Curriculum: Weekly or Monthly Letters, Numbers, Shapes and Colors

[MarinaVanessa]

Currently my curriculum is done by having monthly themes which are broken down into smaller and more focused sub themes.

So far I do the same for my letters, numbers, shapes and colors and work on them monthly.
I'll do 2-3 per month since there are 26
I'll do 1 number per month for numbers 1-10 with a review of 1-10 and an intro of 10-20 the last week
And one shape and color per month.
All of the above are done on a 10 month span (Sept through June)
July and august I do a simpler curriculum where we focus on shapes, colors and numbers.


I've been thinking about how I do my curriculum and I'm wondering if having one number, shape, and color a month is enough or if I should introduce a new one every other week or something.
I'm hung up on the idea about when I get new clients that start in the middle of the curriculum and start learning numbers at like 5 or something and miss some shapes, colors etc.

What are your thoughts. Am I over thinking it?
How do you do it?

Woops, I put this in the wrong section. Can someone move it to the regular daycare section please!!

[Country Kids]

I do MGT, so we monthly do:

1 shape
2 colors
2-3 numbers
2-3 letters

In the summer we really do nothing as its downtime for me and them. Parents are fine with this and then we actually spend about 7-9 hours outside exploring, learning, just having fun!!!!

[EntropyControlSpecialist]

I went from a bought curriculum (for homeschooling and one that the local school district's preschools use) to incorporating parts of them into my own.

During Circle Time we do our "favorite letter of the week" in addition to discussing our theme. We do the days of the week and the months of the year. We have a "favorite color" each week that we spell about and sing about.

At afternoon Circle Time we spell the month we are in and look at the calendar counting up to the day we are at. We talk about yesterday was ___, today is ___, tomorrow will be ___. We go through a coin chant. We go through our sight words on our word wall. We review our class rules again. We review our commandment (we change the commandment every 2 weeks and they can tell you who made the 10 Commandments and things of that nature as well). We recite our Bible verse that is rotated every 2 weeks. We also read the Bible and discuss who created it, where God lives, how we talk to God, how He talks to us, and we spell things in the Bible.

We do this year round. There are no breaks, unless I am just having a really tired day and then we take it a LITTLE easier but still maintain the same structure of the day.

[AmyKidsCo]

I don't do Number/Letter/Shape of the Week, I incorporate those things naturally as they come up in our everyday play.

Generally the children start by learning the first letter of their name, then the first letters of their friend's names. Little by little they learn the other letters in their name and their friends' names. As they grow more interested in letters and reading I introduce environmental words - STOP on the stop sign, IN, OUT, etc.

Colors and shapes start very early - "Look, you have a red block" "Can you put the circle in the hole?"

Numbers start early too - we count lots of things throughout the day, read number books, and play matching games to help with number recognition.

[MarinaVanessa]

I've used MGT too and tried TLB as well as Preschool Palace. All do monthly numbers, shapes and colors. These are also all based on pretty much a regular "school year" where the kids all start at the same time and go through to the end. What about the kids that start after when the curriculum starts?

For example I start in September so if I get a new client which starts in December then they miss the letters A-I, the numbers 1-3, the shapes circle, square & oval and the colors red, green, black, orange & brown. They have to wait until next September for the actual curriculum to start again in September to have an actual focus (we discuss all colors, shapes and numbers throughout the year but don't focus activities on any other than the ones that our main focus). In the summer the curriculum is more like a review to keep them from losing what they learned but not really deep KWIM?

I was just wondering if the kids were fine starting later and missing some letters, numbers, shapes and colors. We will be doing them again the following year so they should be fine rihgt?

[momofsix]

I think it's fine! It's not like the letters/shapes/colors that you've already covered in earlier months get "put away" or anything. the child is still exposed to them through your normal daily environment and routines. Sure they don't get the "focused" lesson on a few, but as they learn the others I think they will just naturally pick up on the ones they missed.

[MsLaura529]

I'm trying to create a monthly curriculum now, where I'm going to have a theme for the month (like April's theme is Spring), and then have letters, numbers, and shapes that can be associated with that particular theme. Ex: Letters will be S is for spring, B is for Birds, K is for Kite, U is for Umbrella, and R is for Rain. Shapes will be oval (used in crafts for storms clouds and the bodies of birds) and diamond (for the kites). Numbers will most likely go in order, but counting will be discussed regularly. Does this make sense? I'm doing it this way because some of the letters, numbers, and shapes will be revisited in the different themes, and I don't have to worry about anyone "missing out" on them if they're done in order.

[EntropyControlSpecialist]

I've used MGT too and tried TLB as well as Preschool Palace. All do monthly numbers, shapes and colors. These are also all based on pretty much a regular "school year" where the kids all start at the same time and go through to the end. What about the kids that start after when the curriculum starts?

For example I start in September so if I get a new client which starts in December then they miss the letters A-I, the numbers 1-3, the shapes circle, square & oval and the colors red, green, black, orange & brown. They have to wait until next September for the actual curriculum to start again in September to have an actual focus (we discuss all colors, shapes and numbers throughout the year but don't focus activities on any other than the ones that our main focus). In the summer the curriculum is more like a review to keep them from losing what they learned but not really deep KWIM?

