Independent work for a quick 4 year old

[CadenceSophia]

I have been hesitant to post over here. I can't decide if I should start off with a whole "I knew she was different from 5 months old" thing or just ask my question :)

 

I am looking for resources to stock in the house to give my 4 year old something to learn and explore. She doesn't like to be given lessons but needs to find herself continual intellectual stimulation. Two years ago when she was two she had a tantrum while I was giving her brother a reading lesson. She asked why it was always him getting these lessons. So I asked if she wanted one too. She said no, she wanted me to teach her how to teach her brother how to read. Then she watched leap frog letter factory a few times and read a sign that said "non-potable water do not drink". She doesn't really like to read yet but does write people letters with approx 1st grade level handwriting and spelling but mirror image (she's lefty and I hear that is normal?). Right now she is working on Singapore Essentials A (5 units a week? Won't be on A for long) and Abeka K5 letters and sounds with me at her elbow, but she really prefers to work most of the day alone. She draws a lot of really interesting things (once she drew my uterus and vagina with a figure of her brother being born, arms over head diving out lol). She does "research" in the big Smithsonian books by copying out diagrams including the labeling (usually related to space) but she can't usually understand what she's copying on her own. We have some art projects on DVD and she loves them. She would do them all day if we had enough and her little brother wouldn't attack her paint ;) She uses the DVD player independently and she watches the sections she wants over and over, bit by bit. I am feeling like there must be other subjects and other topics she can learn either by DVD or with low reading manipulatives that would give her more academic freedom, not because I necessarily need her independent but because there aren't enough hours in the day to sit by her side reading when asked and then pretending I don't know what she is doing!

 

I would love suggestions, but I am at least hoping you all don't think I am nuts for trying to support a 4 year old's research ambitions. Thanks!

[Jackie]

Definitely not nuts. I'm so glad my kid loves reading and learned to do so early, because it seriously decreased the intensity of me needing to meet her research needs. Now I can keep her well-supplied with books. I'm happy my kid is so curious, but it can be exhausting!

 

Can she operate a computer or tablet? BrainPop videos and The Happy Scientist videos have been great. They need a bit of reading to navigate the sites, but that's it. The Happy Scientist often suggests that kids try things at home as well, which helps keep DD busy,

 

I love The Private Eye, which melds science and art and language. The basic idea to start out is to use a jeweler's loupe to investigate natural objects, draw what you observe, then write a few similes "the walnut shell is like..." to encourage thinking about the observations. We roll in talks about adaptations - why would a walnut have developed this shell?

[desertflower]

My kids enjoy popular mechanics for kids and the magic school bus dvds. My oldest likes disney's imagineering dvds. Although he was only 6 when he first watched them. My then 4 1/2 dd was not interested in them. But your dd sounds more advanced than my dd.

[desertflower]

There's also a site called education unboxed. This site will teach her math with c rods. It's free. Videos are from 5 mins to 15.

 

Hth

[Sarah0000]

My three year old does some of Miquon independently. He flips through finding pages that are obvious what the goal is, which has been most of Orange and some of Red.

 

Think she would like the LeapReader and associated products?

[mom2bee]

You could create YouTube playlists on different categories--how to draw, art lessons, music lessons, phonics, sight words, math with manipulatives, science videos, science experiments, geography, music, sing alongs, foreign language, cartoons in foreign languages, sports, other kids doing activities, etc. Then download the videos and burn them to DVDs.

 

Personally, I abhor the YouTube website itself, so I don't use it live if I can help it, but its a powerful resource if you can layout the time on the front end.

[Sarah0000]

How do you download videos from you tube?!

 

We have our TV and surround sound stuff in the living room routed through our PC, so I play videos and music from the PC anyway. I also hate maneuvering you tube but like so many videos on there.

[SeaConquest]

When mine was 4, he loved Dreambox, SOTW audiobooks, Brain Pop and Wild Kratts videos, the Dragon Box and Ansel & Claire apps, and Minecraft. She's probably too advanced for Reading Eggs, but perhaps Audible books -- mine liked Dahl books.

