Interrupting play for schoolwork?

[Calizzy]

How much do you stop happily playing sibling for the sake of schoolwork? My girls are 7 and 5, so still young. We do schoolwork first thing. 7 yo does reading, spelling, and we alternate handwriting and writing. She also does math daily, and we focus on either history or science for about a month at a time, I try to do 2 lessons a week and then we get library books and videos on that subject. So we are getting the basics in, usually before lunch. But, for instance right now, the girls are in their room playing something- probably dolls. I still wanted to do science today and I wanted to have my 5 yo do a few things and I am torn between telling them to come down to do the school work or just leaving them to play which I know if good for them and gives me a break. This is not a rare thing, it's pretty daily that they really just still want to play for a large chunk of the day. Would you just leave them? Or is it important to get some of the additional supplemental subjects in?

[FriedClams]

I'm a meanie. We work before play. Honestly, //I'D// let it all slide and we'd never get lessons done. I NEED the consistency. So, in our house, 95% of the time it's "get your work done and the day is yours to explore".

 

 

ETA - While the content of lessons may not be huge at this age, I think the habit of "doing our schoolwork" is a good one to establish. When your kids are older and reflexively start school in the morning you'll be glad you established the routine. :-)

Edited January 26, 2016 by FriedClams

[Alice]

At that age I would let them play and not worry about the extras. I'd be ready to do Science when they start to be bored. 

[Hobbes]

My girls are close to the same age. We do the most essential things right after breakfast so we don't get distracted, then they go off to play. I'll often put off anything else (ex: science or history content) if they get absorbed in play... I keep my ears open for an obvious break if there anything else I really want to do. But at this age, there is so much value in imaginative play that I love to see them immersed in that! At 5, I just always prioritize play over 'work'. By 7, I start to get into a little more work focus, but play is still important.

 

ETA: IMO, time for being in that "state of flow" with play, especially with a positive sibling relationship, is a huge plus of homeschooling!

Edited January 26, 2016 by indigoellen@gmail.com

[carriede]

I have a 6 and 4 year old. They know what time school starts, and I give plenty of warnings. Some days are better than others, but they will come do school when it is school time.

 

I've tried waiting until later, but the reason they play so nicely in the morning is because that's when they have their best attitude. So if I wait to do school later, we're doing school with a tired, cranky set of kids - which obviously doesn't work.

 

Sometimes I'll let them play another 30 minutes or so so I can catch up on chores or if the toddler needs some extra mommy time, but that's it.

[purpleowl]

Usually I just say, "You may play until [time]," and then I give a couple of warnings as [time] approaches. When it's [time], we resume school (or take a minute to clean up toys and then resume school).

 

Every now and then, if I feel like the play time is more beneficial, I just let the play keep going. Today we're not doing school at all - yesterday was DD#1's birthday, and I knew that her attention would be completely on wanting to play with the gifts she received at dinner last night. Better to just have time devoted to play today, and then tomorrow I will have a much more focused student. :)

Edited January 26, 2016 by purpleowl

[Guest]

This was a huge problem for us some days, for sundry reasons.

 

Now, we do school after lunch. It's ALWAYS after lunch, so nothing is interrupted. They get to play all morning, usually including a couple hours outside. Their tummies are full, their wiggles are wiggled and *I* am not totally reeling from late nights with the baby.

 

I have no problem telling the kids to stop playing, be quiet (respectful to the other ppl working) and get cracking on school. But mornings are such a wild card here. Switching school to after lunch is the best things I've ever done for our homeschool, and I am not being hyperbolic to say that.

[Raifta]

When mine were that age, I usually would let them play instead of worrying about the supplemental stuff.  We did plenty of supplemental stuff together naturally.

 

I also found that if there was anything I wanted to do with the older one that didn't get done, I would save it until the weekend, and spend 30 minutes with that one while the other played with Dad.  They were both happy with that arrangement as DS (younger child) loved hanging with Dad and DD (older child) still loved hanging with me doing schoolwork in lieu of hanging with Dad until about a year ago.

 

And if there was anything I really wanted them to see/do for history or science we often started the day with it as an 'all together' activity at those ages before I let DS go about his way and worked with DD independently.

[happypamama]

Disclaimer: My state does not require me to register a child under eight, so that makes a big difference in what I do.  I believe that for the under 7-8 set, play IS their work, and since no portfolio/evaluation/testing is required in my state for children of that age, I am a very laid back schooler.  

 

Seatwork is not mandatory for a 5yo at my house.  I do not interrupt happy sibling or solo play for seatwork for 4, 5, 6.  Even for a 7yo, it will depend on the day.  Just in the last month or so have I started requiring that my 7yo first grader do daily seatwork.  Prior to this, it was optional.  Some days, he'd want to do a lot of seatwork, and other days, he wouldn't.  Since he will probably be a portfolio child next school year, I am using the rest of this year to build the habit of daily work.  The gentle transition from "work is optional" to "you have a list of required work every day that covers all subjects" from K to about third grade is an approach that works very well for my household.

