Hi, I’m Susie.
I’m the author of Playing Preschool and the parent behind Busy Toddler, the renowned Instagram account with more than 2 million followers. I have a Master’s Degree in Early Childhood Education, taught kindergarten and first grade for eight years, and am dedicated to supporting parents, caregivers, and educators on their journey of raising (and teaching) children.
I’m so honored you’re here.
Playing Preschool was born from frustration.
In 2016, I had an infant, a two-year-old, and a three-year-old. Life, as you can imagine, was chaotic, messy, and exhausting. It was also beautiful, joy-filled, and exhilarating.
As preschool loomed on the horizon for my eldest, I began to imagine how this would look for my family.
How would I juggle baby naps and school drop off?
Could I fit errands and adventure days around my son’s preschool schedule?
When would my kids have time to play together as sibling-friends?
What struck me most, though, was the price tag. I couldn’t get past the financial cost of preschool outside the home (especially considering I had multiple children, which meant many years of preschool ahead).
The numbers were staggering, not to mention discouraging. How could the eventual cost of having three children in part-time preschool be the same as a brand-new car?
I decided to look online for a homeschool preschool option. I found worksheets, computer programs, and some loosely-written lesson ideas, but nothing was as “hands-on” or comprehensive as I thought preschool at home could and should be.
So, I sat down, envisioned what I wanted a curriculum to look and feel like, and wrote my own homeschool program.
This eventually became Playing Preschool.
My kids were my guinea pig students as I tested my lessons to see if they could be done with multiple children (at that time a two-and-a-half-year-old and a four-year-old) and a baby on the hip.
I poured all my experience as a kindergarten and first grade teacher into Playing Preschool. I drew on my background in early-childhood education, rewrote the lessons I’d taught hundreds of children in school, and used the teaching methods I knew worked. My years in the classroom shine through on every Playing Preschool page, an accomplishment that continues to make me proud.
Playing Preschool officially launched in 2017, and “my style” of preschool at home was here. I created a one-of-a-kind, hands-on, play-based program with explicit step-by-step guidance. I made it so that any caregiver could pick up the day’s lesson and succeed in teaching it.
I built the affordable and comprehensive program I needed – a program to honor child development, teach the whole person, and create cherished family memories along the way. It has now been six years since I wrote Playing Preschool. It’s been six incredible years of watching families worldwide use this simple yet highly effective homeschool preschool program.
I’m thrilled you’re considering Playing Preschool for your family. Take a look around, check out the sample pages, and don’t miss the frequently asked questions. You can also email me with any questions or concerns you may have.
One thing’s for certain: I’m here to help you however I can and am excited to walk with you as you begin your preschool journey.
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About playing Preschool
Playing Preschool provides families with a new way to preschool at-home using a hands-on, play-based method of learning. This simple program helps make homeschool preschool successful with in-depth guidance and step by step lesson plans.
Enjoy 38 weeks of planned activities and content for your child without the expense and pressure of traditional preschool.
