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Home / Early Childhood Classroom / THE Best Way to Handle Kindergarten and Preschool Homework

THE Best Way to Handle Kindergarten and Preschool Homework

Shared by Mary Catherine 30 Comments

Learn how to create a meaningful preschool homework plan for your students using a homework calendar. Be sure to check out the rest of my free preschool printables next!

Below I’ll share how to incorporate a preschool homework calendar into your plans. These homework activities are perfect for preschool, pre-k, and kindergarten students.

Be sure to note that this isn’t a “traditional” homework plan. Not by a longshot! Instead, it’s focused on hands-on, age-appropriate activities (rather than inappropriate worksheets and such).

Families reading and building together with text that reads preschool homework

“Miss Mary Catherine, what about homework? Her brothers have homework most nights, and I could really use some help in that department.”

Questions like this one aren’t unusual at preschool and kindergarten Back-to-School Nights or Meet the Teacher gatherings. At least not for me.

Parents want the best when it comes to their children’s education, and it’s often assumed homework is an integral part of that.

But early childhood educators want to do what’s developmentally appropriate and best for their students – and research has shown that traditional homework doesn’t fit into that. So how to do we merge each of these viewpoints?

Table of Contents

  • Do We Really Need Preschool Homework?
  • The BEST Way to Handle Kindergarten and Preschool Homework
    • Kindergarten and Preschool Homework Calendars
    • Preschool Homework Ideas
  • A Year’s Worth of Preschool Homework Calendars
  • Free Printable Preschool Homework Calendar
    • How to Use the Activity Calendar
    • Get the Free Printable
  • Supplies to Keep at Home

Do We Really Need Preschool Homework?

As I mentioned above, I’ve noticed that many parents ask about homework. I think some people assume school and homework go hand-in-hand. I’m referring here to the traditional view of homework, with kids sitting down at the kitchen table to fill out pages and pages of worksheets.

I’m inclined to disagree with that, especially when it comes to early childhood students. Young kids need hands-on learning experiences, both at home and at school, to grasp important early learning concepts. I most definitely don’t think the traditional worksheet homework is appropriate for young kids.

Listening to books read by their parents, free play time at home, and maybe some additional hands-on learning activities are more along the lines of the kind of homework I recommend.

The BEST Way to Handle Kindergarten and Preschool Homework

So we’ve established that sit down, pencil to paper homework isn’t that great for preschool and kindergarten. How, then, should homework be handled?

My suggestion: create a preschool homework plan centered around monthly activity calendars.

Explain the research to the parents, and have a quick chat about developmentally appropriate practice. Stress the importance of down time after school, and encourage daily reading snuggled up with the kids.

At this point, parents might still want something more. That’s where the homework calendars come in.

Kindergarten and preschool homework calendars full of hands-on activities

Kindergarten and Preschool Homework Calendars

The printable homework calendars I’ve sent home are definitely not preschool worksheets. They include a variety of tasks that kids can do – sometimes with their families, and sometimes on their own. My goal is for my students, and their parents, to see how learning can take place in a wide variety of ways. Additionally, kiddos with older siblings love having their own “homework” to complete like their big brother or sister.

To put together homework calendars for your students, brainstorm ideas that cover topics such as:

  • Literacy
  • Math
  • Science
  • Fine motor skills
  • Gross motor skills
  • Helping others
  • Self-help skills

Try to keep the daily activities simple, with some ideas the kids can do on their own and some they can try with their parents or siblings. Some of the calendar ideas can relate to your preschool themes, seasons or holidays, or everyday helping tasks.

These homework calendars can go home in their personalized folders at the beginning of the month, with the kids returning them at the end of the month. They can also just be used as suggestions when parents ask about homework for preschool kiddos.

Preschool Homework Ideas

As I mentioned earlier, using monthly calendars for preschool homework is NOT like traditional paper-and-pencil homework. The calendars are meant to be filled with developmentally-appropriate activities kids can do at home.

If you need some ideas to add to the calendars, here you go:

  • Go for a walk outside and count the trees.
  • Tell your family about what you did on the playground today.
  • Listen to a family member read a book.
  • Try to do 5 jumping jacks.
  • Draw a picture of your favorite animal.
  • Sing a song to your family.

As you can see, these are simple and very appropriate activities for young children. And none of them are focused on tracing the number 1 twenty times.

I’d love to hear your thoughts now! How do you handle preschool homework (or kindergarten homework)?

A Year’s Worth of Preschool Homework Calendars

I’m so excited to share with you how you can get a hold of the rest of the calendars now! I’ve received a lot of wonderful emails asking for an entire year’s worth of calendars. Thanks so much for reaching out – I love hearing from you!