I was just wondering if the kids were fine starting later and missing some letters, numbers, shapes and colors. We will be doing them again the following year so they should be fine rihgt?

Yes, they will be fine. They'll also likely pick it up in other ways.

[My3cents]

Mother Goose Time-

How do you all like it? For those of you that use it or have used it?

How easy is it? Does everything come with it? Would love in debt details of this program. Please also add how long you have used it. Does it incorporate days that come up, like Mothers Day, Christmas, Cinco De Mayo etc.... or is it just strictly the theme of the month?


I don't like the price.......but when you break it down- it does seem to break about even. Is it worth the price?

Do I have to cut everything out? Can you use what you want, pick and choose and still add in your own stuff? Do they really give you enough products?

just want MTG Feedback

Thank you---

[Country Kids]

Mother Goose Time-

How do you all like it? For those of you that use it or have used it?

How easy is it? Does everything come with it? Would love in debt details of this program. Please also add how long you have used it. Does it incorporate days that come up, like Mothers Day, Christmas, Cinco De Mayo etc.... or is it just strictly the theme of the month?


I don't like the price.......but when you break it down- it does seem to break about even. Is it worth the price?

Do I have to cut everything out? Can you use what you want, pick and choose and still add in your own stuff? Do they really give you enough products?

just want MTG Feedback

Thank you---

Love, love, love MGT!!!

Very easy! Yes there is some cutting out but alot of perferated edge projects also.

Yes, the main holidays are included with a project, song, always something is added for that day.

I have lost count of how many years I have used it and it just seems to get better and better-happyface

It comes with alot to do but I always add more! I put magnets on the back of the words we are working on, then put them on our white board, stories pieced I add magnets so they can go on the white board and the kids can use them. I do lots each month with magnets for the whiteboard.

Then the lessons themselves I add alot to and my kids love it! You could go strictly by the book or embrace it and make it you own. There is no right or wrong way. If we don't get something done or a whole day done, we jus pick up the next day and continue.

The price shocks everyone but when you break it down, its so cheap for everything you get. For six kids there is no way I could supply everything for the price it costs me. I did my own curriculum when hubs said something about the price but quickly went back to it after WE would sit each evening for quiet awhile doing cutting outs, printing, looking things up, etc. It also wasn't cost effective.

I would maybe order a sample from them to see for yourself. The ladies are so nice in the office and so helpful. If you have anymore questions feel free to ask or pm-

[Angelsj]

I've used MGT too and tried TLB as well as Preschool Palace. All do monthly numbers, shapes and colors. These are also all based on pretty much a regular "school year" where the kids all start at the same time and go through to the end. What about the kids that start after when the curriculum starts?

For example I start in September so if I get a new client which starts in December then they miss the letters A-I, the numbers 1-3, the shapes circle, square & oval and the colors red, green, black, orange & brown. They have to wait until next September for the actual curriculum to start again in September to have an actual focus (we discuss all colors, shapes and numbers throughout the year but don't focus activities on any other than the ones that our main focus). In the summer the curriculum is more like a review to keep them from losing what they learned but not really deep KWIM?

I was just wondering if the kids were fine starting later and missing some letters, numbers, shapes and colors. We will be doing them again the following year so they should be fine rihgt?

One suggestion might be to do a "review" week here and there. You can stick one into the months that have five weeks. At that time, you can review all the numbers/letters/colors/shapes up to that point. If a child does not remember them (or hasn't done them) you might spend a little extra time with that kiddo to catch up, but most kids learn through repetition anyway, so it will not hurt them to just join in with the group.

Personally, I don't use a "curriculum" unless I have a regular kiddo that needs to catch up before school. *I* know what letter/number/shape/color we are focusing on for the week, but I don't make a big deal of letting them know. I just work it into our conversations as much as I can. We talk about the others as well, if they come up. I just have kind of a "focus."
I may serve a "square" lunch or a "purple" lunch or we might make something with varied sizes of purple squares glued onto another sheet...etc.

I just don't do something formal or worksheets unless I need a child to learn how to print the letters and numbers because they are headed to school soon. Even then we start with the Handwriting without tears style of forming letters and numbers with playdo or a mini chalkboard first.

[Laurel]

I don't do Number/Letter/Shape of the Week, I incorporate those things naturally as they come up in our everyday play.

Generally the children start by learning the first letter of their name, then the first letters of their friend's names. Little by little they learn the other letters in their name and their friends' names. As they grow more interested in letters and reading I introduce environmental words - STOP on the stop sign, IN, OUT, etc.

Colors and shapes start very early - "Look, you have a red block" "Can you put the circle in the hole?"

Numbers start early too - we count lots of things throughout the day, read number books, and play matching games to help with number recognition.

I don't do a curriculum at all. I do what you do. All of my children are well prepared for kindergarten.

I try to also have times so they can have solitude. Mostly in the stroller. Sometimes I talk and point out things and sometimes we all just quietly enjoy the view, the weather, etc. I want them to enjoy life. They'll have plenty of time for school later.

That may sound contradictory but I had an example in this one dcm I had. She was constantly 'teaching' her child something. I felt like saying "Be quiet and let the child think." :: It gave ME a headache to hear her. I felt kinda sorry for the child sometimes.

Laurel