Challenging informal learning activities for a nearly 4 y.o.

[GeoMamma]

:confused: I was reading the thread on delayed academics, and I didn't want to hijack, but this sounds like what I am looking for.

 

My HS DS already knows what he would achieve in preschool. He balks at anything worksheet-y or written, and yet wants to learn everything! He also has issues around prefectionism, and so it's hard for me to guage exactly what he can and can't do, because he hides it. Yet he becomes much more settled when I do 'something' with him that is at his level and challenges him.

 

I would really appreciate any ideas or resource pointers you have for demanding, rigorous but informal learning activities I can incorporate into our day. He is really into science and technology, but I don't want to confine it to that. I'd also love some ideas that don't take a lot of preparation on my part, if possible, because he is wearing me out with how quickly he zooms through it all!

 

:bigear: TIA

[Donna]

Some of the things I used with my dd at that age were...

 

Math manipulatives...we played "games" with all sorts of items learning addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division (though never didn't put those names on it at the time). She figured out all sorts of things about fractions, geometry, and even some early figuring out variables in equations. Nothing was ever on paper but this really helped her to move very quickly through elementary math when we started it more formally because she understood the "why" for everything.

 

Science experiment books and kits...you can find these anywhere. Also snap circuits, growing a garden and experimenting with plants, observing nature and talking about things they see. Get books from library to follow up on anything that interests them.

 

Read non-fiction on topics of interest. Introduce other things that might interest and see where the child wants to explore further. Visit museums, go to historic reenactments or cultural festivals to spark interest in different topics.

 

When reading fiction...draw pictures about story, talk about the author, have your child tell you what might happen next in the story or dictate their own stories to you. I had a small digital recorder that dd dictated into then I would type out her story for her or write it for her. She also learned to use Word Perfect very young so she could type her own stories.

 

Look at maps when going places or maps of the US or world...make foods from different cultures, listen to world music, talk about customs and clothing. Read books on famous places, look at photos of national monuments and parks.

 

Listen to great music and read about lives of musicians...music appreciation type class (Music Together) or start musical instrument studies in a child-friendly way (Suzuki). Go to live concerts if able.

 

Look at great works of art. Talk about the artists and do art projects in different medium. Art Museums.

 

It's early...that's all I can think of at the moment.

[LibraryLover]

This post sounds bossy. LOL I mean for it to be a list of suggestions....not commands. Ideas. :)

 

Live your life with your children. If you have a child interested in science, make sure you have a membership to a good science museum. Go to the programming...some of it is wonderful, and don't limit yourself to the children's programing. When you visit the museum, go in the early afteroon...around 1:30/2:00, so the docents have time to answer any questions your child asks. (Mornings are most often crowded with groups). Don't do things one time...fi. If your child loves astronomy, go to the Planetarium frequently. It's not a one-time deal.

 

Take behind the scense tours of whatever you can. Aquariums, zoos etc. Do the smaller tours...again, after the crowds have gone home for lunch. Your child can really take her time this way. If your child loves marine life, go to the aquarium frequently as there will be new things to see, or familiar things to rediscover or reconsider. Find out if there is good programming for families to do together. If there are living museums near you, visit them more than once. I am thinking of places like Plimouth Plantation, Jamestown, Mount Vernon, Monticello etc. Visit old cemetaries.

 

Play chess. Play Boggle. Play checkers. Invest in piles of wooden geo blocks, a huge jug of couting bears, or shiny stones if you're the nature type, a set of good magnets, wooden cusinarre rods (my kids never got into these, but some kids love them). Keep a microscope out on the kitchen counter, just because. Make sure he owns a good magnifying glass he can take around with him. Put together good puzzles of intersting things; marine animals, dinosaurs, geographic maps. etc. Make lists, plant seeds, read maps, follow maps when you travel. Let him mark up map. In museums, give your child the map and let him plan the itinerary (if he can't read the words...you read them, and he can follow the rest). Have a place or special box for collections; treasures of pretty stones, shells, interesting pieces of sea glass etc. Whatever interests him. Look for owl pellets in the woods on walks if you are able. Invest in a giant dirt pile in your yard, add planks and other interesting items. Let him have access to water sometimes. ;)

 

Go to the best library you can at least once a month, more if you can. Sit yourselves down in front of the section that is your child's current interests. Take those books down and spread them out in front of you, then make your selections.

 

Go to art museums. If your child sees something he loves, sit in front of it. Enjoy it, let him ask questions or make comments. Maybe he'll want to know who the artist is, when it was made, how it was made, what it was made from? Ask the docent any questions. Check out the art shop for any info about it, but a post card of it if you can. Look up the artist next time you go to the library. (I prefer this over the internet...but that's just a personal preference...check it out on the internet if that's your dc's thing). If the museum offers programming, check it out. It can vary in quality, but my children once did an absolutely amazing and intimate art program at the Sackler Gallery in DC. We were in town for only a couple of days and happend onto it. it was totally free, and I was impressed by the depth of it. Art museums often have musical programs. Check them out. Some children love having tea with their Mozart. The Metropolitan Muesum of Art in NYC, fi instance, often offers classical music in their cafe. Children are welcome. It's very casual, but nice. Maybe there is something like that near you? Afterwards, ask what the selections were, if that interests your child. Maybe you want to listen to a CD with other music by the same composer.

