisher)

Beetle Bop by Denise Fleming

The repeated sounds in this book will keep your little kids waiting to hear the next expected rhyming word in the pattern. They will learn all about what beetles can do, how they sound, what how to recognize different types of beetles.

Beetle Bop

Scholastic Inc.
Fleming, Denise (Author)
English (Publication Language)
06/11/9999 (Publication Date) – Publisher (Publisher)

Non-fiction Bug Books For Kids

While some might write off non-fiction books as twaddle, my kids love books with plenty of close-up pictures and detailed sketches with short snippets of facts.

A Beetle Is Shy by Diana Hutts Aston and Sylvia Long

The first thing I noticed about this book is that it is very pretty. Kids will learn about different kinds of beetles, tasty beetle food dishes from around the world, and why a beetle is shy.

A Beetle Is Shy (Sylvia Long)

Aston, Dianna Hutts (Author)
English (Publication Language)
40 Pages – 05/09/2023 (Publication Date) – Chronicle Books (Publisher)

The Big Book of Bugs by Yuval Zommer

Bugs will come to life in this simple book with lovely illustrations! The book is divided into sections by insect, for example…beetles, pond bugs, termites, stick insects, etc. so you can choose the bugs you want to do first. This is a perfect book to read to young elementary students because each bug page gives brief, yet interesting facts so it’s not an overwhelming amount of information to consume.

Sale

The Big Book of Bugs (The Big Book Series)

Hardcover Book
Zommer, Yuval (Author)
English (Publication Language)
64 Pages – 04/18/2016 (Publication Date) – Thames & Hudson (Publisher)

National Geographic Kids: Little Kids First Big Book of Bugs by Catherine D. Hughes

This is the kind of book I would sneakily put on the table for my kids to “notice” as they eat their breakfast cereal. This book does a great job of explaining the difference between bugs and insects. Although the sneaky table placement would be my first choice, you could also use this book as a mini-textbook to read a few pages a day, focusing on specific bugs.

Sale

National Geographic Little Kids First Big Book of Bugs (National Geographic Little Kids First Big Books)

Hardcover Book
Hughes, Catherine D. (Author)
English (Publication Language)
128 Pages – 10/14/2014 (Publication Date) – National Geographic Kids (Publisher)

Bugs: A Stunning Pop-Up Look at Insects, Spiders, and Other Creepy Crawlies by George McGavin

Look at the anatomy of insects in 3D with this sensational pop-up book. Each page is filled with pop-up pockets that have interesting facts under the flap. As you turn the page a large 3D cricket or honeybee hive pops out at you. This book will keep your kids searching for to find all the fascinating bug facts!

Sale

Bugs: A Stunning Pop-up Look at Insects, Spiders, and Other Creepy-Crawlies

Hardcover Book
McGavin, George (Author)
English (Publication Language)
12 Pages – 10/08/2013 (Publication Date) – Candlewick (Publisher)

Chapter Books

We have a few favorite chapter books for older kids whose main characters are insects that simply must be included in this list! Although a narrative-type story may not teach kids many facts about bugs, it will help build a connection and enrich their knowledge of each insect’s capabilities.

Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White

Whoever thought a pig could become best friends with a little spider? I love reading this classic book to my kids each fall around fair time. As Charlotte saves Wilbur’s life by writing special words about him in her spider web, kids learn the meaning of true friendship.

No products found.

James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl

James Trotter, an orphan boy escapes the clutches of his cruel Aunt Spiker and Aunt Sponge by entering a magical peach. Inside he meets a spider, glowworm, centipede, grasshopper, ladybug, and others. In tradorable story with a funny ending.

No products found.

The Cricket in Times Square by George Sheldon, illustrated by Garth Williams (This is the same person who illustrated the beloved Little House series.)

This endearing story takes place in New York City at a small family business, a newsstand. The family falls in love with a cricket, Chester, who learns to play the music he hears on the radio until an accident nearly ends their friendship. This story is a tear-jerker, so you may want to grab a box of tissues.

No products found.

Extended Ideas for Teaching Kids About Bugs

My primary purpose in creating this book list is to read these fantastic books to my kids. Reading for pleasure is enough. Nothing extra is needed, however, if you are looking for some activities to enhance your study, these ideas might be fun to try!

Draw a comic strip style showing the life cycle of an insect.
Start a bug collection using styrofoam and pins in a shadow box. Use field guides to label your finds.
Find monarch caterpillars on milkweed (We find them in September in our area of Pennsylvania.) and raise them to butterfly. We keep ours in 2-quart mason jars with a breathable lid. When your caterpillar hangs upside down in a J shape, watch carefully to see it form its chrysalis. It happens quickly, in about 50 seconds. It is such an amazing sight to watch with your kids and the chrysalis with the golden beads is so beautiful. This activity requires very little preparation which is why it is one we do every year.
In a nature notebook, make a calendar of first. When do you see the first ant? Beetle? Carpenter bee? It is fun to compare from year to year so kids see a pattern of when different bugs appear in the season.

This insect book list is an excellent resource for nature study lessons with your kids. After you read these great bug books to your kids, grab a magnifying glass, step outside, and see how many you can find in the natural world around you!

Happy bug hunting!

The post Fascinating Creepy-Crawly Bug Book List for Children appeared first on Our Life Homeschooling.

Homeschool Morning Time With Lots of Littles: Interview with Jo

Sheri — Fri, 17 May 2024 14:53:05 +0000

Every so often on the blog, I love to give you a sneak peek into “our life” collectively as homeschoolers by sharing interviews with everyday homeschool moms just like you! I am especially excited to share this interview I had with my sister, Jo, a mom of four kids, 7 and under. I hope you will be encouraged by reading this interview with Jo as she talks about how she does homeschool Morning Time with lots of littles.

Video: Homeschool Morning Time With Lots of Littles: Interview with Jo

Introduce Yourself

My name is Jo Meservy. We are a family of six: my husband and I, and four kids seven and under.

