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The Homegrown Preschooler: Teaching Your Kids in the Places They Live
With the accessibility of a parenting how-to book and the thorough educational foundation of an expensive boxed curriculum, this guide will inspire parents to use their homes as classrooms as they take advantage of the naturally rich learning opportunities that occur in everyday home life. Parents will learn how to transform their home into a learning environment that rivals the best preschool classroom by finding exciting learning opportunities in everyday occurrences, from using laundry to teach sorting to exploring growth cycles in the garden. Parents can make easy use of simple-to-start ideas, advice, and activities, as well as organizational tips, recipes, and more than 200 activities that are easy to pull together. In addition, there are convenient charts and checklists to document children’s growth, which will help ensure there are no gaps in educational, social, or physical development.
224 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 2013
26 people are currently reading
151 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews
June 22, 2013
This book got me all riled up. It just bugged me. I think I was expecting something different than how to basically run an amazing preschool in your home for just your kid. I don't believe in the benefits of preschool so I guess I don't believe in the benefits of homeschooling preschoolers. The reason I wanted to be home with my kids is so they can be kids- play! And if they happen to learn something along the way, which they will, GREAT. I didn't want my kids sitting in a classroom setting at 3 or 4 so I could go to work, so why would I do that at home?
However, there were lots of great ideas for activities for the kids- I like activities, it's nice to have something in mind to pull out for rainy, cranky, or boring days. I love doing arts and crafts and learning and science with my kids. I just don't think we need to be so obsessive as to say "We must play blocks today to practice our math and fine motor skills and then we must bring out the musical instruments and dance to hone our musical and gross motor skills... Oh and we need to fit in some reading in there too." And write all that on a chart too. Do parents really need to be told that all this stuff is good for their kids development??
Also, the random recipes in the book were kind of odd.
However, there were lots of great ideas for activities for the kids- I like activities, it's nice to have something in mind to pull out for rainy, cranky, or boring days. I love doing arts and crafts and learning and science with my kids. I just don't think we need to be so obsessive as to say "We must play blocks today to practice our math and fine motor skills and then we must bring out the musical instruments and dance to hone our musical and gross motor skills... Oh and we need to fit in some reading in there too." And write all that on a chart too. Do parents really need to be told that all this stuff is good for their kids development??
Also, the random recipes in the book were kind of odd.
June 23, 2017
I wanted to like this book. And I couldn't. The activities here lean toward being very parent-intensive, and I think, unnecessary. I don't need to get my child started on a rock collection or teach them how to build forts. Children collect odds and ends from nature all by themselves, and build cooler things than I could dictate to them. Children have been hoarding rocks and sticks and making things out of them since time immemorial.
I was excited to get to the booklist, but even then, every book is paired with some grand activity that would take a lot of work on the parent's part to set up. I've found that children will naturally use the books they read as fodder for their play and open-art activities. I don't need to dictate this. They come up with better activities on their own than I could invent for them.
So I don't feel that I can recommend this book to anyone. I found most of the activities over-thought, and I think it's the kind of book that would send someone into a panic that they weren't "doing enough" and sign up for the nearest preschool. I felt overwhelmed just looking at all the stuff and play areas recommended.
To give the authors some credit, they talk about how you don't need a lot, and to take it slow...but the rest of the book doesn't reflect that mindset. It felt like there was also a lost opportunity to talk about all the lovely things that are unique about learning at home.
I was excited to get to the booklist, but even then, every book is paired with some grand activity that would take a lot of work on the parent's part to set up. I've found that children will naturally use the books they read as fodder for their play and open-art activities. I don't need to dictate this. They come up with better activities on their own than I could invent for them.
So I don't feel that I can recommend this book to anyone. I found most of the activities over-thought, and I think it's the kind of book that would send someone into a panic that they weren't "doing enough" and sign up for the nearest preschool. I felt overwhelmed just looking at all the stuff and play areas recommended.
To give the authors some credit, they talk about how you don't need a lot, and to take it slow...but the rest of the book doesn't reflect that mindset. It felt like there was also a lost opportunity to talk about all the lovely things that are unique about learning at home.
April 19, 2018
Where was this book when my kids were in preschool? I was busy piecing pinterest boards together but this book has it all laid out! My only suggestion would be to really emphasize that reading and playing are by far the most important things for little ones. any thing above that is icing on the cake. In this day and age its so easy for moms to get caught up on feeling like they need to do more, provide more, be more, and compete with the brand name preschools but all kids really need is Mama! This book is an excellent resource that I'll recommend (with a warning to not feel overwhelmed!)
May 26, 2020
Chock full of inspiration, ideas & how-tos!
