Kindergarten

Kindergarten is a lovely stress free time to ease your way into formal curriculum and build beautiful memories with your child. But not all children are ready for kindergarten. Here is a great article to assess your child’s readiness for kindergarten Is Your Child Ready for Kindergarten?

I’ve structured this page for those who like to piece together their own curriculum but I know there are a lot of people (seems like most I encounter) who just appreciate to find a trusted curriculum that will package it all together for them in a box for a reasonable price. If that is you, this is my best recommendation: Memoria Press Classical Core Kindergarten Complete Set.

For those eclectic folks who like a bit from this and a bit from that, look down below to get ideas from my best suggestions from varying different curriculums. All curriculums mentioned below I have used and loved.

First Things First

Benjamin Franklin believed the crux of all education before 8 years old was to give children a thorough education in their native tongue in the art of reading, writing, and spelling. I heartily agree with him. If we, during these early years, teach our children how to speak well (they learn this effortlessly by listening to you speak well), how to read well (and starting in first and second grades, how to spell well), and teach them to be well mannered, obedient, and respectful, then we have done very well. But first things first, let’s start the process of teaching them how to read.

Phonics is the classical way. Woe to those who tried to teach the terrible “look say method” that permeated the early to mid-1900s. Many children struggled and failed to read because of it (see my article on Phonics). Thankfully most schools and all classical curriculum have gone back to phonics. I grew up in the late 1980’s early 1990’s and we were taught phonics in school. A good phonics curriculum is key. Here are some of the best:

Phonics

Memoria Press Classical Phonics/Handwriting/Spelling

This is a robust, simple to use Phonics curriculum, as well as they will learn to spell and write as they read.

OR A Beka Phonics (Their Method is based on Noah Webster’s Blue Back Speller)

Christian Studies

• The Story Bible
• Christian Studies Enrichment Book (this book coordinates with the Story Bible and expounds upon what was read)
• A Beka Kindergarten Homeschool Bible Kit

Math

Memoria Press Kindergarten Math

Memoria Press uses some of the books they have published themselves but supplements most of the teaching with Rod & Staff math (a different publisher).

• Rod & Staff Grade 1 Math Student Book (Part 1)
• Rod & Staff Grade 1 Math Teacher Manual
• Rod & Staff Grade 1 Math Practice Sheets
• Numbers Book 1
• Numbers Book 2
• Addition Flashcards
• Subtraction Flashcards

Math U see – Primer Book

This is the curriculum we use and it’s my top choice, however, I know a lot of classical moms who love the very simple Rod & Staff method (see above) that focuses on drill and repetition. Math U See methods can be very different than what we were taught but the changes are always improvements. Lessons are very short. Math doesn’t take very long and builds in a mastery style progression.

Handwriting Practice/Copybook/Composition

• Copybook I
• Composition & Sketchbook I
• 100 Days of Summer Reading Book 1

Enrichment (Art, Music, Composer Study, Poetry, and crafts) and Read-A-louds

This section is my very favorite. I love our enrichment time together. The Kindergarten Enrichment Guide (shown below) will take you through all listed in a beautifully ordered fashion through out the course of the year, I highly recommend it. Truly, this is good for any age, not just kindergarteners.

• Kindergarten Enrichment, Third Edition – this book offers suggestions for activities that go along with the read-aloud books (below) for each week. The activities and enrichment books give students an introduction to the subjects of literature, poetry, art, music, history, culture, and science (science set shown below)
• Music Enrichment – the kindergarten enrichment book (above) each week will have you listen to a classical music piece and this book teaches you and your child more about the composer and the piece you are listening too.
• Kindergarten Music Playlist – this playlist is what is found in the curriculum manual, music enrichment book, and the enrichment book

Art Study

• Kindergarten Art Cards – beautiful reproductions of famous art for the children to study

Arts and Crafts

• Kindergarten Book of Crafts

Poetry

• A Child’s Book of Poems
• Animals, Animals

Read-Alouds

Literature is fundamental to a strong classical education. Reading aloud to your children is one of the best gifts you can give them. A reading program like the one below will help your child develop a taste for quality literature from an early age. Children delight in listening to the rhyme and wordplay of poetry. These books are selected because they are beautiful in their art and prose. You’ll never regret the investment in building your child a library of beautiful books.

After extensive reading and research, Leigh Lowe (author of Prima Latina, and wife of President of MP, Brian Lowe) has personally selected each of these books for our Kindergarten Read-Aloud Set as her top favorite read-alouds for the primary years (and I can tell you right now some of these are my favorite children’s books too!). These stories not only motivate children to become great readers, but they also teach them about history, geography, holidays, science, and more!

