Pittsburgh Plan for Preschool+

The Pittsburgh Plan is awesome for kids 2-6 years old. Claire is just about to the finish the Pittsburgh Plan. She's turning seven this summer. She started when she was about two. Children can start as early as 18 months. Both her younger sisters did, but I didn't discover it until after that point.

There are about 191 activities that you do for 15 minutes with your child two to three times a week for about four years. It helps kids read a little earlier, but they're going get that anyway. What's really fascinating is the math kids can learn if they're taught.

First graders aren't adding/subtracting fractions, dividing, or doing double-digit multiplication because no one's teaching them. Claire can do all of that. Sarah, who is four, is adding and subtracting and blending sounds together to make words. She recognizes double digit numbers up to 100, but we don't do anything with them until single-digit adding and subtracting is more automatic. Emily, who just started, is just trying to remember the names of letters. It's a lot of fun for them because it's a lot of fun for me.

It probably isn't for everyone, but it's worth checking out, especially if it might make their school life easier. More is on: http://www.pittsburghplan.com. I'm sure the founder would love to answer any questions you may have, but I would also being willing to elaborate on anything you would like to know more about concerning the program. It just helps kids achieve more than they otherwise would relying on their school alone.