Kindergarten Preparation

    Congratulations on making the awesome decision to homeschool. At Summit Homeschool Academy, we're excited to support you and your child on this journey with a local community of families for encouragement and connection. One question we often hear is, "How do I prepare my child for your homeschool collaborative?" Here's how...

     Before Kindergarten, we believe childhood is precious and learning should be fun. The best prep for Pre-K is simple: lots of creative play and reading aloud together. These spark imagination, curiosity, and foundational skills. Through play and stories, kids naturally start recognizing colors, counting objects, and memorizing numbers (like 0-100). They might even begin spotting letters in books and connecting them to sounds. That's the perfect launchpad for kindergarten! 

     Our Kindergarten program at Summit Homeschool Academy is a mix of classroom and home learning. Your child gets a caring, experienced teacher in a small class (max 10 students) for 2 days a week, with 75 minutes each of Math & Reading. The teacher plans engaging activities and crafts to bring lessons to life and provides you with a pacing guide for the other 2 days you'll teach them at home. Think of your child's teacher as your "Trail Guide"- they'll offer tips and adapt to your child's unique learning stle. This balance of group and 1-on-1 time builds both social skills and personalized growth. 

    If your child already knows their letters, sounds, and can group numbers by 10 or understand number bonds, they might be ready to skip Kindergarten. Either way, we'll meet them right where they are and help them thrive!

    Getting ready for Kindergarten Math is easy and fun! You can start by exploring the Singapore Math-Dimensions curriculum, which we use in our program. This unique approach combines mastery and spiraling techniques with a metacognitive twist. Your child will not only learn what math is and how to solve problems but also gain a deep understanding of why it all works. It's an amazing journey that begins in Kindergarten, laying a solid foundation for future success. 

    This can be achieved through engaging lessons, worksheets, and hands-on activities, and manipulatives (think math toys!). To get started at home, grab a set of ten frames, linking cubes, and number bond flashcards. You can also try some online adaptive logic games for extra practice. Feeling eager? Consider ordering Singapore Math levels PK A and PK B to jump in early and get ahead. If your child completes level K before starting with us, they might even be ready to kick off in 1st grade!

     Getting a head start on Kindergarten English is simple and exciting! You can begin by exploring the Logic of English curriculum, which we use at Summit Homeschool Academy. It's based on the Ortin-Gilligham approach and is designed for children with no prior reading experience-so no formal prep is needed to join in. As a homeschool family, you might enjoy the online Master Teaching course from Logic of English. It's a self-paced training for $99 that dives deep into the program. Or, if you'd rather, you can wait for our thorough 3-hour training at the start of your child's first year. We'll walk you through using the Teacher's Guide, assessing your child, and making the most of the Student Guide, Readers, flashcards, and game cards. While it's practical and hands-on, it won't be as comprehensive as the online course.

     If your child is ready to start reading before enrolling you can introduce them to Foundations A or B-the same material we cover in Kindergarten. Not sure where to begin? Use this assessment as a guide or this tool to decide between A or B. Once they successfully complete Foundations B, they'll be ready to join Summit Homeschool Academy in 1st grade and move on to Foundations C and D.

    For a fun and easy resource, check out Leap Frog Academy. It offers engaging games and videos, with the standout being the Letter Factory video available on YouTube. It's a lively way to teach letters and their sounds. For your newborn to 5-year-old, keep it light and playful-focus on games or songs they love. Learning to read and exploring numbers should feel like playtime!