Build a Kindergarten Homeschool Curriculum | Links & Resources
This blog from EZ-Teach is for parents who are thinking about homeschooling their young kids and are looking for a kindergarten homeschool curriculum. We’ll provide you with helpful ideas and pointers. Click on the links below to follow along.
For more information about homeschooling, you can visit our blog. You can also find the curriculum on our website. For other questions, please contact us. We want to make your homeschooling journey easier.
Experience the joys of implementing a kindergarten homeschool curriculum with your child.
(Image Source: Karolina Kaboompics)
Tips & Links For Kindergarten Homeschool Curriculum
1. Why Homeschool?
Homeschooling has become an increasingly popular choice for families for a variety of reasons such as the following:
Personalized Learning: Homeschooling allows for customized education that caters to a child’s learning style, pace, and interests.
Flexibility: Families have more control over the daily schedule, curriculum, and even vacation times, offering flexibility that traditional schools may not provide.
Strong Family Bonds: Homeschooling allows more family time, strengthening family relationships and providing more parental involvement in the child’s education.
Focused Attention: One-on-one instruction can lead to better academic outcomes, as the child gets more attention compared to a traditional classroom setting.
Adaptation to Special Needs: Children with learning differences or special needs may benefit from the personalized pace and structure of homeschooling. Have a look at Homeschooling Special Needs Resources from the Ontario Federation of Teaching Parents
Values-Based Education: Parents can ensure that their education aligns with their family’s cultural, religious, or moral values. You can tailor your kindergarten homeschool curriculum as you like.
Parents may choose to homeschool for flexibility, a personalized education, or to provide a learning environment that aligns with their values and goals. However, like any educational approach, homeschooling has its pros and cons. Let’s look at some of those next.
Homeschooling encourages more family time which can strengthen family relationships.
(Image Source: Kindel Media)
Pros of Homeschooling
Tailored Curriculum: Lessons can be adapted to the child’s strengths and weaknesses.
Flexible Schedule: Families can design their own schedule, accommodating other activities like travel, sports, or creative pursuits.
Safe Learning Environment: Homeschooling eliminates concerns about bullying, peer pressure, or school safety.
Enhanced Focus: Without the distractions of a traditional classroom, students may be able to focus more easily on their studies.
Deeper Learning: Homeschooling can encourage deeper exploration of topics, allowing children to dive into subjects that interest them.
Learn more about the pros of homeschooling in our blog, Why Homeschooling Is Good For Kids.
Cons of Homeschooling
Time Commitment: Homeschooling requires significant time and effort from parents, as they take on the role of educator.
Socialization Challenges: Homeschooled children may have fewer opportunities to interact with peers, though this can be mitigated through extracurricular activities or homeschooling groups. Have a look at our other blog post, The Challenge of Balancing Homeschooling and Socialization.
Financial Cost: One parent may need to stay home to homeschool, potentially affecting the household’s income. Additionally, there may be costs for materials, tutors, or extracurriculars.
Limited Access to Resources: Traditional schools offer resources such as science labs, sports teams, and specialized teachers that may be harder to replicate at home.
Regulation and Accountability: Depending on the location, homeschooling may be subject to varying levels of regulation, and parents must ensure they are meeting educational standards.
In summary, homeschooling offers flexibility, customization, and a safe learning environment but requires time, resources, and careful planning to ensure a well-rounded education for the child. Before investing a lot of time in planning your kindergarten homeschool curriculum, you’ll want to weigh these factors to determine if homeschooling aligns with your family’s educational goals and circumstances.
Watch this video and see what a day in the life of a homeschool kindergartener is like!
2. Links & Resources
In this section, we’ll provide you with links to curriculum resources; however, we’ll also provide you with some ideas to get started. Let’s start with the curriculum and then look at some activities you can actually try with your children at home right away.
