{"id":41390,"date":"2015-09-30T06:30:39","date_gmt":"2015-09-30T10:30:39","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/simplehomeschl.wpengine.com\/?p=41390"},"modified":"2026-02-18T09:41:49","modified_gmt":"2026-02-18T14:41:49","slug":"kindergarten","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/simplehomeschool.net\/kindergarten\/","title":{"rendered":"5 things I’ve learned in kindergarten"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"amidamainpicmo\"
\n<\/a>Written by Amida of\u00a0Journey into Unschooling<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

W<\/span>hen I started homeschooling, some 15 years ago, my focus was very much on academic achievement. Like many before me, I had a long list of subjects to plow through and an even longer list of concepts for my kid to master. <\/span><\/p>\n

Not only did we closely follow the school curriculum and state standards, we added in Great Books, Classic Literature, Memorization, Art Study and Latin for good measure. <\/span><\/p>\n

We accomplished many amazing projects (like Monet-inspired paintings), as well as shed many, many tears. <\/span><\/p>\n

Looking back, I\u2019m surprised we survived the grade school years, let alone continued the journey with three more kids!<\/p>\n

Luckily, homeschooling turned out to be my calling.<\/strong> Despite the constant stress, the never ending housework, and the 24\/7 with kids, I rather liked it. <\/span><\/p>\n

I loved hearing my children read aloud. I relished seeing them read to themselves. I delighted in the doodles that came with every sheet of paperwork they completed and even the incomplete weather logs. <\/span><\/p>\n

It was all good and brought purpose to my life. I was the one who taught them how to write their first letter, read their first sentence, and add their first group of plastic\u00a0bear manipulatives. <\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

This will be my fifth year repeating kindergarten, and I must say, practice does make it easier. I now know exactly how much to push and when to back off. <\/span><\/p>\n

In fact, here are five things I\u2019ve learned through\u00a0(teaching) kindergarten to my kids:<\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"4339658005_f83c103e76_z\"<\/a><\/h4>\n

1. The earlier they can read, the better. <\/span><\/h4>\n

My four kids have learned to read at ages three, four, five, and six. For us, the earlier the start, the higher the confidence in learning other subjects. <\/span><\/p>\n

And for the record, I only suggest to start<\/em> young<\/strong> — the finish line could be as close or far as necessary, depending on the child. You might be pleasantly amazed by what your 3- or 4-year-old can pick up.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

A note from Jamie: My own family\u00a0made a very different choice when it\u00a0comes to the age to introduce reading<\/a>\u00a0and other academics.\u00a0I appreciate Amida sharing her experience because I want this blog\u00a0to always encourage readers to find what works for you and yours, and to recognize that will lead us all to different solutions.<\/i><\/p>\n

2. Make friends young. <\/span><\/h4>\n

There\u2019s nothing like having another kid your age to grow up with and take over the playground with when everyone else is in school. <\/span><\/p>\n

Siblings are wonderful, but having a special friend to share stories or snacks with is a real treat<\/strong>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

3. Field trips are not an option. <\/span><\/h4>\n

Get out and explore the neighborhood park or community event or museum or even the local library. <\/span><\/p>\n

Much can be learned by observing the world around you.<\/strong> Notebooks optional.<\/span><\/p>\n

4. Art is not an option. <\/span><\/h4>\n

I love doing art. Painting, drawing, building, crafting\u00a0—\u00a0you name it, I\u2019m there. <\/span><\/p>\n

Creativity is just as important as\u00a0STEM, and no doubt improves your productivity in other areas<\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"amida2\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Photo by Eric Costello<\/a><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

5. Every day is not a school day. <\/span><\/h4>\n

The younger the kid, the less \u201cschool\u201d they need. <\/span><\/p>\n

Seriously, no child under six needs a planner.<\/strong> Teach them reading, writing, and simple arithmetic. Done. <\/span><\/p>\n

And oh yeah, everything’s more fun with stickers. Even homeschooling teenagers love them–only they call them \u201cdecals.”<\/span><\/p>\n

What are some\u00a0things you’ve learned through teaching kindergarten?<\/i><\/p>\n

<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Written by Amida of\u00a0Journey into Unschooling When I started homeschooling, some 15 years ago, my focus was very much on academic achievement. Like many before me, I had a long list of subjects to plow through and an even longer list of concepts for my kid to master. Not only did we closely follow the…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":41465,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_kad_blocks_custom_css":"","_kad_blocks_head_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_body_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_footer_custom_js":"","_kadence_starter_templates_imported_post":false,"_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"_kad_post_classname":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[330,342,329,353,26],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-41390","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-getting-started","category-home-relationships","category-learning-curriculum","category-littles","category-relationships"],"yoast_head":"\n5 things I've learned in kindergarten - 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