preschooler questions

[ninny]

My daughter is two and I would like to start her formally this winter. What kind of curriculum should I be looking for? I know its kind of young but she can count to ten almost forgets about 5 and 6 and knows most of the alphabet plus lots of ASL signs. She is really smart not going to go into all she knows. We joke she's two going on four. I am looking for a Spanish teaching program. Spanish is spoken by half the people where we are. So I figured why not teach them the basics at least same with ASL. There is a high hearing impaired community as well. I thought if we started her now then when her sister is sleeping it can be special mommy time. She really wants to write and read. I know I can keep going the way I have been but for my sake need to follow something for now.
Also I would like to get her involved in something. I was thinking 4H but I think shes to young still. They have three year old dance /gymnastics but I hate the super crazy moms that flock to these things. I would much rather buy her a show rabbit or chicken. Can she do open shows at three? I would get her the bunny/chicken for her birthday next spring. Or is that pushing it? Going to do swimming lessons this winter at the local Y. Any other ideas? When they get older going to be heavy in volunteering. Just with a two year old and her sister coming end of August I'm just making blankets and donating them for now.

 

[moolie]

Developmentally speaking, the best thing you can do for a 2-year-old is to play with her, teach her about the world around her, and not sweat the reading and writing.

Definitely teach her how to take care of animals, but don't push that either--she's way too young to take care of another creature all on her own. Same goes for formal dance or music classes, just expose her to music and she'll let you know when she's ready. Swimming is something that can be done very young, and I recommend teaching little ones to swim early on.

Many parents push their kids too hard and don't allow them the time to just enjoy childhood, and it comes back to bite them later in life. Bright lights are just that, if you push them they can withdraw into themselves. Let her have fun and keep on being a "bright" 2-year-old.

 

[donrae]

This isn't mine, it's from a post just a few down from yours. Just thought it bears repeating.

Article - What should a 4 year old know? by Alicia Bayer

I was on a parenting bulletin board recently and read a post by a mother who was worried that her 4 1/2 year old did not know enough. "What should a 4 year old know?" she asked.

Most of the answers left me not only saddened but pretty soundly annoyed. One mom posted a laundry list of all of the things her son knew. Counting to 100, planets, how to write his first and last name, and on and on. Others chimed in with how much more their children already knew, some who were only 3. A few posted URL's to lists of what each age should know. The fewest yet said that each child develops at his own pace and not to worry.

It bothered me greatly to see these mothers responding to a worried mom by adding to her concern, with lists of all the things their children could do that hers couldn't. We are such a competitive culture that even our preschoolers have become trophies and bragging rights. Childhood shouldn't be a race.

So here, I offer my list of what a 4 year old should know.


1.She should know that she is loved wholly and unconditionally, all of the time.

2.He should know that he is safe and he should know how to keep himself safe in public, with others, and in varied situations. He should know that he can trust his instincts about people and that he never has to do something that doesn't feel right, no matter who is asking. He should know his personal rights and that his family will back them up.

3.She should know how to laugh, act silly, be goofy and use her imagination. She should know that it is always okay to paint the sky orange and give cats 6 legs.

4.He should know his own interests and be encouraged to follow them. If he could care less about learning his numbers, his parents should realize he'll learn them accidentally soon enough and let him immerse himself instead in rocket ships, drawing, dinosaurs or playing in the mud.

5.She should know that the world is magical and that so is she. She should know that she's wonderful, brilliant, creative, compassionate and marvelous.

6.She should know that it's just as worthy to spend the day outside making daisy chains, mud pies and fairy houses as it is to practice phonics. Scratch that-- way more worthy.

But more important, here's what parents need to know.

1.That every child learns to walk, talk, read and do algebra at his own pace and that it will have no bearing on how well he walks, talks, reads or does algebra.

2.That the single biggest predictor of high academic achievement and high ACT scores is reading to children. Not flash cards, not workbooks, not fancy preschools, not blinking toys or computers, but mom or dad taking the time every day or night (or both!) to sit and read them wonderful books.

3.That being the smartest or most accomplished kid in class has never had any bearing on being the happiest. We are so caught up in trying to give our children "advantages" that we're giving them lives as multi-tasked and stressful as ours. One of the biggest advantages we can give our children is a simple, carefree childhood.

4.That our children deserve to be surrounded by books, nature, art supplies and the freedom to explore them. Most of us could get rid of 90% of our children's toys and they wouldn't be missed, but some things are important-- building toys like legos and blocks, creative toys like all types of art materials (good stuff), musical instruments (real ones and multicultural ones), dress up clothes and books, books, books. (Incidentally, much of this can be picked up quite cheaply at thrift shops.) They need to have the freedom to explore with these things too-- to play with scoops of dried beans in the high chair (supervised, of course), to knead bread and make messes, to use paint and play dough and glitter at the kitchen table while we make supper even though it gets everywhere, to have a spot in the yard where it's absolutely fine to dig up all the grass and make a mud pit.

