I was in the camp of "you don't need a curriculum for your young child" until I had a young child who needed a curriculum. He didn't need instruction, but structure. We tried many options, and I realized that I wanted a different feeling in our home for the early years. 

Playful experiences. 

A life fed on ideas. 

Not a lesser amount of formal lessons. 

Nothing formal at all. 

For over a year, I've toyed with the thought of creating a play-based menu of ideas. something that we could pick and choose from, have a structured activity when we need it, and not feel the guilt of another to-do list left undone. 

Related: The Complete Charlotte Mason Preschool Guide

Introducing the Idea Nest

In 2020, I'm putting together free monthly ideas for your early years preschool and mine. The ideas will center around a theme, but not in a unit-study kind of way. We'll explore ideas through books, hymns, Bible stories, and play-based activities. 

January's theme is Fresh Start. You and your family can work on the habit of forgiveness and rework your routines for a fresh start in the New Year. 

Not A Curriculum

Since I didn't want a curriculum, this isn't one. Choose activities that work for your family. When creating this resource, I also thought about my older child. There are things in the Idea Nest that she will love, too, and can be used as a supplement to her year one curriculum. 

My middle guy is so obviously pleased when he knows I have a plan for him and not just his sister. When I pull out a designated book to read to him, or have a little activity, he suddenly feels included. Homeschooling is no longer something just for his big sister and me. He's a part of it, too. 

Read: Why Our Preschool At Home Is Different This Year

Low Prep Ideas

I am not a mom with a lot of extra time for cutesy stuff (have you seen my Instagram account? Hardly a cutesy thing present. Except for my kids 🙂 ) There are a few tools that we use outside that are really fun, but they are mostly ready to go. If there's any preparation for an activity in the Idea Nest, it is very straightforward and not time consuming. 

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