Are you a parent or teacher looking for the best preschool programs to support your child’s learning and development? We’ve curated a list of the 10 best preschool programs for home and school environments.
The preschool curriculum is a comprehensive framework for stimulating and supporting the early development of children ages three to five. This blueprint for primary education combines various elements of play, structured activities, early literacy, numeracy, and social skills to create holistic experiences that promote cognitive, physical, social, and emotional growth. Understanding what constitutes a preschool curriculum and how it is implemented can help parents and educators ensure that children get a balanced and enriching start on their educational journey.
From play-based and project-based learning to Montessori and Reggio Emilia, we incorporate a variety of approaches, and each program has its own unique features, benefits, and resources to ensure you find the best fit for your child or classroom. With our detailed descriptions and the pros and cons of each program, you can make an informed decision that fits your child’s developmental stage and educational goals. Create a successful educational future for your child.
What’s Covered in a Preschool Curriculum?
The comprehensive preschool curriculum encompasses academic, social, and motor skills to develop a well-rounded readiness for future education. Each component supports children’s growth in different dimensions of learning.
Academic Skills
1. Early Literacy
Early literacy is the foundation of a child’s education and becomes an important part of any preschool curriculum. It fosters a love of stories and expands vocabulary and understanding of basic grammar. Effective early literacy programs contain various materials including picture books, alphabet games, and interactive storytelling to help children master the nuances of language through play and interaction.
Programs that excel in promoting early literacy often use themed lessons that integrate characters and narratives children love, making learning seamless and fun.
2. Beginning Math Skills
A quality preschool curriculum should introduce basic concepts in a fun, engaging way for beginning math skills. This involves counting, understanding numbers, simple addition and subtraction, recognizing patterns, and sorting objects. The best preschool curriculum uses practical activities like counting physical objects, playing number-based games, and using digital apps designed for preschoolers, which make abstract concepts more tangible.
3. Hands-On Science
Hands-on science activities stimulate children’s curiosity about the natural world. A preschool curriculum that excels in this area will include activities that allow children to explore basic scientific concepts through sensory experiences. This could be growing plants, mixing colors, or doing simple experiments like floating and sinking tests with various objects.
These activities encourage children to ask questions, predict outcomes, observe changes, and discuss their findings, developing critical thinking and reasoning skills.
Social Skills
1. Social-Emotional Learning
Social-emotional learning (SEL) is integral to early childhood education, focusing on helping children manage emotions, set and achieve positive goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain positive relationships, and make responsible decisions. Effective SEL in preschool curriculums involves structured activities like storytime discussions about character feelings, group activities that require teamwork, and guided play to practice negotiation and empathy.
2. Communication Skills
Communication is a cornerstone of early childhood development. A quality preschool curriculum emphasizes the development of both verbal and non-verbal communication. Children enhance their language skills through interactive storytelling, songs, and rhymes while learning to listen and understand. Role-play and collaborative projects further encourage expressive skills and the ability to understand and respond to others effectively.
3. Sharing
Sharing and cooperation are taught through group activities that necessitate turn-taking, sharing resources, and working together to achieve common goals. Activities might include group puzzles, shared art projects, or team-based games. These experiences help children understand the value of working with others and being fair and considerate.
By integrating these practices into daily learning, children develop a sense of community and learn the importance of helping and supporting their peers.
4. Classroom Readiness
Classroom readiness involves preparing children with the skills they need to transition into a more structured school environment. This includes following directions, completing basic tasks completion, sitting still during lesson time, and participating in group activities. A well-rounded preschool curriculum will use a variety of activities to teach these skills, such as structured circle times, a series of short lessons, and sequences of activities that gradually build a child’s ability to focus and engage.
Effective classroom readiness programs ease the transition into kindergarten, reducing anxiety and increasing the likelihood of early academic success. They help children understand what will be expected of them in school and equip them with the confidence to navigate new routines and expectations.
Motor Skills
1. Physical Education
Physical education in preschool is crucial for developing gross motor skills, which include running, jumping, throwing, and climbing. A robust preschool curriculum uses daily physical activities to help children enhance their body awareness, balance, and coordination. These activities are fun and engaging, encouraging children to participate actively and enjoy physical exercise.
Such programs might include obstacle courses, dance routines, and basic sports that teach physical skills, teamwork, and personal discipline.
2. Arts and Crafts
Arts and crafts are integral to developing fine motor skills in young children. These activities require children to use their hands in specific ways, such as cutting with scissors, drawing shapes and gluing pieces together to make Christmas crafts. In addition to motor skills, arts and crafts provide a platform for self-expression and creativity, allowing children to explore different materials and media.
10 Best Preschool Curriculums
Choosing a preschool curriculum can be daunting, significantly impacting a child’s early learning and development.
1. Before Five in a Row
Before Five in a Row is tailored for younger preschoolers, focusing on nurturing a child’s curiosity and love for learning through literature-based activities. It revolves around reading classic children’s books and engaging children in simple, related discussions and projects that spark curiosity and deepen understanding of the story’s themes.
This curriculum effectively builds early literacy skills and a strong emotional connection to reading. Each activity is designed to be short and sweet to keep the young learners engaged and excited about learning without overwhelming them.
2. Positive Action Pre-K Kits
Positive Action Pre-K Kits are designed to instill positive behavior and values early on. This unique curriculum focuses on academic learning and character education, teaching children to act positively toward themselves and others. The program includes activities that help children develop foundational literacy and numeracy skills while engaging them in discussions and activities promoting empathy, honesty, and respect.