[Porridge]

If you have concerns about technology use at that age, I might suggest focusing on teaching her to read. It sounds like she is ready to read and teaching her to read might be pretty "easy" given her readiness.  

Once she can read, the sky is the limit on what she can learn on her own. 

 

[bakpak]

My DD loved Starfall at that age

[CadenceSophia]

Thanks for the great ideas and lack of judgement!  I am only familiar with a few of the suggestions mentioned so I will have a lot to explore. 

 

I would LOVE to teach her to read and have her reading independently. She would love it too. She is a highly verbal child and addicted to books. She won't go to bed without 30 by her side. BUT, as I indicated above, she doesn't want me to teach her. It has to be her idea and I need to give her the information she wants as quickly and directly as humanly possible (or more so) and then leave her alone to work with it. My oldest is thriving on OPGTR, but never in a million years would she put up with 227 daily lessons. I have tried 100EL with her once in the past, but I made a mistake and tried to make her do all the activities in order. It was ridiculous and she burned out in 3 days (tantrums to do more, boredom when I let her). Today I tried again and let her take the lead and read anything she wanted off any page she wanted as we flipped them roughly in order. She read mostly everything up to lesson 26 and then took the book to bed with her. I am sure I can feed her the info she needs to decode, but maturity and fluency are different. I don't have any idea how to anticipate her progression. She doesn't like anything to be slow. I think her current plan is to memorize ALL the books rather than slow down and sound things out!

[mathnerd]

At her age, my DS did Reading Eggs, EPGY (LA and Math) and DreamBox completely independently. Those could be good choices, because they let the child progress at their own rate.

[Kerileanne99]

So I always hear crickets when I suggest this, but I had a very young child who wanted to learn everything RIGHT now without being taught:)

There is a set of cute DVDs with the unfortunate name of The TV Teacher. Miss Marnie cleverly teaches the kids to write letters, draw with shapes, and lots more in short little clips. There is a chant for each letter formation:)

I bought lined dry erase boards and markers and let her have at it. I did casually correct at times, but it was hugely effective.

I think YouTube has some of the clips, and I heard there is now an app as well.

[SeaConquest]

My son balked at OPGTR, but thrived buddy reading with Progressive Phonics (free!). After that, we used the Nora Gaydos books and AAR readers to gain fluency. He progressed 4-5 grade levels in one year with that.

[bakpak]

My DD loved Starfall at that age

 

I should have been more clear here...this online program really helped my daughter learn to blend sounds, and since she had almost no screen time, she was riveted. It took almost no time for her to get blending down for 3-5 letter words. It also has math that goes up to 2nd grade (easy multiplication), so it was a good fit there as well. She's loved it for years and has only recently somewhat outgrown it. Or rather, I think she could get more out of another program. She still loves Starfall at almost age 6.

 

Other ideas, that I mostly gleaned from these boards over the years, include:

 

1. You might try to move on to a spelling program instead. All About Spelling is a manipulative phonics based program and has a guide. It's fairly easy to slow down or speed up. It helped my DD with blending as well. Lots of folks have recommended this approach on this board in the past, and I found it fairly helpful. It's nice to have different options.

 

2. It's less common to see, but some children are more whole word readers. Trying to force them into phonics is not helpful when they're first learning. These are kids you can just feed new words to like mad and you'd be amazed what they can remember. Tell em a word once or twice and they've got it the rest of the story. Wait for phonics until they're a little older when you're teaching spelling. I've truly seen this work really well with one particularly advanced 3yo boy, but I've seen the tendency in others as well. They'll pick up phonics eventually, when they're ready. Follow their lead by and their passion for reading will surge. You may be trying to fit a square peg in a round hole.

 

3. I'd let her read books instead of using a program. Either go through a Bob books set or a fun Nora Gaydos series. There are a ton of early readers at any library (usually all in one section), so get new books your daughter hasn't memorized yet. Teach your child some sight words and let her dive into reading!! When she gets to something she doesn't know, give her an opportunity to sound it out; but before she gets frustrated, sound it out for her matter-of-factly, and just move on, so as not to interrupt the story so much. There's a sweet spot there, and every child is different. Push a little but not too much in my experience. REMEMBER: The goal isn't to teach reading quickly...it is to help them love reading! So reduce frustration by helping, but encourage persistence and keep it fun. If you change your mindset a little, where you aren't 'teaching her', but instead are joining her on this miraculous journey of learning to read, it may make all the difference.