5.That our children need more of us. We have become so good at saying that we need to take care of ourselves that some of us have used it as an excuse to have the rest of the world take care of our kids. Yes, we all need undisturbed baths, time with friends, sanity breaks and an occasional life outside of parenthood. But we live in a time when parenting magazines recommend trying to commit to 10 minutes a day with each child and scheduling one Saturday a month as family day. That's not okay! Our children don't need Nintendos, computers, after school activities, ballet lessons, play groups and soccer practice nearly as much as they need US.

They need fathers who sit and listen to their days, mothers who join in and make crafts with them, parents who take the time to read them stories and act like idiots with them. They need us to take walks with them and not mind the .1 MPH pace of a toddler on a spring night. They deserve to help us make supper even though it takes twice as long and makes it twice as much work. They deserve to know that they're a priority for us and that we truly love to be with them.





I read this and it reminded me why I wanted to homeschool in the first place, so my children wouldn't be pressured into "learning" what they are "supposed" to know by a certain age and why I wanted them to enjoy the freedom of learning at their own pace (with some guidance from us) and why I wanted to encourage them to explore and not worry about what everyone else is doing better or faster than they are. This gives me hope and affirmation that what I am doing is right for my family and I hope it does for everyone that reads this too. Thanks!

 

[moolie]

That's lovely

And so very true.

 

[Denim Deb]

If you want her to learn Spanish and ASL, don't "teach" it to her, just use it yourself when you interact w/her. She'll learn it naturally that way.

The best way for her to learn something now is for you to answer questions and to provide opportunities for her to explore the world around her. Take the time to let her follow a bug and see what it does. Take a hula hoop throw it in a spot in the yard and look just at what's inside. (You'd be amazed at how much diversity there can be in that small an area!) Have a sandbox and let her build sand castles. Take walks in the woods or by a lake and let her safely explore.

I don't recall now where I read it, but many children are suffering from health problems that aren't typically seen until they reach adulthood and many are feeling burned out. The reason has been linked back to all the programs that kids are involved in. Parents are so concerned w/giving them every advantage that the kids never have a chance to be a kid.

 

[tortoise]

She can show rabbits in ARBA as soon as she is old enough to carry her rabbit to the judging table by herself. I bought a small rabbit for my son when he was 3. He is now 5 and able to take care of her (and my rabbit) every day.

When my son was 2, I started teaching him how to fold washclothes. *sigh* That takes about a year of patience. But now he is 5 and he hangs up his clothes, folds socks, towels, helps fold sheets, he is learning to do t-shirts now.

Incorporate learning into everything you do. Read tons of books. When you can't take it anymore, read your magazines or newspapers aloud.

For writing readiness, she should be able to draw a straight(ish) line vertical and horizontal and a (rough) circle. Making an "X" is harder and comes later. She can start tracing shapes, squiggles, and letters then.

Let her be her own pace. If she's ahead, don't hold her back. If she's "behind" don't push her.

I disagree with a lot of donrae's post (I agree with a lot too, btw). Life isn't magical, let's stop lying to children, creating their high expectations and bad attitudes. Let's stop handcapping them by making their lives too easy. I know this doesn't completely apply to a 2 yr old, but something to keep in mind in the coming years.

 

[Blaundee]

I know this is an old thread, but figured I may as well revive it. I was homeschooled. My mom had no idea what she was doing, and didnt even know a parent COULD teach their children at home, but decided to do it anyway- all 4 of us kids are smart, successful, very well adjusted, and healthy, happy people. The best thing about being homeschooled, for me, is that my siblings and I became the very best of friends. We had friends, and were very social, involved in 4-H and youth groups and "enrichment classes", but preferred, and still prefer, the company of our siblings Mother used our religion (Seventh Day Adventist), animals, nature, and art to teach us, then as we got older she found a cople of curriculums that worked well for us- I'm drawing a blank, it's been many ears since I was in school lol, but I'm thinking it was Abekkah books that she used the most, especially for English, science, and writing, and used a Mennonite curriculum for the math- I'm thinking it was Light and Lamp or something along those lines- It's too late already to call Mother and ask her wat they were. We raised animals, and were encouraged to read a LOT, and those aspects taught us SO much. I can remember when I was 4, sister was 3, brother was 2, other sister unborn- Mother had us sitting at the kitchen table, learning how to properly hold crayons, and tracing the alphabet from the spelling/coloring books Mother got from Walmart I knew how to read at age 4, and my siblings even before that (Mother didn't get the idea until I was older lol) After a little while of learning how to write the alphabet, Mother would take us outside and show us leaves, bugs and the different parts of their bodies, how magnifying glasses worked, and other things like that, then we'd go inside and learn how to help her cook, then wash dishes, etc. EVERYTHING we did when we were little was a lesson, and before long Mother no longer had to read to us or cook for us or clean up after us! BRILLIANT MOTHER!!! LOL Every night Mother or Daddy would read our Bible lesson to us, and we'd say our prayers. I don't think you can start early enough in the training of your children. If I had children, I would certainly homeschool them, and start from the very beginning, teaching them the way they should go, just as the Bible says.