First Year Homeschooling: Curriculum Choices for our Preschool Princess

I know its not till next week...but I have to share my schoolroom as it looks like at this very moment:

Did it make you gasp?  It is about to make me lose my mind!  But alas, my dining room, which will also serve as the main area for our learning, is coming together.  For the last three and a half weeks, different rooms in our house have looked just like this.  And I'm not so sure that I will ever get all of the dust out of my house. But it is getting better by the day!

So why did I share that in this post, you ask?  Because although I have worked diligently to make sure Mr. C's curriculum was all put together, I have kind of let the Princess's slide.  I figured it was much more important to have structure for my seven year old than for my three year old.  And I'm sort of glad I did!

I originally planned on being just as structured with Princess M as I am planning to be with Mr. C.  But after a couple weeks of thinking about it, I decided that three seems awful young to make her have to work, especially with her personality.  She is very independent, and prefers to do things her own way.
So instead, I plan to not force much of anything on her.  She does better learning on her own and by absorbing her surroundings. I figure she will probably get more out of watching and listening to what I'm teaching Mr. C than what she would if I forced her to sit down and learn.  I do, however, plan to have a workbox system in place for her as well as Mr. C. so that she feels her learning is just as important as his. In these I plan to put Montessori type activities and simple coloring sheets and activities that go along with what Mr. C will be studying at that time.  I plan to let her learn at her own pace, when she is ready.  I would much rather let her learn when she is ready than force things on her.

The two things that I will like focus on specifically, but will not have a structured curriculum for are letters and numbers.  I plan to introduce them nonchalantly and let her choose what she wants to further explore from that point.  

Sp there you have it, my approach to Princess M's first preschool year.  Have any of you used this approach?  I'd love to hear thoughts from others!

Check out other Not Back to School bloggers who have posted their curriculum choices by clicking here or click on the button on the sidebar.  Your a homeschooler too?  Join in on the fun and link up as well!