What is your expectation for home learning for nursery children?

[Msgiggles30]

Hi,
After reading lots of information on here about home learning I just wondered what parents would want for a nursery age child? Everyone's views are so varied.
Our nursery children do 2.5 hours a day usually and the learning is obviously play based which is tricky to replicate at home. The majority of our children have siblings in the school and are sharing devices. Yr2-Yr6 are having daily zooms but we decided its too complicated for nursery and timetabling all the older year groups is already tricky.
At the moment this is what I currently do -

• Set a weekly grid which contains 3x maths, 3 x literacy tasks and one task each in the other areas such as ICT, Science, motor skills etc. Linked resources uploaded.
• They can choose how much or how little they would like to do and send me pictures or videos on our app. I have made it clear they can do what suits and that all play is learning at this age so they can send me photos of other things too if home learning is too much and I reply to photos of walks, cooking etc.
• I reply to all work sent in real time or as soon as possible and when I am in school for keyworkers my TAs also respond to all work.
• I am available for parents to directly message from 9 - 4.
• I upload childrens work to the class feed to celebrate and share with their friends.
• 3 x recorded videos weekly e.g. story, number work and phonics.

Would you feel this is sufficient for your 3 year old? I'm really aware of how many working parents we have and that lots of the children are currently with grandparents, in addition to trying to compete with siblings doing work. However I want to do the best for them and set enough for those that want it..really I just want to be in as its just not the same for young children and not the way we do things! Thanks

I think the best thing you could give them is videos of you. Videos reading a story, a daily hello, maybe talking about signs of spring and encouraging them to look for spring signs next time they're on a walk.

I'd give a few tips for fine and gross motor activities as well as a topic grid but honestly the videos will probably be most meaningful.

Well How about make playdough, read to your child. Let tem play with dolls and tsets, and trainsets and cars . Give them an empty box to make a car. Play basi games (Orchard toys are good for this age.) Do a simple puzzle. Go on a shape hunt round the block. (Or a number hunt.)

@Msgiggles30 we have 60 so it was a massive undertaking & they didn't get loads of stuff but our head teacher was ok with us using up our stock and ordering more. It helped enormously that we were heading towards summer & the end of the school year when we'd get more in anyway, don't know that she'll be as keen this time!
We also used sway to digitally share videos of staff reading stories, singing rhymes etc You can set it up so that only people with the link can access it & also give it an expiry date so whilst publishers/authors are giving permission during lockdown to read their works they might not be so keen afterward so we set an expiry date of a month on each clip.

I teach nursery and I upload a few videos a week of me reading a story, a video of me giving them a challenge (this week was find things with writing on in their house) , listening games from L&s phase 1, a baking activity (crispie cakes) plus links to top marks maths games etc!

They are 3 and 4... it's about engagement rather than the work set!

You sound so dedicated and I totally get it! I'd rather mine be in too!

Thanks all some good ideas here to plead my case of less being set. Off to bed now..better get some beauty sleep to put this mug on video tomorow

Last lockdown my DS was in preschool and they sent an activity idea of the day - build a den from a blanket and cushions or how to fold a paper boat / paper dolls/ make play doh.

They still had sound (letter) of week find something beginning with

And number of the week .. make a collection of 5 cars/ fruits/ leaves for example.

Then just a few things to chat about like talk about pets or what doctors do

For nursery age I'd give my head a wobble if I was expecting anything out of the realm of a normal family experience.

@Msgiggles30 The 2 things all our parents raved about (again time consuming with number of children) were garden visits from their child's keyworker to drop off the home learning packs (socially distanced/masks etc all in place) - not every time but a couple of times over the whole lockdown. and our regular check in calls to families, just for a wee blether with parents & child. These took huge amounts of time for staff but more than anything else were the things parents commented on.

Last lockdown I did email nursery to ask them what they'd be doing with her if she was in, and if they had any tips on suitable activities. But I wouldn't expect a timetable like a school would provide.

Christ on a bike!

Your LEA is cracked!!!

I wouldn't expect anything from
Nursery for homeschooling 🤣🤣🤣

I think what you have done is lovely & id do it & send you photos because I'm a real tick box kind of a girl and I'm sure the kids would live to get videos of you reading a story or singing some songs, so it would be appreciated, but not necessary.

I wouldn't want any of you doing too much. Resting, eating well, getting some fresh air, so you're ready for the mini beasts when they do come back!!