 

My 4.5yo?  He has phonics and copywork and preK skills workbooks that he does when HE wants to.  I generally offer him the chance to work with me for a bit, and sometimes he takes it, and sometimes he doesn't.  I'm not in the least worried about that.  My older kids have transitioned nicely over those few years.

[Miss Tick]

I would often use food to draw then to the table, so we would do some school just after breakfast and just after lunch, and, if "necessary" along with afternoon snack. If they were already at the table them listening to me read and answering questions, or doing some copywork and math before they left was not a big deal. At some point we moved to starting at 9, so there is sometimes playtime in the morning.

[Syllieann]

We do math right after breakfast before they break off to play. Language arts is right after lunch. For other things, I usually don't interrupt happy sibling play. When bickering or destructive behavior starts I call them to do school work.

[Sherry in OH]

My children get an hour to play before breakfast.  After breakfast we do lessons.  Then they have a break until lunch.  Afternoon lessons immediately follow lunch.  When those lessons are finished they have the remainder of the afternoon to play.  

 

At 7 and 5 that amounted to about an hour of schoolwork in the morning and up to an hour of hands-on activities in the afternoon, plus read alouds scattered throughout the day.  Sometimes the hands-on activity was taking a walk.

[SounderChick]

Nope maybe because my kids relationship is up and down but if they are play nicely together I do not interrupt for any reason other than appointments.  It usually only lasts a couple of hours their has always been plenty of time to get the work done.

[Critterfixer]

My guys are much older, but even now they will take breaks and play. The difference is now that play for one or both often means that they are working on creative fiction of some kind, drawing projects, etc. So the play is certainly educational now!

I still stop it when we need to get back to work. I'm fond of the warning system. In the mornings I will call the fifteen minute warning before beginning French, followed by a two minute warning to "wrap up." 

It seems to work pretty well.

Recess breaks in the morning (we have one between Latin and math, and a short one after math) are timed. No big deal. They often race to come back in after running around outside. And there is a snack between Latin and math that is always a hit.

 

I should add that I regularly school from 9 am until 3-3:30, so the hours are really regular. And we worked up to that time over several years. We even have nice little study sessions sometimes at night with snacks. It's all enjoyable and low-key.  

[HomeAgain]

It depends.  If it is truly something that is important to you, then a good routine being established is the first step.  Create shortened opportunities when you don't want them to have the choice not to do something.  Instead of playtime in the morning, set a routine of breakfast, chores, independent puzzle or manipulative while others get ready.  Have playtime before lunch if you plan on continuing after, and segue from eating to a structured activity by keeping them on task and creating that routine of expecting such right after lunch.

 

It's always when the routine goes out the window that we have problems with wanting to go back into it.

[pehp]

I typically try to get in the most basic of basics before they get into serious play, but have been known to let the playtime ride for a while if they are really engaged.  I believe play is the work of a child, in some ways, and it's healthy and good.  At these ages (mine are 8 & 5) it doesn't hurt us to have flexibility w/ our academic work....my children still have a morning chore regimen that never changes.  

[desertflower]

If you are comfortable with it, let them play.  I'm more of a relaxed home schooler, so I would let them play.  Of course mine are younger than yours.  I think learning how to play with one another is important.  Then I'm also there to settle their disputes.  Of course your are older, so they may settle their disagreements themselves.

[HS Mom in NC]

I'm a "work first, then play" advocate.  We got school done first thing, then chores, then they could play all they wanted. 

[Ellie]

How much do you stop happily playing sibling for the sake of schoolwork? My girls are 7 and 5, so still young. We do schoolwork first thing. 7 yo does reading, spelling, and we alternate handwriting and writing. She also does math daily, and we focus on either history or science for about a month at a time, I try to do 2 lessons a week and then we get library books and videos on that subject. So we are getting the basics in, usually before lunch. But, for instance right now, the girls are in their room playing something- probably dolls. I still wanted to do science today and I wanted to have my 5 yo do a few things and I am torn between telling them to come down to do the school work or just leaving them to play which I know if good for them and gives me a break. This is not a rare thing, it's pretty daily that they really just still want to play for a large chunk of the day. Would you just leave them? Or is it important to get some of the additional supplemental subjects in?

 

When my dc were that young, nope.

[Momto4inSoCal]

We work first then play. No TV, tablets or electronics till school work is done. I try and cut up our school day with art and memory work songs so it isn't so monotonous. I also have scheduled playtime while I work with the one on one during math with each of my older girls. I have 2 with ADHD and we need to have structure. My 4yo twins on the other hand only do school if they feel like it. Next year at 5 they will start having seat work. I would say this is a house by house thing. I have friends that do fine doing school whenever. It just doesn't work in this house and for some reason my kids brains seem to leave them in the evening so doing school late just doesn't work. 

[tomandlorih]

You are getting in the important stuff.. I'd let science and history slide in favor of play any day.  