What attracted you to homeschooling?

To be honest, it’s hard to judge exactly how long we’ve been homeschooling because in hindsight, I feel like I’ve always been doing it. As a former public high school teacher, education had always been important to me, but I never intended to homeschool.

Like every mom, the early days with my babies were filled with “activities” that are essentially, a foundation for homeschooling–sorting colors, counting, introducing letters, etc. Unfortunately, or perhaps fortunately, COVID hit right around the time we planned to send our oldest to preschool. We were left with no choice but to homeschool.

My sister homeschooled, so how hard could it be, right? We took what we were already doing and gave it just a smidge more focus and attention.

Shortly after we began, I helped launch a co-op with a few other isolated and COVID lonely moms like me. Before I knew it, I had fallen deeply in love with homeschooling, so four years later, we’re still going.

At no point in this journey did I feel unequipped, ill-prepared, or unqualified and that is 100% due to the encouragement of my sister, Sheri. She encouraged me at the start, and she still encourages me to keep going. Although my husband is my best friend and an incredible teammate–Sheri is my homeschool cheerleader. If COVID hadn’t forced me to jump into the homeschool pool, I’m confident that she would have eventually convinced me to dip my toes in the water.

1. How do I prepare for a successful morning time?

I do my very best to wake up before the kids each day so that I can have time to myself.

There is a quote by Toni Morrison that I have begun to live by, “When a child walks into a room, do your eyes light up? Because that’s what they’re looking for.”

Generally speaking, I don’t greet my children well when they are the ones to wake me up. I have made it a priority to wake up before them, to enjoy the quiet, so that I’m ready to greet them with enthusiasm. The same principle bleeds into morning time. Each day I try to show an eagerness to dive into morning time with them. If I treat it like a chore, no one will want to do it. If I am excited, there is a better chance the day will go smoothly.

Practically speaking, I keep a basket with our Morning Time content inside (Bible, poetry book, Hymnal, Classical Conversations review booklet). I also have a closet full of activities for the kids to choose from. Only one of my kids is a reader, so activities are an important part of the process for us.

Before morning time each day, I close off all stairs and bathrooms, and set a 5-10 minute timer. We’ve done this enough times for the big kids to know they must be ready and at the table with an activity of their choice by the time my timer goes off. We meet at the table and hope for the best.

2. What does morning time look like on a typical day?

It’s not pretty. I have my content and activities prepared, and still nothing goes smoothly. Everyone has an activity, the baby is strapped down with a snack, and I’m excited and ready to go. But something will always go wrong.

Kellen might not like the activity he chose and will want to go get something else. Cam, my three year old, might want the activity Sadie chose and they will try and convince me that they can share and listen at the same time–spoiler alert: they can’t.

By the time I get resettled, Raleigh (the baby) has finished his snack and wants to play. I put him down and let him run amuck, because I know I’ve closed off all the exits already. So then, we start again. I’ll get halfway through the Bible passage before there is another interruption. We talk again about waiting until we are between subjects to speak, and then we keep on going.

We aim to read a chapter in the Bible (right now, we’re reading through Psalms), a few poems by Shel Silverstein (he’s an easy way for littles to dip their toes into poetry), we sing through our hymn of the month (thank you Sheri for the idea!), and then we go through our CC review work.

In all, I try to keep it under 30 minutes. On the best of days, they sing and recite along when they’re supposed to, and they keep ears open, hands busy, and mouths closed when they’re supposed to. If things fall apart past the point of recovery, we call it quits.

But as long as I can continue with patience and joy, we stumble through each subject as best as we can. By the time we are done, the baby has torn the house apart, and my three year old has most likely abandoned the table at least once to help him. So then… we begin our chores.

3. How do I handle it when babies and toddlers aren’t interested or insist on interrupting?

If my little littles want to go off and play during morning time, I let them. They are only under legal schooling age for a few short years. The rule is: if you’re of school age, you must stay and participate.

As for the littles, I don’t want to deprive them of the joy of free play–especially when there are so many intellectual benefits from it! They might go off and make monumental messes, but that’s just the phase I’m in. I choose to embrace the mess. I let the littles leave the table when they can’t handle the structure anymore…most days they come back.

As they age, I try to make morning time the hot spot of the house. I behave as if the morning time table is quite possibly more fun than the temptation of free play.

Although I can’t sustain a Pinterest level activity bin system to keep them entertained, I do have a box of random supplies and activities for them to choose from every morning. When those stop working and my older toddlers begin to get too loud and wiggly, I ask them if they’d like to go play. Sometimes they say yes. Often, they say no. This is the goal.

I want them to want to stay with us, even if it makes the morning time session harder.

4. What is the primary objective in Morning Time?

My two biggest objectives in morning time are cultivating a desire to be a part of it and establishing sustainable habits and routines.

For the most part, I’ve met these two goals with my oldest two chidlren. I think that’s why I have patience for the mess and the chaos–because I have two older ones that are finally where I want them to be. They don’t interrupt often, they know the drill and morning time has become easy with them. If I keep fighting the good fight with patience, the others will get there too.

We slowly instill boundaries, rules, and routines, and the habit becomes a little easier as each child grows older. Slowly, ever so slowly, I’m seeing things piece together into the picture I’ve been hoping for, but we still have a long way to go.

The second goal is sustainable habits. I’m not the mom who has a constant flow of activities up her sleeve to keep them seated and quiet. I come up with a great idea every now and then and it’s great–but I can’t bring that to the table on a daily basis.

They have their activity closet, and I don’t put in more effort past that. I don’t want them to come to morning time each day expecting to be served up creative entertainment on a platter. I don’t have it in me. So to make morning time sustainable–I keep it simple.

I also try to keep it short. We stick to about twenty minutes, maybe thirty if too many interruptions set us back. I keep my vision of our morning time routine as something we can realistically and daily achieve. Once we hit a good rhythm I add in another expectation or content piece to cover.

