What Homeschool Preschool Should Look Like (Spoiler: There Is No "Should")
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If you’ve spent any time in homeschool groups, you’ve probably seen it:
“What curriculum should I use for my 3-year-old?”
“Should my 4-year-old be doing worksheets yet?”
“Should we be learning to read already?”
Here’s the truth: there is no should in homeschooling...especially in preschool.
Homeschooling will never look the same for every family. It won’t even look the same for your own family year to year. Life seasons shift, kids grow at different paces, and your version of “school” will grow with them. And that’s exactly how it’s supposed to be!
Play is the Work of Preschool
At ages 3–4, the very best way children learn is through playing and doing. Not table work. Not worksheets. Not drilling or quizzing. Trust that those little brains are soaking up so much that will be amazing building blocks for academics to come.
Think mud pies, pretend kitchens, block towers that crash dramatically, and dress-up adventures. Think finger songs, rhymes, and silly dances in the living room. Think discovering that bubbles float higher when you run underneath them. Think learning to count while baking cookies. There's so much to learn while living life along side your littles.
Play isn’t “extra.” Play is the learning. You don't even need a curriculum. You just need a little creativity and willingness to get a bit messy.
The Building Blocks of Early Learning
So if it’s not about sitting still at the table, what is homeschool preschool all about?
Life Skills – Helping fold laundry, pouring their own cup of water, wiping up a spill, using a spray bottle to help clean, brushing teeth, scooping and stirring in the kitchen. These are foundational lessons in independence and responsibility.
Learning Through Play & Song – Counting toy cars as you line them up, singing ABCs, clapping rhythms, or naming colors while painting.
Lots of Outdoor Time – Running, climbing, digging, and messy play outdoors helps kids build strong bodies and curious minds. Let them be bored out there in the dirt and rocks, their imagination will blossom.
Rich Experiences – Listen to different kinds of music, bake together, splash in puddles, watch ants march across the sidewalk. Library trips and being involved in the community around you. The world is their classroom. Its good to slow down and notice these things with them. There is so much to learn while just enjoying life together through art and music too.
Read Aloud (A Lot) – Stories open up vocabulary, imagination, and attention span in a way that no worksheet ever could. Read and read and read.
Don’t Skip the Foundations
Before you even think about formal writing or reading lessons, focus on what makes them possible:
Fine motor skills – threading beads, using play dough, painting, tearing paper, squeezing clothespins, scissors. Don't rush your little one. Let them build up to the skills. They will get there without the fuss this way.
Gross motor skills – jumping, climbing, balancing, running. These big movements support the core strength needed for sitting at a table later. Trust me, this really does matter.
These skills are the real “pre-writing” work happening in preschool.
The Heart of It All
Homeschool preschool doesn’t need to look like school at all. It’s about experiences and a good daily rhythm, not checklists. About nurturing curiosity, not drilling facts. About sharing wonder, not forcing structure.
So if you ever feel behind or worried you’re not doing “enough,” remember this: your preschooler’s job is to play, explore, and grow. And your job is to make space for that to happen.
That’s it. That’s homeschool preschool.
✨ If you are looking for more play based table work, check out our shop here. We have morning baskets and other tools to help grow your kiddos minds while also encouraging play.
✨ Follow us on IG and Pinterest for more activity and play ideas to implement throughout your day @thepaperplayroom