I love the preschool years. When my oldest was in that stage I delighted in crafting literature and sensory rich learning opportunities to do together.
But now that I’m on number 4 and so very busy “officially” homeschooling the older 3, I needed to streamline and make finding those special moments with my youngest actually happen.
VINTAGE PRESCHOOL to the rescue!
So I’ve gone old school – vintage, really. I’ve turned to the way our grandmothers and great grandmother’s taught so many essential preschool skills. I’ve embraced the power of finger plays and rhymes.
I did this with my oldest because I had time and drive to pull out nursery rhyme books and read. I’d then spend time surfing the internet in search of those finger plays that I vaguely remember from my own childhood. But I’ll be the first to admit that it didn’t happen with the next two boys. Since Greta has had some speech delays, I knew that helping her in this area was paramount. So I set out to collect my favorite finger plays and preschool rhymes and this time make cards for everyday use; Because if I had an easy to grab ring with cards where I didn’t have to pull out books, where I didn’t get side tracked by my phone, I knew I could make the most of this simple, yet powerfully effective tool.
Did you know that finger plays and preschool songs go a long way to:
** Develop Fine Motor Skills
** Develop Gross Motor Skills
** Develop Listening Skills
** Develop Self-Regulation
** Develop Numeracy Skills
** Develop Vocabulary (single greatest predictor of school success)
** Develop Phonemic Awareness
** Develop Syllabication Awareness
Most people don’t realize the power tucked in these simple rhymes and songs. I explain more about each of these key early childhood developmental areas here!
Reading them in books is great. Repetition is even better. Remember when I shared about why we need to read children the same book over, and over, and over again? Well, the same principle applies here. Learning is cemented through this kind of playful, fun repetition.
It’s crazy to think about how they learn counting, sequencing, and hone fine motor skills simply by singing “1, 2 Buckle My Shoe.” The “Eensy-Weensy Spider” is full of fun vocabulary and is crazy effective at developing fine-motor skills. They learn self-regulation by singing “Open, Shut Them,” when they have to strategically pause and hold their bodies completely still. As we sing out the rhyming words they are developing important phonemic skills that not only help them with speaking now, but also lay the foundation for learning how to read later. By moving their bodies, the brain is being wired to learn. As we’ve been using this over the last year and a half, I’ve realized that this really was a baby sister to my Brain Breaks book. Movement wires the brain to learn and in the early years movement, plus song packs a powerful punch in also developing oral and pre-reading skills! And I’m just loving the simplicity in embracing this form of vintage preschool prep!
So here you go… The benefits of repetition without the work of pulling it together. {You’re welcome!} This set of 30 cards comes professionally printed, hole-punched with a ring so you are ready to go! All of the words and motions right there at your fingertips. Here in our home, we pull this out every morning to give some focused attention to Greta! You can see how she feels about her “school” time!
You can check out the official information page for ordering information!
This set of 30 finger plays and preschool songs includes classics such as: “Jack and Jill,” the “Eensy Weensy Spider,” “Five Little Monkeys,” “Head and Shoulders,” “Row, Row, Row Your Boat,” “London Bridges,” “Old McDonald,” “Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear,” “The Wheels on the Bus,” and many more…
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Little voices are just so sweet when they start singing their ABCs. I totally understand having to be more intentional to find time with the younger ones once there ‘s so much to do with the ones who are officially schooling. I’m Having to work on this with #5, who is two.
I love all the intensely real hugs! And pure laughter.
I wish I’d had these when mine were little.
I love these years because they’re so loving and caring. I love how I’m their whole world, how I can protect them from anything right now and they know it. They’re little sponges to, I love how fast they learn. It makes me feel so proud when they’ve learned something new. ❤️
This is perfect! I was just thinking about how I was going to do something first with my 2 and 4 year olds before I started lessons with my 1st grader.
My kids would love this!
I love getting to spend lots of time snuggling, playing and learning together!
I love these years because my 3 year old toddler is taking off with her imagination and her sense of humor is steadily growing as well.
I love that most teaching and learning can happen with snuggles. 🙂
I love the preschool years for the wonder in each child’s eye as they explore new things and how simple fun is for them…easy giggles.
My favorite thing about this age is how everything just holds so much wonder and excitement for them. It is like I get to rediscover everything through their eyes.
I love the preschool years because they are they are so independent, yet so dependent. It’s a sweet spot in parenting where you don’t have to do it ALL but still feel needed.
Love this! And I’ve been meaning to write you….the brain breaks have been amazing! We absolutely love them around here and have seen them help so much. Thank you for that!
We were lucky enough to pick these up at the AFHE convention! I desperately wanted something for my 3 (almost 4) year old that wasn’t so curriculum or scholastically heavy/motivated. He has the rest of his life to be a grown up! These songs brought back great memories as I flipped through the songs. It is so great to dig in the depths of my brain to these treasures. We have been using these for 2 weeks and my little LOVES them! He has retained so much more and enjoyed these more than any other preschool system/program/curriculum we have attempted. Plus he gets his love tank filled up before we tackle school with the big one and he is quote content to play alone or quietly participate with us. Thank you so much Heather!
Thanks for the report! It echos our experience to a T.
Love this!!! Thank you! I literally just sat down at my computer to try to pull together some songs and finger plays for my preschooler this year and your blog was already waiting in my inbox. Looking no further and ordering now! (I also love your Brain Breaks book… as do my 4 little boys) 🙂
Oh this made me laugh. I spent so much time pulling my first set together and than almost $5 on laminating alone, never mind the cost of paper and color ink, to print my first set. Greta is loving the new professionaly printed set so much better. Enjoy and glad I could save you the time of pulling all that together. Busy mamas need to stick together! 🙂
I love the joy of the little years and the excitement. I also especially love little giggles :).
I love that during the preschool years they are so excited about learning!
I love the little years because they are full of so much joy and fun! I can’t believe how much they can take in and how full of excitement and wonder they are over even the little things that I take for granted!
Love this. I am singing with the girls and with a ton of other littles all the time. Preschool age is turning out to be a ton of fun.
I love these years as they learn so much and change so much so quickly, and their brains just leave me speechless…
I love these years because they are so full of discovery and creativity and development.
I love these years because everything is new and exciting! Loved your workshops at the AFHE Convention.
Me too! It’s truly magical.
It was so much fun getting to come back to the AFHE convention this year!
I love the preschool years! Everything is a new discovery & I get to see the world in a new way through the eyes of my young children!
My daughter is 3 and she loves to learn along side her 10 year old brother that I homeschool 🙂 I attended one of your workshops at the AFHE convention Phoenix this month! I enjoyed it very much!!!
I love the little years. The things I love most is the innocence of my little girls. I love how sweet their thoughts can be. I love the way they twist words as they try to figure them out. I love their desire to spend EVERY WAKING MOMENT with you. That won’t last long. I love the giggles and smiles.
I love these little years simply for the wonder that our children possess and their sweet unconditional love!
Preschool is my favorite age to teach! These look great :o)
I love the preschool age. School is so exciting and new then. And less structured.