classical education preschool

What Should Be Taught in a Classical Preschool

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What should be taught in a classical preschool?

A classical education preschool should be a gentle affair.

Preschoolers are in the before years, before the grammar stage. They’re exploring the world and putting pegs together that will make studies easier later.

These small children should explore the world not spend hours in drill and kill at this age.

The Classical Education Preschool

What should the classical education preschool include? It should include plenty of time for exploration. Nature walks are perfect for this age. What are the different types of trees in the area?

Go looking for various animals and animal tracks. Learn about the seasons and the seasonal changes. Build a bug hotel or take your young child out to look under rocks to see what can be found.

Math

Math is introduced through counting games, setting the table at dinner, sorting socks or toys, and endless games of Uno. Math manipulatives are useful to have as you reach the school years.

Playing with them also introduces children to the concepts of sorting, counting, adding, subtracting, pattern, etc. There’s no need to sit these wiggly children down with worksheets when there’s so much to be learned through experience.

Coloring and Arts & Crafts

Coloring is actually an important part of a classical preschooler’s life. Those pages and pages of scribbles that children produce actually strengthen the hand and wrist for penmanship later and develop the fine motor skills the children will need in future years.

So let the children color, scribble, and draw to their heart’s content.

Painting, finger paints, and play dough also increase the strength of the hand while inspiring a love of art in these small people. There are many art cards and replications of fine art online. Show these to your child and have a bit of fun discussing the artwork.

The Classical Education Preschool Includes Music

Listen to music as you draw. Listen to music as you drive. Talk about the music you hear. What do you like and what does your child enjoy? This is the perfect time to introduce various folk songs as well as classical music and modern music.

Learn About Your Community

Be certain to also get out in the community to meet people. Talk to the baker at the grocery store, the librarian at the library, and the barista at the coffee shop.

Playing in the park and making friends is also a good introduction to social studies.

Phonics

We’ve covered social studies, art, music, writing, math, and science, but we’ve not covered phonics and reading yet. Phonics is the one area I recommend a formal, but short, sit-down time with your preschooler. Sit down and slowly learn the letters, and then learn to put them together.

Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons is the perfect introduction to phonics. It standardizes the letters while teaching the basic sounds and beginning blending skills. Later we move to Phonics Pathways, but not now. Now is the time for a gentle, fun preschool.

classical education preschool

Last but not least: Read Alouds

This is also the time to read classic children’s books to the children. Stories such as Madeline, Curious George, and Francis are timeless classics children enjoy hearing again and again and again.

The 20th-Century Children’s Book Treasury: Picture Books and Stories to Read Aloud includes these stories and more. It’s the perfect read-aloud for the year.

Enjoy the classical education preschool years. It’s tempting to rush into formal academics early with the bright and eager students, but it’s not quite time.

It’s time to explore the world and build their curiosity for all the wonders the world holds.

A curiosity that will take a lifetime to fulfill.


5 Comments

  1. Great post! I just finished the preschool stage with my oldest, and am still in it with my little girl. I wrote a series about the classical preschool a while back. I agree with what you wrote. Lots of time being read to, exploring outdoors, and figuring things out with their hands (counting blocks and such). I, too, start formal reading lessons in preschool. Thanks so much for linking up to Trivium Tuesdays! I hope to hear from you again!

    1. The preschool years are so much fun! I’m getting a redo with my 2 youngest children. It’s a wonderful time of exploration. 🙂

  2. I agree, the preschool years should be about discovery and exploration. Sadly as a society everyone pushes their kids so much they don’t have a chance to be… KIDS!

    Thank you for stopping by the Thoughtful Spot Weekly Blog Hop this week. We hope to see you drop by our neck of the woods next week!

  3. Talk about reading books to the kids, my wife reads this one book about a pizza shop to our grandkids over, and over, and over. She has been reading it to them for years. No matter how many times they have heard her read the story to them, it is one they always ask her to read when they come to visit. I wish I knew the title so I could share it with your readers. Yes, kids love to hear stories many times over.

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