Curriculum for Preschool

Wow our children are close in age, I have a 4 year old daughter and a 20 month old son.
I am a former public school teacher now homeschooling my 4 year old for preschool along with 3 other 4 year old girls.
I love the lap books available from www.handsofachild.com they are a Christian group and the lap books are very child friendly with hands on activities. I have someone that is watching my 20 month old while I do the preschool 3 days a week T.W.Th from 9am -noon. I do have one opening if you are interested. Our schedule includes, daily calendar activities, morning message(guided reading and writing connections), music and movement, brain based literacy activities, guided interactive reading and writing connections, poetry folder, lap theme books etc.
Also you can find some great resources and schedules on www.kinderkorner.com
M.
www.behometoo.biz

For phonics you could use www.starfall.com, letteroftheweek.com

If you are looking for biblestudy lessons www.children.calvarychapel.com

If you are looking at a more classical (mainly reading) education amblside.com or .net (not sure which one)
Click on either yr.0 or yr.1 and it gives you good reading list.

Also the curriculum fiveinarow is reading based,but gives lessons that go along with the books.

First of all, I wouldn't do it any other way. God gave the kids to me and my dh. You can send them to school if you wanna, that's your right, but you can better insure their behavior and what they are exposed to if they are w/ ya! I feel my children also get a better education w/ me, plus I pick what they study. See Deuteronomy 6:1-9. I love this.

I personally buy Walmart workbooks for Zane (5yo at this time).
It has a variety of things in it, not just ABC's and 123's.
Like matching, same, different, smaller, larger, more, less, etc.
I really like them and so does he.
As far as dealing w/younger siblings, let me know when you figure it out. ;)
JK, sorta... it doesn't take as long to get schoolwork done when you are at home as it does w/ going off to school. They have to deal with many other children misbehaving and such. Now granted my children disrupt, but I'm their mom and I TRY to deal w/ it promptly and go on. There will ALWAYS be interruptions, some pleasant, some not-so-much. You have to realize that and try not to get frustrated. Take it as what was s'pose to happen and keep going! People think SAHM are just twiddling their thumbs looking for something to do. HA! What a joke; I wish I had more time in the day. So, all that to say make sure you read to your children, makes a HUGE difference. They love it and they're learning. Keep everybody in the same room (unless they're napping), it cuts down on surprise messes and disobedience. Make sure to love them, and to them time is love!
WOW, and I wasn't sure what I was gonna say!

P.S. If you want to look at a Christian store you can. I'm a Christian and I use Walmart books for my littles. Read the Bible and other Bible books for character training and Bible teaching. We do also have lots of Bible resources at our house.
P.S.S. This was from my friend Amanda, She has six kids an home schools them all.

The Learning Box is a good one, you get everything you need and can pay for just one child a month. Also, Read the book by the girl from THe Facts of Life... Lisa something.. she played Blair, she has some good ideas and great recourses.

I think preschool should be a fun time of learning. You can do a lot on your own by using the internet, books from the library, etc. However, if you feel like you want something more to follow, like curriculum, there is Five In a Row and Sonlight.

As far as teaching an older child with younger ones around, I give the younger ones playthings to do while I'm working with the older one. If they're nap age, I do a lot during that time. My younger ones always wanted to "do school" like the older siblings so I would give them things to do so they would feel a part of it. Sometimes it was a magna doodle or a leap pad or blocks.

M.

Some ladies I know take turns homeschooling each other's kids, once a week. For instance, one is a math wiz, so she teaches them the math and another is a former English teacher, so she will teach them in that subject.

They go by a schedule, one of the other mom's mentioned it, but it is helpful for the kids to get a little more specialized teaching once a week with other kids around.