Toddler preschool curriculum

Anyone use any sort of daily curriculum with your kiddos? We have a nanny 12 hours a week and DH watches them in the afternoons and I'm hoping to find something to help work with the kids during the day. I know the nanny reads with them, but I'm hoping to find something more. The girls are 16.5 months old, slightly behind in talking, but are catching up- they know a few signs and can point out some objects. Any ideas?

 

Just play with them. At that age, there really is no need for a formal curriculum. Take them outside, go for walks, stroll the malls, read, play on the grass, etc. As for encouraging speech, verbally label everything.

 

I think this is good advice. Mine are older than yours and come Sept I am hoping to start some kind of curriculum at home - this will be very simple - one colour and one number a week - continuous counting to 10, learning the alphabet, etc. My boys won't go to nursery till nearly 3 and I will have an au pair to help me so I want to feel as though I am doing something to get them started. This will all be done through play.

 

I totally agree!

 

I agree with pp that play is the way children learn and no formal curriculum is necessary. But if you are not good at figuring out learning opportunities, this is a really good book.


Slow and Steady Get Me Ready: A Parents' Handbook for Children from Birth to Age 5 (Paperback)
by June R. Oberlander

I has weekly activities from birth to age 5 including various educational and life skills for children. I didn't use everything in it, but it had some great ideas for when the monotony of pat-a-cake overwhelms you!

 

I agree 100%! :good: They learn best through play.

 

I agree with Sharon too. Play and talk to them!!!

 

I completely agree with learning through play and point out things and using language to describe things...Do you like that GREEN crayon? Is the sun YELLOW? They learn so much everyday but exploring their surroundings!

 

I totally agree. All of the PP's are right on. Just talk to them about their world, encourage them to be excited about their environment.

 

I completely agree with other comments. I am a certified preschool teacher and research shows that kids this age learn through play. They learn about cause and effect through building, throwing food off their tray and just experiencing things. The best thing you can do for them is talk to them when you are doing things, give them toys that they have to figure out like blocks, stacking toys, instrauments, anything that makes noise or that they have to manipulate. An easy game to play, which they may not be old enough for, but get some cotton balls and wooden clothes pins and have them pick them up and put them in a cup or bowl. anything that helps their fine motor skills will help them in writing down the road. Playdough, goop, clay, anything like that is good too.

Good luck and have fun!

Sandi

 

I also wanted to add a little perspective on preschool for those that haven't been there yet (ie older siblings). One of my boys was enrolled in a traditional Nursery School, and the other ended up in the Special Needs Preschool program, but both had the same basic curriculum. In the 3 year old year, children learn colors and shapes. In the 4 year old year, they work on letters, numbers, basic writing and identifying words that start with a specific letter. So while it is great if they pick up their colors and shapes before 3, if they don't get it, they will in their own time.