what should i do to help my 4 yr old get ready for school?

Question

my 4 year old son will be 5 this summer and i want him to be able to go to school. He knows his numbers, colors, shapes. but i have tried and tried again to teach him the alphabet. because i live 1/2 hr from a town with a preschool i really did not want to make the drive every day but im not sure if i should go ahead and get him in preschool instead of kindergarten. Because we live in the country he hasnt really had alot of social time with children his age. it's hard to get him to sit down to teach him, any suggestions? should i have him do preschool anyways or try to get him caught up over the summer at home? also if anyone knows of any low income preschools or maybe summer programs in Cheyenne, Wyoming area it would be appreciated!

Answer 1

More than his abilites and what he knows, you should look at his maturity level. Is he able to complete structured tasks (like draw a picture, play with one toy at a time, etc)? Can he sit and listen to an entire story being read to him or does he become dis-interested and wander off. The teacher can teach him whatever he needs to know to be at his grade level, but she can't do it if your son has too short of an attention span (about 15-20 min.). Boys mature later than girls and there is nothing wrong with you holding him until he is 5 turning 6. Think when he is older... There is nothing wrong with a teen-age boy being a year stronger, taller, mature than they would have been if you put them in school earlier. You know your son best, what do you think he can handle? You could ask to sit in the Kindergarten class to see if you think your son would be able to handle it.

Answer 2

I have been a preschool Director for many years in California.

I am not sure how the education system is in your State, but here, Kindergarten is not the first step anymore.

Children are expected to have the foundation already built before they enter Kinder. I have heard of several children repeating Kinder because they do not have the skills they need for 1st grade.

Both of my daughters were already READING before they entered Kinder.

Another thing that preschool offers which is VERY important for Kinder is the social skills needed. They learn how to sit and listen to the teacher, they already have the sense of "sharing" the adult with several other children.

You can probably find a 1/2 day program that wouldn't cost very much.

Good luck!

Answer 3

I don't know what the cutoff age is where you live, but where I am the child must be 5 by September 1st in order to attend kindergarten. Where you're child is a summer baby, close to the cutoff, and he's a boy, and no preschooling, I highly recommend keeping him out a year. I have two sons, and all boys could use that extra year, as they tend to be more immature. Think long term too - it helps if they're older, they're the first to get their drivers license, turn 21, etc. Or as one person said to me "do you want them to have an extra year of childhood or an extra year as an adult?"

I would consider enrolling him in a preK program/preschool for next year, and send him on to kindergarten the following year.

Answer 4

I would start socializing him now. Take him to preschool or a child play group at least a couple of days a week. He needs to be exposed to other children his age and learn to interact with them or he might have a hard time getting started in school. It will make it more stressful on him.

Start talking about school with him to get him excited. Talk about how the teachers read book to the kids and how he can play on a playground with other kids, etc. And make sure to get him into some type of environment in which he can sort of practice for kindergarden. Preschool is ideal.... if even for a couple months. But don't throw him in full time and shock his little system... start out with a few hours... then a couple half days a week... etc. Be sure to make it fun for him and keep updated by the teacher.

Answer 5

I was able to teach my son to sight read 10 words at two years old with this method. After a high protein, low sugar, lunch, when he's calm enough to sit still, show him a list of words that are written in different colors and sizes. (Easy to do in MS word if you have a printer) The words should vary in length, beginning letter, and vowel sounds. Every few hours for the first few days, read the list to him, and talk about it as much as he's willing. You can use names of family members and pets, anything he is familiar with. After about two weeks, he should be able to "read" at least 3 or 4 of the words. Praise him alot! Once he understands the correlation between letters and words, he will be more interested in learning the alphabet. In the beginning, sight reading is about recognizing a word by certain characteristics- it's the red one, the long one, etc. Once he is interested in learning and "playing school," there will be no holding him back. My sons first word list was: Mommy, Daddy, Eric, coffee, paper, socks, playstation, dog, moon, and rat. You can teach him, and you will have fun doing it. Just don't try to do it while he's wound up. And if he needs more time before he starts school, give it to him. He may need preschool if you aren't able to get him calmed down before school starts. Good luck.