I think the biggest goal is to not let morning time take the joy out of the slow mornings that homeschooling provides in these early years.

All the old ladies we run into at the grocery store are right–the days are long but the years are short! In ten years, I won’t mind the messes and the interruptions, but I will regret it if I waste these years stressing over getting it all done and losing my temper trying to make it happen the way I planned. The goal is to use morning time to add to the joy in our home. So far, despite the constant interruptions, it seems to be working.

Favorite Resources

*This post contains affiliate links which means I may make a small commission at no cost to you.

Teaching From Rest
Read Aloud Family
Your Morning Basket Podcast (Now called Homeschool Better Together)
Read Aloud Revival Podcast(basically anything with Sarah Mackenzie’s name on it)
I’m a huge fan of Classical Conversations–I know it’s not necessarily a resource, but the habits of CC align really well with families who prioritize morning time.
Surprised by Motherhood by Lisa-Jo Baker (reminds me to take joy in this incredible job!)

Endearing Bedtime Poems, Songs, and Verses for Kids

Sheri — Thu, 18 Apr 2024 00:08:00 +0000

As you tuck your children in at night, this collection of poems, nursery rhymes, bedtime songs, and verses will be a great way to end your day with your little ones.

Watch your little children’s eyes light up when they hear the funny poems of Shel Silverstein, let their imagination soar as they hear the tale of Wynken, Blynken, and Nod for the first time, or see their little eyes slowly nod off as you sing Brahm’s lullaby.

Bible verses are also comforting to young children. Hearing of God’s protection will help them not to be afraid. Scripture will remind them of Jesus, the good shepherd who cares for his sheep.

Sometimes I like to read my kids a favorite bedtime story, but a short little children’s poem or verse or nursery rhyme is also a wonderful way to send them off to bed with the sweetest dreams.

Bedtime Poems

Wynken Blynken and Nod by Eugene Field

Wynken, Blynken, and Nod one night
Sailed off in a wooden shoe—
Sailed on a river of crystal light,
Into a sea of dew.
“Where are you going, and what do you wish?”
The old moon asked the three.
“We have come to fish for the herring fish
That live in this beautiful sea;
Nets of silver and gold have we!”
Said Wynken,
Blynken,
And Nod.
The old moon laughed and sang a song,
As they rocked in the wooden shoe,
And the wind that sped them all night long
Ruffled the waves of dew.
The little stars were the herring fish
That lived in that beautiful sea—
“Now cast your nets wherever you wish—
Never afeard are we”;
So cried the stars to the fishermen three:
Wynken,
Blynken,
And Nod.
All night long their nets they threw
To the stars in the twinkling foam—
Then down from the skies came the wooden shoe,
Bringing the fishermen home;
‘Twas all so pretty a sail it seemed
As if it could not be,
And some folks thought ’twas a dream they’d dreamed
Of sailing that beautiful sea—
But I shall name you the fishermen three:
Wynken,
Blynken,
And Nod.
Wynken and Blynken are two little eyes,
And Nod is a little head,
And the wooden shoe that sailed the skies
Is a wee one’s trundle-bed.
So shut your eyes while mother sings
Of wonderful sights that be,
And you shall see the beautiful things
As you rock in the misty sea,
Where the old shoe rocked the fishermen three:
Wynken,
Blynken,
And Nod.

Bed in Summer Robert Louis Stevenson

In winter I get up at night
And dress by yellow candle-light.
In summer, quite the other way,
I have to go to bed by day.

I have to go to bed and see
The birds still hopping on the tree,
Or hear the grown-up people’s feet
Still going past me in the street.

And does it not seem hard to you,
When all the sky is clear and blue,
And I should like so much to play,
To have to go to bed by day?

The Children’s Hour by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Between the dark and the daylight,
When the night is beginning to lower,
Comes a pause in the day’s occupations,
That is known as the Children’s Hour.

I hear in the chamber above me
The patter of little feet,
The sound of a door that is opened,
And voices soft and sweet.

From my study I see in the lamplight,
Descending the broad hall stair,
Grave Alice, and laughing Allegra,
And Edith with golden hair.

A whisper, and then a silence:
Yet I know by their merry eyes
They are plotting and planning together
To take me by surprise.

A sudden rush from the stairway,
A sudden raid from the hall!
By three doors left unguarded
They enter my castle wall!

They climb up into my turret
O’er the arms and back of my chair;
If I try to escape, they surround me;
They seem to be everywhere.

They almost devour me with kisses,
Their arms about me entwine,
Till I think of the Bishop of Bingen
In his Mouse-Tower on the Rhine!

Do you think, O blue-eyed banditti,
Because you have scaled the wall,
Such an old mustache as I am
Is not a match for you all!

I have you fast in my fortress,
And will not let you depart,
But put you down into the dungeon
In the round-tower of my heart.

And there will I keep you forever,
Yes, forever and a day,
Till the walls shall crumble to ruin,
And moulder in dust away!

Bedtime by George MacDonald

‘Come, children, put away your toys;
Roll up that kite’s long line;
The day is done for girls and boys-
Look, it is almost nine!
Come, weary foot, and sleepy head,
Get up, and come along to bed.’

The children, loath, must yet obey;
Up the long stair they creep;
Lie down, and something sing or say
Until they fall asleep,
To steal through caverns of the night
Into the morning’s golden light.

We, elder ones, sit up more late,
And tasks unfinished ply,
But, gently busy, watch and wait-
Dear sister, you and I,
To hear the Father, with soft tread,
Coming to carry us to bed.

The Land of Nod by Robert Louis Stevenson

From Breakfast on through all the day
At home among my friends I stay,
But every night I go abroad
Afar into the land of Nod.

All by myself I have to go,
With none to tell me what to do–
All alone beside the streams
And up the mountain-sides of dreams.

