PreK dd: "What can I do now, Mommy? I want more schoolwork!" (Mommy needs some ideas)

[lotsofpumpkins]

My dd will be 4 next month. She has always loved "doing school". At 18 months old she was coloring pictures (mostly inside the lines, not scribbling). She has already completed R&S workbooks for 3-4 year olds. She completed one of those HUGE preschool workbooks you can buy at walmart. She has also almost finished the R&S ABC/GHI series. She just did Workbook H IN ONE WEEK. All we have left is Workbook I. She sits at the table while I'm working with her siblings, and I give her instructions, so she's doing the pages correctly, not just scribbling on them. She will sit at the table for a couple of hours each day, doing page after page after page in her workbook. (If only I could get my 2nd grader to stay this focused... :tongue_smilie:)

 

I'm thinking about getting her the ETC Primers next. But knowing her, it will not take the whole school year to complete them. I need a plan for where to go from there! At this point, she's not quite ready to blend sounds together to make words (so I might have to wait on moving onto ETC 1), but she's great with letter sounds and rhyming and things like that. She does fine with all the math skills found in the R&S ABC workbooks too; just wondering where to go from here. The plan is to start CLE 100 math in 2 years when she's 6. That feels like forever; how am I going to keep her happy until then? We have also used R&S Phonics with her older siblings, starting at around age 6. I realize I might have to take a different path with this child!

 

Any ideas on how to continue satisfying this school-loving child? Whatever it is, it has to be inexpensive. And not too time-intensive for me. She's the 5th of 6 children, and I do spend quite a bit of time schooling her older siblings. And although she does enjoy being read to, she doesn't really consider it "school" unless there's a written component!

[2_girls_mommy]

Does she like art projects? I would move on to your ETC, and you might be surprised. By the time she finishes the primers, she might be ready for 1. Also both of my girls started R&S 1st grade phonics midway through K, and one was not as precocious as yours. So I would plan on starting it earlier than 6. You may even need to skip the first unit after she does the ETC. I started one of mine in K in unit 2 with the long vowels.

 

To fill up her day more, I would assign her some big projects that relate to what you guys are working on. Get her a posterboard and have her paint a scene from your history or science studies or from a book she read or something. Teach her how to make a mosaic or collage and get her going on that. Let her know that art is an important part of school for preKers.

 

Mine did a lot of playdough play at that age too, and I told them it was their school. :) Though it doesn't sound like yours would agree to that.

[alisoncooks]

What about giving her chunks of time to play on Starfall.com? My 4 year old loves doing all the different ABC lessons and she does it independently while I do math with my oldest.

[lotsofpumpkins]

She loves crafts, but we run into the problem of it distracting the older children from their work. So, unfortunately, I find myself limiting the art/craft stuff with dd. I need to figure out how to make it work though. It's just so hard keeping my 2nd grader in particular focused on his work to begin with; if someone is doing something fun, it's nearly impossible to keep him working. (Even if I'm sitting right there saying "Do your math" over and over and over again.)

[TracyP]

I would give the ETC primers a try. I agree that you might be surprised to see that she can go on and learn to read after that. For kids that are ready, learning to read early is such a blessing cuz they can entertain themselves with books.

 

I would also buy more of those giant workbooks. There are different ones out there if you check B&N and other stores. Don't be afraid to get K books if you think she will just fly through the Pre K ones. My oldest was a work book lover too. My boys - not so much.:tongue_smilie:

 

Also, I would plan to start CLE next fall if I were you. You can always slow down to 1/2 a lesson a day if needed. In the meantime you might want to try the Essential Math K books from Singapore. They are only $9 each and the A book is very appropriate for a 4yo. She will very likely be able to do the B book this year too.

[2_girls_mommy]

Oh, I get that. I always have to tell mine (we babysit a 3 yr old) "You had playdough for school when you were 3 too. Sit down. Yes, painting is her school. You did it too when you were 3, sit down" :)

 

I do keep the preschool table behind a wall from where the 8 yr old sits to do school though. That helps. It is in an adjoining room, just inside the door, so the 3 yr old can just lean her head to the right and see and talk to us, but the actual table she is working on is out of view of the 8 yr old. That helps a little.

[Dinsfamily]

Does she just like workbooks? My ds4 will use the salt box at the school table until I physically take it away to practice his letters. I also like pattern blocks, mighty mind, and MFW's preschool package. The MFW set comes with task cards which makes ds feel more like he's participating in school instead of just playing with toys. The only problem is that my other dc think they're cool and want to do them too which keeps them from finishing their own schoolwork. We're working on that.

 

If she demands workbooks, you might try ETC primers, Developing the Early Learner books 1 & 2, and Singapore EM book A. I use DEL and EM around 4.5, but she may be ready for them.

