prek/k workbooks

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  • March 10, 2013 at 3:23 am
    mrsmccardell
    Participant

    I know some of you use these for busy work and I’m wondering if any of you have favorites. I’m really trying to make fun homemade things but need some resources to alternate with so I can get a break. This goes along with the fact that I’m trying to train my 2yo to work on some sit-down time (5-10mins) so she’s not so disruptive.

    Any favorites?

    Thanks

    March 10, 2013 at 3:41 am
    JennyMN
    Participant

    The Rod and Staff workbooks are nice and very cheap.  I never required my daugher to do them but she wanted to “do school” like her big sisters.

    March 10, 2013 at 3:54 am
    sheraz
    Participant

    I like the cheap ones from Walmart, Kmart, or Staples. $4 or $5 for a few months of busy work is great. 😉 

    March 10, 2013 at 10:53 am
    Tristan
    Participant

    Brainquest PreK Workbook is one we’ve had around that gets used when the mood strikes a little one. Places to check to buy and compare prices are a store like WalMart, Amazon.com, and even Ebay.

    March 10, 2013 at 12:43 pm
    HollyS
    Participant

    We also like Rod and Staff, but for ages 4 or even 4.5 and up…I think they are intended for K.  This set is more appropriate for 3yos: http://www.milestonebooks.com/list/Study_Time_Preschool/

    Also Kumon makes some good workbooks for preschool…I like to put them in page protectors and let them use a dry-erase marker (except for the cutting/pasting ones of course).  The letters, tracing, and mazes books are favorites here…as well as the cutting, pasting, or sticker ones  This is a nice cover that can hold a larger workbook without tearing it apart: http://www.rainbowresource.com/product/sku/045508/cbbe859812f5ca9bbd15247d

    Also, the dollar store workbooks are nice…We use them especially when I’m not keeping as close an eye on them.  If they start scribbling all over the page, I don’t worry that we wasted an expensive Kumon book.  Embarassed

    I also give them dry-erase boards and markers to draw with.  I do have to keep an eye on them so they aren’t drawing on themselves at that age!  

    March 10, 2013 at 12:43 pm
    MamaSnow
    Participant

    We like the Rod and Staff workbooks too – I am actually using this set: http://www.milestonebooks.com/list/Study_Time_Preschool/ with my dd almost 3 and she LOVES them. I just made her her own ‘school box’ like her older brother and sister have and she thinks this is about the coolest thing EVER to have a school box with her own little book in it. We also like some of the Kumon ones (especially the cutting and pasting ones), although those are a little pricy IMO. We also I printed out the animal alphabet cut and paste crafts from here http://www.1plus1plus1equals1.com/AnimalABC.html(we’re only using the cut and paste, not the rest of it) and she really likes that too (she asks me everyday when we are starting school “Is it time to do our cut and paste mom?”) She tends to need help with things like these, however, so I start our school time with a story and activity (from one of the above) so she and I have some 1 on 1 time before I work with the others. For things she can do independently, the best things we’ve found are coloring, dot markers, stickers, and random scraps of paper to cut up. I’m too lazy to make all those cute busy bag activities out there, so these are some of the things we’ve found work well for us that have almost no prep time to set up. =)

    Jen

    March 10, 2013 at 1:09 pm
    Questa7
    Member

    I second Kumon…they are wonderful!!

    March 10, 2013 at 6:04 pm
    JennyMN
    Participant

    You can also print a set of worksheets from this website-  http://www.learningpage.com .  You’ll want to create a free account and log in.  I think you get access to more that way.  The sets are “buried” in the site but go to the “theme sheets” and choose “funsheets” under any of the themes (oceans, zoo).  Then you will have the option to print an entire unit based on grade and subject. 

    They’re free!

    March 11, 2013 at 12:31 am
    eawerner
    Participant

    We used and enjoyed the Kumon workbooks for dd.  Mostly the cutting, pasting, and tracing ones.  Ds has also done a couple of them.  I think if he wanted to ‘do school’ this year I would probably get the R&S ones though.

    March 11, 2013 at 4:10 pm
    Katrina in AK
    Participant

    I have found Kumon ones at Costco in bundles of 3 for quite a bit less. Also, the Brainquest one Tristan mentioned.

    Target has many in the dollar aisle, right around fall, and even other times of the year.

    I had to smile, because my boys are working in a Kumon maze book as I type!

    March 11, 2013 at 4:33 pm
    crazy4boys
    Participant

    I like Explode the Code.  I also print out stuff from Confessions of a Homeschooler and Homeschool Creations.

    March 11, 2013 at 4:37 pm
    csmamma
    Participant

    I second Rod & Staff for littles (pre thru K) – especially Bible stories to read and color.

    March 11, 2013 at 5:24 pm
    mrsmccardell
    Participant

    Thanks for all the wonderful responses!  I’m amazed…I assumed workbooks would be thumbs down according to the majority!  I didn’t know everyone did some workbooks!  Here I was trying to avoid them because they sometimes feel forced or silly.  I’m seeing they definitely can help in some areas or times of the day.  

    @JennyMN you were right about all the fun worksheets hiding!  

    Heading to convention in May so I’ll see the Rod & Staff in person…I guess alomg with Kumon!

    March 11, 2013 at 7:43 pm
    eawerner
    Participant

    I think everyone here would probably give a thumbs down to forced preK curriculum workbooks.  If you find some activity books that are just fun to your preschooler, that’s different. 🙂

    March 11, 2013 at 8:34 pm
    sheraz
    Participant

    That’s why I use the cheap ones – it is not the focus of our day, it’s busy work for when they want it and I am not available for more prefered methods of teaching. 😉 Then I don’t feel weird about not doing every.single.page or recycling them to other homes.

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