The strangest things are there for me,
Both things to eat and things to see,
And many frightening sights abroad
Till morning in the land of Nod.

Try as I like to find the way,
I never can get back by day,
Nor can remember plain and clear
The curious music that I hear.

The Sugar-Plum Tree by Eugene Field

Children Learn What They Live by Dorothy l. Nolte

The Moon by Emily Dickinson

The Lamb by William Blake

Funny Bedtime Poems

Snowball by Shel Silverstein

I made myself a snowball
As perfect as could be.
I thought I’d keep it as a pet
And let it sleep with me.
I made it some pajamas
And a pillow for its head.
Then last night it ran away,
But first it wet the bed.

Crowded Tub by Shel Silverstein

There are too many kids in this tub
There are too many elbows to scrub
I just washed a behind that I’m sure wasn’t mine
There are too many kids in this tub.

Put Something In by Shel Silverstein

Draw a crazy picture,
Write a nutty poem,
Sing a mumble-grumble song,
Whistle through your comb.
Do a loony-goony dance
‘Cross the kitchen floor,
Put something silly in the world
That ain’t been there before.

Bedtime Songs and Nursery Rhymes

Click on the links for the full song lyrics and video of someone singing.

All Through the Night by Edward Jones

Sleep my child and peace attend thee,
All through the night
Guardian angels God will send thee,
All through the night
Soft the drowsy hours are creeping,
Hill and dale in slumber sleeping
I my loved ones’ watch am keeping,
All through the night.

Lullaby and Goodnight Brahms’ Lullaby

Lullaby, and good night,
With pink roses bedight,
With lilies overspread,
Is my baby’s sweet head.
Lay you down now, and rest,
May your slumber be blessed.
Lay you down now, and rest,
May thy slumber be blessed.

I See the Moon Nursery Rhyme

I see the moon, and the moon sees me,
God bless the moon, and God bless me!

Hush-A-Bye by an unknown author

Hush-a-bye, baby, on the tree top,
When the wind blows the cradle will rock;
When the bough breaks the cradle will fall;
Down will come baby, cradle and all.

Wee Willie Winkie, a Scottish nursery rhyme

Wee Willie Winkie runs through the town,
Upstairs and downstairs, in his nightgown;
Rapping at the window, crying through the lock,
“Are the children in their beds?
Now it’s eight o’clock.”

Sleep, Baby, Sleep

Sleep, baby, sleep
Your father tends the sheep
Your mother shakes the dreamland tree
And from it fall sweet dreams for thee
Sleep, baby, sleep
Sleep, baby, sleep

Sleep, baby, sleep
Our cottage vale is deep
The little lamb is on the green
With snowy fleece so soft and clean
Sleep, baby, sleep
Sleep, baby, sleep

Other Lovely Bedtime Nursery Rhymes

Twinkle Twinkle Little Star

The Bitter Wind Doth Blow

Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear

Comforting Bedtime Bible Verses for Children

The most important lesson and perhaps the best thing you can leave with your child before they fall asleep is the reminder of the truest truth from God’s Word. Comfort them with the promises of God.

Psalm 56: 3

“When I am afraid, I will trust in you.”

Matthew 11:28-30. 28

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”

Psalm 4:8

“In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, LORD, make me dwell in safety.”

Psalm 3:24

“When you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.”

Psalm 121: 1-4

I lift up my eyes to the mountains—
where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord,
the Maker of heaven and earth.
He will not let your foot slip—he who watches over you will not slumber.
Indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.

Psalm 3:5

“I lay down and slept. I woke again for the Lord sustained me.”

Psalm 23

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures.

He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul.

Books of Wonderful Bedtime Stories

Children’s Garden of Verses

The Real Mother Goose

Great Children’s Stories by Frederick Richardson

Printable Bedtime Poems, Songs, and Verses for Kids

If you would like a printable poem, I will send you the entire collection in a pdf file. You can use these for nursery wall art or put them in a 3-ring binder to read to your child. Drop your email below for a free digital download.

Subscribe in the box below by entering your email.
Check your email inbox to confirm your subscription.
You will get a success message with a link to the pdf file. Click on the link and print. (You will need a color printer for this printable.) Enjoy! Please remember, these are for personal use only!

I hope these endearing bedtime poems, songs, and verses will leave a positive impact of sweet memories on you and your little baby dear as you look out on a moonlit night with a whole host of stars shining down on you.

Good night, sleep tight!

Days of the Week Free Printable Display and Coloring Sheets

Sheri — Fri, 29 Dec 2023 02:57:26 +0000

Teach your children about the days of the week with these free resources: a days of the week free printable display and coloring sheets. This printable poster is a handy visual to put on the wall in your homeschool room as well as a great addition to your Morning Time notebook. When kids decorate the corresponding coloring sheets, they will become familiar with the words that represent the days of the week.

When to teach Kids the Days of the Week

How can you tell when is a child ready to learn the days of the week? They show signs of readiness when they start asking about it!

Here are a few examples.

They ask what day today is.
They look at a calendar and try to name the days of the week.
You overhear them naming the days of the week in their play.
They tell stories that include concepts of time.

Learn Naturally Through Conversations

I think one of the best ways for young learners to grasp the concept of time is for them to learn it naturally. Whether it be seasons or days of the week or time of day, I prefer for my children to learn about these in the context of real life and conversations.

When you are looking at your wall calendar to see which family members have birthdays this month, have your preschooler sit beside you. Point out the days of the week on the calendar.

As you go through your week doing certain tasks routinely on the same day, your young children are observing the pattern. Talk openly with them about the rhythms in your week. “Library day is on Monday, grocery day on Tuesday, church on Sunday, etc.:

Throughout the year when you have a special day coming up, talk with your kids about how many days until it comes. “We are going to an amusement park in 3 days! Today is Wednesday. Tomorrow is Thursday. Then Friday and then we all will go to the amusement park!”