 

I wish my 4yo could give ds6 someof his focus. Ds6 will daydream for 20 mins while doing his favorite subject as ds4 polishes off 6 pages in his R&S books. :001_huh:

[Hunter]

Draw Write Now?

 

 

I often teach the background as a separate lesson from the main lesson. You could spend all week on a lesson, by only teaching part of it each day, and having her practice only just that one goal. If I were you, I might not EVER set a goal of her completing a page that looks like the book model. I seldom do, even with my adult students. I just glean the books for lesson ideas. I treat them more like an encyclopedia of drawing, and copywork words, and copywork sentences.

Edited August 18, 2012 by Hunter

[craftyerin]

let her do the ETC primers! My just-turned-4yos LOVE them! After that maybe start phonics and the regular ETC books. I bet she'll be ready!

[Tanikit]

I would give her the ETC Primers and also start teaching blending - I find it strange how people expect children just to be able to blend as though it is a developmental thing - if it is taught then they will learn it. And teaching does not mean asking them what c-a-t says, it means TELLING them what c-a-t says and telling them over and over and over again until they tell you with numerous words which basically train the child to hear sounds apart and together which means while doing this training you can do it all auditorily and you can use words that are not phonetically simple - ch-ur-ch says church can be taught to a 2 year old who has no clue what ch even looks like, but they are still being taught how to blend and also how to hear sounds in words. Depending on the age of the child it can take months of repetitive blending for them before they start giving you the word after you give them the sound - when you hear this from them they are ready for blending by themselves and can possibly do it with written letters if they know their letter sounds.

[besroma]

She might really enjoy Draw Write Now, like Hunter recommended.

 

Brain Quest workbooks are good for that type of thing. My kids really enjoy them.

 

We also use Clicko/Architecto/Equilibrio and Castle Logix for times like that.

Edited August 18, 2012 by besroma

[SilverMoon]

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Edited October 30, 2022 by SilverMoon

[...................]

Developing the Early Learner is very very worthwhile. I think the target age is older but you can get it and then decide. They are not too expensive, and you don't need the TM (though a very few activities will be missed.)

 

If you do get it try to wait until the optimum tine because it is extremely worthwhile.

[Hunter]

Another thought I had, is that her goal right now seems to be finishing PAGES. I wonder if you could transition her to gaining a SKILL. Maybe buy her a journal and after she practices a skill on scrap paper, she can draw/write it in her special book. She might then be content to copy the same word over and over, or practice drawing the same simple picture, all day.

 

Or...maybe...gasp...learn to sight read a book? Please no one freak out! I know how people here HATE sight reading, but...with gifted little girls with busy moms, there is a time and place for memorizing a book. Phonics can later be taught as SPELLING and/or cursive handwriting practice. And this type of child often learns to read and spell quite well without phonics at all, if need be.

 

If this were ME, I'd be looking at copywork, drawing and primers.

 

I like the Aldine Primer, for this type of precocious and busy and goal setting child.

Edited August 18, 2012 by Hunter

[alisoncooks]

Another thought I had, is that her goal right now seems to be finishing PAGES. I wonder if you could transition her to gaining a SKILL.

 

That made me think.... is there a handwork skill that she could do? Simple weaving? Would that be interesting for her?

[lotsofpumpkins]

Thanks for all the great ideas, everyone! I'm going to go back and read all the replies again. I will definitely look at Singapore EM; I had considered using that for Kindergarten, but forgot that the A book is good for PreK too. I'll get her the ETC Primers too. I also have big pads of primary handwriting paper. I could make up some copywork for her. She's always asking me how to spell words so she can write them.

 

As for "fun stuff", like I said, she enjoys that too. She likes to play with playdough, rice/measuring cups/containers, paint, etc. The problem is the extreme distraction factor for the other dc. I don't want to punish dd for that though! Ooh, I just had an idea. I can tell my extreme dawdler that if he actually finishes his math in 30-45 minutes instead of 2+ hours, then he'll have time to play when he's finished... :)

 

Oh, and when I said she's not quite ready for blending, it's because she pulls out Phonics Pathways all the time and she reads a-e-i-o-u from memory. Then she reads sa-se-si-so-su from memory. When those are mixed up, she has to compare them to the original list to figure out which is which. I do work with her some on this, but she's not quite there yet. But like several of you said, maybe by the time she goes through the ETC primers, she'll be ready to sound out words.

[lotsofpumpkins]

What about giving her chunks of time to play on Starfall.com? My 4 year old loves doing all the different ABC lessons and she does it independently while I do math with my oldest.

 

I've considered this, but the computer distracts her siblings even worse than playdough does. I would rather not use any screens during school time. I do let them play on the computer sometimes on the weekend, and give each child 20-30 minutes to play. But I don't want this to be a daily school thing.

[lotsofpumpkins]

I would give her the ETC Primers and also start teaching blending - I find it strange how people expect children just to be able to blend as though it is a developmental thing - if it is taught then they will learn it.

