What age to start educating?

[saffron]

Hi, I'm new here. I ran a search on the forum but couldn't find an answer to this question. Sorry if it's already answered somewhere else.

 

My question is: What's the best method to take with very young children, below the age of 3?

 

Should there be any effort to educate them, or to give them structure? Or, is unstructured play best?

 

What is age appropriate at 6 months, 1 year, and 2 years?

[JenneinCA]

With very little kids, we played and we read stories. We went to the park and the zoo and the grocery store. We colored and we painted and we made messes. Basically we lived life.

 

And most definitely we took naps.

 

Structure? Sure, sort of. We always went to the library on Thursday for story time and we went to the grocery store on Friday. We played at the park in the morning and took naps in the afternoon. But more structure than that? No.

 

Age appropriate is entirely dependent on your kid. I played blocks with my daughter at six months old because we both thought it was fun. I liked stacking them and she liked knocking them down. We did what worked for us. Someone else's child might not have liked playing blocks at six months and that is okay too.

 

You parent the child you have.

[maize]

Well, learning begins at birth (or before!).

 

For young children, play is the way they learn most. There are things you can do with them--read stories, invite them to help you with household tasks, take them places (stores, libraries, zoos...), talk to them--narrate your own life and thought processes: "I'm setting the table; there are three people who need to eat so I need to put on three plates; one, two, three. Can you help me with the cups?"

 

Some three and four year olds do become interested in things we think of as academic--letters, words, numbers. You can introduce these, but generally follow their lead in terms of interest. My current toddler likes to point out letters and sing the alphabet song. If your child likes to draw or color those are great activities for building small motor skills. Large motor is also really important at this age--running, climbing, twirling.

Edited January 23, 2017 by maize

[saffron]

Thank you, Jenne and Maize! That answered my question.

[Lang Syne Boardie]

I saw from your introduction on the other board (your "new to home schooling" thread) that you don't have any children but you said you are "planning to have some soon." You might want to start reading about pregnancy, childbirth, parenting infants, toddlers...lots going on in many areas of raising children, lots to learn.

[Ausmumof3]

Also it's worth checking out Montessori activities for early childhood education I think. Not the full time Montessori system but many of the activities are really good for early learning.

[Rosie_0801]

Talking, singing, reading aloud, physical activity and cuddles are always right things to do. How much of each, depends on the day. :)

 

And, as Tibbie said, keep learning. The more ideas you have in your head, the sooner you can respond when they go and do something difficult like turn out to have dyslexia or flat feet or ask about death or something.

[LMD]

I love the montessori activities for that age, chores and structure (gently) yes definitely. I wish I could go back and do better with that. Charlotte mason habit training is also good to read up on.

[8filltheheart]

I want my kids to have hours of unstructured play. Self-entertainment using their imaginations is an objective.

[freelylearned]

Read a lot of books! I suggest Jim Trelease's Read Aloud Handbook for inspiration.

[Jackie]

I carefully curated toys. We have limited space, so huge piles of toys aren't an option. I would carefully consider what my child would gain out of what I chose to buy. This has meant a lot of open-ended toys that encourage building and/or imagination, and lots of art supplies. Those toys were a big part of DD's early education.

 

I have an unusually school-y kid, who demanded formal education young. That required listening to her and feeding that need of hers, without assuming she wanted much more than she asked for.

[boscopup]

In the less than 3 year old years, just being there, talking, reading, reading, reading, and reading some more, involving them with your every day activities once they're toddling, etc. For example, my almost 2 year old (next week!) likes to help unload the dishwasher and empty the dryer into a basket. I let her do whatever tasks she is capable of doing (with help). I talk to her all day long. We read ALL.THE.BOOKS. I sing to her. We go to library story time each week.

