Where are the sample pages for Before Five in a Row, you ask?

Well, Before Five in a Row is not set up like the original Five in a Row
in a Monday through Friday format. Rather, Before Five in a Row consists of a two-part book. The first part covers 20 book titles that you find at your library or that you purchase and offers you many activities for each title. These activities are specially created to give your 2-4 year old a wide look at his wonderful world. Each activity builds a platform of excitement and understanding for formal academic lessons in the grade school years.

For instance, if one Before Five in a Row selected story talks of night, the night skies and stars, then the activity under Science might be to take your child out after dark, once a week (bundled up if it’s winter) and simply enjoy the wonder of the stars together. You don’t have to have names for the stars or groups at this point, just the warmness of the time together and the wonder of how beautiful the night skies are. You might also point out a night when there are no visible stars and talk briefly about why that is…but all this sharing is done in a light, enjoyable, loving atmosphere as you open up for your two to young four year old the beginnings of the magnificent world around him! Each time you watch the stars remind your child of the story you’ve read, or re-read it each time you go out.
That these special times together are tied to a story makes both the story and
the family warmth experienced together a magnified memory!

You are welcome to chose a story for your young one, read it several times in
a week and do different activities from Before Five in a Row Part 1, along with some of the activities in Part 2 and then go on to a different book the next week. However, it is also perfectly all right to read a story and just do an activity or two as you happen to have time. Switch then, to a new book, and later come back to the first and do some new activities. It does not have to be a structured weekly experience, nor do you have to exhaust the lessons of one book before going
on to another. Moms can use Before Five in a Row, Dads, grandparents, baby sitters, all can make use of this excellent story/activity resource.

The most important thing to remember with Before Five in a Row is that learning in the years 2-4 takes place in PLAY! So, all the activities in B4FIAR are play-based. Again, play-based doesn’t mean your child isn’t learning!

If your two year old does not sit for a book to be read, then do lots of the ideas from Part 2 of B4FIAR and wait a few months. Try again. You can also tell your very young child the story and do an activity from Part 1…use the material however it best fits your situation.

The second part of the Before Five in a Row book is also important. This part deals with activities that directly promote growth in fine and large motor skills, and much more. It is growth in these areas that is critical to your child being ready for more formal schooling when he is five.

It seems in our culture today, that much of the readiness-play activity has been passed by. School then is compromised and becomes difficult when it is hard to do even the simplest things like hold a pencil (needs strong hands), or sit in a chair (needs strong muscles), or be excited enough about the world to want to learn (needs intentional input)! So much of the play of very young children such as using clay, building with blocks, doing puzzles, games of imagination, and getting plenty of exercise are the very things that ready your child physically, mentally and emotionally for his K-upwards school experiences. Read the
second part of Before Five in a Row to discover idea after idea of all that
should go before academics are presented. There are ideas for times at the
store, at bedtime, bath time and all the times in between!

Last, Before Five in a Row is a plea to not get the cart before the horse in the world of learning experiences. A young child will benefit far more from a short nature walk, a half an hour at a good museum, or a short children’s play, lots of snuggled-reading times and games of imagination then trying to teach him to read at 3 or 4 even though it might be possible. Think what young childhood times he would miss! Since parents can’t go back, we hope you will take the time and let Before Five in a Row help you make your child’s very early years golden!