 

With my oldest ds, it did seem to be a developmental thing. I worked on teaching him blending for a YEAR before he was finally able to sound out simple CVC words on his own. We started when he was almost 5 and he was finally ready to start sounding out words when he was almost 6. It was a sudden thing- one day he couldn't do it, and the next day he could. So, I firmly believe that for some dc, it has to "click". Not that I'm not teaching it, because I am. I just know from working in PP with my dd that she's not quite there yet, but I imagine she'll pick up on it sooner than her oldest brother did.

[2_girls_mommy]

As for "fun stuff", like I said, she enjoys that too. She likes to play with playdough, rice/measuring cups/containers, paint, etc. The problem is the extreme distraction factor for the other dc. I don't want to punish dd for that though! Ooh, I just had an idea. I can tell my extreme dawdler that if he actually finishes his math in 30-45 minutes instead of 2+ hours, then he'll have time to play when he's finished... :)

 

 

 

This works wonders around here. Even just playing with blocks and building towers is incredibly enticing to my 8 yr old. So she works much more quickly so that she can do it too.

 

Water play, where I fill a big bowl with water and give the 3 yr old a bucket of toy animals to play in (and she and I can discuss what they are, their color, if they live in water in real life, if the toy will sink or swim..) etc makes the 8 yr old want to get in there too.. Basically anything little one does is fun to her. So use it to your advantage!

[pitterpatter]

Maybe check into Evan-Moor's Everday Literacy series. There are three levels to choose from...Pre-K thru First.

 

Also, Carson-Dellosa has tons of little workbooks that are great for that age.

[fraidycat]

I used a Big Book of Search and Find for DS as busywork last year. Before that I had picked up a couple easier versions (no reading required) but he blew through them too fast.

 

Maybe file folder games from DLTK-kids. Some are probably below her level, but you can probably get a few "harder" ones, or some inspiration to make your own.

 

I also have an Evan-Moor Never Bored Kindergarten book. Some of it is early reading (search a word), but a lot of it is fine motor skills, cutting, pasting, puzzles, sequencing, mazes, etc. This book looks like a lot of fun, and DD and I are jealous of DS when he uses it. :)

[Kathryn]

Looking back at what we did at that age for my guy who couldn't get enough, I had a bunch of workbooks from the dollar store, Kumon (cutting and tracing in particular), building Thinking Skills Beginning, Handwriting Without Tears PK, and Child's Play Science. I also used Before Five in a Row, Sonlight P3/4, and Signing Time DVDs.

[Momma_Bear]

What about CLE Kindergarten 2?

 

I agree with the project idea. When my 8 and 6yo's were 5 and 3 I got ahold of some of that HUGE paper like schools use. I put it on the hallway wall and in the school room and they had at it with paint/art supplies. If they wanted more school work type I'd tell them to do things like to Write their name, address, all the words they can think of in 5 minutes, shapes, numbers, etc. It was a life saver and kept them busy (and they thought they were doing school).

[Hunter]

Archive.org has a bunch of free ebooks for seatwork and busywork.

[abba12]

I haven't read all the replies so sorry if this has been stated or a reason against it has been stated.

 

Why should age determine when you begin? If your child has mastered K level math, then move on to 1st grade math. If they find it too overwhelming you can always stop again, but if she WANTS to learn, why make her wait two years until she's 'officially' in grade 1 and 'supposed' to do math. She sounds ready for it. I was doing grade 5 math in grade 3, my sister was doing grade 3 math in grade 5! we have the freedom to do that as homeschoolers. If you don't think she's ready for reading yet, you can try some pre-readers, or you could work through reading but at a half lesson at a time, instead of a full one, for the exposure.

 

What about other subjects, traditionally people don't do science and history in kindergarten, but traditionally parents don't have 4 year olds who are ready for first grade either. If she can learn it then there's no reason to wait until a set age to teach it. I'd probably start involving her with your elder childs science and history, with easier assignments to complete of course.

 

You may just have a gifted child on your hands, don't make her wait until her age says she's ready. You can always back off again if she stops wanting it, but you can't go back and teach her more if you find she's unusually smart later on.

 

On the other hand, if she turns out unable to handle the dificulty, and just wants more 'schoolwork', how about some extracurriculars. Some logical thinking books, some kindy science/history books, a lot of places have curriculum for kindy now. Be careful with simply waiting until she's the 'right' age, you might find by the time she is the right age she is sick of waiting and finds something else to do which is more interesting than 'school'.

[lotsofpumpkins]

I haven't read all the replies so sorry if this has been stated or a reason against it has been stated.

