[Autumn Breeze]

Our current circumstances have made it impossible for my son to attend the pre-K that his elementary school puts on.

1. I have no car
2. We don't know anyone else who would be attending that I trust to drive him home everyday
3. We can't afford car payments so buying a car is out of the question

So....I am going to attempt to teach him all the things he'd be learning. Of course I can't get him used to a real classroom setting, which was the real reason I wanted him to go. He's a very wild boy. Likes to be up and moving all the time.

I have a few little workbooks that I picked up at the grocery store, numbers, letters, ect.

I'll be looking at all the free links later today, but I honestly don't know what else I need to do to prepare him for Kindy next year.

 

[lauracd]

...going to be putting him in school next year, you might try to start getting him to learn to sit down by doing it in small increments and rewarding him at the end. For example start with 5 minutes (or 2 minutes!)...whatever is a little hard for him and at the end of the time, if he sits there and reads, or does a lesson with you, etc, then give him a small reward that he likes such as a sticker or time to do an activity.

I feel for you. My boys are both very active but I am going to homeschool. I feel like if I weren't that I would be in for a lot of "training" to get them to not be labeled as a trouble maker in school. Boys are just so energetic. You also might try checking out some videos about going to school next time you go to the library.

Good luck and there are a lot of great links on this site. My oldest is the same age as yours (we're doing pre-k this year). This is one of my favorite sites that the ladies here told me about.

http://www.preschoollearners.com

Good luck and enjoy your extra year with your son.

 

[slightly crunchy]

I may or may not be sending my son to kindy next year. From what I have read and learned from other parents, the basics for pre-K are learning the colors, numbers, counting to about 20, knowing letters and letter sounds and possibly "reading"/sounding out some cvc words. And then things like following directions involving several steps, standing in line

and being able to write their name and find their name in their "spot" for coat, bookbag, etc.

So far we are good here already, except for the listening and standing in line parts.

: Which is *one* of the reasons I don't want to send him to PreK in the first place.

 

[MommaCrystal]

In my own preschool classroom that operated as part of the public school my emphasis was first on social experiences and learning to interact with other children and adults. So finding play experiences is SUPER important in my opinion. Using adults and other children as resources when help is needed.

After that playskills are of SUPER DUPER importance. Being able to develop and carry out an appropriate play theme with many steps, beginnign middle and end. Being able to carry out that theme for at least 15-20minutes (Not just repetitive play). Imaginary play with and without props or using not realistic props. Block play and being able to create age appropriate structures. Giving and taking during play exchanges with others (acting as both a leader and follower at times). Some examples would include taking a roll such as the doctor - check patient, wrapping bandages, writing persciption, talking to nurse).

Next came the language skills. Developing high quality receptive and expressive language skills. This means being able to understand, remember and exacute two and three part directions. Being able to tell stories (about real life experiences) that show a beginning middle and end that a listener who is unfamiliar with the story can follow. Understanding concept words such as over, under, next to, behind, near, far, above (again, for direction following mostly). It is important that they be able to follow diretions in the real world (ie. go put your blue ball next to your coat and bring mommy the news paper that is on top of the table) as well as on paper (ie. find the red ball next to the toy box). Retelling simple stories after hearing them one time.

If your child has a good understanding of these things all should be pretty well. THEN I'd work on academics. The single best way to work on academics is to READ READ AND READ SOME MORE to your child. Beyond that, you don't need workbooks or flash cards. These were banned from my classroom. Have your child help you find food at the grocery store (show them the letter on a piece of paper for the cereal and have them match it). Point out letters and words in your world. Make up silly rhymes, sing songs, play with sounds on tongue. Talk about which letters make those sounds. Have him help you write cards to learn to sign his name. Have him draw pictures and write letters to gparents or something.

Good key academics if you must are letter recognition (not the whole alphabet but at least letters in name) and some idea that sounds accompany letters. Singing whole alphabet. ID' the name and write it. Counting to 10. Quanitfying to 10 (ie. give me 5 blocks). SImple patterns (red, blue red, blue what comes next). And that all mighty ability to sit and listen to a story and complete an activity (10 minutes) independently.

HTH

 

[Lillian J]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MommaCrystal In my own preschool classroom that operated as part of the public school my emphasis was first on social experiences and learning to interact with other children and adults. So finding play experiences is SUPER important in my opinion. Using adults and other children as resources when help is needed. After that playskills are of SUPER DUPER importance...[etc.]

Okay, I was going to stay out of this, but you encouraged me to pop in with a link to this page of articles - and underneath them, annotated links to all sorts of sites that have great ideas for fun age appropriate activities for little ones:
Preschool and Kindergarten Learning Activities

Lillian

 

[MommaCrystal]

Nice link Lillian! I'm hoping my post showed my belief in a playbased curriculum for preschoolers (and kindergartners, and really 1st and 2nd graders too). That is what I was trying to convey as the really academicy stuffy should come second IMHO. I answered in the way I did because it seems as if the OP is might send her child to school in another year or so and I felt the need to throw some things public school seems to think is oh so important for readiness.

:

FWIW I am a state certified infant - grade 3 teacher (master's in early chilhood special ed) though I am currently a SAHM and chances are I will homeschool when the time comes.

I will be bookmarking that link! (and the similar one in your signature!) If you know of any more like it... send them my way!

 

[Lillian J]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MommaCrystal Nice link Lillian! I'm hoping my post showed my belief in a playbased curriculum...

Yes, definitely!

But Amanda, it's also understandable that you eventually want to have things in place by the time your son goes into kindergarten. I hope it will go easily and smoothly. Fortunately you have a long time before he'll need to know much for kindergarten - and you'll find that it takes no time at all compared to what it would normally take in a classroom setting.

Sounds like he'll learn those few things easiest with moving, singing, etc., in the form of games, rather than sitting. You could think in terms of showing him letters by drawing them in sand with a stick or toes, or with your finger in a pizza box lid or baking pan full of sand or salt - and letting him copy them. Or painting with ~fingerpaint~ or shaving cream. You can make letters out of playdough or clay, etc... And you can count things during the course of your daily life.

You might be able to call the school and see about getting a list of exactly what skills they expect a kindergartener to come in with - you might be pleasantly surprised to find that it isn't much. Although most schools are closed during the summers, some have a website with info on it.

Have fun!

Lillian