Curriculum
In Ontario, several popular homeschooling curricula are available for kindergarten students. These options align with Canadian educational standards while offering flexibility for parents to tailor the learning experience. Here are some widely used curricula:
1. The Ontario Curriculum
Parents can use the Ontario Ministry of Education's curriculum as a base. This ensures that homeschooled children cover the same subjects and skills as students in public schools. While it’s not a formal homeschooling curriculum, it serves as a guideline for what should be taught in each grade.
Focus Areas: Literacy, math, science, social studies, and arts.
Link: Ontario Curriculum
2. On The Mark Press
We are proud to partner with On The Mark Press, another great resource for homeschooling kindergarten students in Ontario, Canada. They offer a wide variety of printable educational materials that are specifically aligned with Canadian curriculum standards, making them an excellent supplement or primary resource for your homeschooling journey.
Focus Areas: Math, literacy, science, social studies, and French. They also offer thematic units and seasonal activity books. Many of their resources are designed with Canadian students in mind, including lessons that focus on Canadian history, geography, and culture.
Link: On The Mark Press
3. Christian Light Education (CLE)
This is a faith-based curriculum offering materials that cover subjects like math, reading, and Bible study. It’s a structured program that can be adjusted to your child’s pace.
Focus Areas: Reading, phonics, basic math, handwriting.
4. The Good and the Beautiful
A well-rounded curriculum offering free and paid options for various subjects, with an emphasis on wholesome literature, creativity, and foundational skills. It is popular for its beautiful design and inclusion of art and nature studies.
Focus Areas: Math, language arts, reading, art, science.
5. Khan Academy Kids
This free, digital platform offers an interactive and adaptive curriculum for young learners. It covers reading, writing, math, and logic with fun activities and games.
Focus Areas: Math, reading, writing, and critical thinking skills.
Link: Khan Academy Kids
These 5 resources offer a blend of structured, flexible, and creative approaches to help parents provide a well-rounded homeschooling experience for their kindergarten children in Ontario. You’ll find that if you do a search, you will find a multitude of other resources like The Canadian Homeschooler and Treehouse Schoolhouse
Next we’ll provide some ideas to implement in your kindergarten homeschool curriculum.
(Image Source: Jenny Geracitano)
Ideas to Get Started
Here are some fun and educational activities for your kindergarten homeschool curriculum that incorporate hands-on learning and creativity:
Alphabet Art
Focus on a letter of the day and create an art project using objects or drawings that start with that letter. This helps with letter recognition and creativity.
Wondering about the Wonder of Nature collection from Treehouse Schoolhouse as was referenced in the video above? Here is a link to the material.
Nature Walks
Take your child on regular nature walks. They can collect leaves, and rocks, or observe plants and animals, then draw or journal about their discoveries. You can make it more interactive by doing a scavenger hunt for specific items. Variation: Try going on a hunt around the house or outside for different shapes. Identify squares, circles, triangles, and other shapes to reinforce shape recognition.
Math with Everyday Objects
Use objects like buttons or coins to teach counting, sorting, and basic math operations. You can even bake together and use the opportunity to teach fractions and measurements.
Storytelling and Creative Writing
Encourage your child to create their own stories. They can draw pictures to illustrate the stories and practice early writing skills.
Work with soil, plant seeds, and observe the life cycle of plants together with your kindergartener!
(Image Source: Anna Shvets)
Simple Science Experiments
Create the classic volcano with baking soda and vinegar, or grow plants from seeds. These easy science projects introduce kids to observation and cause-and-effect relationships.
Music and Movement
Have a dance party with different styles of music or let your child explore simple instruments. Physical movement helps with coordination, and music promotes creativity.
Virtual Field Trips
Take virtual field trips to museums, zoos, or aquariums and discuss what you see. This is a great way to introduce new concepts and learning environments without leaving home.
We hope that these resources and ideas help generate your own creative minds. We also have a blog that might be helpful: Homeschooling Ontario: Everything You Need To Know. Please note that, while EZ-Teach doesn’t have a lot of kindergarten homeschool curriculum, you can adapt material for Grade 1 students. And, if you want to promote your curriculum on our website, please contact us.
