The Homegrown Preschooler: Teaching Your Kids in the Places They Live caught my attention from the moment I first saw it on the shelf. My husband and I are raising our two very young children at home, what more could the authors possibly need from a target audience? Although I hesitate to call what we do ‘preschool’ because of the association with early academics, I have found The Homegrown Preschooler quite helpful.

Authors Kathy H. Lee and Lesli M. Richards come from different personal backgrounds, with different reasons for homeschooling their children. While Lee graduated in child development and worked in early childhood education before deciding to homeschool her children, Richards had little interest in education until one of her children was diagnosed with severe disabilities, causing her to prioritize providing tailored education at home. Together, the two have a wide range of experience with suggestions for equally wide ranges of homeschoolers.

The whole foundation of The Homegrown Preschooler is that children learn best through play in the home and as a function of the family. The thought is that children naturally develop physically, socially, emotionally and cognitively as they are allowed to play and be a part of the family, even more than in dedicated school environments. Other elements can be added in as appropriate for each child.

“We think that gardening is a perfect metaphor for homeschooling preschoolers. When you plant a garden, you decide what you want to harvest, then you plan in order to make that vision a reality. Educating your child at home is similar: You consider the learning style and unique talents and interests of your preschooler as you design an educational program just for him. You choose from among the best of curricula, art supplies, music, parks, museums, and enrichment classes to plant in your child the seeds of learning. Teaching your child at home for the preschool years can be full of benefits for your child and your entire family.”

In order to help start the homeschool-preschool journey, the authors provide guidance on how to set up your home and provide enriching activities in eight main areas: Home Life, Science, Gross Motor, Fine Motor, Math, Art, Social-Emotional, and Language and Emergent Literacy. Because I am in a season of life where I simply do not do activities that require set-up, I appreciate that the authors also talk about how to incorporate each of these areas into basic household tasks. My child can learn right alongside me when I’m too tired to set up anything extra, and when I do have more energy I know exactly where to find fun ideas for involved play.

The Homegrown Preschooler is an excellent introduction to homeschooling young children. I recommend it as an all-in-one beginner’s guide to raising a happy, engaged toddler– right at home.