Preschool is a time of wonder and tremendous growth. Two, three, four, and five-year-olds are eager to learn new things and they approach each task with focused joy. It's truly a gift to have a preschooler at home.
I have one more year with my youngest son before he heads off to kindergarten next year and I'm striving to savor these precious moments together.
If you have a preschooler too, welcome to my 2021 Back-to-School Guide! I've pulled together a list of some of our favorite clothes, shoes, gear, and educational products for preschoolers.
Whether your preschooler will be putting on a backpack and going into a traditional classroom or staying at home for the year, you're bound to find a few favorite things from this list.
My favorite kind of clothes for little boys are the kind that look like miniature men's clothes - and this is precisely what Janie & Jack offers. Your little guy will look like he's headed off to Harvard, Yale, Wall Street, or a swanky corner office in these sophisticated styles. From polos and cardigans to bow ties and dress slacks, you'll find handsome styles for your son to wear all about town.
Our family has loved Tea Collection for over a decade. I first fell in love with their soft, stretchy, and international-inspired pieces for little girls when my oldest was a baby (fifteen years ago!) - but we now love their separates for little boys just as much! Each new season is as adorable as the next. Sizes range from newborn up to 16.
Our youngest child will be aging out of Zutano pieces soon (sniff!), but if you have a newborn up to age 4...you will want to check out this brand! Headquartered in Massachusetts, Zutano is particularly well-known for their soft & snug baby booties, warm winter hats, and organic pajama sets. If you're expecting a new little one, note that Zutano has a new maternity line called Tupelo Honey.
Last year, my son completed the PreK curriculum from The Good and The Beautiful - and we both loved it! It was super easy for me to do with him. In fact, I would describe it as "grab and go" because it required almost no prep work. The best part about the curriculum, however, is how BEAUTIFUL it truly was (hence the name). Each workbook included vibrant colors and gorgeous artwork that drew in both me and my child.
For 2021-22, we just started the (brand NEW) Math K Course Set, which is proving to be an excellent "next step" as we prepare for Kindergarten next year. I also plan to work through the Maturation & Sexual Reproduction Science Unit with my two elementary age daughters this year. The sample pages look excellent!
Reading Eggs is a supplemental online program that teaches reading, phonics, sight words, letters, numbers, and counting...in a fun way! There are games, videos, and various activities that help keep kids engaged in the learning process.
A Reading Eggs subscription actually includes five programs: Reading Eggs Junior (ages 2-4), Reading Eggs (ages 3-7), Fast Phonics (ages 5-10), Reading Eggspress (ages 7-13), and Mathseeds (ages 3-9). The cost is currently $9.95/month or $69.95/year - which includes access for 4 children to all five programs.
Although you can't expect to plop your children down to play and have them magically learn to read, you can expect there to be reinforcement for what you are teaching at home. Plus, your young children will likely love Reading Eggs and *ask* to have time on the computer. We generally don't allow our children to have much screen time, but this is something that I generally feel fine saying "yes" to if I need to get some work done around the house. On the fence? There's a 30-day free trial!
We read the Bible together as a family regularly and it always warms my heart when our preschooler crawls up on my lap with his Bible and asks me to "find the chapter." We love The Complete Illustrated Children's Bible for this age range, but we also recently discovered the NlrV Adventure Bible for Early Readers, which will be a good pick for him in the coming years. His sister has the Adventure Bible too!
What are your favorite clothes, shoes, and educational products for preschoolers?
SEE OUR 2021 BACK-TO-SCHOOL GUIDES FOR ELEMENTARY & MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL.