Preschool Anyone?

As a parent you probably want your child to have a good education. For that reason many people decide to put their children in preschool. While this is a good idea for some, other people find it difficult to get their child into preschool. Sometimes the waiting lists for preschools are too long. Other times preschools may not meet parents expectations. Whatever the reason, many parents end up putting their child in daycare or keeping them home instead. What many parents may not realize is that they can do preschool at home with their children. Most lessons for young children are simple and take as little time as 10 minutes to 30 minutes depending on the lesson and the involvement of the child. As a parent, doing preschool at home is a combination of fun and time well spent getting to know your child better. Since it takes so little time to do this even children whose parents both work can benefit from this. Lessons can be purchased almost anywhere for very small amounts of money. Many areas have stores that target teachers and homeschooling parents, and carry a wide range of teaching materials. Color pages and lessons can also be printed off of your printer at home from websites. There are many websites that offer these printable pages for free. You can print anything from ABC's and numbers to seasons and holidays. Another good resource is your local library. Books are always good teachers. The library has many books on many subjects. Between ages 1 1/2 and 3 many children that showed no interest in books before begin to stop and listen if you read out loud. To get their attention you might try reading a children's book out loud to yourself. See if they don't stop and see what you are doing. Chances are they will! Many young children love to hear stories. Read to them often. Even normal play is a learning resource for children. Don't forget to let them just have fun and be kids!