It was such a delight to speak to you all about making the most of these beautiful, crazy and amazing preschool years. I’d love to connect with you. You can find me on facebook, instagram, or pinterest. You can also sign up to receive new blog posts in your inbox up at the top of this page. Here are some resources that I’ve collected to help you out!
Preschool {Peace of Mind} Checklist
How to Cultivate Learning – including many research articles on the preschool years!
Finger Play and Preschool Song Cards – One of the best ways to practice critical preschool and reading readiness-skills is through rhymes and finger plays. These cards help our family do this without having to reach for a book or look anything up on the internet! 
Top Books I Recommend for Homeschooling in the Preschool Years
Better Late than Early: a New Approach to Your Child’s Education << I love this research based book that encourages and empowers parents to buck the trend of earlier and earlier formal academics. The research shows that it’s better late than early.
Einstein Never Used Flashcards: How Our Children Really Learn and Why They Need to Play More and Memorize Less << Another fabulous, research-based book. Learning through play and REAL experiences is far more effective.
Miseducation: Preschoolers at Risk << Another look at what our culture is getting wrong in its approach to early education and what we can do to give our children a stress-free childhood that prepares them best for real life!
For the Children’s Sake << One of my all-time favorite homeschool books. This book will give you vision for raising these people in your charge in a beautiful, holistic fashion!
How to Raise and Amazing Child the Montessori Way << This beautiful book will provide practical inspiration to make the most of these early years!
Knights in Training << Yes, this is mine. But it is chock full of inspiration and guidance for laying the foundation early for our boys. It contains everything I wish I could have read heading into the childhood years with my boys as I worked to lay a good foundation for learning and living!
Setting Goals
Mission-Minded Motherhood- what are your long term goals?
Intentional Parenthood Means Setting {small} Goals
1. Show Them an Everyday Faith
All kinds of help and resources are on my Cultivate Christ Page
A Hands-On Look at the Gospel: A Heart Lesson
Prayer: Opening Eyes to See the Miracle
10 Adventure Books to Inspire a Boys Faith
2. Teach them to Obey
Knights in Training – Chapter 7 in gives a great overview of the importance of obedience and then things we can do to help our children grow in this. It would be a great read whether you have boys OR girls.
Obedience and heart issues: The Way of Gentleness
Obedience and heart issues: Poetic Parenting
Practical Nitty-Gritty: My favorite ‘no-nonsence’ old-fashioned parenting book: A Family of Value. I’m also loving one of his newer ones: The Well-Behaved Child. <– his concept of parent leadership is incredible.
3. Cultivate Character
Cultivating Character Takes Time
4. Give them Meaningful Work
Our Picture Chore Chart: A Tutorial w/ Free Printables
5. Turn off the TV
How to Waste Brain Boosting Opportunities: A Rationale for Limiting Screen-Time
6. Read, Read, Read
How to Cultivate Read-Aloud Time
Why Kids Need Us to Read the Same Book Over and Over Again
7. Go Outside
Why Nature Walks {a 4-part series}
Books that Inspire Nature Explorations
Daily Outdoors Challenge Posts
A Week of Walks {creative inspiration for enjoying the outdoors with your children!}
8. Let them Move
The Peril’s of Preschool {because we all need to laugh at ourselves every once in a while + gross-motor handwriting inspiration}
9. Let them Play
10-part series on Open-Ended Play!
Movement and Metamorphosis {full-body learning about butterflies)
Literature and Play Based Learning with Before Five in a Row – my brief review
My World Geography Series: Hands-on activities and books for geography exploration << COMING SPRING 2019 – This is being expanded into a 1 year curriculum for 5-8 year olds plus their younger siblings.
Holidays: Valentine’s Day, President’s Day, St. Patrick’s Day, Easter, Ascension, Pentecost, Patriotic Holidays, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas
Here is the slide that I shared in my talk:
10. Respect their Unique Rate of Development
Of Pediatricians and Patriots {why learning ABOUT things is just as valuable if not more so in the preschool years than merely acquiring skills}
Teaching Our Children to Read, Write and Spell: A Developmental Approach. Written by a Behavioral and Developmental Pediatrician. She explains how the brain is wired and what needs to be in place for reading readiness and decreasing risks of later learning/reading problems.
Finding Balance in a Hurried World A great article that asks some great questions as parents pursue what and how much formal academics to do with young children
My Preschool-Related Pinterest Boards
GREAT RESOURCE:
The Montessori Goldmine: for wonderful preschool activities with a Montessori focus check out the categories over there. This blog is no longer being actively updated, but it is a literal ‘goldmine’ of great preschool activities to strengthen fine-motor skills!
Blog Posts I’ve Written on the Preschool Years
Integrating Little One’s Into the Learning Journey – a 6 part series {for those with older kids and preschoolers}
Some fabulous resources for you:
The Basic Shapes for Beginners is a fabulous resource that will give you a developmentally appropriate way to work on developing those important fine-motor skills for pre-writing skills. It’s simple and effective!
Nature Study Printables for Preschoolers and Toddlers – I love these creative ideas from SpellOutloud for your tiny explorers. This helpful guide for includes fun and engaging printable eye-spy cards that are sure to delight.
A great literature program that helps books come alive!
COMING SPRING 2019!
Go Global – a one year literature, active play approach to exploring world geography and cultures.
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