August 15, 2013
The authors share ideas, offer encouragement, suggestions, and more on making your home a place for learning to take place – naturally. With less seatwork and more hands on play, kids thrive and learn and make messes that you are glad to clean up. When your child has spent hours playing and learning, the messes matter less, I've found. The ideas are easy to follow, most of the ingredients for play are already in my kitchen, and they don’t require me to hover… they just let the kids explore with a little bit of encouragement. Skip the TV, there’s sand in the “sensory tote” to be played with. Forget the computer, we have bugs to catch, playdough to make and create with, life to live both inside and outside the confines of the house. HIGHLY recommended!
December 22, 2013
Lots of great ideas in this book for your young child and I plan to revisit it when my son gets older. My only complaint is nit picky ... I dislike how they call it "home schooling" preschool in the book. To me home schooling is something you do when your children are school-aged and teaching them things like colors, counting, and helping around the house when they are in young is just good parenting.
September 18, 2014
I was nervous about the price, so I requested the library to buy a copy. After reading it, it is definitely worth the price in my mind! I plan to buy a copy to keep around for helpful ideas to help my preschool aged children.
February 25, 2016
I really liked this book. It's full of wonderful ideas for various aspects of development. We plan on trying out the majority of them!
July 13, 2024
I quickly read through most of the 224 pages over a few nights. I loved the style of writing for the book and how easy to implement many of the suggestions appeared to be. So many great ideas and encouragement in the pages had me wanting to read more and faster to see what else would be suggested.
I now have a long list of things to implement throughout this coming school year. I was hoping to get a few of the bigger items together during the review period (like having my husband build a light / sensory table for us), but had to table it for later.
What I have enjoyed this summer is finding more chances to turn everyday occurrences into a learning opportunity for J. Many of these are somewhat mundane chores around the house such as folding the laundry or sweeping the floor. I’d put off involving him in some of those tasks as I can do it much faster than he can. However, he is proving to be extremely interested in playing house and helping out his mama whenever allowed.
Reading this text also reminded me to start creating activity bags or boxes for him to do while his older brothers are doing their own schoolwork. Some of the activities are ones he can do alone (e.g. coloring) and others need mom or a big brother to help (e.g. a book to read or working with flashcards on learning the alphabet.) I’m considering taking this idea to the point of being day of the week specific for some favorite ‘toys’ (e.g. Legos) so that he has something to look forward to doing.
Another section of the book that caught my eye was on making many of the fun art products to use with the kids. I’d never considered making our watercolor paint or even heard about painting with your tongue. How fun is that! I’m planning a major ‘art supply creation day’ this coming month to stock the cupboards with fun activities to get us through the long winter days.
For anyone wanting a nice cross-section of ideas to have your own homegrown preschooler, this is a title you’ll want to read. I know that I’ll be referencing it often these next 2 years.
I now have a long list of things to implement throughout this coming school year. I was hoping to get a few of the bigger items together during the review period (like having my husband build a light / sensory table for us), but had to table it for later.
What I have enjoyed this summer is finding more chances to turn everyday occurrences into a learning opportunity for J. Many of these are somewhat mundane chores around the house such as folding the laundry or sweeping the floor. I’d put off involving him in some of those tasks as I can do it much faster than he can. However, he is proving to be extremely interested in playing house and helping out his mama whenever allowed.
Reading this text also reminded me to start creating activity bags or boxes for him to do while his older brothers are doing their own schoolwork. Some of the activities are ones he can do alone (e.g. coloring) and others need mom or a big brother to help (e.g. a book to read or working with flashcards on learning the alphabet.) I’m considering taking this idea to the point of being day of the week specific for some favorite ‘toys’ (e.g. Legos) so that he has something to look forward to doing.
Another section of the book that caught my eye was on making many of the fun art products to use with the kids. I’d never considered making our watercolor paint or even heard about painting with your tongue. How fun is that! I’m planning a major ‘art supply creation day’ this coming month to stock the cupboards with fun activities to get us through the long winter days.
For anyone wanting a nice cross-section of ideas to have your own homegrown preschooler, this is a title you’ll want to read. I know that I’ll be referencing it often these next 2 years.
February 16, 2019
I stumbled across the Facebook page for "The Homegrown Preschooler" and thought it looked like a great book. I discovered that they have a year-long curriculum called "A Year of Playing Skillfully." I checked out "The Homegrown Preschooler" to examine the philosophy before investing in the curriculum, and I am so glad I did! Not only will I be buying myself a copy of "The Homegrown Preschooler," I will be getting the full curriculum plus the summer curriculum.
