Just been to a workshop at Ds's nursery and am a bit concerned now

[NuttyMuffins]

Ds is 4.6 and starts school in Sept.

When I went to his last nursery meeting, his teacher raised concerns about his lack of pencil control and interest in writing and drawing, but said they would be addressing it at nursery, getting him to do activities using the same position he needs to hold a pencil in etc.

Anyway, I went to the workshop today and various activities were set out around the room. Ds was fine with the activites that were toys to play with, and was also fine on the computer, and with the sand, water play etc, but with the drawing, writing, painting and jigsaws he just could not do it.

He painted me a picture, i asked him what it was and he said an alien, and then he just painted straight lines. I said what about his face, and he said there it is and pointed to one of the lines.

He then had a go on the blackboard. I said i'd draw a letter and he could copy, and he basically couldn't copy any of them at all, not even ones in his name.

Then he moved on to the tracing activity, anxd he had to trace a picture of a policeman. I explained what to do, and he picked up the pencil and just looked at me like he really didn't understand what I meant. I explained again and showed him and he picked up his pencil and scribbled across the whole piece of paper.

Lastly he did a jigsaw and again he just didn't seem to understand that he had to find the right piece and put it in the right place, and even when he got the right peice, he couldn't get it to fit, and this was an incredibly easy jigsaw.

I spoke to his teacher about him, and she said that really he hasn't progressed at all since she last spoke to me about it and that she had been writing his report recently and that in the area of writing, drawing etc he doesn't meet any of his targets for his age and isn't even close to meeting them. He cannot even draw shapes, he can tell you what the shape is, but cannot draw it or even copy it.
She said he is fine with recognising numbers and number work if he hasn't got to actually write the number, but letters he still struggles with, and if they ask him to write any letters he just can't.

I am now really worried that in reception he is going to be so far behind he will never catch up.

I had a really interesting conversation with a head teacher not long ago who said one of the best things you can do with a relunctant writer is play playdough with them as it really strenthgens their fingers making writing and holding a pencil much easier. I had never considered this before.

I think you shold keep trying, make it fun to do, will he draw over what you have drawn?

Ah gooxd idea, will try that.

I think though what is concerning them and now me is that he doesn't seem to know what he has to do with a pencil, and it's like you hand him a pencil and he switches right off, goes completely blank, he actually looked at me and looked so bewildered.

I know kids develop at different rates, but he should be able to at least draw shouldn't he ??

The jigsaws too, does that sound right ? It was a 6 peice one and only had wavy edges so not difficult at all really.

It does sound a bit odd

Has he NEVER been able to do things like jigsaws or drawings? Did you not notice this at home?

He won't draw at all, just scribble.

If i draw and say 'can you draw one of these', he will look at it, really hard, and then he puts pencil to paper, starts to draw a line and then scribble. He can't draw round things either, you know like if they have dot to dot letters, he can't do those.

Has he been for a sight test? Just an idea. Maybe he's longsighted and is having trouble seeing stuff close up.

Sight tests free for children btw, worth doing anyway.

Not really mp, he has never really been into drawing or jigsaws. We have them obviously, anxd i have played with him with them, but he tends to get up and wander off, and when at home i normally let him please himself as to what he plays with. He is more into cars and trucks and super hero figures and plastic animals.

I have tried numerous times to sit and draw with him, but he gets fed up after 5 minutes and again wanders off.

I think i thought it would just sort itself out eventually, and nursery didn't tell me until last term that it was becoming a problem.

Can't believe i hadn't realised sooner. Just thought he just wasn't into stuff like that.

it is unusual, could it be a sign of dyslexia????? I agree sight test would be a good starting point. He could also just be completely disinterested!

No, no sight test, good idea though, and i do have to go to the opticians next week. Will ring and see if i can get him in.

Is he a perfectionist?

Yep i think being disinterested is a possibility too, although i think if it were just that, he could at least do some of the work some of the time.

Did the teacher say what she had been doing to help him - or what his Reception teacher will be doing about it?

Hello Nutty, I haven't got any advice really but couldn't let your post go by. My DS was exactly the same a year ago. No interest whatesoever in writing, couldn't hold a pencil, would paint by splodges, exactly how you describe your DS. The only difference is that he was excellent at jigsaws, so I'm not sure it bears much importance to writing/drawing. He is a July birthday so younger than all his classmates.

Last September he started school, and it was like a light going on. He now draws things (drew himself this morning) he can write his name, colour in staying inside the lines. He won't win any prizes for neatness, but he can do it! I couldn't tell you what happened, maybe it was the fact that everyone else was doing it all at the same time (if he has the option of doing something else, like he did at nursery, he will do that instead even now), or just him being a little bit more mature, i really don't know. His teacher did say it's not unusual in boys and not to worry. He can also read now, shakily admitedly, but he can do it.

I'm sure your DS will too once he has settled in at school

If he has never been interested to try then it would be very difficult for him to do that stuff - play dough here you come!

Perfectionist...hmm not really no, he can get a bit moody if heis toys won't stand up or something but i would say he is a perfectionist no, he is too impatient to be a perfectionist.

Have just read newer posts, My DS now wears glasses, nothing very strong (Hence why we didn't realise) but they make it easier for him to concentrate.

can he draw in sand or salt?

thin layer of dry sand or salt in the bottom of a deep tray, you can draw in it with a finger, is tactile so not like writing with a pencil. You just gently shake the tray to erase marks and start again.

This is fun, you can use combs, spoons, anything really to make marks in the sand, but can progress onto shapes and eventually letters. - might encourage him to draw and eventuallt write without the need to feels pressured holding a pen?

Thanks Tweety, thats nice to hear

Mercy - Nursery haven't said wether they will pass the info onto reception. It is a private pre school nursery but is on the same site as the school so they do get involved with the school etc. I know i get a report when he leaves and it will have all of his targets on and which ones he has and hasn't met.

I am not picking him up today, but I think I will have to see if I can have another word with his teacher and see whether she can suggest anything.

So far they have been getting him to do stuff like pick stuff up with tweezers, thread stuff onto string, just to mimic the pencil holiding position, but she said non of it has really improved his skills.

lots of children start reception not writing nutty (neither of mine could)

Can he get clothes on and off himself or put his shoes on/off?

Oh i like the sand/salt idea, i think he would like that, will definatly try that out.

Nutty.....he is only 4...in many european countries,( and other places too..), he wouldn't be expected to be interested in things like this.
Have you got the right reception class for him ? Trad approach may not be for him.....maybe something like Steiner would suit him better ? If you have one near you...and can afford,( though usually v.modest fees, unlike other independant schools ). Or could you negotiate an extra term,( or 2...), at nursery ?

He can get undressed, but not dressed, and he can't put his own shoes on.

Definatly can't afford non state school, am a single non working (at the mo) mum of 3.

His elder sisters have both been through the same reception classes and I don't have any concerns about him getting help should he need it, but having said that, his sisters never needed it.

what about sport? does he kick balls and all that?

Also chalking on the patio/pavement is good, any sort of building stuff like junior lego or big meccano and knex is good if he'll do that.