Should I just give up with reading schemes?

[20PoundsOfCrazyInA5PoundBag]

Im struggling to find sets over level 10. He has a couple, B,C&K and alien adventure, and he's on around 13. All the rest seem not come in sets so super expensive, trust me I've been looking. Should I just give up on them now and just let him read his jr novels or is there anything important about the later levels?

Yay for reading. I'd just let him read what he likes and move away from worrying about reading. Certainly concentrate on play. Things like play dough, threading beads, and playing with small things will help his development, and also his writing.

Anything can help fuel imagination. What do nursery/preschool say? They must have tons of ideas for sensory play and development on all the other areas of learni my?

steppemum
I agree ^^

Read for pleasure and enjoy books. Also enjoy a range of play and interactions too. There is a link between play and learning. Equally, not all more advanced books are age appropriate & a younger child nay decode a book but not actually take much away from it. (E.g our school library has more challenging books but as difficulty increases often the subject matter does too. We have a section of age appropriate easier readers for Ks3 but challenging age appropriate books are always a tough one to get. Often we get parental consent to let some ks3 students borrow from ks4 shelves and home vet the books).

It's great the OP has been reading at home, but it would probably be good to not be so dismissive of play ajd other valuable activities which aid development.

It is interesting that you’re so resistant to the idea of promoting play alongside reading etc.

There’s lots of ways to do it - read a book he’s really keen on that week and base activities around that: write letters to characters, create recipes, build junk models or dens, take a trip somewhere the characters would enjoy, make up a new ending to the story etc

I have one avid & natural reader and one reluctant (but reasonably proficient) reader. The avid reader sometimes misses out on opportunities (busy reading so not socialising, can use it as an escape when things are tough) and certainly plays less. The less enthusiastic reader has a wonderful imagination and needs less “input” to be content. Both are just different, not better or worse, but I need to focus on encouraging different things for each of them.

A natural reading ability is great, but play is (probably) better. And I have a professional interest in reading, so I should be leaning the other way!

There are many posters on this thread giving you really good advice. You are not doing your ds any favours you now.

@NoSquirrels I think you missed the point. She was saying you should make them play in a specific way rather than how they enjoy. Ie force them to play in muddy puddles when they'd much rather be inside doing puzzles.

@SparkleFizz yeah. Hes got a few of those Osborne books but he doesn't really like how they don't flow well. He does have a few books about space though that he loves but I can't find anymore that aren't same-y :/

@SparkleFizz oh and yeah all the time on EVERYTHING! 🙃 He likes to draw little pictures on things and sign his name underneath. It kind of negates his "it wasn't me" claims

Its good he likes drawing, that’ll help give him a good start in school.

Re. this though - She was saying you should make them play in a specific way rather than how they enjoy.

I was interpreting the play comments as suggestions rather than saying the child must do something - e.g. take him out to the woods / park for the morning, give him the opportunity to jump in muddy puddles if he wants to, rather than dragging him to a muddy puddle and ordering him to jump in it whether he wants to or not.

Another good idea (if he's not already doing it) is to make up stories with him. It's the other side to reading and will stimulate his imagination. You can write the stories down in a book and let him illustrate them if he likes art.

He does have a few books about space though that he loves but I can't find anymore that aren't same-y :/

This is not quite the same idea as a straightforward reading book, but we have a few books with science activities, including some with space themed activities. I don’t know if they might be a bit too tricky for him to read himself now, and he’d need help with the actual activities, but might be something to bear in mind for later?

There’s plenty of books full of science activities out there.This book, for example, has 62 astronomy experiments in it: www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/1743634587/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ref=plSrch&keywords=365+incredible+science+experiments&dpPl=1&dpID=51-Q0ryGNdL&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&tag=mumsnetforum-21&ie=UTF8&qid=1515721654&sr=8-1

I was interpreting the play comments as suggestions rather than saying the childmustdo something - e.g. take him out to the woods / park for the morning, give him the opportunity to jump in muddy puddles if he wants to, rather than dragging him to a muddy puddle and ordering him to jump in it whether he wants to or not
Same. Because that's how they read.
The OP, however, appears to have a view of play based on the idea that a pre-school child would only want to traditionally educational play so doesn't need exposing to other types or encouraging to try other things which is a shame.
By secondary the most intelligent pupils are often the ones who are very well-rounded beyond just typical academic measures. E.g. sport, drama, music, art, extreme sports, writing stories, coding club, back stage team for shows etc I'd say that one reason for this is they are much more resilient and less hungup on being right/top than others who focus mainly on academics.

How are his social skills developing? Do you have any concerns about hyperlexia OP?