Days of the Week Games

The perfect way to teach kids new concepts is through games and fun activities! After your kids have been introduced to the days of the week, use conversation guessing games to help them understand the order.

Ask them before and after questions.

What day comes before Monday?
What day comes after Friday?
What day do we go to co-op?
Which day do we go to library story time?
Is Wednesday before or after Tuesday?

Switch it around. Have them ask you the questions. When you answer, you can tell if they understand by their response to your correct or incorrect response.

Calendar Time

When my kids were all very young, we did Calendar Time every day. (It was kind of our precursor to Morning Time.) We talked about the days of the week, months of the year, the weather, and other simple, but important details.

During this time, I asked them other simple safety questions that might help. What is your name?What is your mom’s/dad’s name? What is your address?

We also role-played what to do if they were in a situation where they needed help.

This free days of the week resource can be a great option for your Calendar Time if you do something similar with your children.

Days of the Week Song

All of my kids have learned the days of the week through song. I sing the days of the week to the tune of “Oh My Darling, Clementine.” You can teach your kids the days of the week song using your favorite tune or some of these great YouTube links.

Days of the Week-Adams Family

Days of the Week Song

The 7 Days of the Week Song

Days of the Week Poster Ideas

This colorful poster is a great way to display the days of the week for your kids as a reference. Put it in a prominent place in your kitchen, the homeschool room, near their bed, or in a Morning Time notebook. Choose a place where they will see it regularly.

Another fun way to learn is to cover certain days of the week on the poster using strips of cardstock or other paper. Have kids try to guess which days are missing. When a child names the days of the week through repeated practice, that child will become more familiar with letter recognition as well.

Coloring Pages

I’m not a big fan of kids learning concepts by worksheets in their early years because they seem artificial to me. Coloring pages, on the other hand, help preschoolers learn the days of the week in a natural, developmentally appropriate way. Preschoolers love to color!

Give your kids a nice set of crayons. The chunky kind are best for young children. Coloring helps them to develop fine motor skills in a low-pressure way. It also helps them learn to stay in the lines and to identify different colors.

Coloring sheets are also a great way to help them associate the words with the day of the week.

After your kids finish coloring each day of the week coloring page, get a clear slipcover and put all seven of their coloring sheets inside. If they are able, you can even have them order the days of the week beforehand.

Have them flip the page each day to display the correct day. This is a simple activity to add to your Morning Time homeschool routine.

How do I access the free printable?

Click on this link to access the free download Days of the Week Free Printable Display and Coloring Sheets. This is a pdf file. (These are for personal use only. Please do not distribute.)

Days of the Week Free Printable Display and Coloring Sheets

I hope these days of the week printables will be a great addition to your homeschool or classroom!

You may also enjoy reading these similar posts.

5 Important Routines for a Homeschool Preschool

10 Reasons Why HOME is Better than Preschool

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How Do You Homeschool With ALL Littles?

Sheri — Thu, 14 Sep 2023 03:49:44 +0000

How do You homeschool with ALL Littles?? Do you look at seasoned homeschooling moms incredulously, wondering how they possibly did it when they were in this stage? You love the idea of offering your kids a rich education through homeschooling, but with so many young ones underfoot, it just seems so hard! In this post, I want to offer encouragement for homeschool moms of littles.

I have a lot of sympathy for homeschool moms who have all young kids. I remember that season very well having been in it for so long. In fact, I’m still in it. We have ten children ages 18 down to 7 months and we are going on our 14th year of homeschooling. Having kids under age six in our home has become the norm for our family for so many years now so that I can’t hardly imagine it any other way. Even so, I have to admit it really is easier now than when they were all little. Those early years of diapers, dishes, dinner, and dirty laundry on repeat…they were hard!

Video: Encouragement For Homeschool Moms of Littles

“I Can’t Get Anything Done!”

Being with very young children all day is really exhausting! Have you heard yourself saying the words, “I can’t get anything done!”? I sure have. For homeschooling moms of all littles, getting very little done is the hard reality.

A day spent with all littles is completely unpredictable. You may write out your daily “to do” list, but it is completely subject to your children’s moods, potty training, lost sleep, tears over math, spilled milk, and a host of other possibilities.

whining two year old
toddler deciding not to nap
baby teething
constant interruptions
repeated questions from three year olds
younger children still building immune systems so they are sick more frequently
pregnancy or adjusting to a new baby

Additionally, many moms with young children are homeschooling for the very first time, so there are other difficulties as well.

choosing (and learning) a curriculum
discovering your homeschool style and your child’s learning style
finding a routine that works for you
finding homeschool friends/co-ops
family or friends questioning your decision to homeschool that can be discouraging
adjusting to a homeschool mentality after having been traditionally schooled yourself

These Are The Foundational Years of Your Homeschool

One thing I did not realize when I was in the thick of homeschooling with all young children was that I was in the investment stage of both our homeschool and our family life. Whenever you start any kind of endeavor, whether it is a business, a project, or perhaps building your first home, the beginning is always the hardest part. How many years does it take for a business to start earning a profit? When you dig out the foundation for the construction of a new house, it actually looks like you are going backwards, digging that big hole in the ground. Who could look at that hollow cave of dirt and see the beautiful home you have envisioned?

It is the same with homeschooling. In the beginning, you make the largest investment and see very little fruit. You change messy diapers, make meals, attempt a reading lesson, answer a million questions, read one more story, cry over math, bathe dirty feet, run another load of laundry, kiss them goodnight ….and crawl into bed exhausted. And for what?! To get up and do it one more day.

The idea of homeschooling is so appealing, but the reality of it just seems impossible some days. When you look into your children’s sweet faces, you wouldn’t have it any other way, but are you really getting anywhere?