You could do one one on one time just 15 min call once every 1-2 weeks, and group calls . Good for kids that talk rest probably will run away) also yoga or exercise over zoom as kids can see teacher but not stress too much. Hard to keep kids engaged at this age without being next to them.

ok. So as a teacher, I honestly would not want or expect any home learning for a nursery aged child.

I honestly think as a society we have completely lost our way when it comes to children/education/expectations.

Children up to the age of 5 should be-
Playing
Exploring
Stomping around
Singing
Dancing
Laughing
Getting muddy
Having fun
Sharing books with their adults
Listening to stories
Listening to music
BEING A LITTLE CHILD

Please please don't educate or flash card them to death/boredom. They don't need it.

Playing I-spy helps with sounds
Number songs are great.

Just have fun and enjoy them

Your SLT are totally unreasonable. I'd keep it all play based!!!

No i agree. The nursery was so formal when i took over a few years back and I've worked hard to make it all play based not dragging them out for groups all the time! But the grid I talk about is things like sharing stories, yoga, a maths game, guessing game, fine motor, fish out the number, look for frost and ice things like that Zero flash card work. Maybe I've explained the grid badly! However I agree the expectation top down is too much and yes the LEA are bonkers! I think its all just a safeguarding guise the nagging parents part to be honest just to make sure the child is still there!

At the moment this is what I currently do - Set a weekly grid which contains 3x maths, 3 x literacy tasks and one task each in the other areas such as ICT, Science, motor skills etc. Linked resources uploaded. They can choose how much or how little they would like to do and send me pictures or videos on our app. I have made it clear they can do what suits and that all play is learning at this age so they can send me photos of other things too if home learning is too much and I reply to photos of walks, cooking etc

Three years old and 3 maths tasks, 3 literacy tasks and ICT/Science as well?! Blimey, that sounds like a lot of work for a 3 year old to get through (I've had two 3 year olds myself over the years)

But the grid I talk about is things like sharing stories, yoga, a maths game, guessing game, fine motor, fish out the number, look for frost and ice things like that Zero flash card work

Just seen your update, things like fish out the number and look for frost sounds fun.
I'd think that was fine, keeps them occupied and something to do.
Not structured work, more of a play element and I think that's important at that age,

As long as there is no pressure to do it, I don't see the harm in it, and it will help some parents with ideas. But it's not necessary. The occasional video chat, or pre recorded video to keep in touch is much more important.

I do a fair amount of educational stuff at home, but at this age, surely it's best to shoehorn it into everyday life or games they like playing, at least some of the time?

For a 3 year old? Nothing. Let them play! The pressure being put on the older ones is bad enough let alone 3 year olds! If someone tried to set work for my 3yo I'd think they were mad! Play-based learning is hard to replicate at home?! It really, isn't.

Reading, playdough, chalk board, paint if you have the energy, draw, read some more, play around with shapes and numbers if they’re keen, blocks, construction toys. Outside, follow their interests. That’s ridiculous that they’re asking for set tasks. Surely information on development and creating opportunities for age appropriate play should be the aim?

It's hard as you have to be seen to be ticking the boxes to cover the EYFS framework but I think that your SLT are bonkers.
The grid you've most recently explained sounds nice! Lots of fun engaging interactive things

So today after thinking of scalling back I had some parents message say they've finished and can I send more work! Can't win for everyone it seems lol so i sent a big message about play being the most important thing etc and giving some play and more games rather than more 'work'

*play ideas

I wouldn’t expect anything at all! What you’re doing sounds above and beyond (and lovely!)

At the moment this is what I currently do - Set a weekly grid which contains 3x maths, 3 x literacy tasks and one task each in the other areas such as ICT, Science, motor skills etc. Linked resources uploaded. They can choose how much or how little they would like to do and send me pictures or videos on our app. I have made it clear they can do what suits and that all play is learning at this age so they can send me photos of other things too if home learning is too much and I reply to photos of walks, cooking etc

This is basically what our nursery teacher has done.

We've got three contact lessons a day, phonics, literally and numeracy. And then RE and a "class chat" once a week. It's been lovely.

The kids feel like they're keeping in touch with each other and are having conversations and contact with one another.

And they're learning. We build on whatever we've done in "class" throughout the day at home. It's all optional but most of the class have joined in and participated and we've been able to do the optional work and then send pictures of it back.

I love my DSs teacher, the Google classroom has worked incredibly well and I'm so grateful for everything she's done.

Thank you for everything you're doing too OP.

Well I am raging tonight. Have been told we have to contact parents daily if they don't send anything!!! I thought weekly was bad. There is no budging on this and I am gutted as I feel this is going to negatively affect the relationships I've worked hard to foster with parents to be bugging them like this.