This educational philosophy reminds me of John Holt's books -- his main message is that little children are simply little people. (Seems stupidly obvious, but somehow as parents we tend to focus on what our children CAN'T do.) They want to be involved in everyday aspects of life. While playing, making messes, and even acting out they are learning how to live in this big, wide world. The authors of this book provide tons of examples of ways to include children in everyday activities (for example: allow them to help scoop coffee grounds for your morning coffee or give them their very own spray bottle and rag to help clean around the house). They also explain areas where your children need to develop every day: fine motor, gross motor, language, social skills, etc. There are TONS and TONS of activities listed in the book along with explanations of the areas they will help develop in a preschooler. There are also recipes for play materials and food and instructions on how to build things like a plexiglass easel and a sensory table.
I would recommend this book to ANYONE with a preschooler or anyone who has a baby (who will someday be a preschooler!) Even if you do not intend to homeschool, these ideas can help you understand how to prepare your child for school and life. AWESOME book!
This educational philosophy reminds me of John Holt's books -- his main message is that little children are simply little people. (Seems stupidly obvious, but somehow as parents we tend to focus on what our children CAN'T do.) They want to be involved in everyday aspects of life. While playing, making messes, and even acting out they are learning how to live in this big, wide world. The authors of this book provide tons of examples of ways to include children in everyday activities (for example: allow them to help scoop coffee grounds for your morning coffee or give them their very own spray bottle and rag to help clean around the house). They also explain areas where your children need to develop every day: fine motor, gross motor, language, social skills, etc. There are TONS and TONS of activities listed in the book along with explanations of the areas they will help develop in a preschooler. There are also recipes for play materials and food and instructions on how to build things like a plexiglass easel and a sensory table.
I would recommend this book to ANYONE with a preschooler or anyone who has a baby (who will someday be a preschooler!) Even if you do not intend to homeschool, these ideas can help you understand how to prepare your child for school and life. AWESOME book!
March 14, 2023
This is a practical resource for homeschooling prek. Many of the activities are things I already do with my toddler, and some are obvious things (ex. Singing the ABC’s, playing outside, going to the library, etc.), but since there are also many new and useful ideas, I still gave it 4 stars. I like that most of the ideas are inexpensive and many use household items (ie they don’t require purchasing special materials). I also like that the premise of the book focuses on ways to organically teach kids through daily life activities. It’s organized by subject, which is helpful, and there’s a printable template in the back. This book is a helpful resource to skim for activity ideas.
Side note for anyone who’s interested in Montessori: This books goes hand-in-hand with Montessori principles, even though it doesn’t specifically mention Montessori. It would make a great resource for supplemental activities when specific Montessori shelf materials are unavailable. Since it does not specify Montessori, it is also a great resource for those not interested in Montessori.
Side note for anyone who’s interested in Montessori: This books goes hand-in-hand with Montessori principles, even though it doesn’t specifically mention Montessori. It would make a great resource for supplemental activities when specific Montessori shelf materials are unavailable. Since it does not specify Montessori, it is also a great resource for those not interested in Montessori.
September 29, 2017
Honestly, so many people raved about this that I had to try it out, but it just wasn't that spectacular or informative for me. Maybe for those who haven't looked into this topic at all, and who don't have a Pinterest account, but if you have already done research into preschooling at home, or if you have a kid with special needs or SPD (as the authors do, and as I do), you will already be familiar with many of these techniques, tips, and play options. I definitely wouldn't ever refer to it again and didn't come away with any new information after having read it, and while I can see how it may be beneficial to some, I think if you're an experienced homeschool mama and have at least one Pinterest board, you've probably already figured out things like sensory bins, etc. I'm going to stick with what I've already been doing on my own, and won't be integrating any new ideas from this book into our preschool.
January 18, 2021
Most of this was great starter suggestions for educational play for preschoolers. I am probably not the right audience because, three kids in, I already have ideas and very firm opinions of my own. I support their general approach of education through quality play wholeheartedly. ::warm fuzzies::
I am a more stuff-minimal educator than this. I’m not going to acquire and do eight different sensory bins and several types of homemade play doughs and a million baggies and folders of travel activities. We go play outside for sensory experiences and I have ONE type of play-dough, or two if you count the big sisters’ slime. Also, since our school happens in the living room, the aesthetics of storage matters a lot to me. I’m afraid I just couldn’t even with their plastic bins, effective though they probably are.
The day-in-the-life section... well, sometimes I read homeschooling books so I can go NOPE in a more holistic and informed way. To each his own.