Seeing Fruit

When you have been homeschooling for several years, you gain perspective. When you see your kids become avid readers or develop unique hobbies, you begin to reap the rewards of all your blood, sweat, and tears. And it is SO worth it! When our second son showed an interest in learning guitar and taught himself to play by watching YouTube videos or when our daughters exhibited artistic talent in some of their baking endeavors, I loved seeing them blossom. Watching your kids become individuals right before your eyes is a beautiful thing. It makes all the investments of the the early years worth it, I promise!

Encouragement: It Does Get Easier!

The good news is that it does get easier! It gets easier because the longer you homeschool the better you get at it. It becomes second nature. You no longer puzzle over the math problem. You’ve learned how to break things down in a way that the kids understand. You are more familiar with your curriculum as well, so that’s one less hurdle.

I have noticed that when the number of independent kids in your home begins to outweigh the number of dependent kids, you really start to see the scales tip the other way. The younger ones are stimulated by just having the older ones around. They no longer look to you for all the entertainment. Additionally, when you have older kids around, the littles look to the older kids to learn the patterns and rhythms of the home.

When your kids are all little, they know nothing at all. You have to teach them everything! I remember teaching our oldest son how to ride a bike without training wheels. We went out every single day for weeks helping him. With all the kids after him, however, as we started to help them, we realized their older sibling has been teaching them. It took half the time and less work for us.

Practical Solutions

Do a little reading, writing, and math every day. A little here and there goes a long way over time. Let your goal be making progress. Hold your homeschool plans loosely. Some days you will get a lot done, other days not so much. But as long as you do a little every day, you will keep moving forward. Steady plodding brings success!

Get away to recharge. We’ve all experienced that moment when you feel like you can’t wipe one more nose, tackle one more discipline issue, or do one more math problem. You are starting to feel burn out. One of the best solutions I have found when I feel this way is to get away for a little bit. Going out for coffee, shopping with a friend, or just taking a walk will give you a break and help you recharge. When you come home, you will be refreshed.

Pause and tackle tough issues: What is the issue you are struggling with in your homeschool? Messy house? Behavior issues in your kids? Try taking a break from school to find a better strategy to solve the problem. If you have to take a day off of school to get on top of things, the kids won’t get behind. You will be able to make more progress when you have smoothed things out.

You Are Doing Kingdom Work

I want to encourage you that you are doing kingdom work. All the work that you are doing with your little ones has eternal ramifications. The children that God has entrusted to you are eternal souls. You have the responsibility and the awesome privilege to raise them in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. When you can have an eternal mindset, it really helps these small earthly struggles and setbacks seem much smaller.

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When Is It Best to Start Teaching My Child To Read?

Sheri — Thu, 07 Sep 2023 04:44:42 +0000

When is it best to start teaching young children to read? This is a question many parents want to know. We all want to do what is best for our kids, so shouldn’t we get started as soon as possible? Not necessarily!

From my experience teaching seven of our ten kids to read, it is a good idea to wait until they are developmentally equipped and show signs of reading readiness.

Video: When Is It Best to Start Teaching Kids to Read?

Don’t Give In to the Pressure to Start Early

How can you tell when it is best to start teaching children to read? With the push to get kids in school earlier and earlier, parents are under pressure to start teaching their kids to read at very young ages.

In early childhood, kids should spend much of their time discovering the world around them through play rather than being asked to identify letters and sounds. We push early reading long before children are developmentally ready for this skill. This kind of push is unnecessary and often harmful.

I once heard Durenda Wilson use ice fishing as an excellent illustration of why parents should not rush children into reading lessons too early. You can go out in early March or February and chip, chip away all day long at the ice OR you can wait until the spring thaw and get it all done in a day.

Many parents make the mistake of starting too early. It’s so much unnecessary work for the mom and sadly, it usually results in kids who don’t want to learn to read.

There are many benefits to delaying formal lessons with your child. Give them plenty of time to play. When you wait until a child is truly ready to start learning to read, it is like plucking ripe fruit from the vine.

Don’t discourage your children’s natural curiosity by bombarding them with systematic instruction when they are developmentally not ready for it. The goal in the early years should be helping your child love books and learning. This kind of approach will pay off over the long haul.

Signs That a Child is Ready to Start Learning To Read

How can you know if your child is ready to start reading lessons? Our son Will is showing signs that he is ready to start learning to read. We have ten children; I have taught seven of them to read. I have learned a lot over the years from each child. Here are some of the signs I have observed in my kids that show they are ready to start learning to read.

play reading, pretending to read by making up a story as they go through a book
trying to read road signs while you are traveling in the car or identifying common sight words
“reading” the words on the cereal box, snack bars, or canned goods
sounding out new words in a commercial that they see
showing comprehension skills by retelling stories that they’ve heard
asking you if they can start learning to read
recognizing letter sounds (phonemic awareness)
recognizing the letters of the alphabet and saying the letter names when they see them

The best way to know if a child is ready is to wait for them to ask you. The first sign William showed was bringing his favorite books to me, saying he had read X number of books. With some of our other children, I would catch them trying to write their letters before they knew them all or trying to write their own name.

One observation I have noticed with my kids is that the older children have a different experience from the younger children. The oldest child in a family has less opportunities to hear language since mom and dad are the main avenue of literacy skills. This makes it doubly important for parents to read to their first child frequently.

For younger children in a family, however, they hear so much language from siblings (watching other kids read, do school, siblings reading to them, etc.) that they are often ready to read at an early age with less work on my part as a mom in reading to them.

Don’t Overcomplicate It!

When you are tempted to overthink it, remember that reading is a natural process. You have already taught your child a number of things: sleeping through the night, potty training, feeding himself. Reading is the next logical step.

Observe how babies and toddlers mimic everything they see around them. From the time of birth, little ones imitate the behavior of their parents, siblings, and people with whom they spend the most time. When your child sees you reading to get information, to get directions, to understand a recipe, etc. he will want to be able to unlock that capability as well.

We live in a literate world. Everywhere you turn, you can find something to read. Even in a child’s small world, they encounter words everywhere: cereal boxes, food packages, road signs and phones, computers, restaurant/shopping signs while riding in a car.