 

My general academic plan is basically that my kids start "school" at age 5 (or the year they would be in K if they attended a b&m school here). Prior to that, if they ask to do any type of K level school lessons, I'll let them do them, but they're not required at that age, and I don't push it. My 3rd son LOVED to "do school" alongside his brothers, often doing random old workbooks so he thought he was doing school when really he wasn't. ;) At 4, he did work through a simple K math program, and he kind of taught himself to read that year as well (2 of the 3 have been early readers, not of my doing). But any "school" done at that age was just a few minutes briefly and only if they asked. My oldest resisted anything that looked like school prior to age 5, so he taught me that formal school wasn't necessary at that age. ;) You don't really need anything formal for preschool stuff - just talk about shapes and colors and numbers and letters when out and about, living your daily life, and reading picture books. No need to make structure of it. That can happen later at a more age-appropriate time.

 

Now if you're not even pregnant yet, I agree with Tibbie... You might want to start with researching pregnancy/birth/newborn stuff. There is a whole LOT there to learn about. :) Midwife vs. OB, homebirth vs. birth center vs. hospital. Breastfeeding vs. formula feeding. Circumcision vs. intact. Vaccination vs. non-vaccination. Soooooo many decisions to be made years before you need to worry about formal education.

[Tanaqui]

When your children are babies, the very best thing you can do to them is to talk to them, sing to them, cuddle them (lots! I promise, nobody lies on their deathbed and says "I only wish I hadn't hugged my kids as much as I did!"), and generally meet them where they are.

[Tanaqui]

Wow, both offensive AND spam. Remarkable. REPORTED.

[Tanaqui]

Now if you're not even pregnant yet, I agree with Tibbie... You might want to start with researching pregnancy/birth/newborn stuff. There is a whole LOT there to learn about. :) Midwife vs. OB, homebirth vs. birth center vs. hospital. Breastfeeding vs. formula feeding. Circumcision vs. intact. Vaccination vs. non-vaccination. Soooooo many decisions to be made years before you need to worry about formal education.

 

Santa vs. non-santa, which I maintain is the biggest argument of them all.

 

But seriously, the most important thing you learn from all this is how to keep a cool head and a thick skin.

 

[saffron]

Santa vs. non-santa, which I maintain is the biggest argument of them all.

 

But seriously, the most important thing you learn from all this is how to keep a cool head and a thick skin.

 

Ha, yes. We're undecided on this one actually. Will read up on the pros and cons.

 

 

In the less than 3 year old years, just being there, talking, reading, reading, reading, and reading some more, involving them with your every day activities once they're toddling, etc. For example, my almost 2 year old (next week!) likes to help unload the dishwasher and empty the dryer into a basket. I let her do whatever tasks she is capable of doing (with help). I talk to her all day long. We read ALL.THE.BOOKS. I sing to her. We go to library story time each week.

 

My general academic plan is basically that my kids start "school" at age 5 (or the year they would be in K if they attended a b&m school here). Prior to that, if they ask to do any type of K level school lessons, I'll let them do them, but they're not required at that age, and I don't push it. My 3rd son LOVED to "do school" alongside his brothers, often doing random old workbooks so he thought he was doing school when really he wasn't. ;) At 4, he did work through a simple K math program, and he kind of taught himself to read that year as well (2 of the 3 have been early readers, not of my doing). But any "school" done at that age was just a few minutes briefly and only if they asked. My oldest resisted anything that looked like school prior to age 5, so he taught me that formal school wasn't necessary at that age. ;) You don't really need anything formal for preschool stuff - just talk about shapes and colors and numbers and letters when out and about, living your daily life, and reading picture books. No need to make structure of it. That can happen later at a more age-appropriate time.

 

Now if you're not even pregnant yet, I agree with Tibbie... You might want to start with researching pregnancy/birth/newborn stuff. There is a whole LOT there to learn about. :) Midwife vs. OB, homebirth vs. birth center vs. hospital. Breastfeeding vs. formula feeding. Circumcision vs. intact. Vaccination vs. non-vaccination. Soooooo many decisions to be made years before you need to worry about formal education.

 

We're pretty sure we're going to go with a planned home-birth with assistance from a midwife and hospital as backup, breastfeeding, intact, and minimal vaccination. If there are other topics I should be looking into please let me know.