[lovinmyboys]

8 and under can play all they want at my house. They usually end up doing some house cleaning and schoolwork most every day, but I rarely interrupt play.

[three4me]

This was a huge problem for us some days, for sundry reasons.

 

Now, we do school after lunch. It's ALWAYS after lunch, so nothing is interrupted. They get to play all morning, usually including a couple hours outside. Their tummies are full, their wiggles are wiggled and *I* am not totally reeling from late nights with the baby.

 

I have no problem telling the kids to stop playing, be quiet (respectful to the other ppl working) and get cracking on school. But mornings are such a wild card here. Switching school to after lunch is the best things I've ever done for our homeschool, and I am not being hyperbolic to say that.

This is pretty much what we've been doing this year. I love not having to interrupt them for school work. Occasionally they're really NOT getting along in the morning, in which case I tell them to shape up or we'll start our work early.

[ikslo]

Only have one, and he is 9. So feel free to ignore me. I think it depends on the content/manner of the play. Actively engaged pretend play, I have been known to let him be. iPad / computer play? It's time for school.

[Coco_Clark]

I'll give them an extra 15-30 minutes to finish their game but honestly? If I didn't interrupt play we'd NEVER get anything done.

[matrips]

Mine are 11 now and we still don't fit formal science in. At the age of yours, play wins every time. Mine have read tons of science books over the years on their own, watched popular mechanics and bill nye DVDs for fun etc. it doesn't have to interrupt play. Reading, some handwriting and a little math is perfect at that age. Let them have time to be curious and want to learn on their own. They're only little kids once. School gets longer every year. I don't regret the playtime.

[maize]

I'd let them play.

[Calizzy]

Thanks for all the posts. It's helpful to see how different families operate. I am definitely talking creative play, not iPad. They like to make crafty stuff with old boxes, play with dolls, pretend school- which includes reading to their dolls. Generally I think much of their play is still "educational." Sometimes I think I put too much pressure on us.

[abba12]

The kids play before breakfast. Once I begin making breakfast though, that's it, chores, eating, then straight into school. Interrupting their play for food seems much more reasonable lol, and once that happens I don't allow them to go back to playing. The plus side is this means we are often done by 11, or even 10 on a good day. I want to establish the same routine I had as a homeschooled student, work first and then when its all done you have the whole day ahead of you. I think kids play gets more involved and constructive when there's nothing hanging over them to du. If they know school is soon they won't pull out art supplies or construct big elaborate scenes, so I'd rather give them more time after everything is done instead of before

[....]

Under 10 ? I never interrupted play. Over 10 ? I do. 

 

:iagree:  At that age, I would just wait for them to stop playing as long as you don't have other stuff to get to (activities, etc).  Or just give them a huge warning - at noon, it's time to stop playing and do schoolwork!   

[Farrar]

If I had never interrupted my boys, who are twins, they never, ever would have stopped and there would have been no school. I was sort of loose about it. Sometimes if they were in the thick of a game, I let it go. Other times I said, it'll still be there, and we started schoolwork.

[katilac]

Thanks for all the posts. It's helpful to see how different families operate. I am definitely talking creative play, not iPad. They like to make crafty stuff with old boxes, play with dolls, pretend school- which includes reading to their dolls. Generally I think much of their play is still "educational." Sometimes I think I put too much pressure on us.

 

When my kids were younger, I read some books and sites that were all about active learning in the classroom -  learning centers, hands-on projects, and so forth - and went, huh, that looks mighty familiar! If it makes you feel better, write down '10 minutes practice reading out loud' when they are reading to their dolls, '5 minutes practice writing' when they send out tea party invitations, lol. 

 

If I'm understanding your post, you did some basic work early, and then they went off to play? In that case, I generally always let them play until lunch, which was a natural breaking point. Then, after lunch, we might do something like read alouds, a nature walk, a game that requires counting (educational but not seat work). 

 

My kids didn't have any trouble making a gradual transition to a longer, more 'official' school day. Even now, we prefer a longer school year with shorter days to longer days with a longer summer break, and it has the further advantage of cutting down tremendously on review. 

 

There comes a time when you have to think much harder about skipping a lesson, because it's harder to catch up in later years. When you are in the thick of that, as I am now, you will look back at the early years and sigh wistfully. Enjoy it while you can! 

 

*sigh* 

[MrsWeasley]

I hate disrupting play during play during the early elementary years. I start school right after breakfast, which helps with that.

[SanDiegoMom]

It totally depends on the kid too -- if I had homeschooled my eldest who extremely strong willed, I would have had to be firm every single time,  So if I said by age 8 you have to do schoolwork first, then play -- I would have to stick with it or else spend 30 minutes every day for the next week trying to explain why that was a "special "occasion".   My younger two are easier, but they still had a very hard time when I tried to be more flexible last year.  This year I made school times set in stone and after one week they had no problems.  They really needed the routine and the predictability. But they are 10 this weekend, so take it with a grain of salt!