At some point, just as he wanted to be able to put food in his mouth by himself, you child will want to have access to this mysterious world of reading.

Frequently Asked Questions

What if my child isn’t interested in learning to read?

Take a look at how much screen time your child has. Just like we as adults want to consume information on our phones or the Internet, kids also are naturally curious. They want to know more about the world around them!

If they spend a lot of time in front of a screen, especially at young ages, they are consuming a lot of information in a way that is not encouraging them to get it through reading. Don’t let screen time fill a space of time that otherwise might be spent exploring books!

How can I encourage reading readiness in a way that is developmentally appropriate?

Give them a strong foundation by reading to them frequently in everyday life. The more you read to your child, the more they will enjoy stories and have a positive relationship with books. This is what will set them up for future success. Reading to them is a great way to gradually nudge them toward wanting to read it for themselves.

You are also giving them a large bank of common words that they know which is important when they begin sounding out letters and putting letters together into words.

Let me offer a word of caution, however, when you read to your kids. Read to them in small chunks throughout the day. Kids have short attention spans and it is so important that they associate the time reading together with pleasure.

How Should I Start Teaching My Child to Read?

I would suggest you start with a very simple reading program that has an emphasis on phonics instruction. My favorite reading curriculum to use with our kids is Bob Books.

The books begin with simple words and short stories. The use of phonics throughout the series helps kids develop good decoding skills which in my opinion is the most important skill in producing fluent readers.

I share more about how I teach reading with Bob books in the posts below.

Companion Beginner Guide For Teaching Bob Books

Teach a Child To Read With Two Important Habits

Simple Steps for Teaching Reading That Work

What if my child is just being lazy?

Some kids are less motivated than others. For a child who is doesn’t want to try, I think there is nothing wrong with requiring them to practice reading 10-15 minutes a day.

The skill of learning to read, even for kids who want to do it, is hard! It’s a new language of written symbols, completely unfamiliar to them, so of course it will be difficult in the beginning! Having short daily reading practice will help them make reading a part of regular life.

The most important thing is not to trample the pleasure they have in books and short stories. Keep a love of reading the main focus of your reading journey.

I am getting nervous because my child is turning 6,7,8… and still not reading. What can I do?

I think that teaching a child to read has many similarities with other skills you have already taught them. When I taught our babies to eat with a spoon, some of them picked it up right away. Others wanted me to continue spoon feeding them…for what seemed like forever! They were content for me to be feeding them for a longer period of time. Either way, both of these opposite children were receiving the necessary food and they both learned to use a spoon at some point.

Just like with potty training, kids become independent at different ages, it is the same with reading. As long as you are faithfully reading to them, they are getting fed with the information that they would otherwise be getting by reading it on their own.

Don’t fear a late reader; kids will learn to read in their own good time. Enjoy the time you have snuggling up on the sofa reading together.

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10 Reasons Why HOME is Better than Preschool

Sheri — Tue, 26 Jul 2022 03:25:37 +0000

Where can you find the most fitting environment suitable to the developmental needs of your preschool age child? I suggest that the most worthy growing ground for your preschooler is your home. Have you stopped to consider all that your home has to offer your child? Beauty, warmth, real (vs. artificial) environment, sensory opportunities, raw materials, unlimited outside time, relationships, life skills. These are just a few of the benefits your preschooler has available right in the comfort your home. Here are 10 reasons why I believe HOME is better than preschool.

Video: 10 Reasons Why Home is Better Than Preschool

#1 The Most Opportunities for Sensory Learning: Raw Materials and Living Things

Unlike adults who learn everything primarily through the means of words, preschoolers learn everything through the means of their five senses. This makes home a wonderful place to grow. Unlike a classroom, a home is not manufactured with planned manipulatives, stations, or schedules. It’s all just real life.

I have taught in preschool classrooms. I know how hard teachers work to create the an environment with bright colors, age-appropriate toys, and sensory manipulatives. They are trying so hard to make the very things you find most often in a home! Flowers, music, plants, tasty food, color, shape in natural context, fabric, patterns, living things and people of all ages.

#2 Homemade meals in a real kitchen

At home, your preschooler has access to a real kitchen where they can observe and even participate in the preparation of three meals a day. Let them stir, pour, crack an egg, learn where ingredients belong in the cupboards. While cafeterias, out of necessity, tend to make the same things over and over, your home kitchen offers much more variety since moms are more likely to make meals based on tastes and preferences, rather than the needs of a large group. Even if your lunch is a simple one, just PB and J, it’s not packed, wrapped and hurried out the door.

#3 One-to-one ratio with a parent

In your home, your adult to child ratio cannot compare to the chart below. Your child can have one on one time with you, the parent. There is no one more concerned and interested in the needs and interests of your child than you! You will work harder than anyone else to take care of them individually. For story time, your preschooler can sit on your lap to hear a story without the interruptions and distractions of several other preschoolers in the room. One on one time is more engaging for them. It encourages them to ask questions and converse.

Adult to Child Ratio for a Preschool Classroom

#4 Flexibility

More and more pediatrician and child care professionals are recognizing the importance of imaginative play for preschoolers. At home, your child’s imaginative play is not limited by bathroom breaks, walking in lines, cafeteria scheduled eating times. You can allow them extra time when they are engaged in something that interests them.

#5 Slow mornings

While some might argue that it is good for young kids to learn structure by getting up in the early morning hours and have somewhere to go, I disagree. Have you ever gone on a walk with a preschooler? It can be so frustrating because they are SO slow. They dawdle. They are distracted. Why? Because they are seeing everything for the very first time. Rather than waking your child up early and rushing them out the door a few days a week, home offers them slow mornings where they can learn important habits like brushing teeth, making a bed, completing a chore.

