Preschool Printable LOVE! :)

I never had any type of 'formal' preschool teaching with my oldest.  He's always been naturally curious and willing to learn anything we want to show him.  He's also quite dependent, so he has always let me show him how to do anything he wanted to learn, or I wanted him to learn.

Then came second born... a daughter.... MUCH like her mother.  She is very independent and stubborn, and although being almost 3 1/2 she still can't recognize or write her alphabet.

Oldest was writing words by her age...

She has refused vehemently to allow me to teach or show her anything!  Starting Kindergarten with our son 9 weeks ago, I had the bright idea that she would sit with us and I could work with her too.  Well, she DOES sit with us, but still has fought me every single day when I try to show her ANYTHING!

I'd tried several approaches, but with failure...

I had been seeing links for Preschool Printables on moneysavingmom's BLOG, and finally decided to try them. I chose the fall themed pack from Homeschool Creations since we have been enjoying fall here in Ohio.

At first I was just going to print them, let her go at it, then toss them in the trash when she was done.  But after printing 20+ pages, I just could allow myself to be that wasteful.

I decided to put the pages into sheet protectors, and then into a binder JUST FOR HER.  She's big on things that are just for HER, being the only girl in between two brothers. :)

She LOVES markers (and anything to do with art), so I gave her a small expo marker in purple (she got to choose), and attempted to show her what to do with her new book.

She listened.

No protesting, No fighting, No 'I can do it by myself!'....  I actually got lost a few sentences into explaining because I hadn't been prepared to actually teach her!

Her first attempt was still an independent, my way, effort, but I gently corrected her and explained again what to do and how we need to treat her special book.

The End.

no, not of this post, and NOT the end of my teaching!  She sat for over an hour, using both the marker for tracing, and the hands on manipulatives for sorting, etc.

And she let me teach her the entire time. :)

She even pulled the book out to show daddy when he got home, and did a few pages for him.  Before bed, she pulled it out again and did some more.

I am thrilled!  I have big plans for changing the theme each month and hoping her excitement continues! :)

I also made one for my Kindergartner, as supplement to his normal curriculum, but he hasn't had a chance to use it yet.

Just a few pics of my stubborn princess to follow my words. :)

I used a small, flexible 1/2 inch binder.  

I plan on storing them in a larger binder when we change themes. :)

I organized the manipulative pieces into baggies, then into sheet protectors.

You can see her independence in her first line.  ;)

After correcting her, and showing her again, she listened and followed directions!