[Mamato3wild ponnie]

My ds will be 5 in November and is not interested in anything schoolish....he says he wants to go to big school with his book back...we do some things together...but most days he prefers to be alone and do things by him self.
We've made playdough and i starting making letters and he quickly changed that idea....not interested in colors or shapes or numbers.
He does like when i read to him...he is super smart and speaks some spanish and all english....i just want him to absorb everything he can at the right time.
I guess i'm second guessing unschooling.
I'm also going through some ppd....and feeling out of it most days...i just dont have the energy to put towards doing more with him. I feel really bad about this!

 

[4evermom]

He probably thinks going to school seems like an adventure and likes the things that come with going to school. Maybe he would like to have an adventure back pack with things like a bug jar, a flashlight, and a microscope in it.

He is still young for learning letters. Yes, some kids learn them young but many do not. Reading to him when you can is good. Do you have bigger kids at home that might like to do projects or go on adventures with him? By projects and adventures, I just mean letting him play and explore.

 

[Adasmommy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mamato3wild ponnie My ds will be 5 in November and is not interested in anything schoolish....

: Yay for avoiding all things "schoolish!"

I'd say be sure that anytime he asks a question, help him find the answer and talk about it. That will probably cover school just fine. You know, like "Why is the sky blue?" or "What makes people hiccup?" If you're like me, you'll be really grateful for the internet!

Those things may not seem schoolish out of context of school, but they are exactly what learning is about. The schoolish pusuits, I think, come naturally as people (kids) pursue the answers to their questions!

Really it sounds like you're having a rough time and that is compounding your doubts. Maybe relax and tell yourself that not doing anything educational for a few months will not set him back. Afterall, he's learning about babies . . .

 

[LoMaH]

The following should make you feel better (at least about the not doing schoolish Kinder part.)
I'm sure others will chime in here to help eliminate your unschooling doubts.

Crisis in the Kindergarten
Why Children Need to Play in School
http://education.uncc.edu/pkktpai/Po...ten_report.pdf

And... here's a website (tho not necessarily about unschooling) that I hope inspires you. Hopefully not for you to start making elaborate lesson plans, but to possibly give you a new outlook on what learning can look like.
http://http://www.besthomeschooling.org/articles/lillian_jones_ps_kdgtn.html

HTH

 

[skueppers]

What kind of games does he play?

My daughter will also be 5 in November, and she loves to play Memory and Sequence for Kids. She has also recently started playing Set and Blokus, and is very passionate about Set. She insists on playing it at least once every day.

 

[KariM]

Let's see....today my just turned 5 year old....

- dressed up in a princess costume and asked that we refer to her by her royal title

- saw me picking up the playroom with the baby girl and came and helped us pick up

- played with her Bob the Builder duplo set and created an imaginative scenerio

- watched an episode of Barney on Netflix

- walked to the grocery store with me and her little sis

That's what she did so far and we haven't had lunch yet.

Some days she'll ask to do "homework." That's what she calls obviously academic work like practicing writing letters.

Most days she'll get a creative bug and have to draw a picture or make a collage. These days she's really into making creations with markers, stickers, glue and paper. She makes a tube of the paper so they're a bit like paper lanterns when they're done.

She likes to have us read stories to her.

She enjoys riding her scooter and bicycle.

She enjoys helping in the garden - especially planting, harvesting, and watering.

She enjoys playing in the sandbox and with the see-saw.

She enjoys playing with FP little people, dolls, Playmobil people, and other toys that permit her to create imaginative scenerios.

She enjoys playing with her toy kitchen and food while I'm busy cooking or cleaning in the kitchen. A favorite game is to pretend that she owns a restaurant and I'm a customer.

Similarly she enjoys playing grocery store. We take turns being cashier and customer.

She loves going to parks with playgrounds.

She enjoys playdates with other kids - she plays well with kids from toddler age and up.