What to do with a 4-year old who seems ready for K?

[themayflies]

My daughter turned four in March. I am thinking ahead to next fall and wondering what I should do with her. I have a 7-year old son who I did a very limited K with (reading, writing, math, reading out loud) when he was 5/6 because he was an active, wiggly boy who couldn't sit for anything more. My daughter is completely different. She asks me to spell out words so she can write phrases down on paper, she can read 3 letter words, count and add small numbers (4+2), write numbers, etc. She likes doing "school" at the table because her big brother does it. So my question is this - what do I do with her? Should I just start doing K at a gentle pace (reading lessons, Horizons K math, and a Reason for Handwriting)? I don't want to push her but she seems ready. I don't know what else I would do with her and I would like to plan something so she does not feel left out. Thanks for the suggestions!

[Punks in Ontario]

I would give it a try. Likely I'd start slowly with a regular schedule and speed up as she adjusts. You are better off doing a bit either daily or every other day and sticking with it than jumping in with two feet and stopping when the novelty wears off.

 

Most of my guys started at 4 or so. We kept the time short and stopped before they were tired of it. I used to say that they were doing grade 1 at a kindy pace. Some progressed quicker than others. My last wasn't ready until he turned 5, but quickly caught up with where the others were at his age.

[Thia7278]

I started K for my second daughter when she was about 4.5. I thought I'd have to go slowly, but she's been doing a great job. I'd definitely start and let her lead the way.

[ondreeuh]

We gradually started lessons when my son was 4ish with phonics and Bob books. Last fall (age 4.5) we did PAL Reading, and when he finished that in the winter we spent more time on math and handwriting. I just adjusted the pace to whatever he was ready for. We tried handwriting a few times before he was ready for it - once he was, we just kept going. Some days we did a little, some a lot. The advantage of starting early is that you are already ahead so there isn't any pressure to "keep up."

[craftyerin]

I had the wiggly 5yo boy last year, with twins just 12 mos younger than him who seemed, in many ways, more ready than he was for kinder. We started at 5.5 and 4.5 doing reading lessons (primarily Phonics Pathways), Singapore Essential Math K, and handwriting, along with FIAR, for all 3 of them at the same time. The younger ones have all done fantastically well! I see no reason not to give her K level work if she's ready for it. I have no regrets doing so. If you offer her K level work and she's not ready and balks, you can back off. No harm in trying.

[Jackie]

Teach to what she wants. Absolutely, do kindergarten. Slow down when she is frustrated and speed up when she is eager. I am doing a combination of pre-k and K with my 3 year old ow and she is loving it. Don't think so much in age terms, just meet each child where he or she is at!

[boscopup]

At age 4, I use K level material on a when-they-ask basis. If they want to do a reading lesson or a math lesson, that's fine. We'll do one. If they don't ask, I won't bother. I start requiring daily school when they really are "K" by age (even if they're doing higher level material at that point). My middle son was K last year, and he did first grade math because that was where he was. The rest was basically K level. My 4 year old (as of May) does a reading lesson and now has a K level math book. He doesn't always do both in the same day, though lately he's in a school mood and he does do both (sometimes independently - he's in the "I do it myself!" phase). This child started reading at age 3, so by time he is in "K" next year, I doubt he'll be doing anything at K level. My expectations for my kids are always age-appropriate output and time spent with ability-appropriate input given.

[Maela]

I would go for it!  I agree with this:

Likely I'd start slowly with a regular schedule and speed up as she adjusts. You are better off doing a bit either daily or every other day and sticking with it than jumping in with two feet and stopping when the novelty wears off.

My ds will be four in October.  He asks to "do schoolwork," and says he's ready for kindergarten.  So I'm calling this coming year K4 for him, and will have him do 10 minutes of reading and/or math practice every school day.  He can do more if he wants.  Lately he's been sitting for up to twenty minutes practicing counting, reading short words, and working on his pre-ETC workbook with me.  All because he asks for it.  It's so fun for me, but I'm very careful about not pushing it - I did that with Dd, and she's just now starting to enjoy learning again.  :(

[tabinfl]

My youngest, at 3, wanted to do everything that her brother and sister were doing in pre-K. So we did. Last summer I just kept her going right along with the older two into K-level work as she already knew all of the letter sounds, was reading Bob books, knew her numbers, etc. I gave her a bit more leeway especially in things like handwriting that required motor skills she just didn't have yet, but she needed less and less of that as the year progressed.

 

As of now (about to start 1st), there is more variation between my kids in their individual abilities than between the 5yo and the 6yos. Youngest reads better than either of them, but isn't terribly interested in math, girltwin is whizzing through math but doesn't want much to do with science, boytwin can tell you anything you want to know about animals & nature, but is struggling a bit with reading.

