As we are diving into a new year, I’ve had several friends ask me what we are doing for Preschool. As my daughter Reagan won’t attend a traditional Preschool, I’ve been working through just what her education will look like at age four.
I don’t have a strict curriculum.
I actually don’t even have lesson plans or worksheets.
My plan is to read to her as much as possible. We currently read at least three times each day. Often, Elliot (age 2) will join us or play with his trains and jump into the story when he hears a word that peaks his interest.
We mostly read picture books. However, I found some amazing chapter books that I’ve been surprised to find Reagan enjoying and always asking for me to read “just one more please!”
I have to admit that it took me a while to build up the stamina to read aloud so many books each day. But, now that I’ve gotten the hang of it, I’m enjoying the challenge of using an expressive tone and even voice changes as I read.
The books I list below are all books that I’m happy to read over and over again!
Chapter Books we love to read aloud:
I was pretty surprised that Reagan came to enjoy these chapter books as early as three and a half! We both absolutely look forward to nap time and bed time when I read one chapter to find out what will happen next. It’s become a sweet time for us. We are reading Betsy’s Little Star right now and what’s the most fun is that “Star” is four-years-old, just like Reagan. Reagan gets such enjoyment out of hearing about a little girl her age having all kinds of adventures and misadventures around her neighborhood. The Betsy books and the Billy and Blaze books were both written around the 40s and 50s and maintain the innocence of that era and sweetness of tone. I get such a kick out of the mom saying “Well, dear, you really should…” It’s charming!
Betsy and Billy
Billy And Blaze: A Boy And His Horse
Picture Books we love to read aloud:
One thing that you have to understand about me is that I love art! I’m a little obsessed with beautifully illustrated books. In fact, I seek them out and gravitate toward them like a mouse to cheese. My absolute favorite Illustrators are Eloise Wilkin and Mary Engelbreit. I love how they portray children in darling turn of the century clothes and sweet pea faces. My kids and I enjoy looking and looking at the pictures to find all the hidden elements that art tucked away waiting to be found.
The Princess and the Kiss: A Story of God’s Gift of Purity
Mary Engelbreit’s Nursery Tales: A Treasury of Children’s Classics
Eloise Wilkin Stories (Little Golden Book Treasury)
Our To-Be-Read-Aloud List:
I just ordered all three of these book through Amazon! I’m counting the days until they arrive!
Charlotte’s Web (Trophy Newbery)
Caddie Woodlawn
Mr. Peabody’s Apples
What about you? What books do you love reading to your children??? What books do they ask you to read them over and over again?
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We’ve been reading The Wizard of OZ and Parker has been loving it, and we read the first chapter of The Mouse and the Motorcycle which he really wants me to finish we just haven’t had the time. Plus I don’t want to miss out on some of the younger age chapter books because you don’t really ever go back… you know? I think I will probably try out the Betsy & Billy books 🙂 Oh and Charlotte’s Web such a good one 🙂
Oh, we could do this for a very long time!! Interesting, though, that the first book that came to mind is one I checked out over and over again when my kids were learning ABC’s and numbers. “One Bear All Alone” by Caroline Bucknall. Favorite for using “voices” – Frog and Toad series. So happy you are loving Carolyn Haywood! (They have updated the illustrations – good literature lasts for generations.) Can’t wait to begin reading from my FULL bookshelf of beloved treasures with my granddaughter!
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