 

Why should age determine when you begin? If your child has mastered K level math, then move on to 1st grade math. If they find it too overwhelming you can always stop again, but if she WANTS to learn, why make her wait two years until she's 'officially' in grade 1 and 'supposed' to do math. She sounds ready for it. I was doing grade 5 math in grade 3, my sister was doing grade 3 math in grade 5! we have the freedom to do that as homeschoolers. If you don't think she's ready for reading yet, you can try some pre-readers, or you could work through reading but at a half lesson at a time, instead of a full one, for the exposure.

 

What about other subjects, traditionally people don't do science and history in kindergarten, but traditionally parents don't have 4 year olds who are ready for first grade either. If she can learn it then there's no reason to wait until a set age to teach it. I'd probably start involving her with your elder childs science and history, with easier assignments to complete of course.

 

You may just have a gifted child on your hands, don't make her wait until her age says she's ready. You can always back off again if she stops wanting it, but you can't go back and teach her more if you find she's unusually smart later on.

 

On the other hand, if she turns out unable to handle the dificulty, and just wants more 'schoolwork', how about some extracurriculars. Some logical thinking books, some kindy science/history books, a lot of places have curriculum for kindy now. Be careful with simply waiting until she's the 'right' age, you might find by the time she is the right age she is sick of waiting and finds something else to do which is more interesting than 'school'.

 

 

The main reason I wanted to hold off on CLE 1st grade math is because although it starts off really easy, it picks up the pace pretty quickly. But the more I'm thinking about all of this, I'm definitely considering the possibility of starting it sometime when she's 5 if she's ready. In the meantime, I'm definitely starting some kind of K math with her soon. She hasn't had any trouble with the preschool math concepts in her workbooks, so she's ready. I'll probably get Singapore EM for her.

 

Today I showed her some CVC words to see if she could sound them out, and she did pretty well with some help. So, I'm going to have her go through the ETC primers to cement the letters and their sounds, then move onto ETC 1 whenever she gets there. The main reason I have always started R&S 1st grade phonics with my dc when they were around 6 is that the lessons are long and there's a lot of writing. But like I said earlier, I do realize this particluar child might need to take a completely different path than her siblings!

 

She already is involved to some extent in content subjects with her older siblings. We do those as a family anyway, and her involvement is optional. We are studying anatomy, so she is participating in activities for that. Anytime I have any kind of worksheet or map for history, she wants her own too.

 

Thanks so much for the advice. I'm not going to hold her back if she's ready to move forward. I also don't want to frustrate her if it gets too challenging.

[EppieJ]

I haven't read the responses so this post may be redundant, but for what it's worth here are some things you could try:

 

File Folder games (do a google search)

Kumon wkbks

100 Easy Lessons (if you want to begin blending/reading skills)

maybe some copywork since she likes writing

She might enjoy a simple unit study/lapbook (try Currclick or Hands of a Child)

Singapore Early Bird math books

Reader Rabbit & JumpStart have some good stuff for computer time

[A home for their hearts]

How about workbooks like these?

 

We have use the Let's Learn to Cut and Let's Learn to Paste from the above series and my dd4 loves them. They are inexpensive and the quality is wonderful.

[thebacabunch]

I agree with 100 easy lessons and Kumon books. I taught my kids to read and then they spent their time with books. I also used the kumon books to develop fine motor skills.

[FO4UR]

Wow! She was just born, wasn't she!?!

 

 

I think the ETC Primers are a good way to go. Little ones can change and grow so quickly, I would wait until she is almost finished with those before worrying about what comes next.

[lea_lpz]

You could start her in k program of your chosing if she seems ready. We use MFW K and it has a gentle intro and is completed in about 1 1/2 hrs for us. That's doing the complete program, but if you did just Bible, Lang & math it would be like 45 minutes to 1 hour probably. We do an activity and read alouds related to our theme. We just started word blends in unit 9 so first 48 days just cover letter of the week / general alphabet. I'm doing it 4 days a week vs. 5 so as to stretch it over 42 weeks vs 33. We also added Singapore Early Bird Math to reinforce math skills in addition to MFW k math.

 

We also do BFIAR and MFW preschool toys. They gave varying degrees of difficulty, so could be challenging to a 4 year old, even an advanced one, if opting for the tougher stuff. Sometimes my dd joins us for "preschool time" and I ask her to answer more challenging questions or tasks with BFIAR and MFW preschool toys and it is age appropriate to her.

 

My 3 year old is doing the R&R about 3's series right now and we look foreword to using the A-F series. And he's also doing HWT Get Ready for School. We'll do it again next year, too, though for more practice!

 

Also I know crafts are a distraction for the older kids, but check out Wee Folk Art and maybe you could save the crafts for when the older ones are done and all do it together because they look really fun! Of course my oldest is in K so am not in your shoes at all! Can't fathom yet running higher grades and K. But just think it's too cute and free is also a great price ;).

http://weefolkart.com/content/homeschool-companion-guides

Edited October 5, 2012 by lea_lpz