Starting home schooling?

Question

i know everything i have to do to get started but i dont know what i can start doing for my 8month old i want to get a early start but only on hands on stimulation is there anything out there you recommend to get started?? what curriculum do you recommend that is all about hands on and that is not Christian based? no offense to anyone but i already know some Christian curriculum just looking to see if there are other types out there that isnt based on religion....

Answer 1

The best thing that you can do for your baby is to simply play with her, read to her, play music for her and to love and cuddle her.  

You won't need any "curriculum" for a long time yet.  If you continue to read to her every day, she will want to look at her books by herself anyway, and soon show an interest in learning to read.  The best thing that you can do for her is to nurture her love of learning and not destroy that by forcing things on her at too early an age.

Answer 2

It is great you are already thinking about your homeschooling.  If you are talking curriculum for a 8 month old I suggest the best is No curriculum. If you are just looking around for the future I suggest going to a homeschool convention when they have them in your area. That way you can look around what they do offer. Right now I would think it would be too early to even think about curriculum seeing you won't know what kind of leaner your child will be and what would be best suited for your particular child. Also most of the time people won't find a one curriculum that fits all. Sometimes you will need to try it and find out that way.

Right now the best thing you can do for your child is just love him or her, read to your baby is an excellent start, talk to your baby about everything you do with him or her, spend time down on the floor with your baby playing simple games, singing to your baby, introduction to music.

When your baby gets to Toddler age would be a good time to introduce art and hands on activities.

Answer 3

8m is too young for a curriculum. Just learning about the world: how to talk and walk etc. is the job of an older baby. My children learned their colors at two years and words like over, under, beside. They also learned counting to ten and a few memory verses. Learning how to control their attention and developing a longer attention span is key for the preschool years.

Answer 4

The only curriculum I know is Rod & Staff, but unfortunately it is Christian based.

Answer 5

Most parents do not realize that every child is "homeschooled" from before they are even born. My Philosophy of homeschooling is that the child teaches his/her self. They do not need any "curriculum" to do that. They begin learning from the very start.

As an example, not very many people sit their baby down and say Ah, EEE, iiii, oooooo, uuuuuu to their child to teach it to speak. Children learn these sounds all by themselves, and they soon learn to turn the sounds into words, with out much help from us. We might emphasize some words, but that is just to help them along.

They learn entirely on their own. Look at several websites that provide information on child development, and get some ideas there, but do not be overly concerned with "formal" instruction at any age. Children love to learn, and need to be left to their own choices. Otherwise, they just lose their love of learning.

The job of the parents is to provide a varied and stimulating place to learn, and let them have at it. I used to just take my toddlers and older to the library and let them choose what they were interested in, with a little nudge on my part to vary their experiences.