Pre school learning

[StrikingMatches]

My DS is 3.5 years and has just started preschool. He's been in nursery since he just turned one for 2 days per week.

At present he can count a little but misses out numbers, doesn't know his letters and can't recite any nursery rhymes or songs, in fact actively dislikes any singing or rhymes.

He has good language skills, a good memory for things he has done or things that have happened, is great at imaginary play and is confident and sociable. So why am I feeling like he is failing?! I feel like I am putting too much pressure on what he doesn't know rather than what he does/is good at.

I get very frustrated with him when he can't concentrate on any form of learning or learning games and just feel like I don't know what to do to help my child.

I read that boys learn at a different pace to girls, and at this age he may not be switched on to numbers, letters etc.

Does anyone have any experience or insight to help me help him? Or should I just concentrate on letting him enjoy playing and learning will come later? I feel like I am switching him off from learning as I only end up shouting at him for not trying/concentrating.

He sounds perfect.

www.theguardian.com/education/2016/sep/20/grammar-schools-play-europe-top-education-system-finland-daycare?CMP=share_btn_fb

DON'T TRY TO "TEACH" HIM!

Play with him, read to him, sing to and with him; do Duplo or Lego together; help him do jigsaw puzzles (or leave him to do easy ones himself); let him have sand, water, clay, crayons, beads or buttons for threading; show him how to use child-safe scissors to cut up junk-mail and stick it in a scrap book.

Take him to the park, or play in the garden if you have one; let him see birds, animals, insects, flowers and trees.

Let him 'help' you with cooking, shopping, washing, tidying-up. Make it ALL a game.

Thank you both for your responses.

Ferguson you put my mind at rest as that is what we do do! I just felt guilty that he was unable to do some things that others could. Argh typical school gate showing off from other parents and I just felt like I'd failed my boy.

The Guardian article did make me think, thank you for that.

So far before bed we've played snap with some picture/number cards and 'flew' to the moon on an aeroplane/sofa so he's got tonnes of imagination.