Week 2 of preschool turned out a little differently than I had originally planned. I only saw my granddaughter twice this week. During those visits, she was not especially interested in sitting down with schoolwork. Playing was more appealing to her, and that is okay. One of the biggest lessons I have learned on this journey is that preschool at home is about being flexible. It involves following her lead. I remember that learning does not have to look like a workbook. It doesn’t need to be a lesson plan every single time.
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I had set aside some wonderful resources I was excited to use. We have been slowly introducing workbooks from Book Outlet. I also picked up Explode the Code. Additionally, I selected Preschool Math at Home to weave into our rhythm. These are great tools that gently introduce literacy and math concepts, but on these two days she was not receptive. Instead, she wanted to watch the Baby Shark Movie. And that is exactly what we did.
At first, I caught myself thinking, “But what about the lessons I had planned?” Then I realized that she is only three. There is no rush. She has years before she needs to be ready for kindergarten. This stage of life should be about cultivating curiosity, joy, and connection. It should not be about checking off boxes. Watching Baby Shark together turned into a sweet memory, full of playing, singing, giggling, and snuggling. Those moments are just as valuable as time spent practicing letters or counting.
When she was not watching Baby Shark, she naturally gravitated toward play. She pulled out her sequencing bead toy, carefully threading the pieces and making patterns. That simple activity built fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, and early math reasoning without her even realizing she was learning. She also enjoyed playing with her counting bears, sorting them by color and lining them up. She made little stories out of them. These toys encourage problem solving, sorting, and basic counting skills, all of which lay a foundation for future math success.
What this week reminded me is that preschool is not a race. It does not have to be packed with structured activities to be meaningful. Some weeks will look like lots of workbook time. Others will resemble playing with toys, watching a favorite movie, or running around outside. Every bit of it matters. Every bit of it teaches something.
So while week 2 did not go the way I originally envisioned, I still count it as a success. She laughed, she played, she explored, and we made memories. That is exactly what early learning should be about.
Here is to more weeks of playing, flexibility, fun, and following her lead, wherever it may take us.