 

If you have access to community theater, try attending. Sometimes high school productions are pretty good, and not costly. Many colleges have music or theater offerrings that are apprproiate for families. Is there a nearby city that does Shakespeare in the Park? If there is a student ballet company in your area? They often offer inexpensive, shorter productions younger children can enjoy. We've seen Peter and the Wolf, Cinderella, The Nutcracker and more.

 

Read fiction. Read non -fiction. Read every day.

 

Let your child have time to get a little bored. Don't 'feed' him every minute. Let him have time to consider what he sees, and make it is his own.

 

Laugh a lot together. Watch funny or interesting movies or documentarties together. Notice interesting things. A fountain downtown you really considered before. Is there a sculpture in front of city hall , or your library? What does it mean? Who did it? Why is it there?

 

Enjoy your child and don't try to make every moment together a teaching moment. Just be. Don't ask too many questions. Don't make everything a lecture. Snuggle a lot and be still together.

Edited May 3, 2010 by LibraryLover

[StartingOver]

I have an almost 4 year old who loves to learn. He is using OPGTR, but he doesn't see the book. We do the lessons on the white board with colored markers, or with chalk on the driveway, with magnets on the fridge, etc. He loves math, we are working through Saxon 1 & MEP orally with manipulatives. We read, read, read, everything under the sun. He reads too. He loves science, I just bought Sonlight K Science after Doing Sonlight P 4/5 science with Handle on the Arts. He does crafts, experiments and lapbooks. My son isn't writing yet, but he wants to learn. He begs to do "school".

 

The rest of his day is play. I only do "lessons" when he asks for them, and this is often. I stop if he shows signs of being tired, stretched, stressed, or just being done. We go on field trips and nature walks, taking pictures and looking up what we saw or found. The whole key with little ones in my opinion ( and I have taught 3 through highschool ) is to keep it fun, stop before they are done. Keep planned activities short, play in between.

 

I do believe in free play, but I see nothing wrong with "FUN" learning. If you keep it FUN, fun for your child and fun for you !!!!

[Spy Car]

I like the ideas about playing games, and visiting museums, and narrating life sometimes and sometimes just letting them play and think for themselves.

 

But, I will make one additional recommendation that you look into Miquon math. This program encourages mathematical "discovery" in young children. Is good for perfectionists because (though the use of Cuisenaire Rods) a child can't really get "wrong" solutions. The activities are playful (and can be adapted to be wholly playful.

 

And the teachers materials (all 3 books) are some of the best resources for a parent that wants to facilitate learning while not abandoning child-led play (where they do the cognitive reasoning) for what is sometimes pejoratively called "formal academics." Miquon is a classic "3rd way" approach, and one that is incredibly rewarding at this age.

 

Bill

[Dinsfamily]

Great thread! This stuff sounds like it's right up my 4yo's alley and some of it will be good for my 6yo as well. I'm looking to take a more informal approach with my 4yo for the next couple of years. My 6yo begged for sit-down schoolwork at that age, but my 4yo is very different.

[Tracy]

I bet he would like Building Foundations of Scientific Understanding. It is for K-2 but it has a lot of very advanced concepts coupled with activities that are appropriate for this age range. And it is very inexpensive--3 years of material for less than $30.

[GeoMamma]

Thank you all for such great responses, I'll have to investigate Building Foundations and Miquon math.

 

A big thank you to LibraryLover and Donna for such long lists, there is enough there to keep us busy for a while. I really like that these are like what we are doing, but the next level up iykwim, which is exactly what I want!

 

I'm starting to try to develop some sort of routine or rhythm which will help these things happen more often, without wearing me - or him - out.

 

:) Thanks again!

[shinyhappypeople]

One more vote for Miquon and C-rods. Also, don't forget Legos and board games like Blokus.

 

Have fun :)

[shinyhappypeople]

Also, check out the Discovery Store. They have some really great science and tech-related videos. They're geared toward older kids and adults, but don't let that put you off. Also, I like Fatbrain Toys. So much fun stuff there!

 

One last thing (for now)... also you can order tadpoles and butterfly larvae and observe their changes. You could also make an ant farm or worm farm.

[shinyhappypeople]

 

I do believe in free play, but I see nothing wrong with "FUN" learning. If you keep it FUN, fun for your child and fun for you !!!!

 

Since your little guy is so mathy, he might like some of the activities in the book MathArt. Lots of early geometry (making 3-D pyramids, tessalations), number collages and lots of other fun stuff.

[ElizabethB]

For reading, Talking Letter Factory DVD, then my game.

 

My daughter enjoyed learning syllables on the white board, a white board is key at that age, teach from a white board, not a book, even if you're just copying exactly from a book, it holds their interest better, is more fun, and for reading, emphasizes the L to R direction of sounding out words and spelling.

 

We laughed at the funnier syllables, you can read about syllables in my Webster link below, they are a great way to start a young student, the are easier to learn than CVC words and later transfer to 2 to 6 syllable words.

[Holiztic]

Your DS sounds exactly like mine. I almost posted the exact same question!

 

We are thinking of trying Five in a Row. I cannot recommend it as I haven't seen it or used it yet, but from my reading it sounds very fun/informal. As long as your child enjoys reading a story book (once or more), then you can pick and choose which activities to do. I am excited about the corresponding cookbook!