So here it is – a full year’s worth of editable homework calendars. It’s a set that includes homework calendars for every month of the year. Each calendar is an editable printable, and there are three versions:

  • One has seasonal clip art,
  • One has non-seasonal clip art, and
  • One doesn’t have any clip art. Each month has a version that’s already full of activity ideas, along with a blank version (but you’re able to edit every single version).

Click on the image below to get your own set of preschool or kindergarten homework calendars from Preschool Teacher101:

preschool homework calendars cover
Editable Homework Calendars

Be sure to join The Pack from Preschool Teacher 101’s waiting list. Members get access to all we have to offer – fully-developed lesson plans, digital games, dramatic play packs, circle time song activities, STEM challenges, and so much more!

Free Printable Preschool Homework Calendar

I’m happy to share one of my homework calendars with you. It’s even editable! That way, teachers (and parents!) can put their own spin on the homework.

How to Use the Activity Calendar

Grab the September homework calendar PDF and open it up. Click on any of the editable areas and make your own changes. You can change:

  • The directions at the top of the calendar
  • The date (just the number)
  • Each of the homework tasks within the squares

Then print out the calendar and share with your students’ parents. You’re welcome to leave everything the way I’ve written it too. That’s what I am loving about editable PDFs – the flexibility of customizing documents.

Take a look at the homework calendars in action in the video below:

Get the Free Printable

This free printable preschool homework calendar is available to members of Fun-A-Day’s free email community. If you’re a member, fill out the form below and the download links will be sent to your inbox. If you’re not a member, you can join us by entering your information in the form. Then you’ll receive the printable as a welcome gift!

You can also access the form in a new tab if you’d prefer.

Supplies to Keep at Home

Our homework calendars have some great examples of short learning prompts to give to challenge your children with. On top of those prompts, I think it’s really important to spend quality time playing with your children each day as well.

But it can be difficult to bring out our-inner child to play with our actual child. That’s why I’ve created this list of some things to play with your kids. Check it out below!

I may get commissions for purchases made through links in this post.

  • Build with blocks
  • Play with toy vehicles
  • Pretend play with various play sets
  • Play dress up with costumes and masks
  • Work a puzzle
  • Play age-appropriate games with the whole family
  • Bounce, throw, and kick playground balls back and forth
  • Play tag
  • Color in coloring books or draw pictures
  • Read stories
  • Draw with sidewalk chalk
  • Create crafts
  • Let your child decide!

Just follow your child’s lead and the two of you are sure to have a blast! Remember – your child will cherish any time you spend with them. They’ll cherish that quality time even more when you’re investing in them and doing something they love. So don’t worry about embarrassing yourself or looking silly. In my book, the sillier – the better!

Smiling child with had raised and text that reads the best preschool homework plan

Originally published August 8, 2016

Filed Under: Early Childhood Classroom Tagged With: Free Printable, homework

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  1. Dana says

    August 8, 2016 at 10:52 pm

    What a great idea and the clip art- so cute! I could definitely use this with my little ones!

    Reply
    • Mary Catherine says

      August 9, 2016 at 12:39 am

      Thanks so much, Dana!

      Reply
  2. mary says

    August 9, 2016 at 9:27 am

    will you have the rest of the months available? this is good!

    Reply
    • Mary Catherine says

      August 9, 2016 at 10:46 am

      Thanks so much, Mary! I’ll be working on the rest of the months soon, yes. Glad you like it. 🙂

      Reply
  3. Stephanie Cook says

    August 9, 2016 at 5:21 pm

    Hi There!

    I would love to win this CD! I am a preschool teacher and would use it for my class. 🙂

    Thanks!

    Reply
    • Mary Catherine says

      August 9, 2016 at 6:39 pm

      Wonderful, Stephanie! It’s pretty awesome. 🙂

      Reply
  4. Christina says

    August 9, 2016 at 7:01 pm

    Thank you so much. This calendar is perfect for “homework.” I’d love to buy the rest of your calendars, if you chose to create them!

    Reply
    • Mary Catherine says

      August 9, 2016 at 9:19 pm

      You’re so sweet, thanks Christina! I’ll be working on the rest of the calendars soon! 🙂

      Reply
  5. Olivia says

    August 11, 2016 at 8:48 am

    What an awesome calendar and a fun way for “homework” I would use the CD for my preschool room!

    Reply
    • Mary Catherine says

      August 11, 2016 at 5:00 pm

      Thanks, Olivia. 🙂

      Reply
  6. Maegan says

    August 11, 2016 at 2:08 pm

    As a kindergarten teacher that is reticent to give “homework,” this calendar is perfect! I can’t wait to utilize it and to see the future months.

    I love making different signs and worksheets for my classroom to make things cute and bright and the Kiddlywinks CD would be perfect! No more searching! Thanks so much!

    Reply
    • Mary Catherine says

      August 11, 2016 at 5:01 pm

      Thanks, Maegan! It is a pretty versatile clip art collection! 🙂

      Reply
  7. Danielle says

    August 11, 2016 at 11:33 pm

    What a great idea. This is my kind of homework!