The curriculum’s holistic approach prepares children academically and socially, making it a popular choice among parents and educators looking for a well-rounded early learning experience. It includes many materials, such as storybooks, posters, and interactive lessons, making learning fun and impactful.
3. Horizons
Horizons is a brightly illustrated, engaging curriculum famous for its spiral learning method, which introduces concepts gradually and then circles back to deepen understanding over time. It covers core subjects such as math, language arts, and social studies with a Christian worldview, making it suitable for families looking for faith-based education.
4. Oak Meadow
Oak Meadow’s preschool curriculum stands out for its emphasis on creative and imaginative play, integrating nature and the arts into fundamental academic learning. It encourages children to explore and learn independently, promoting independence and creativity. This approach mainly benefits children who thrive in a less structured, more exploratory learning environment.
The preschool curriculum includes outdoor activities, art projects, and storytelling, fostering a love of nature and art and core academic skills. Oak Meadows’ gentle yet holistic approach makes it a favorite among parents who prefer a holistic, child-centered educational philosophy.
5. Time4Learning
Time4Learning offers an interactive online preschool curriculum that makes learning fun and accessible from anywhere. It combines technology with educational strategies to engage children in core subjects through interactive games and videos. This program is ideal for families who value flexibility and seek an engaging multimedia approach to education.
The curriculum covers essential early learning standards and prepares children with activities to improve math, reading, and critical thinking skills for kindergarten. Its user-friendly interface and colorful animations capture young learners’ attention, making it an excellent option for digital-savvy families.
6. Winter Promise
Winter Promise is Charlotte Mason’s preschool curriculum, which incorporates a hands-on, open-ended and action-oriented approach that makes it suitable for homeschooling. The curriculum is organized into a 36-week program divided into four distinct units. The units cover early education skills, math and numbers, letter recognition, art, exploration, and loose parts of learning.
The program is known for its thematic approach, with learning activities centered around fascinating themes such as animals, seasons, or famous stories. Each theme is designed to last a week or more, providing depth and fully immersing children in each subject area.
7. Mother Goose Time
Mother Goose Time is known for its flexible daily curriculum packs that simplify the educational process for educators and parents. It offers a holistic preschool education package with thematic monthly kits filled with materials and activities. Each day is carefully planned out, with activities that cover multiple areas of learning—art, science, math, and language arts, all under a unified theme.
Mother Goose Time makes daily planning straightforward and ensures that children are consistently engaged and learning effectively across a broad range of subjects.
8. My Father’s World Preschool Curriculum
The My Father’s World Preschool curriculum is designed with a Christian perspective and emphasizes hands-on, thematic learning experiences. It’s part of a broader educational approach from preschool through high school, integrating Charlotte Mason’s ideas, classical education, and unit studies with a biblical worldview.
For preschoolers, My Father’s World offers programs like “All Aboard the Animal Train” for 2-3 year olds and “Voyage of Discovery” for pre-K children around age 4. These programs are structured to blend fun activities and foundational learning elements. “All Aboard the Animal Train” includes activities that teach about animals, character traits, and basic academic skills through stories, play, and crafts.
Parents have appreciated the curriculum’s structured yet flexible approach, which allows for an easy-to-follow routine with minimal preparation. Daily activities can be completed quickly, making it practical for families with young children.
9. A Year of Playing Skillfully
“A Year of Playing Skillfully” is a developmental preschool curriculum designed for children ages 3-7. Developed by The Homegrown Preschooler, this curriculum emphasizes a wonder-based, hands-on approach to early education. It spans a school year and aims to foster development across multiple areas such as language and literacy, math and manipulatives, science and sensory experiences, art and music, and gross motor and outdoor play.
The curriculum is structured to be highly flexible, allowing parents to adapt the learning experiences to fit their child’s pace and interests. Each month comes with themed activities and character traits to explore, supported by beautiful, engaging materials that are easy for parents to implement.
10. BookShark
BookShark is a literature-based homeschool curriculum that encapsulates the joy of learning through quality books. This curriculum is designed for children who are early readers or enjoy storytime. It includes a broad array of classic children’s literature, nonfiction books, and educational materials that cover all major subjects, including science, math, art, and social studies.
BookShark’s approach fosters a love for reading and learning through stories that engage children’s imaginations and curiosity.
How to Plan Curriculum for Preschool?
Planning a preschool curriculum involves understanding young children’s developmental stages and integrating educational goals that cater to their growth. The process begins with defining explicit literacy, numeracy, social-emotional skills, and physical development objectives. Effective curriculum planning also considers the interests and abilities of the children to ensure that learning remains engaging and relevant.
It is crucial to incorporate various activities that foster different learning styles. These include interactive play, storytelling, arts and crafts, and hands-on experiments. Additionally, the curriculum should allow flexibility to adjust to individual learning paces and incorporate spontaneous learning opportunities that may arise during the day.
Feedback from educators and continuous assessment of the children’s progress is essential for regular curriculum refinement. This ensures that the learning experiences remain effective and meet the educational needs of all students.
Engaging parents in the learning process through regular updates and involving them in activities at home can reinforce the curriculum themes and enhance the children’s learning experience.
Conclusion
Choosing the best preschool curriculum depends on various factors, including the child’s interests, learning style, and the family’s educational goals. The best curriculums provide a balanced approach to education, incorporating academic and social learning opportunities to ensure children are well-prepared for the future.
