Homework for a 3 year old?

[CrohnicallyAspie]

DD goes to a day care nursery. She turns 4 soon, so this is her last year before she starts school. When I picked her up today they gave me a phonics sheet and asked me to do it at home with her. It's not difficult, it's circling letters and colouring a picture. But seriously, set homework for a 3 year old? AIBU to think it's completely unnecessary and not do it? I don't think she'll suffer academically!

[Excited101]

There's a school near me who does weekly homework for the 3 year olds too... Don't even get me started on how much the reception lot get!

[Lazyafternoon]

If it was actually set as 'homework' with it being expected you do it within a set time frame and report back - then that's terrible for a 3 year old! I think of 'homework' as a chore and definitely not something that should be compulsory.

But... if it was a fun worksheet that nursery sent home to encourage parents to get involved and engaged with their childs learning. Then I think that's fine. Us parents do have a responsibility to help our childs learning. It is NOT 100% up to nursery's and schools and to teach them all things numeracy and literacy. We should be involved, and sitting down and doing a 5minute educational activity with them is a good thing. As long it's our judgment about what we do and when we do it. Some parents will already do loads of educational activities anyway and might find nursery 'telling them to' annoying, others might need to be encouraged by the nursery with some ideas of how to get involved with encouraging their childs learning.

Personally I like that my DS preschool get us involved. We get a 'library' book each week. There's not testing, no expectation, no deadlines, no checking up on you etc. They just get a new book sent home in their bag each week, I was told at the start of term "so you have a new book to read with them each week if you want to".

[BertieBotts]

It will be voluntary, just in case you want to do something with them. If you want to and it's fun then go for it, but don't stress if you don't want to either.

[SarcasmMode]

No way!

DD is 3.5 and the only 'work' we have ever been sent home with was at Christmas the words to the songs they would sing at the concert. They do send books to read if the child wants to buy think that's more good parents.

[2014newme]

No I wouldn't do it

[Eyedrophell]

One of the things Ofsted mark nurseries on is how well they help encourage learning at home. It sounds like a poorly thought out attempt to tick that box. We offer activity suggestions, recipies etc, I always feel a bit about it as it can be seen as patronising but it's generally well received.

[Tanith]

Interesting article from Sue Palmer here

Unfortunately, she and others have been saying this for years and the Authorities still aren't listening

[CrohnicallyAspie]

I didn't do the homework and didn't mention it either. It looked like none of the other parents even took the sheet home...

She has handwriting books at home (she loves the wipe clean ones!), and I encourage her to write in things like birthday cards anyway, but she showed no interest in doing the homework other than telling me what all the sounds were on the way home (she also read the adults' instructions to 'find the letter a'!)

[HellsBellsnBucketsofBlood]

Oh dear god no. Your DD does not need to be doing homework at 3 (or 4 or 5 or 6 for that matter). Unless the homework is designed to get the less able parents doing what you probably do anyway (bake cupcakes, go blackberry picking, collect and paint conkers).

[That1950sMum]

Bonkers. Say no!

[cuntinghomicidalcardigan]

My dd has enjoyed doing phonics workbooks since about 2.5, we make it fun and have a giggle making up sill words with the sounds etc. I have never enforced a homework time but most days she gets her books out. She's been in reception 4 weeks and can read famous five and write short sentences by herself.

If it is compulsory then I don't agree with that. However, might they just be giving you ideas of activities to do with her? She might really enjoy it

[Bedsheets4knickers]

It's def not compulsory .. she might surprise you and enjoy it , she might like it one week not want to do it another .. I did the 1st 50 words with my son before he started school . No pressure but slowly parrot fashioned . Must say his 1st year in reception his reading was amazing ..
again it's entirely a personal choice . If you don't fancy it then don't do it . My youngest has currently no interest so we don't don't it .

[minipie]

Are you sure it's compulsory?

DD's nursery sends home these kinds of tasks (mostly phonics or number based sheets, sometimes "play I spy with your child" "collect conkers and count them" or similar). However they are to be done if you want to, not compulsory at all.

We never do them, no time!

[edwinbear]

DD started school last year in a 3+ nursery class of the school she is now in reception at. She had homework every weekend, a phonics sheet, or a 'maths challenge' such as counting how many teddies she had or the number of spoons vs knives vs forks we had. She enjoyed it and there were no issues at all if it wasn't done for whatever reason. She also started bringing reading books home in the last term which she also enjoyed.

[FreshHorizons]

I agree with paxillin. I can't see why a 3yr old would want to do that or what they would get out of it.

[paxillin]

What? Unless she is super keen I'd let her do what she wants with it, including ripping it up, doodling all over it or wrapping her shoe in it.

[MrsMulder]

I would let her just draw on the paper and give it back. Ridiculous to give a 3 year old homework, they should be playing

[Tinuviel]

I politely informed the nursery DD went to that she wouldn't be doing homework - they looked horrified but there's not a lot they can do about it!

Kids really don't need to be doing homework at 3 to get them used to it. I don't agree with homework at primary school apart from reading/learning tables. Homework should be for secondary - when they can actually just get on with it themselves!

[Aeroflotgirl]

Absolutely ludricous, all little ones shoukd worry about us what's for dinner. Do a but but don't push her if she doesent want to. All this is raking the fun out of learning.

[FleurThomas]

I'm Asian too btw and felt like a failure because some of these kids are actually reading proper books at 4, but I'd just about managed to get my neice to use phonics.

[FleurThomas]

Midlands. Lots of well off Indian/Asian kids in the schools here & they score crazily off the charts from 4, so everybody has to get to a minimum level or be placed into 'lower level' classes until they catch up.

[CrohnicallyAspie]

I doubt she would be in a 'remedial' class anyway... I was an early reader (probably due to my AS) and DD looks to be following in my footsteps!

[Spurtle]

Fleur, that's awful! Are you being serious? Where do you live?

[BackforGood]

YANBU. Totally ridiculous and inappropriate. I would have just told them not to be ridiculous and to go back and take another look at the EYFS