 

I also found the Bob book set was too simplistic at first for my DD, even when she learned to read at the age of 2. I'd already read Charlotte's Web and Little House in the Big Woods to her, so then going back down to the Bob Book level was a bit exasperating for her when she was in the early stages of learning blending and she just wanted to read something engaging. It helped to pick up Dr. Seuss, P.D. Eastman, or other more fun, more advanced early readers and I'd read until I got to a word she either knew or I thought she could figure out, and I'd pause with my finger under the word for her to fill in, then I'd continue. I told her ahead of time I wanted her to help me read the words she knew and then made it more of a team effort, and she loved it (after balking a bit initially). The books were more fun and exciting, and actually once she got her confidence up and reading was a bit easier, she went back to the Bob books and devoured them on her own over and over. I just kept a healthy supply of books around, often of different levels or at least one level up, so she could spread her wings when she was ready. She didn't stay at the Bob book level very long, so it is a bit hard to purchase a few expensive sets that may only get used for a few weeks, but it really was worth it once everything clicked. Just don't read them to her ahead of time, as that will defeat the purpose. Hide em and dole them out when she's ready :) Novelty is key here.

 

Keep it fun and light!

[CadenceSophia]

So I always hear crickets when I suggest this, but I had a very young child who wanted to learn everything RIGHT now without being taught:)

There is a set of cute DVDs with the unfortunate name of The TV Teacher.

 

That actually looks super cute and something she might really like. Thanks!

My son balked at OPGTR, but thrived buddy reading with Progressive Phonics (free!). After that, we used the Nora Gaydos books and AAR readers to gain fluency. He progressed 4-5 grade levels in one year with that.

I had forgotten about Progressive Phonics. It was not enough varied repetition for my son but I have to remember that things that were terrible for him might be perfect for her. 

 

I should have been more clear here...this online program really helped my daughter learn to blend sounds, and since she had almost no screen time, she was riveted. It took almost no time for her to get blending down for 3-5 letter words. It also has math that goes up to 2nd grade (easy multiplication), so it was a good fit there as well. She's loved it for years and has only recently somewhat outgrown it. Or rather, I think she could get more out of another program. She still loves Starfall at almost age 6.

 

Other ideas, that I mostly gleaned from these boards over the years, include:

 

1. You might try to move on to a spelling program instead. All About Spelling is a manipulative phonics based program and has a guide. It's fairly easy to slow down or speed up. It helped my DD with blending as well. Lots of folks have recommended this approach on this board in the past, and I found it fairly helpful. It's nice to have different options.

 

2. It's less common to see, but some children are more whole word readers. Trying to force them into phonics is not helpful when they're first learning. These are kids you can just feed new words to like mad and you'd be amazed what they can remember. Tell em a word once or twice and they've got it the rest of the story. Wait for phonics until they're a little older when you're teaching spelling. I've truly seen this work really well with one particularly advanced 3yo boy, but I've seen the tendency in others as well. They'll pick up phonics eventually, when they're ready. Follow their lead by and their passion for reading will surge. You may be trying to fit a square peg in a round hole.

 

3. I'd let her read books instead of using a program. Either go through a Bob books set or a fun Nora Gaydos series. There are a ton of early readers at any library (usually all in one section), so get new books your daughter hasn't memorized yet. Teach your child some sight words and let her dive into reading!! When she gets to something she doesn't know, give her an opportunity to sound it out; but before she gets frustrated, sound it out for her matter-of-factly, and just move on, so as not to interrupt the story so much. There's a sweet spot there, and every child is different. Push a little but not too much in my experience. REMEMBER: The goal isn't to teach reading quickly...it is to help them love reading! So reduce frustration by helping, but encourage persistence and keep it fun. If you change your mindset a little, where you aren't 'teaching her', but instead are joining her on this miraculous journey of learning to read, it may make all the difference.