#6 Unlimited time and opportunities outside

Rather than being limited to certain times outside in the play area or specific locations, your child can be out as long as his curiosity keeps him out. Preschool playgrounds, while usually having play equipment, often are missing the natural elements found in a backyard…trees, flowers, grass, rocks, moss, variety of birds and mammals. These natural elements in your back yard provide so many sensory learning opportunities.

#7 Security and Structure

One of a preschoolers fundamental needs is for security and structure. Where else will your child feel more safe than with you at home? Preschool children are still very young! Enjoy the moments the two of you can spend developing your relationship.

Additionally, at home your child can fit into the rhythms and routines of your home. In a preschool, the class schedule is limited to the needs of the whole facility and the large group. In your home, you are free to find the routines and rhythms that work for you and your child. In a recent post, I shared 5 Important Routines for a Homeschool Preschool that can help you find a rhythm that works for you and your preschool child.

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#8 Meaningful friendships that extend to other spheres of family life

When a child goes to preschool and makes friends, he is unlikely to see those friends in other places. When you invite other children over for playdates, your child is more likely to see those friends again in other spheres of life, perhaps church, the neighborhood, etc. In addition, your preschooler may have more chances to be in other homes when they are invited for play dates. Being in other people’s homes with their families helps develop deep friendships.

If you have other children, you do not need to lament their relationship changing when your child goes to preschool. Your preschooler can grow with siblings. This is an advantage for both children and mom. The siblings will learn to play together, occasionally entertaining themselves and giving mom small chunks of a break. They will develop a close bond. Also, the younger child will learn so much from having an older sibling around.

#9 Life Skills

One thing that is very difficult to learn in a preschool environment is life skills. At home, think of all the times your child will observe or participate in… washing dishes, sorting laundry, vacuuming, making a bed, sweeping the floor, cooking.

#10 More Opportunities and Variety in Community Experience

Preschool programs work hard to offer a variety of field trips to their children. They realize how much children learn from other people, places, and experiences. Rather than having lessons and special speakers on community workers, your child can go WITH you on your regular errands and SEE the community first hand! They have so many more opportunities to go to the grocery store, bank, library, restaurants, etc. Think how much they are learning by the frequency of visiting interesting places!

From my experience in preschool classrooms and my experience as a mom, these are the 10 reasons why I believe HOME is better than preschool! If you are looking for a place that will best meet the developmental needs and interests of your preschool child, have you considered the advantages that you and your home have to offer?

The post 10 Reasons Why HOME is Better than Preschool appeared first on Our Life Homeschooling.

Preschool Archives - Our Life Homeschooling

Best Counting Picture Books for Preschool Kids

Best Counting Books for Preschool Kids

Over in the Meadow by Paul Galdone

Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed by Eileen Christelow

Ten Little Ladybugs by Melanie Gerth

The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle

Ten Red Apples by Pat Hutchins

Richard Scarry’s Best Counting Book Ever

My First Counting Book Golden Book Illustrated by Garth Williams by Lilian Moore

Bear Counts by Karma Wilson

Chicka Chicka 1,2,3

Ten Black Dots by Donald Crews

The M&M’s Counting Book

Count to 10 With a Mouse by Margaret Wise Brown

Birdsongs by Betsy Franco and Steve Jenkins

How Many Snails? by Paul Giganti Jr.

This Little Pup by Laura J. Bryant

Big Fat Hen by Keith Baker

Similar Posts for Preschool Kids

Rhyming Books for Preschool Through Kindergarten Ages

Mother Goose’s Nursery Rhymes

Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin Jr.

Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown

Hop On Pop by Dr. Seuss

Llama, Llama, Red Pajama by Anna Dewdney

Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site by Sherry Dusky Rinker

Time For Bed by Mem Fox

Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss

Chicka, Chicka, Boom, Boom by Bill Martin Jr.

Bear’s New Friend by Karma Wilson

Each Peach, Pear, Plum by Allen Ahlberg

Sheep in a Jeep by Nancy Shaw

Big Red Barn by Margaret Wise Brown

The Owl and the Pussycat by Ian Beck

Sheep Out To Eat by Nancy Shaw

Madeline by Ludwig Bemelman

Little Blue Truck by Alice Schertle

Little Blue Truck Leads the Way by Alice Schertle

Barnyard Dance by Sandra Boynton

Over in the Meadow by Paul Galdone

Five Little Monkeys, Jumping on the Bed by Eileen Christelow

The Seven Silly Eaters by Mary Ann Hoberman

There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly! by Pam Adams

There’s a Wocket in My Pocket by Dr. Seuss

Jamberry by Bruce Degen

Best Alphabet Books to Help Kids Learn Their ABC’s

Alphabet Books for Kids

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin Jr. and John Archambault

My ABC Bible Verses by Susan Hunt

Alphabet Soup by Kate Banks

Alphabet School by Stephen T. Johnson

Dr. Seuss’ ABC Book by Dr. Seuss

D is for Dump Truck by Michael Shoulders

A to Z by Sandra Boynton

A is for Apple by Tiger Tales

On Market Street by Arnold Lobel

ABC’s on Wheels by Ramon Olivera

Eating the Alphabet by Lois Ehlert

Fascinating Creepy-Crawly Bug Book List for Children

Teaching Kids About Insects

Picture books

Rhyming Bug Books Preschool Age

Non-fiction Bug Books For Kids

Chapter Books

Extended Ideas for Teaching Kids About Bugs

Homeschool Morning Time With Lots of Littles: Interview with Jo

Introduce Yourself

What attracted you to homeschooling?

1. How do I prepare for a successful morning time?

2. What does morning time look like on a typical day?

3. How do I handle it when babies and toddlers aren’t interested or insist on interrupting?

4. What is the primary objective in Morning Time?

Favorite Resources

Leave a Comment!

Endearing Bedtime Poems, Songs, and Verses for Kids

Bedtime Poems

Wynken Blynken and Nod by Eugene Field

Bed in Summer Robert Louis Stevenson

The Children’s Hour by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow