too young for preschool, but wants to learn?

Yesterday in Walmart, dd was singing her ABC's at the top of her lungs & I was surprised as I listened to her, she's got almost the whole thing down! She knows her colors, counts to 5 (sometimes 10) and is starting to color inside the lines. She freaks out whenever she sees a schoolbus & is always telling me she wants to go to school. I don't think she really knows what school is......perhaps if she knew I had to leave her there, she wouldn't be so excited about it.

Anyway, I was wondering what kind of learning things you can do before preschool? I looked at the books at Walmart, but their Preschool ones (there were only 2) were still a bit beyond her. They had things like a series of different colored trucks & you had to tell which color was next in the sequence. :huh: Then there were flash cards with abc's on them, but they just didn't look very fun.

What about a Leap Pad? It might make a good Christmas gift......

 

Why are they too young for preschool? My girls were in school at 2 1/2? You could go to a store for teachers and see what sort of workbooks/flashcards they have. I also used the dvd by leap frog that teaches letters and the one for beginning words. That really helped.

 

You might go look at Barnes and Noble for learning books. Ours has a whole aisle of educational workbooks if you want those.

Something I bought at WalMart that I love is individual whiteboards and washable whiteboard markers. One side of the whiteboard is lined like first grade paper, and the other side is just empty for drawing. We've used those for many years to practice writing their names, learning letters and learning numbers. I'd make their names out in dotted lines they could trace over. It was a good starting place for us. And when your done, you just clean it off and don't have another pile of paper you feel guilty for throwing away.

Marissa

 

We've done some flash cards with the kids before they started school. Letters and numbers and shapes.

We found this book I Can Draw! at BJ's and this series actually looks pretty good. (Take a look at their other links). These ones actually look pretty cute, too! Also, do they have Doodle Pros? My kids love them, even Liam can sit for quite a while in front of one.

 

QUOTE(egoury @ Nov 14 2008, 04:27 PM) [snapback]1070311[/snapback]
Why are they too young for preschool? My girls were in school at 2 1/2?


We only have 2 preschools in our town & they both say you have to be 3. Plus, they've already started. They won't be able to go until next Sept.

 

smart little ones you have!

I really believe that reading to them alot with a variety of books and just talking to them about everything around them is important. I don't think doing things that are too structured at such an early age is as beneficial as letting them experience life. I've really given my kids lots of paper and markers/crayons etc so they can be artistic. activities to work on their dexterity (beading etc) and sports, kicking, catching etc. Creative learning through play is also great. Learn the names of things in another language and tell them the name of it as they play with it.

 

QUOTE(twoplustwo @ Nov 14 2008, 11:53 AM) [snapback]1070360[/snapback]
smart little ones you have!

I really believe that reading to them alot with a variety of books and just talking to them about everything around them is important. I don't think doing things that are too structured at such an early age is as beneficial as letting them experience life. I've really given my kids lots of paper and markers/crayons etc so they can be artistic. activities to work on their dexterity (beading etc) and sports, kicking, catching etc. Creative learning through play is also great. Learn the names of things in another language and tell them the name of it as they play with it.


Ditto!!!

We read to our girls a lot and talk to them about everything and they have big vocabs for their age. They also have a lot of free play and arts and crafts.

Also, the preschool in my area that start at 3 sometimes have mommy and me programs for 2 year olds. Maybe that is something to look into... or classes through your library.

 

I know you said she knows her colors. . you might also want to work on shapes. I agree w/ pp that you should be able to find some things at a Parent and Teacher store. I think at 2 the preschool my kids go to work on the same types of things as the older ages, but its mainly introductory. They dont expect them to LEARN the letters, but show them so they are more ready in the next year/classroom. They do a lot of art work and work on motor skills.

 

Do you have a learning based daycare near by? My boys went to one 1.5 days a week when they were yours' age. They actually moved them up into the 3 year old room so they could get more advanced "studies". Actually in the 2 year room they mainly played all day, in the 3 year old room they worked on their colors, numbers, letters, did crafts, etc.
Have you looked into your local library/storytimes? Sometimes they are more like activity times where they have a story & do a craft also.

 

Here's a great link to some stuff that others before me found!! I bequeath it TO YOU!

 

My little ones are at a formal childminder's because I work. She 'works' (more like plays) with them on things like: colours, shapes, rhythm, festivals and seasons (where appropriate). So last week the girls did: rubbings of leaves in autumnal colours, painted stencils of leaves (home made), glued foam trunks and leaves on to card etc. She also sings lots of songs (which the girls learn) and reads lots of books. I'm sure they have absolutely no idea at all what fall is (particularly as in the desert where we live there are no fall leaves - the childminder has to get someone to post them to her!), but since they enjoy the painting etc I have no concerns.

 

Our local library has pre-preschool classes that I took the twins to from when they were 1-3. They loved it. It was once per week and they did crafts, got a story red to them, went over some learning activities, songs, poems..etc. See if you have anything like that in your area.