I am a more stuff-minimal educator than this. I’m not going to acquire and do eight different sensory bins and several types of homemade play doughs and a million baggies and folders of travel activities. We go play outside for sensory experiences and I have ONE type of play-dough, or two if you count the big sisters’ slime. Also, since our school happens in the living room, the aesthetics of storage matters a lot to me. I’m afraid I just couldn’t even with their plastic bins, effective though they probably are.
The day-in-the-life section... well, sometimes I read homeschooling books so I can go NOPE in a more holistic and informed way. To each his own.
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December 31, 2021While the book may be directed at homeschool families,it is a vital resource for all families and preschool teachers. Anyone who is a big part of the development of a little person will benefit from this book. Ultimately it is the preschooler who benefits. Children are like gardens, and great thought and care should be given as to the harvest you want. consider their learning style, and unique talents and interests. (Like flowers, each needs to be given the proper light/watering/nutrients.)
The book explains the social, emotional, physical and cognitive levels of a preschooler. It stresses reading quality books to them, with enthusiasm, so that they develop their language skills, a vital part of a child's success in life. Short reviews are given for several of the better preschool books available.
The book explains the social, emotional, physical and cognitive levels of a preschooler. It stresses reading quality books to them, with enthusiasm, so that they develop their language skills, a vital part of a child's success in life. Short reviews are given for several of the better preschool books available.
February 1, 2023
I agree with the play based learning concept… I was just hoping for some more curriculum type plans for us parents to use, and not an essentially opinion based book on why homeschooling a preschooler is great, and then a bunch of parent/hacks in the second half of the book.
Like, I would have enjoyed seeing a bunch of different structured days (not structured in the sense of “this is exactly how your day should play out”, but more of a “here’s a bunch of example days of activities you do with your preschooler, and here’s a general amount of time to expect your preschooler’s attention to have”). It read as more of a parenting book than it did an educational/homeschooling book, and was therefore more of a let down for me.
Like, I would have enjoyed seeing a bunch of different structured days (not structured in the sense of “this is exactly how your day should play out”, but more of a “here’s a bunch of example days of activities you do with your preschooler, and here’s a general amount of time to expect your preschooler’s attention to have”). It read as more of a parenting book than it did an educational/homeschooling book, and was therefore more of a let down for me.
April 3, 2020
Many people would not need to read the first part which comes across as advice to a complete novice. The activities though, are divided into chapters dealing with topics such as Math, Language, Art, motor skills, etc. While these kind of activities can be found on the internet, it is useful to have a list with an assortment of ideas to refer to without having to constantly look for them. Some of the ideas served as a reminder of things that worked well and were the kind of activities that people have been doing with kids for decades.
September 6, 2017
This book feels a little dated but some of the activities suggested are genius. We aren't doing very formal preschool work this year, and we may or may not homeschool next year, but I'm definitely using some of the ideas I've found as we try to incorporate learning into everyday activities!
June 27, 2019
Great resource of ideas and activities. I love the philosophy of play learning, but this book is a bit overwhelming for a busy mother of multiple kiddos. I prefer the simplified daily activity approach by Hands On As we Grow.
September 30, 2020
Book is a bit unorganized . Good information and broke it down on how to accomplish everything in one day without sitting at a table all day. The end of the book has plans if you want to create a plexiglass board.
February 14, 2021
Clear and encouraging, this book shows how you can provide wonderful preschool experiences for your child, as a natural part of your daily home life, without a lot of expensive curriculum or materials.
February 17, 2017
Informative, realistic, and helped me to recognize ways to encourage learning in daily rhythms.
August 30, 2017
This book really inspired me to do more with my preschooler at home. I appreciated the philosophy about how young children learn. My kids have loved the activities I've tried out so far.
March 10, 2018
3.5 stars. I’m surprised they put an eating healthy section in there considering all the fat, sugar, salt and prepared foods in the recipes they share. I wonder what they consider unhealthy food?
April 8, 2018
A practical book on how to educate your pre schooler in your own home using everyday activities and materials.
September 16, 2018
I love this approach to working with young kids. My preschoolers are loving all the creativity found in here.
May 5, 2019
Activity lists are the most useful thing in this book.
February 2, 2020
Cute and motivating if you’re not feeling like super mom with your preschooler. Clever and affordable ideas you probably could have gotten on Pinterest. The recipes and quotes were my favorite part!
February 18, 2020
A good book to check out at the library, but probably not worth purchasing. Chock full of ideas, activities, and even recipes!
April 1, 2021
About homeschooling older preschoolers. I think about 3 years old or so. It wasn’t relevant to me and my 1.5 year old much. It wasn’t what I expected. Maybe I’ll reread it at a later stage.
September 16, 2022
Had some great ideas.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews