Preschool at Home: Simple Planning for Moms Who Want Flexibility
Homeschooling preschool doesn’t need to feel overwhelming — or overly official. Whether you’re wanting more structure or prefer to go without a curriculum, the pre-k age is a great opportunity to introduce learning in a way that fits your child, your rhythms, and your home. Also, the more practice you get with planning and all things homeschool, the sooner you’ll get more accustom to it and more comfortable with your own flow.
In this post, I’ll walk you through the different options — from buying curriculum to planning your own themes based on your child’s interests — so you can create a learning environment that feels natural, doable, and fun!
First Decide — Curriculum or not?
There are Faith-based and also Secular curriculums available with a ton of homeschooling moms having reviewed them on YouTube.
Do a quick YouTube search for reviews on the best homeschooling curriculum out there and you will find something that works for you.
Buy Digital
Another place to find curriculum is on websites like Teacherpayteachers.com, for seasonal packages, bundles, or themed lessons.
Free Digital
Pinterest has a plethora of free downloads for homeschoolers, trials that are good enough for preschoolers, and even full curriculums if you’re lucky enough to find them. I surely have found some great ones! Such as The Little Years Preschool packets 😍 (Spend a bit to get them printed so you can save on ink but these are very cute for Preschool!)
And I love all things The Peaceful Press, but on the website, you can find a “Free Resources” tab!
Buy Printed Materials
I have a ton of learning books on hand to get my preschooler excited for paper work and he truly enjoys this time with me. I have some Brain Quest Books among others.
This new year with my second child in preschool, I’m excited to purchase devotionals or a simple morning time pack that can double as a full curriculum. Two examples include: Brighter Day Press’s Morning Time Volumes (Gospel centered) and Without Doors Preschool Curriculum (Charlotte Mason)
No Curriculum
If you’re not ready to commit to a full curriculum or maybe you never will, there are a ton of resources online about Unschooling, Nature Schooling, Waldorf Learning, and Montessori Learning that can take place at home, in practical life, and during play.
But I’ve noticed it’s much easier to keep track of your child’s learning with a curriculum but preschool is what we’re talking about here and that’s the perfect time, in my opinion, to have flexible, light, fun, every-day learning!
No Curriculum? — Plan Your Own Lessons
If you’re more relaxed with your homeschooling because, hello it’s preschool, but you still want some kind of structure, then you can plan the next month or three months ahead.
Choose a theme for the month
For example :
November - Fall / Thanksgiving / Turkeys
December - Christmas / Artic Animals / Snow/Ice
January - Community helpers/ Safety / Emotions
Take Note of Your Child’s Current Interests
Now that you have themes for each month, think about the things your toddler has recently been loving to do, spending more time playing with ____, asking questions about ____, struggling with ____, etc. What are the things your child is interested in at this point in their lives?
For example, my son will talk about the AMOUNT of love he has for me. “I love you 70 trillion and 50” he’ll say. So I can use his interest in “amounts, figures, and numbers” to plan something for him that focuses on practicing making better sense of something he already talks about on his own.
Get Inspired
Using Pinterest or Google, type in a combination of the two previous points.
Combine the theme of the month with your child’s current interests/subjects to create a search.
The search might be “fall counting lesson” or “fall preschool math” or “preschool thanksgiving sensory” or “preschool turkey printable”.
Save your ideas or download some free printables!
Scroll to the bottom for a free printable for you that lists Low-Prep Pre-K Activities for Homeschoolers!
Plan Your Weeks, Months, or even Semesters — Not Your Days
Buy any dollar store materials you might need for projects or crafts ahead of time.
Plan to work on a few activities per week.
Stay flexible! Some weeks you might not get around to all you plan, but by planning the activities and buying the materials, you have something to reach for when it’s time.
Get Involved in a Homeschool Community or Social Group
There are so many existing homeschooling groups on Facebook, so just run a search, particularly in your local area.
By joining one or a few, of these groups, you can get the scoop on what’s going on in your town for homeschoolers like you.
Plan your month ahead by planning to join some events shared in these homeschooling groups.
Slowly, you and your child will find which groups fit your style best. This works the same for teams, clubs, and other extracurricular activities for your child to try, you just have to get out there and try it! See what sticks.
Keep It Simple
Remember, preschool at home isn’t about checking boxes — it’s about laying a joyful foundation. Whether you use a formal curriculum or simply follow your child’s curiosity through play and seasonal themes, you’re already doing the good, worthy work of being present. Give yourself permission to explore, adapt, and enjoy the process. And if you ever feel stuck, reach out to your local homeschool groups — sometimes just connecting with another mom makes all the difference.
