— July 16, 2024

What does a week of lessons look like with a preschooler? How much time is dedicated to their lessons? What about review? Is each learning time meticulously planned? 

There are so many questions when discussing preschool at home. In addition to questions are the variety of answers and what works for each family. In this week of Ii is for Insect you will hopefully have some questions answered pertaining to review. 

Ii is for Insect is a week’s worth of lessons created to promote a play based learning environment at home. Activity ideas, printables, games, coloring pages, and book suggestions are all included for free. Check it out at the button below. 

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How to plan a week.

Three days a week of themed activities or games is a perfect amount. These activities or games are usually a little more time-consuming, 30 minutes at most of the activity itself. 

However, the time given to our preschooler does not stop there. Additionally there are review sessions whether they be planned or spontaneous. 

The planned review time usually occurs while my 3 year old’s big brother completes his independent work. For instance, putting together his wooden alphabet puzzle or practicing his letter recognition with the Train Wall Display printable. Some review sessions are independent. For example, I allow him to assemble his alphabet puzzle on his own sometimes and other times I sit with him and each letter he places he names for me.

Spontaneous review time occurs at a whim or if we are reading a book. Such as, singing the alphabet song in the van, reading an A-Z alphabet book, or counting when playing hide and seek. Save spontaneous review sessions for between your child and yourself. The reason is you do not want to put them on the spot in front of family or friends.

A preschooler’s Ii is for Insect week at a glance.

Monday highlight: Train Car Wall Display printable and Apple Math

Morning basket kick-starts most of our days. I read themed insect books for my 3 year old, Mick, before reading books chosen for my 5 year old. Then, he is introduced the new letter, “I” using the Train Wall Display. You can get the printable by following the link. Also available are acorn and caterpillar wall displays. After Mick has colored in the uppercase and lowercase letters he gets to hang it next to “H” on the wall. We then review the other letters he knows. 

Later in the day we sat down again to practice number recognition of numbers 0-10. We use a printable, Apple Math, for this. This printable is free, just follow the link. Usually this time occurs during little brother’s nap time. 

Tuesday highlight: Matching insects

Morning basket started our day. Followed by a review using the Train Wall Display. The planned activity for the day was perfect for Mo, little brother, to join in on. The activity utilizes insect stickers and matching them to a printable. He simply enjoys playing with stickers even if he does not learn about characteristics of insects.

Later in the day a spontaneous review session occurred. We played hide-and-seek allowing Mick to practice counting to 10. The other two siblings hide while he practices counting to 10 before we seek.

Wednesday highlight: How do insects eat?

A normal beginning to our day with morning basket. During this morning basket I also planned to read Dr. Seuss’s ABC book. Then the planned review continued with the wooden alphabet puzzle. 

During Mo’s nap is when I brought out the supplies for the How do insects eat? activity. You can read more about that activity by clicking the link. Mick colored the first coloring page for Ii is for Insect while I did this. How do insects eat? Is an engaging and play based learning experience for preschoolers. They get to learn and try to eat the way insects do. Best of all, the supplies are usually common household items.

After Mo woke up from his nap we had an appointment to attend. On the drive there we sang the Alphabet song many times. Then on the way back we listened to an audio book for big brother.

Thursday highlight: Insect hunting

Fridays we attend nature group so this is our last day of the week and we ended it with a bang! We went insect hunting!

Immediately after morning basket and review I was still working with Marty on his lesson. We were not able to go straight outside so to entertain Mick I gave him the second coloring page. 

As soon as we all finished it was time to go hunting. You can use nets, I had one for when my eldest did his letter of the week. These nets are the ones we used. I was very surprised at the durability of them.

This time around I was curious just how much insect catching and observing we could do without a net. After trying both ways (with a net for my eldest the first time and without a net with my second child) I found that the net is very handy but only to be offered for use after observing the insects. Otherwise, the boys became too hyper focused on using the cool net and not so much on the insects themselves. 

Friday Highlight: Continuing Spontaneous Review and Nature Group.

As I said before, on Fridays we attend our local nature group. This also presents the opportunity for more insect observation. In our regular daily life if I see a pretty, creepy, gnarly, funny, or really any type of insect I will call for the boys to come have a look. They now call for me, and naturally I come running because who is not fascinated by God’s creation?

On our drive there we again sang the alphabet song. As well as Old McDonald Had a Farm with “e, i, e, i, o” replaced with the vowels, “a, e, i, o, u.”

Insects 

The ninth letter of the alphabet offers lessons to teach your child about how insects eat, to the difference between insects and bugs, or even to observing them in their natural habitat. Everything is focused around the fascinating world of insects. We all know that insects have captivated the attention of children for a very long time. Why not explore their world in a purposeful way? Click Ii is for Insect to learn more about what the week has to offer.

Letter of the Week 

To successfully teach your child the alphabet with the letter of the week there must be review time. Whether that time is spontaneous or planned, as long as your child is seeing former letters they will pick up the alphabet quickly and already have a great foundation for knowing the sound each letter makes by identifying the corresponding theme. Check out letter of the week by clicking the button.