Answer 6

If you are a SAHM, he will not need a preschool. You are the best teacher he could have! Kids don't "have" to know specific things before kindergarten; you will see his peers will have all sorts of different abilities. It's great that he already knows the things he does, but you should try to get him more familiar with the alphabet, the individual letters and even sounds. Read lots to him, sing together... involve him in all everyday activites like cooking and shopping, etc.

Answer 7

I had the same problem with my son. He starts school this August and he would not do anything. He can say his numbers. He knows his colors and shapes. But That was it. But my mother told me to give him a treat every time he did it right and now he knows his ABC's.. Well do school work 1 hour everyday. He can even write his name and that was hard since his name is Dartanian. You just have to be patient with him. Give breaks in between lessons. And praise him.. Let him know it is okay for him to mess up so long he keeps trying.And as for him being around other kids I took my son to the park cuz here preschool was full and he could not go. Make games using his ABC's as well. Kids learn more when they are having fun with it.
Please let me know if this helps you any okay. Good luck to you and your son..

Answer 8

preschool or even head start is very good for kids...my daughter is 4 she wont be 5 until December...she is going to preschool in august when it starts...i think it helps them learn i many ways...they also get use to being around a lot of kids and they get use to a teacher not his mommy telling them what to do all day...it really gets them ready for kindergarten...even if you decide to catch him up some i think it would still be a good idea for a preschool program.....good luck with whatever you choose to do...

Answer 9

Alphabet teaching should not be something you sit down and teach - just like colors, shapes and numbers can be taught without ever 'teaching'

Get alphabet books from the library or used book stores or as gifts. Get many different ones, because they are beautiful, funny, clever, spooky, etc. When you read them, you just note the name of the letter. Don't quiz him, don't lecture him, just mention it.
When you read other books, point out letters - oh, there's a very big A. That letter is a symbol telling me to say AAA or AY. Just casual information dropped in. You are not teaching, you are sharing. You are having fun. You are hanging out.

When you see letters on signs - point them out. When you see sticks shaped like letters (Ys and Fs are common) point them out.

You should read lots to him every day.

Have him tell you a story. Write down his story in big block letters on several pages, have him illustrate each page, and bind his 'book' with ribbon. Read his story with him.

Get index cards, write words on them, and post the words all over your house. "Refrigerator" "Bookcase" "Toy Box" "Window" "Mommy" (for fun!)

Show him how much you read, how you use it, how you love it!

Shape letters with playdogh, draw letters in sand, get him sesame street's wonderful video, learning about letters, and watch it with him. a lot if he likes it.

my bias is for homeschooling. i think school too young makes no sense. we know that children under 5 learn best in a one on one relationship wtih mom.

Kids 'get' reading from ages 2 - 8. That's a huge range. He's in no way late, tho schools might try to make him feel that way.

Remember, no 'teaching.' Just tons of learning.


Homeschoolers love country life - there's so much real stuff for him to learn. School leaves no time for a real education.
Have fun!

Answer 10

It seems such as you're pushing too no longer hassle-free. he isn't fascinated because of the fact why would desire to he be? that is uninteresting stuff to him! save discovering exciting by ability of analyzing to him and playing video games. Kindergarten instructors prefer their scholars to have good social skills. they like him to be waiting to get together with his classmates, comprehend a thank you to remedy conflicts, and have good listening skills. on account that his birthday is in September, he will directly be youthful than maximum his classmates. think of approximately waiting a year earlier sending him to kindergarten. putting him in kindewrgarten next year places him at a disadvantange with the others in his classification. This places much greater stress on him to do artwork that he isn't waiting for. the different toddlers must be as much as a million year older than him! additionally he would be in basic terms 17 while he starts off into college. My son has a Sept. birthday and that i gave him an added year of kindergarten. He became extremely waiting at that factor and now in intense college ,he's a frontrunner between his acquaintances, because of the fact he has self assurance and adulthood that would in basic terms come from age. good success! i visit declare that pushing in basic terms makes your baby hate teachers- it has to come again from them being fascinated.