How to Start Homeschooling Kindergarten?

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Disclaimer: This post Disclosure might contain Amazon affiliate links. Any purchase made through such links will award me a small commission (or referral fee), at no extra cost for you. Regardless of whether or not I receive a commission, I only recommend products that I personally use and/or genuinely love (I would never promote any products or services that I wouldn’t pay for myself), and I always have my readers’ best interest at heart.

How to start homeschooling kindergarten? I will give you all the information that you need to homeschool your kindergartner! Starting homeschooling with your little kindergartener is overwhelming if this is your first time. Homeschooling has evolved in such a way that there are so many options and resources for you to choose and you are jumping in at the right time. You can find online support everywhere as well as a variety of curricula to choose from. You can also connect with homeschool families in your area for additional support.

The way you choose to homeschool will be unique to your family schedule and circumstances and may look very different from other homeschool families, so do not feel pressured to try to recreate what others are doing. You may receive a ton of advice, just take the good advice that applies to you and leave what doesn’t. Here you will find some great advice from an actual homeschool mom that you can count on.

Homeschooling kindergarten will be a fun and exciting time for you and your family. Your Kindergarten student is about to embark on their academic journey and it’s important to start off on the right foot. Doing so will help ensure that your child has a positive interaction, appreciates the learning experience, and develops a love for discovering that will last a lifetime.

This page will provide you tons of helpful information if you are wondering how to homeschool kindergarten. Here you’ll find helpful tips and resources on everything from schedules to what subjects are taught in kindergarten to kindergarten learning objectives, and everything in between:

  • How to Homeschool Kindergarten
  • What Schedule is best for a Kindergartener?
  • What Subjects Are Taught in Kindergarten?
  • Kindergarten Learning Objectives
  • Reading Book List for Kindergarten
  • Kindergarten Homeschooling Tips & Ideas
  • How Teach.Work.Mom Can Help You Homeschool Your Kindergartener
  • Additional Kindergarten Homeschool Resources
how to homeschool kindergarten by Teach.Work.Mom

How to Homeschool Kindergarten?

I recommend you follow the steps on how to start homeschooling kindergarten below:

  • Lookup the homeschool laws for your state
  • Choose a curriculum that fits well with your child’s learning style
  • Set goals for your child and make sure the curriculum aims to help your child reach their goals
  • Create a homeschool schedule that you can stick with
  • Calculate your homeschooling costs to fit your budget
  • Track your child’s progress on a consistent basis
  • Include fun learning experiences like field trips, hands-on activities, etc

This is a new adventure for both you and your child. The both of you will discover what works best for you as the teacher and your child as the student. Everything you do should be on your own time, so set a pace that works well for both of you. There should be no pressure to rush, so spend as much time as you and your child needs on the lessons covered. If you need to repeat a lesson or start over from the beginning, that is perfectly normal. You have many years of a fun learning experience ahead of you and the reward is priceless.

What Schedule is best for a Kindergartener?

Take into consideration the attention span of your little one. At this age, you should spend no more than two hours a day homeschooling kindergarten. Whether you prefer to homeschool in the morning or afternoon, you will have to decide what is best for your schedule and what time of day your child is the most alert and ready for learning.

Feel free to experiment with different times to determine what works best for you and your child. It is very common for families to homeschool four days a week and breaking subjects up throughout the week, rather than doing them daily but know that there is no one-size-fits-all. You have many options as far as homeschool scheduling and each child is different, so don’t be afraid to experiment until you find what works best for your child’s needs.

When it comes to planning out your homeschool schedule you will see that children like knowing what work is planned for the day. Keep the homeschool schedule visible so that they can see their daily routine – school work, playtime, lunch, etc. Cover the subjects that are necessary and keep the time spent on classwork brief. At this young age, you only need to complete a good 15 to 20 minutes a day on any one subject. After their work is done, allow your child to spend as much time in the areas that they are interested in.

how to start homeschooling kindergarten and what subjects to teach

What Subjects Are Taught in Kindergarten?