    Reply
    • Mary Catherine says

      August 12, 2016 at 10:02 am

      Thanks so much, Danielle!! 🙂

      Reply
  8. Jenny M says

    August 12, 2016 at 1:24 pm

    Great giveaway! I would love to win and use for these for creating printable for my Homeschooling students.

    Reply
    • Mary Catherine says

      August 13, 2016 at 9:51 am

      Thanks, Jenny! 🙂

      Reply
  9. Betsy Stephenson says

    August 25, 2016 at 8:21 am

    I would love to have the kidillywinks CD for newsletters and preschool activities. I love all of DJ Inkers ciparts and fonts! This CD has some really cute things!
    Thank you for the homework calendar!

    Reply
    • Mary Catherine says

      August 26, 2016 at 10:36 pm

      Glad you liked it! 🙂

      Reply
  10. Mary says

    September 19, 2016 at 2:30 pm

    Hi!! I really like this calendar! Do you have the rest of the months? I have parent’s who WANT their children to have homework. So I have been looking for easy things to “assign” my 3s. Your calendar is PERFECT!!

    Reply
    • Mary Catherine says

      September 22, 2016 at 12:11 pm

      Thanks, Mary! 🙂 Yes, that’s part of why I started setting up homework too – parents and kiddos who want it coming home. I just updated this post so it has links to where to find the year’s worth of homework calendars, along with where to check out the Preschool Teacher 101 community.

      Reply
  11. Sarah says

    September 19, 2016 at 3:19 pm

    I absolutely love this Calendar and want to start using it with my preschool class. I look forward to seeing the other month Calendars that you create! Thank you so much for this!!! It’s such a great way to get the parents more involved.

    Reply
    • Mary Catherine says

      September 22, 2016 at 12:09 pm

      I’m so glad that you like the calendar, Sarah! I just updated this post with the information about where to grab the year’s worth of calendars –> Here at Preschool Teacher 101’s shop. I’d also love for you to check out the resource of Preschool Teacher 101 here.

      Reply
  12. Amber says

    September 24, 2016 at 9:51 am

    Hi Mary Catherine! Love your blog! What a lovely job you’ve done. Was hoping to print out the calendar for use at home, but when I click the link it’s a blank template. Is there another link for the filled out version? Thanks so much and looking forward to following you! 🙂

    Reply
    • Mary Catherine says

      September 24, 2016 at 8:35 pm

      So glad you stopped by Fun-A-Day! 🙂 Here’s the direct link to the printable – https://fun-a-day.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Sept-Cal.pdf. It should pop up as a PDF with the ideas already in there (although you’d be able to edit it). Click in a box to change up the text if you’d like to. 🙂

      Reply
  13. Casey Hawkins says

    September 27, 2016 at 1:51 pm

    I want to buy your homework calendars but can’t figure out out to purchase them. I am able to put them in a cart but that is all. Do I have to purchase a membership in order to buy them?

    Reply
    • Mary Catherine says

      September 28, 2016 at 10:41 pm

      No, you don’t have to become a member to get the calendars. Once you’ve clicked “Add to Cart”, select “View Cart”. Then click on “proceed to checkout” and enter all the details regarding billing. If you are doing those steps and it is still not working please let me know specifically where you are having trouble, so I can help. Can’t wait to hear what you think of the calendars! 🙂

      Reply
  14. Betty Zapfe says

    July 31, 2017 at 5:06 am

    Any early childhood teacher that has had child development knows that that kind of pressure on young children is not age appropriate. I would not put recommend a preschool or kindergarten that required their students to do real homework.

    I have sent home games that children really like and want to share with parents. I have also suggested games and activities that parents can do with their child to help develop a skill but I always emphasized the need to be careful not to force a child to do an activity.

    Reply
    • Mary Catherine says

      July 31, 2017 at 11:21 am

      Love your ideas! That’s why I like the activity calendars – suggestions for families but no stress if it gets done or not. Definitely no traditional homework (I honestly don’t like it for elementary school either).

      Reply
  15. Kristen Graves says

    September 29, 2022 at 11:12 am

    How can I get October- May homework calendars? I will pay for them if you have them for sale on your site. I love your philosophy about hands-on age appropriate activities to foster the love of learning.

    Reply
    • Mary Catherine says

      October 4, 2022 at 9:49 am

      Hi Kristen! You can get an entire year’s worth in our Preschool Teacher 101 shop here. They’re all editable and come with variations for you to choose from. Thanks so much for the kind words! That’s exactly what these are meant to be – hands-on activities that encourage kids and families.

      Reply
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My name is Mary Catherine, and I love to share meaningful {and fun} learning activities for kiddos! Feel free to browse and stay awhile!

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