Have a routine. Kids crave a schedule. Make a designated time when you will start "school" everyday. Whether you will have time to do a complete lesson or not, try to do something small so that your child will know and look forward to learning. You may want to start with a small lesson and try to gradually extend it by weaving learning and play time into as much as a 2-hour period.
Get your child pumped. Most kids love learning. Do not fear. If your child appears resistant at first, know that your tone and energy will help to bring it together. One simple trick for a preschooler is to have him or her "pretend" that you are a teacher -- not a mommy or daddy -- and that he or she is the student. Let him wear a special "thinking cap" or a special "school" outfit that you think may help them get excited. This will make the session light-hearted but still give you the authority to continue on.
Prepare the lesson. Select a few songs from each of the Songs That Teach books that you will play before each lesson and choose one page from each corresponding book that you can do as an activity. You may want to choose a "letter of the week" and a "number of the week" to guide your activities.
Wake up. In preschool, everything is a lesson. Begin the school day getting dressed to track 11 "Dress for the Weather" and track 12 "Just Get Dressed" from the Preschool: Songs that Teach CD. Many times, getting dressed is a time where children enjoy exercising his or her independence. Laying an outfit out the night before is a great way to minimize time taken from your day. Playing these songs as a sort of game is also fun so that the child can get dressed before the song is over.
Make a learning location. Every school needs a set place to learn. Choose the kitchen table or a small desk and chair where your child will sit.
Play the first song. Begin the first part of actual "school" by playing track 2, "A is for Alligator" from Preschool: Songs that Teach. After listening, show your child the "letter of the week" that you will be learning and practice what it looks like, how it sounds and how to write it on pages six to 10 of the preschool activity book.
Move to a new subject. After learning and doing an activity from the Preschool workbook, continue on to the Phonics: Songs that Teach CD and workbook. Play track 3 "Singing the Consonant Sounds" and track 13 "I Like to Write, Spell, and Read." On pages three to 23 of the Phonics portion of the workbook, you will find specific consonants that are learned most efficiently by looking and listening to the sounds of the words together. Find the page that lists the letter you will be focusing on and focus on writing and matching that letter with the pictures.
Work on addition and subtraction. Granted, addition and subtraction are subjects that are learned in later elementary years. However, Kim Mitzo Thompson does a great job introducing the memorization of basic math principles. Start by dancing to track 1 of "Take me Out to the Ball Game" in Addition: Songs that Teach Addition. In the CD Subtraction: Songs that Teach, "The Answer is Zero Every Time" and "Just Count Down One" are also great primers.