Decide what subjects you will cover. Reading and then math should be priorities. Help your child to build up their reading skill as well as reading comprehension. Math does not have to be difficult. Teach basic addition and subtraction. Writing practice should also be considered. Other subjects like art, science, and geography contain elements of fun and may be easily incorporated into a hands-on learning experience. Hands-on learning is a great way to stir interest in a subject, especially in math and reading. You are building a foundation for a love of exploring and learning. Learning should not be a chore just take it easy and make it fun!

The subjects taught in kindergarten may vary depending on what your state’s homeschooling requirements are, however, the subjects that are typically taught when homeschooling kindergarten are:

  • Language arts (reading, writing)
  • Math
  • Science
  • Art (drawing, coloring, arts & crafts)
  • Physical education (PE)

As a homeschool mom, you can also add any other subject that you feel your child will benefit from such as social studies, music, and foreign languages.

Homeschooling can quickly feel overwhelming if you are trying to bring in too many materials and learning activities. Use normal everyday opportunities as part of your curriculum. Here are some common activities that can incorporate into your homeschool day:

  • Watering plants
  • Feeding and caring for a household pet
  • Doing chores around the house
  • Going to the grocery store
  • Setting the table
  • Helping with meal prep
  • Eating out at a restaurant

There are learning opportunities everywhere! Give your child an opportunity to pay while at the store to teach them about money. Let them order so they can work on manners and etiquette while at a restaurant. Take a moment to talk about the variety of fruits and vegetables while grocery shopping. The possibilities are limitless!

Check to see if your state/district requires standardized testing for kindergarten homeschoolers, and research what subjects are assessed so you can be sure to cover those in your instruction.

Kindergarten Learning Objectives

In kindergarten, your child will be laying the foundation for all the learning that will be taking place for the next 12+ years so it’s important that they reach all their kindergarten learning objectives. Below are some of the kindergarten objectives that your child will be expected to achieve this year.

  • Identify the different parts of a book
  • Demonstrate recognition of uppercase and lowercase letters
  • Demonstrate understanding of all the letter sounds
  • Demonstrate comprehension of a story by recalling details, completing sentences, sequencing events, etc
  • Identify high-frequency sight words
  • Count up from any number other than 1
  • Solve basic addition and subtraction number sentences
  • Independently add and subtract within 5 and 10
how to start kindergarten and what are the best books to homeschool kindergarten

Reading Book List for Kindergarten

In kindergarten, your child will further build upon their reading skills and it’s important that you spend 20-30 minutes reading to them each day. This will help them by building up their vocabulary, reading, and comprehension skills.

Check out this list of books to get you started:

  1. Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown
  2. The Day You Begin by Jacqueline Woodson
  3. Corduroy by Don Freeman
  4. Red A Crayon’s Story by Michael Hall
  5. Harold and the Purple Crayon By Crockett Johnson
  6. Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin Jr and John Archambault
  7. Ada Twist, Scientist by Andrea Beaty
  8. Click, Clack, Moo by Doreen Cronin
  9. Thesaurus Rex by Laya Steinberg
  10. If You Give A Mouse A Cookie by Laura Numeroff

Time4Learning as well as ABC Mouse has reading activities within the kindergarten language arts curriculum that include short stories, fables, and nursery rhymes on a wide variety of topics.

Kindergarten Homeschooling Tips & Ideas

Homeschooling kindergarten should be a fun learning experience for both you and your child. I have provided some tips and ideas to help make it a memorable, and successful year.