 

My sister and I both started school "early" (winter birthdays), and neither of us seemed to suffer for it in the long run. I can recall only two times it mattered to me: when I was the last one in the gym locker room to need a bra, and when my friends all got their driver's licenses before I did. Socially and academically, I was fine (not quite valedictorian, but in the top 10% of my HS class) -- probably far better than being bored had I been a year behind.

[Eagle]

I started with one subject and slowly added others. I also swapped extra subjects in and out each month to keep things interesting and fun. Miquon Math worked really well for my ds for his first "school" year.

[Walking-Iris]

Don't worry about what grade to call it, just do what she seems ready to do. HWT K is a very gentle K handwriting program. Use with the wooden letters. ETC Get Ready Set Go books are great to start out with. It's important to learn to write the lower case early imo. 

 

A book like Peak With Books or a program like FIAR is great for that age. At that age I would just focus on read alouds, handwriting, and add in lots of science and arts time. 

 

Beginning math is fine to start. Mep or SM Essentials. I really don't get why people use Miquon at very young ages since the first book gets in to multiplication. I'd rather focus on numeration skills and adding/subtracting before trying to do mult with a young child.

 

 

[melbotoast]

Give her work at the academic level she is at, but keep the time you spend on it age-appropriate. 

[themayflies]

Thanks to all who responded!   :)  I'm looking forward to starting with her this year.

[Maela]

Give her work at the academic level she is at, but keep the time you spend on it age-appropriate.

this is great advice!

[MommaOfalotta]

I haven't read the other responses yet.. BUT..

 

When dd was four I thought I would start K. I felt she was super smart and would be totally ready for it. She has always been writing and asking how to spell things since she was big enough to hold a pencil. I mean all. day. long. So I thought K would be a breeze. She was always begging me "Can we start school now please!?!????"

 

So we started K. After about 2 months (and other, outside circumstances) we decided to wait until she was five. She went from asking to do school to groaning when I would get a book out. So we quit! I gave her time to play and be a child. She still loves to write, and does so all day long. She loves to read, etc. But to this day (she will be starting 1st this fall) she doesn't like "doing school." Its just because its something she has to do ;)

 

My point is, they will have plenty of time to do school. I'm not suggesting for you to do nothing with her! Just get some K books or curric, anything, and go slow, make it FUN! Do a little every day and dont have expectations of her finishing a lesson or whatever. If she loves it, then keep going! If not, don't worry :)

[Seeking Squirrels]

DD has been asking and wanting to do school since she was about 2.5. I don't worry about what grade she *should* be in, I just meet her where she is in each subject. So when she seemed ready for something, we did it. When she asked to do more, we did. When she doesn't ask for school and is having fun playing, we skip it, sometimes for weeks at a time. She just turned 5 and is excited to be "starting kindergarten" this fall (since I label her grade by age) but she is well into 1st grade work on average. She doesn't know or care what level she is at in subjects. She knows she was in preschool and now that she's five she'll be in K. One of the beauties of homeschooling, you can meet the child right where they are and it doesn't matter what you call it.

[three4me]

We were in the exact same position last year (DD had turned 4 in March) and we started with 100 Easy Lessons and Horizons Math K (later switched to Singapore Essential Math K) in the fall, then added Sonlight P4/5 in January. We went at DD's pace, which meant we did lessons most days, but occasionally took a week off. She's now 5, and this fall we will be moving to Singapore 1A for math. Her reading took off so we stopped doing 100 Easy Lessons quite a while ago. We will work through Writing Road to Reading mostly for spelling (she's always asking how to spell things) and will do FIAR. 

 

If your DD seems ready then I don't see any problem with taking it slow (or fast for a while, if she wants) and use this learning window as much as you can. Just make sure she's still getting lots of playtime and outside time!

[Unmeltable]

I would give it a try. I will cause her so much frustration if she is "held back". We used Headsprout Early Reading for my son, which is self-paced. She might like that and she can go at her own pace. 

[sewingmama]

Do what she is ready for. My DS who is about to turn 4 is very ready to start reading and is starting to sound out words. It would be crazy to wait till he was officially k because that is still 2 years away. By our state cutoff he isn't even old enough to go to PreK this year.

 

I call him preschool and give him what he is ready for. In his case he is ready for K level reading lessons....however...his fine motor skills are poor and he can barely hold a crayon so it would be stupid of me to make him try k handwriting now as well KWIM..

 

Anyway I am starting him with reading and oral math (because he can do that too) and still giving him play dough etc for the fine motor skills.

 

That's the beauty of homeschool...you can tailor it to where they are.

 

In your case I would just label her whatever the state says she should be by age and then just give her the work at the level she can handle. That way if she peters out halfway through you can slow down till she is ready again.

 

My 5yo is officially K this year but doing all 1st grade work. My DD is officially in first doing all first grade work and some remedial K work. Don't worry about the grade ...it's just for ease of paperwork :)