Back to School: Homeschool Preschool-Our First Year Homeschooling
My oldest is starting her preschool year at home, aka homeschool preschool. She’s officially Pre-K age, and even though I know it’s not necessary—and I know a lot of homeschooling families don’t even start formal learning this early—we’re doing it anyway.
Not because I’m in a rush. Not because I think she’ll fall behind. And definitely not because I’m trying to recreate public school at my kitchen table.
We’re starting homeschool preschool this year to ease into rhythm. That’s it.
We’re building a gentle foundation, especially because in October… we’ll have four kids under four (yes, you read that right!). Having a little structure in place with this big change coming just feels right for us, especially because my daughter thrives on routines. So we’re going to eaaase into it.
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Why Start Preschool If It’s Not Required?
The beauty of homeschooling is that you get to decide what’s best for your family. Some families wait until age 6 or 7 to start anything formal—and I fully support that. But for us, this Pre-K year is more about:
- Helping my daughter feel like she has a special “school” of her own, especially since kids at church and the park her age are really starting to talk about school
- Creating a peaceful daily rhythm before baby #4 arrives, and then re-creating it after baby #4 comes
- Carving out one-on-one time with her in a house full of littles
- Getting my own feet under me when it comes to homeschooling–I am very type B so this is just as much for me as it is for her
We’re not diving headfirst into all the subjects. We’re just gently introducing consistency, connection, and some fun learning moments into our days.
What Our Preschool Days Are Actually Going To Look Like
I feel like “homeschool preschool” sounds a lot fancier than it really is over here. This is what I’m thinking (subject to change, obviously) a typical day might look like:
- Morning menu or circle time: calendar, weather, maybe a little song.
- Bible or memory verse: super simple and short, going to incorporate the 5-5-5 for this that I saw on Instagram originally from @raising.tiny.disciples
- Read-aloud time: mostly picture books, we might try some chapter books but I want to keep my other kids involved in this as well.
- One short hands-on activity OR a lesson from our curriculum
- Free play + outside time: aka the good, childhood kid stuff
That’s it. Some days we do it all. Some days we do one thing and call it a win. And some days… we just survive with snacks and a show. It’s all part of the season.
What We’re Using This Year
We’re keeping it light and lovely with a few simple resources. Here’s what’s in our preschool basket:
- The Good and the Beautiful Preschool: We’ll move through this slowly, maybe a couple lessons a week. I got a really simple planner (again this is for ME to start practicing, not because we have to) to reverse-plan, aka keep track of when we are doing lessons/record what we did for the day AFTER it’s done.
- The Good and the Beautiful Pre-K course: IF (big IF here) we get through the Preschool course, then we will move onto the Pre-K course. I have a feeling that we’re going to definitely keep our rhythms through the summer, so this might be more of a summer thing before we tackle Kinder next year!
- The Peaceful Press Bible Curriculum: I have this curriculum that’s actually intended to be used for Sunday school, but I’m going to use it as a guide to help me with our Bible Time.
I’m also adding in seasonal books, sensory bins, nature walks, and lots of open-ended play. I’m not aiming to check boxes—I’m aiming for moments of connection, calm, and learning how to do this homeschool thing.
Prepping for Preschool with Toddlers in Tow
Let’s be honest: homeschooling with toddlers and babies around is not for the faint of heart.
To keep things realistic, I’m prepping by:
- Having a quiet time basket or special toys just for “school time”, as well as coloring books/ early learning workbooks for if my littles want to do “school” too!
- Keeping snacks and drink cups within reach at all times-all of my kids are currently using and loving these cups!
- Doing our lesson during morning nap or afternoon quiet time
- Keeping expectations low and my coffee warm (big shout out to my Ember mug here)
With another baby arriving in October, I’m also mentally preparing to take a nice long break when we need to. The beauty of homeschool? It all works around real life.
For the Mama Wondering If It’s “Too Early”
If you’re thinking about starting homeschool preschool and wondering if it’s the right time… I get it. I’ve wondered the same thing.
Here’s what I want to say:
Preschool at home doesn’t have to be school-ish at all.
It can be morning snuggles with books. It can be letting your toddler paint with water on the driveway. It can be counting blueberries at snack time or memorizing a verse together during breakfast.
It’s not about being ahead. It’s about building rhythm, connection, and confidence—for both of you.
Final Thoughts On Homeschool Preschool: It’s About the Heart, Not the Hustle
At the end of the day, this preschool year isn’t about academics—it’s about creating a rhythm that works for our family. It’s about giving my daughter something special and giving myself a little structure before the chaos of four kids under four becomes real life.If you’re in a similar season, just know… you don’t have to do it perfectly. You don’t even have to do it all. Just start small. Keep it simple. And let love lead the way.
If you’ve done homeschool preschool, I would love to hear from you! What are your best tips and tricks? How did you do it with multiple kids in tow?
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