As you plan your kindergarten homeschool curriculum, you can also start thinking about the future.
(Image Source: Jonathan Borba)
3. Preparing for the Future
Preparing to homeschool older children after kindergarten involves careful planning and consideration of various factors. Here are some strategies and insights, along with the pros and cons of continuing the homeschooling journey:
How to Prepare for Homeschooling Older Kids
Research Curriculum Options: Investigate different homeschooling curricula tailored for older students, focusing on subjects they’ll encounter in higher grades. Look for programs that offer flexibility, engaging materials, and support.
Set Clear Goals: Define educational objectives for each subject and ensure they align with your child's interests and career aspirations. Consider their strengths and weaknesses to tailor your approach.
Create a Structured Schedule: Develop a daily or weekly schedule that balances academic subjects, extracurricular activities, and leisure time. Consistency can help older children adjust to the more independent nature of homeschooling.
Incorporate Life Skills: As they grow, older children can benefit from learning practical life skills, such as budgeting, cooking, and time management. Integrating these into the curriculum can enhance their education.
Encourage Independence: Gradually foster independence (Start in Preschool) by allowing older kids to take charge of their learning. Let them choose projects, manage their time, and seek out resources.
Utilize Online Resources: Explore online courses, educational websites, and virtual classes that can supplement your teaching and provide diverse perspectives on subjects. Or, consider tutoring if your child is struggling and you don’t feel you have the time or expertise to help.
Plan for Socialization: Ensure your children have opportunities for social interaction through community programs, co-ops, or extracurricular activities to mitigate any potential isolation.
Encourage your child to be organized and independent - try our free homeschool planner!
Pros & Cons of Homeschooling Older Kids
The pros and cons of homeschooling older kids are similar to those for younger kids, with the exception of the following:
PROS
Focused Learning: Homeschooling enables students to concentrate on subjects where they excel or need extra help, potentially resulting in a deeper understanding of the material. This is an important factor because, as kids develop, their strengths and weaknesses will become more apparent.
Career Preparation: Students can balance academic studies with work or internships, gaining practical experience and potentially avoiding debt. If you have a student looking for the Career Studies online course (GLC2O), click here.
Less Bureaucracy: Homeschooling often involves fewer administrative hurdles compared to traditional schooling.
CONS
Cost: The financial burden can be higher, as families may need to invest in resources, materials, and activities
Socialization Concerns: Limited interaction with peers may lead to social isolation if not actively managed
Academic Pressure: Parents may worry about their child's academic progress compared to traditional school peers, leading to potential stress
With careful forethought, you can be well-prepared and can successfully homeschool your children up until the end of high school.
Remember to prepare you and your kids well for transitioning from homeschool to public school.
(Image Source: Kaboompics.com)
From Homeschool to Public School
Now, if you have been homeschooling and are wondering how to prepare your homeschooled children for entering public school, this requires a significant adjustment for both parents and kids. While this blog is not focused on this topic, here are some brief tips and questions to ask yourself to help ease your transition:
Assess Readiness: Are your kids emotionally and academically prepared for the public school environment?
Research Schools: Have you explored different public schools to find one that aligns with your child’s educational needs and interests? Have you visited any of the schools?
Teach Social Skills: Has your child developed social skills, such as polite communication, listening, and respect for others? This will help them develop positive interactions with their peers.
And remember, encourage your children to stay connected to friends, stay organized, and be prepared to offer your child(ren) emotional support as they make this big change.
While you can’t know exactly what the future will hold, it is a good idea to have the big picture of your homeschooling journey in mind now as you begin. What would you like to see for your child between Kindergarten and High School Graduation? And what are the steps you need to take to make that happen? Remember to be SMART!
Learning with EZ-Teach is Easy
We hope we’ve provided some helpful links and pointers as you prepare your kindergarten homeschool curriculum. If you want further help, please contact us or explore our site for more information. We’d love to help you as you head out on this exciting adventure of homeschooling your children.
