To say I’m a true homeschooler would be a bit of a stretch. I’m a work at home parent who also cares for my preschooler during the day. So, educational moments do occur throughout our day but I have no regular curriculum or set schedule that governs this stage of her life. But I am her first teacher.

What is surprising to me is the number of parents that are in the same situation as I am.  The population of parents working from home has greatly increased over the last few years and many of these parents are also caring for young children while they work. There is a subset in this work from home population that are also not able to use childcare services throughout their work week, due to cost. I’m a part of that subset.

So that means us SAH/WAH parents have to get really creative with our time in order to get things done.

Quick Home School Tools

I try to make sure that my daughter is learning all of the basics she’ll need to be able to successfully enter Kindergarten when ready. So we work on things like reading, vocabulary, math, problem-solving and technology in between my work blocks.  I can’t always dedicate a large chunk of my day to teaching her so these are some of the tools that I use to help her get what she needs. 

I’ll share some more tips on how I keep her busy during my work blocks, in a later post. 

Lesson Kits

We recently started using the Hot Dots Jr. – Pete The Cat – Preschool Rocks! lessons. What I like about these is that at the end of the lessons I can give her a certificate (which will end up on the fridge) of completion. The lessons are short, so you can get through a lot in just 5-10 minutes. Each set comes with the activity books, pen, stickers, instructions, and a certificate.

Books, Books, and More Books

We also do a lot of reading. I try to take my kids to the library a few times per month to stock up on their books. When it comes time for reading, my daughter likes me to read 3 or 4 picture books to her, one after another. So, thank goodness for the library and the Imagination Library sending her free books every month!

Online Homeschool Tools

I recently started using a home school app called Elephant Learning. It’s an app that can be used on the computer, phone or tablet.  It helps your kids learn 1.5 years of math over a 10 week period.  All they have to do is use the program 10 minutes a day, for 3 days per week.  My daughter is just getting started on it so I’ll be able to give an update after she uses it a few times.

Tech

Of course, tech plays a big role in her learning process. That’s why I’m loving these Playaway learning tablets that we take home from our local library.  They’re free to use. They come pre-loaded with music, books, and games that are age appropriate.  They come in a wide range from Pre-K level to Adult! You can even use these during your work breaks to pick up some new skills. Learn more about marketing or business management etc. All you need is a library card!

Playaway brand is used by libraries all over,  so be sure to check out your local library to see which kinds of tech devices they have on hand, to loan.

I hope this post gave you some ideas and tools that you can use to help you home school your little ones in between work blocks. Be sure to leave any questions or comments below the post or join the conversation out on Instagram. 

What are some of your favorite home school tools or apps?