These books are used every week in the Kindergarten curriculum but are not included in the core package (see picture at very top). You can find most of them at your library or can purchase them all as a set or individually here:

• The Important Book by Margaret Wise Brown
• A Tree Is Nice by Janice May Udry
• How to Make an Apple Pie and See the World by Marjorie Priceman
• Frederick by Leo Lionni
• Follow the Dream: The Story of Christopher Columbus by Peter Sis
• Ox-Cart Man by Donald Hall
• Pumpkin Moonshine by Tasha Tudor
• The Story of Ferdinand by Munro Leaf
• Pancakes, Pancakes! by Eric Carle
• Bread and Jam for Frances by Russell Hoban
• This First Thanksgiving Day by Laura Krauss Melmed
• The Little Fir Tree by Margaret Wise Brown
• The Twelve Days of Christmas illustrated by Jan Brett
• Mr. Willowby’s Christmas Tree by Robert Barry
• Stellaluna by Janell Cannon
• Owl Moon by Jane Yolen
• Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening illustrated by Susan Jeffers
• Gregory’s Shadow by Don Freeman
• Walter the Baker by Eric Carle
• Katy and the Big Snow by Virginia Lee Burton
• The Frogs and Toads All Sang by Arnold Lobel
• Roxaboxen by Alice McLerran
• Cactus Hotel by Brenda Z. Guiberson
• Hide and Seek Fog by Alvin Tresselt
• All Things Bright and Beautiful by Cecil Frances Alexander
• A Tale for Easter by Tasha Tudor
• What Do You Do With a Tail Like This? by Steve Jenkins & Robin Page
• A House for Hermit Crab by Eric Carle
• An Extraordinary Egg by Leo Lionni
• The Seven Silly Eaters by Mary Ann Hoberman
• Come On, Rain! by Karen Hesse
• Wonders of Nature by Eloise Wilkins
• Hubert’s Hair-Raising Adventure by Bill Peet
• Abe’s Fish by Jen Bryant

Science

Science at this age is really just trying to create a sense of wonder through observing the world around them. Good books are the best way to do this. Children will soak up the information through a wonderful story. All books below coordinate with the enrichment set above when using the Memoria Press Kindergarten Enrichment Guide Book. ex: They’ll read a wonderful story about a fish, read a poem about a fish, hear a famous water piece by a famous composer, look at an art card that features a water and fishing scene and then they’ll read a couple of the books below that talk about fish and aquatic animals (in homeschooling we call this a unit study).

These books are used weekly as science books and coordinates with the read-alouds but they are purchased separately. You can find many of them at your library or purchase them all as a set or individually below:

• I Can Name 50 Trees Today! – Cat in the Hat’s Learning Library
• A Tree Is a Plant – Let’s Read and Find Out Science
• Apples – Gail Gibbons
• African Lions – Joelle Riley
• Safari So Good! – Cat in the Hat’s Learning Library
• Inside Your Outside – Cat in the Hat’s Learning Library
• There’s a Map on My Lap – Cat in the Hat’s Learning Library
• The Big Dipper – Let’s Read and Find Out Science
• The Pumpkin Book – Gail Gibbons
• Milk From Cow to Carton – Let’s Read and Find Out Science
• Oh, the Things You Can Do That Are Good For You! – Cat in the Hat’s Learning Library
• The Vegetables We Eat – Gail Gibbons
• This is the Feast – Diane Z. Shore
• Christmas Around the World – Emily Kelley
• Animals in Winter – Let’s Read and Find Out Science
• The Planets Book – Gail Gibbons
• Where are the Night Animals? – Let’s Read and Find Out Science
• Zipping Zapping Zooming Bats – Let’s Read and Find Out Science
• Owls – Gail Gibbons
• Stargazers – Gail Gibbons
• The Moon Book – Gail Gibbons
• What Is the World Made Of? – Let’s Read and Find Out Science
• Groundhog Day! – Gail Gibbons
• It’s Snowing! – Gail Gibbons
• Snow is Falling – Let’s Read and Find Out Science
• Wish for a Fish – Cat in the Hat’s Learning Library
• Would You Rather Be a Pollywog – Cat in the Hat’s Learning Library
• From Tadpoles to Frogs – Let’s Read and Find Out Science
• How a House Is Built – Gail Gibbons
• Deserts – Gail Gibbons
• Why Oh Why Are Deserts Dry? – Cat in the Hat’s Learning Library
• Surrounded by Sea – Gail Gibbons
• What Lives in a Shell? – Let’s Read and Find Out Science
• A Nest Full of Eggs – Let’s Read and Find Out Science
• Down Comes the Rain – Let’s Read and Find Out Science
• Weather Words & What They Mean – Gail Gibbons
• Water Dance – Thomas Locker
• Town Mouse, Country Mouse – Jan Brett
• On Beyond Bugs! – Cat in the Hat’s Learning Library
• Bugs Are Insects – Let’s Read and Find Out Science
• From Caterpillar to Butterfly – Let’s Read and Find Out Science
• From Seed to Plant –  Gail Gibbons
• Oh Say Can You Seed? – Cat in the Hat’s Learning Library
• How Do Birds Find Their Way? – Let’s Read and Find Out Science