Adventures in Motherhood,  Homeschool

Easy Kindergarten+ Curriculum for Under $100 that Takes less than 1.5 Hours a Day

April 22, 2020 /
Photo from pexels.com

We live in such interesting times. Technology is amazing…until it’s not. It seems like everything is moving to an online version, however, do we really want to be glued to our screens 24/7?

Online school is a great solution, unless you have multiple children, trying to learn and use multiple platforms with multiple assignments…

After talking to my sister-in-law, who is also trying to work from home while moderating all this online school for her three kids, I realized there had to be an easier way.

I had already been researching homeschool curriculums for kindergarten, since my oldest will be turning five this summer, and having been homeschooled myself, as well as having a degree in Elementary Education, I knew I could find some inexpensive options that required little to no prep work and would really simplify her life.

My criteria were:

  1. Inexpensive
  2. Little-to-no prep
  3. Easy to use for someone who has never home-schooled
  4. NOT all worksheets
  5. Screen-free
  6. Meets Kindergarten standards
  7. Fun

One of the problems I ran into while researching is that schools have made it at least 2/3 the way through the year already. Starting at the beginning of a kindergarten curriculum would be silly since they’ve already covered that, and buying a kindergarten curriculum only to use the last 1/3 seems like a waste.

So I pieced together a couple resources for a “Kindergarten+” curriculum, which can also be used to keep skills sharp during the summer. It should take less than 1.5 hours everyday (and doesn’t have to be done in one sitting– it could be broken up into 15-30 minute segments throughout the day or whatever works for your family).

An added bonus is that older children can help read directions so that some of it can be “independent” work.

Here’s what I came up with, and since I figured there were others in the same boat, I decided to post it here.

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. This means that I earn a commission on any purchase made from using an Amazon link. I only promote products that I myself have used and proven, or have researched and can honestly recommend to be valuable resources.

Math/Reading/Writing Workbook

  1. Highlights Summer Big Fun Workbook: Bridging Grades K & 1

I’m not a big fan of workbooks, especially for younger elementary, however, for parents who have never homeschooled before and need something more “plug-and-play” this is an excellent way to cover multiple subjects in an easy and fun way. Doing 1-2 pages a day (or for about 10 minutes) is enough to keep skills sharp and get ready for 1st grade.

Reading/Spelling

2. Abeka Handbook for Reading

This is how my mom taught my siblings and I to read and we are all voracious readers to this day. That probably also had to do with the fact that mom read to us all the time, we grew up in a house full of books, and also frequented the library. However, practicing phonics and having success reading words are both important for emergent readers, and since most kindergartners are past learning the alphabet by this point in the school year, this is a simple and cheap resource to build strong readers without a reading program. Practicing 1-2 pages a day (10-15 minutes) is enough.

Math

3. Life of Fred – Apples

I haven’t had a chance to use this resource but I can’t wait to use it in our own homeschool next year. Life of Fred comes highly recommended from many homeschoolers. It is a story that incorporates math in real life (albeit a very silly version of real life). I LOVE this.

I was trained in math recovery while working at a Title I school, where I found out why I’m not great at math: Some people are “math minded”, that is, they have a mental image of how numbers fit and how they can be manipulated, while others need to build this mental muscle. I am one of the latter.

Practicing math problems on paper doesn’t help anyone become better at math. Building “number sense” from a young age does. Incorporating math into everyday life builds mental muscles and helps students attach new learning to what they already understand. It’s like the difference between being able to read (pronounce) another language versus actually understanding what you’re reading.

Counting forward, backward, starting at a random number, skip counting, using a number line, ten frame and hundreds chart are all excellent ways to build number sense in addition to using math in everyday life. You can do all these things without a workbook, however, if you feel like you need a workbook, try to find one that has these features and isn’t just math problems.

Read one section with your student and then spend 10-15 minutes practicing the introduced concept. You can use the Primary Journal (see below) for practice or any paper you have laying around.

OR

Spend 5 minutes 2x/day counting or playing with numbers using a number line, ten frame or hundreds chart.

Writing/Spelling

4. Primary Journal

This journal has several purposes:

  1. For handwriting practice (by copying words or short sentences)
  2. For creative writing (where the child draws and/or narrates a story, and the parent transcribes their narration)
  3. For nature study (where the child draws what they have seen or found in nature, and the parent transcribes their narration)

Of course, if you have a prolific writer, by all means they can write their own narration. However, the ability to create a story, spell the words (whether correctly or incorrectly), physically form the letters, and maintain a flow of thought while writing is a complex process utilizing many skills and is not necessary at this age. Usually it is just frustrating for the child and doesn’t make them any more advanced than if they would have waited.

Copying a few words or a short sentence everyday in addition to one creative writing OR nature study narration is enough. (2 pages each day, no more than 15 minutes per page)

Science

5. Backpack Explorer: On the Nature Trail: What Will You Find?

Getting kids outside and interested in science and nature is a win-win. They won’t even feel like they’re “doing school”. Pair this nature guide with a journal page and you’ve got an entire science lesson.

Exploring for 20 minutes with your child 2-3 times a week (it can be on the weekend!) and then having them draw and narrate their findings is enough. You might find yourself wanting to do more!

If you only do these five things, your children will be on track and will be meeting Kindergarten standards. If you want more, here are other resources I recommend:

Extra Resources

  • Music/Art
    • Beethoven Lives Upstairs by Classical Kids My almost five-year-old loves listening to this story that is paired with music from the composer. It’s free with a subscription to Amazon Prime Music Unlimited. There are others in the Classical Kids series, but so far, this one has been our favorite.
    • Little Einsteins Ok, so this a TV show, but if the kids are going to have screen time, this is one of the best educational shows out there. It introduces classical music as well as famous artists and their works of art. It’s on Disney+ or available to purchase on Amazon Prime Video.
    • Deep Space Sparkle/ Pinterest Art Projects DeepSpaceSparkle.com has free art lessons. You can also find kindergarten art projects on pinterest. One or two simple art projects a week is enough.
  • Extra Resources
    • Hand2Mind Ten Frames Pop Up Center If your child struggles with math or you don’t feel like they’re getting enough math in everyday life, this is a great resource that makes learning fun. Ten learning activities are included to build number sense. This is definitely optional. If your kindergartner is naturally math-minded, I would skip it.
    • Awesome Engineering Activities for Kids Another fun way to learn about science. Put together a “tinker station” with supplies from the dollar store and you’ll have a screen-free activity that lasts for hours.
    • Learning Apps Once again, I’m mostly trying to avoid screen resources, but if you need some educational apps for kindergarteners, I’ve heard that “Teach Your Monster To Read” ($.99), “Starfall: Learn to Read” (free) and “Khan Academy Kids” (free) are some of the best (mostly) free options out there.

Finally, read, read, read. Read whatever you have and then read it again. Read chapter books, read box labels, read wall art. Read kindle books or listen to audio books. Just keep reading.

Disclosure: All Amazon links are affiliate links. This means that I earn a commission on any purchase made from using an Amazon link. I only promote products that I myself have used and proven, or have researched and can honestly recommend to be valuable resources.