 

I also found the Bob book set was too simplistic at first for my DD, even when she learned to read at the age of 2. I'd already read Charlotte's Web and Little House in the Big Woods to her, so then going back down to the Bob Book level was a bit exasperating for her when she was in the early stages of learning blending and she just wanted to read something engaging. It helped to pick up Dr. Seuss, P.D. Eastman, or other more fun, more advanced early readers and I'd read until I got to a word she either knew or I thought she could figure out, and I'd pause with my finger under the word for her to fill in, then I'd continue. I told her ahead of time I wanted her to help me read the words she knew and then made it more of a team effort, and she loved it (after balking a bit initially). The books were more fun and exciting, and actually once she got her confidence up and reading was a bit easier, she went back to the Bob books and devoured them on her own over and over. I just kept a healthy supply of books around, often of different levels or at least one level up, so she could spread her wings when she was ready. She didn't stay at the Bob book level very long, so it is a bit hard to purchase a few expensive sets that may only get used for a few weeks, but it really was worth it once everything clicked. Just don't read them to her ahead of time, as that will defeat the purpose. Hide em and dole them out when she's ready :) Novelty is key here.

 

Keep it fun and light!

That is all great info! She does like to buddy read as long as I don't make her do too many words. It only works for longer books because otherwise she wants me to read line by line so she can parrot and memorize. Silly thing :) She is a natural "blender" and never seemed to need to learn that step so perhaps I can find a way for her to get the rest of the phonics information and she will be off on her own. I just bought a Nora Gadyos series and can't wait for it to come. 

[Sarah0000]

I just give my son word wheels, word ladders, lift the flap phonics games, etc and he seems to be picking up a lot more phonics that way. I have a set by scholastic, I think, that is associated with nursery rhymes that is particularly fun.

[Btervet]

DS LOVED Starfall. Still does in fact, even though he is now reading fluently. It's got great phonics/blending practice, but also has math skills and puzzles and games. It's by far the best investment we have made. It's not on the tablet as well as desktop, so is very easy to use if you have a tablet or touchscreen. If she is motivated, she could probably teach herself to read with Starfall.

 

For other apps - DS spent a lot of time on dragonbox, dragonbox elements, and splashmath.

 

For TV Shows - Magic School Bus, Bill Nye, and Wild Kratts were big hits here, and full of good info.

 

It gets much easier once they can read. I'd encourage her to spend 5 minutes a day with you if you can. I pushed DS a bit on learning to read because he had such a vast desire for knowledge that I just couldn't provide without being able to give him a book occasionally. So I made him spend 5 minutes every single day with me on phonics. It was a bit of a fight some days, but it was just 5 minutes, and he was so thrilled when he could read books on his own.

 

It may be too advanced for here, but we just started DS on Khan Academy. He's loves it. I do screen videos, as some of the history ones are not age appropriate, but it is full of really great stuff. Art history, science, history, mathematics, just great great videos.

[TriciaT]

Another option kind of like Starfall is "teach my monster to read". It is also a free online phonics game- super cute and engaging. My kindy girl loves it.

[Tanikit]

My 4 year old also uses Starfall independently. When my eldest was young I used to give her reading instruction in passing - so make a card of a phonics sound I wanted her to learn, stick it on the wall and tell her what it said everytime we passed it together. If she told me what it said I knew she knew it, if she didn't then that was fine too. Then when reading aloud to her from picture books I would point to the sound in any word and say - oh there is our sound and sound out the word as though talking to myself. At this point my child was already reading fairly fluently but I wanted to be sure of the phonics.

 

As far as independent activities go - looking at books, arts and crafts (at 4 my children still needed a lot of practice with cutting and sticking), building obstacle courses, my youngest is doing basic addition and subtraction independently now as she likes to write numbers, you could try a balance scale and just sit and play with her for a bit before leaving her to independence with it, listening to stories in a foreign language, get her making sandwiches alone perhaps - as you can see by this list, I prefer to keep the academics as a teaching exercise otherwise I have to hand my child over to technology and then other things get neglected. Both my children do get screen time and do watch plenty of educational things, but I try to balance this with other skills they need apart from the screen.