 

 

I saw from your introduction on the other board (your "new to home schooling" thread) that you don't have any children but you said you are "planning to have some soon." You might want to start reading about pregnancy, childbirth, parenting infants, toddlers...lots going on in many areas of raising children, lots to learn.

 

Yes, I'd love to get some recommended resources on these topics. Maybe I should make another thread requesting recommendations?

 

Parenting style is something I'm undecided on. I wish there was more science on the impact of parenting style on children (positive). Most of it seems to be focused on the damage that abusive parenting causes, which is of course important to study, but for conscientious non-abusive parents to be isn't all that useful.

 

 

Thank you for all of the responses! My takeaway from this thread is that babies and toddlers need lots of attention, interaction, involvement in daily activity, and to hear conversation, speaking, and reading often.

 

I'll be sure to come and ask here what toys and furniture etc. to buy when we get near to that stage.

 

I've been listening to the audiobook of the third edition (forth wasn't available to me, but I'll buy it for reference later) of TWTM while doing housework today and one of the ideas I really like is singing the alphabet every time you do a diaper change. I think little rituals like that can really help instill useful knowledge for later use.

 

 

[Rosie_0801]

Yes, I'd love to get some recommended resources on these topics. Maybe I should make another thread requesting recommendations?

Parenting style is something I'm undecided on. I wish there was more science on the impact of parenting style on children (positive). Most of it seems to be focused on the damage that abusive parenting causes, which is of course important to study, but for conscientious non-abusive parents to be isn't all that useful.

 

 

I'm pretty sure that if scientific advice could be distilled to one sentence, it would be "Behave as though you like your kids."

[EKS]

I taught my younger son to read starting around 24 months.  I made a PowerPoint slideshow with really big letters (like as big as the screen) and taught him the sounds (actually, I made a series of them, but you get the idea).  I figured that since he was picking up the names for everything else, including shapes, that this was no different.  He would sit on my lap for a few minutes each day and "do the letters."  He would ask to do it.  He was reading simple text within a few months.

 

That was the extent of what might be considered "formal" learning that we did before he turned 3.

Edited January 24, 2017 by EKS

[fralala]

I'm pretty sure that if scientific advice could be distilled to one sentence, it would be "Behave as though you like your kids."

 

I like this. And I've even found that actually liking my kids goes a long way even when my behavior is not exactly as blameless as I'd intended. Thank goodness.

[knitgrl]

 

 

Yes, I'd love to get some recommended resources on these topics. Maybe I should make another thread requesting recommendations?

 

Parenting style is something I'm undecided on. I wish there was more science on the impact of parenting style on children (positive). Most of it seems to be focused on the damage that abusive parenting causes, which is of course important to study, but for conscientious non-abusive parents to be isn't all that useful.

 

 

 

I came across this website when my dd was 12mo and still not sleeping through the night. It bases recommendations on evidence, not on what seems like a good idea, or what is trendy, or whatever. It takes into account that there are lots of ways to raise children in lots of different cultures all over the world. 

 

[mom of 2 boys]

This really depends on the child. My older son was hyperlexic and honestly loved sitting down to read flashcards at age 2. Now my younger son is 2 and he has no idea what a flashcard is and he couldn't care less about that sort of thing. My best advice is to tune into who your child actually is, and not what anyone says they are supposed to be at a certain age. That's one of the things that I like about this board - people are very open to the idea of children developing in all sorts of different ways. Spend some time on the special needs and accelerated learner boards to get an idea of the vast differences in child development, it will help you to be prepared for anything. 

[bluemongoose]

I agree with those above. You can read up on the big issues before a baby comes, but once you know the child you have you meet them where they are. All children need love, cuddles, time, reading to...Etc. each child is also different. I have four and none of them were the same as the others at any point in time. I've had one that was reading at 2 and demanded school and massive amounts of input. It was exhausting. The next screamed for the first 18 months non stop. He struggled in any areas...Still does. The next one was super easy. He just wanted to be near me. And the last one has no fear and climbs on everything. They have all been so different. You have to just work with the child in front of you and do your best to meet their needs...Whatever they are.

 

Sorry for bad typing...On a phone.