  • Include plenty of unstructured playtime – Playing is such an important part of childhood and the learning experience, in fact, learning through play is very beneficial to young children because it allows them to be creative and explore the world around them.
  • Read aloud together – In addition to reading being a wonderful opportunity to snuggle and spend quality time together, reading to your child will help boost their literacy, vocabulary, comprehension, and communication skills.
  • Emphasize reading- I put reading twice to emphasize its importance. Each subject is taught has an important place in your child’s life, however, reading is the most important for a child this age. Make reading a priority. Read to your child each day and give them several opportunities to read high-frequency words during each storytime.
  • Go on field trips – From children’s museums to science centers to local parks, there is a world of learning not too far from your home. Be sure to make time to go on educational field trips on a regular basis. You both will enjoy the change of scenery as well as the plentiful opportunities to learn new things from a different perspective.
  • Stimulate your child’s curiosity – In kindergarten, your child will be full of questions. Encourage your child’s thirst for knowledge to learn about anything and everything they are curious about.
  • Answer their questions– This kind of goes along with encouraging your child’s curiosity. Brushing off your child’s questions may stifle their curiosity. Taking the time out to answer their questions shows that you are a good listener and makes your child feel important. Answering your child’s questions is also an excellent teaching opportunity because this is a moment that they are actually willing and ready to listen to you.
  • Keep an open mind – As a homeschooler, you have a ton of flexibility, so don’t feel pressured to do things “by the book”. Be open to change and embrace new opportunities that present themselves to learn. Remember, learning can happen anywhere and anytime you just have to take advantage of it.
  • Be flexible – You do not have to be confined to your house or follow a strict schedule that doesn’t fit your lifestyle. Don’t be afraid to mix it up. Some days may be challenging, and that’s ok. Be flexible and Go with the flow. If you need to take the day off and head outside, that’s perfectly fine
  • Take frequent breaks – At this age, children have tons of energy. If you notice your child becoming short-tempered or getting antsy and losing focus, then it’s time to take a break. Whether it’s for a quick snack, to go on a walk or bike ride, quiet time, or even a nap, take breaks as often as you and your child needs.
  • Use technology – Kids love using computers, tablets, and apps to play, and nowadays, there are a ton of educational options available to make screen time more meaningful. Using technology in your homeschool curriculum will not only help your child improve fine motor skills, but will also promote computer literacy, which is very important in today’s world.
  • Focus on concepts rather than content– It is more important for your child to understand the concepts being taught and reaching their academic goals than it is to quickly complete each lesson. Homeschool is flexible so if you need to spend more time on a subject then do so. Don’t feel pressured to quickly push through each lesson.
  • Teach through your child’s interest– Make learning fun by letting your child’s interest guide the lesson. If your child is interested in sports but hates reading then focus on reading books about your child’s favorite sports. Whatever area that your child is struggling or has expressed disinterest, teach those concepts by incorporating their interests.

How Teach.Work.Mom Can Help You Homeschool Your Kindergartener

At Teach.Work.Mom, I understand how important it is to set the right stage for your kindergarten learner. My post, Kindergarten Homeschool Curriculum consists of a list of the best and most up-to-date kindergarten curricula as well as how to create the best DIY curriculum. The kindergarten homeschool curriculum that you choose should have engaging interactive lessons that will spark curiosity in your homeschooler. My aim is to help you have a successful homeschool kindergarten year by giving you the tools and resources so you can focus on the fun part: learning together!

As you discover your child’s preferred learning style, Teach.Work.Mom can be the right partner in ensuring your kindergartener’s learning goals are met while providing you what you need to know to make that happen.

Below are just a few out of many features and benefits you’ll have access to when you subscribe for free newsletters to Teach.Work.Mom.

  • Get more homeschooling info and support straight to your inbox
  • Stay up-to-date with the latest information on homeschool curriculum, schedules, organization as well as tips to juggle it all 
  • Updates from the homeschool community
  • Receive special offers and gifts
  • Access to exclusive content not available on the website
  • Opportunity to get your questions answered

Kindergarten is the start of building a long-lasting love of learning. Get to know and understand your child’s learning style. You should explore homeschool styles and curricula options, to see which ones work best for your child. Learning is everywhere and you can make each opportunity a learning one for free. As your child advances through the curriculum, there will eventually be an expense, but teach your child now to take advantage of the learning opportunities that surround him.

Conclusion

I have covered how to start homeschooling kindergarten in detail. Now that you are armed with all of the information you need, you will be able to choose what will fit your situation.

The kindergarten year is one of freedom to explore and do anything you and your kid want to do together. Enjoy this special time together. Don’t feel pressured to maintain a rigorous program, if your days are only filled with cuddling while reading books, creating in the kitchen, or exploring the outdoors that is all right. Find your homeschool rhythm and enjoy this new journey. You can do it!

Disclaimer: This post Disclosure might contain Amazon affiliate links. Any purchase made through such links will award me a small commission (or referral fee), at no extra cost for you. Regardless of whether or not I receive a commission, I only recommend products that I personally use and/or genuinely love (I would never promote any products or services that I wouldn’t pay for myself), and I always have my readers’ best interest at heart.

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