Actually- this is what I said-and I stand by it.
"And don't forget the really important work a child should be doing. Which is play. Indoor, outdoor, physical, serious, silly, imaginative, messy, creative play"

I think we can move on from the ridiculous notion that anybody actually dictated that all children must play in muddy puddles.

OP’s DS is clearly an exceptional reader. That’s great and it will give him a great advantage in that he has access to a huge amount of knowledge and learning opportunities from an early age.

However, when he starts school this is only one of many areas they will be ‘working’ on (by ‘working’ I mean ‘learning through play’ which is how it’s done in Reception). These links give an overview of the 17 early learning goals for the end of Reception:

abcdoes.typepad.com/files/development-matters-tracker-booklet.pdf
www.coppice.worcs.sch.uk/assets/Documents/curric-eyfslearninggoals.pdf

If a child is an exceptional reader but can’t jump (for example), the school will be considerably more bothered about the jumping than the reading!

Now’s the time to consider the areas in which he might be weak, and try to introduce more activities that encourage development in those areas.

@BertrandRussell then when I said kids should play how they like you no said kids don't know whats good for them. I will not force my kid to play a certain way to fit your ideals. I love him for who he is.

@Chrys2017 oh that's a cute idea. We might try that!

"then when I said kids should play how they like you no said kids don't know whats good for them. I will not force my kid to play a certain way to fit your ideals. I love him for who he is."

Presumably you allow him to choose what he eats, whether he cleans his teeth, when he goes to bed.....? Play is as important as healthy food in a child's development.

steppemum no forcing a child to pointlessly do thing they don't like to fit your ideals will only hurt them

when did I at ANY point suggest forcing them to play at anything??

What I did was offer a raneg of play suggestions to illustrate the variety of play activities.
Any 4 year old NEEDS to play. So, as good parent, you try outloads of different things with them. You encourgae them to do a wide variety of activities, some they will love, some they will try and say they don't like, some they may be nervous about trying and you encourage them to have a go, without putting pressure on them.

As others have said, they were clearly suggestions.

Why are you so resistant to getting him to try new things?

As I said up thread, the kids who have the best creative writing at aged 7, are the ones who are doing a wide range of imaginative play at aged 4, not the ones who are reading a lot.
Fine motor skills (needed for writing) are heavily influenced at this age by their large motor skills (running and climbing)

I am an ex teacher. I have 3 very bright kids 2 of whom are now at super selective grammar schools. I highly value reading, but as an educator, I really do understand child developement, and your child needs exposure to more stuff.

Loving your child as they are is not in conflict with giving them new experiences and gettign them to try new things!

@steppemum she did, and keeps insisting, and you said you agreed...

Presumably you allow him to choose what he eats, whether he cleans his teeth, when he goes to bed.....? Play is as important as healthy food in a child's development
This ^^

What started as a question about reading now seems to have a hint of my child is far too educated and gifted to do any average children's play. They only enjoy play which is suitably educational and anyway they wouldn't like any of those other things children do.

As other posters have said, play is a massive part of EYFS. It's great to have a bright child, but if bright child doesn't do much of the stuff they aren't confident with then they'll retreat to only doing stuff they are good at. They are more likelu to have little resilience because they end up placing loads of their self worth and weight on the fact that they are a smart person and smart people don't find things hard, don't get things wrong, don't do creative things etc.

Funny thing is of course I let him choose what he eats, within reason. Choose when to clean his teeth, within reason. Choose when to go to bed, within reason. Just like I let him choose how to play within reason. I don't micro manage his life. Regardless food and play are unrelated. Its like some people come here just to pick stupid fights.

I think what posters are trying to say (me included) is that it is entirely appropriate for an adult to direct a child and directing a child and giving them experiences beyond their comfort zone or outaide what they may wish to do ideally is perfectly reasonable and often beneficial.

Self efficacy in able children is quite an interesting area of study. Highly able children can easily become quite risk adverse, want to stick with things they can do etc. People suggesting a broad range of play are suggesting it because it is beneficial.

Adults offering broad opportunities are not micro managing their child's lives.
Pointing this out isn't posters picking fights with you.

He actually likes to try new things often but I would never ever force him to. Its as simple as that really. He loved trying to draw a story with me earlier... Although it ended up being about a boy who was a monkey going to a park and making friends with a butterfly that he drew as baymax 😐

My son was also an early reader. At preschool age he also enjoyed marble runs, building train tracks, and lots and lots of board games. Not so much imaginative role play. I brought him lots of toys second hand never knowing what would catch his interest and then reselling anything he didn't play with. He particularly enjoyed number games such as Hi-Ho Cherryo, ladybug game, card games & orchard toy games. The list is endless. I do have to coax him with new activities but don't push it if he has tried it and is not interested.
He is six now and would probably spend all his time on the iPad or you tube if I let him (which I don't) and I still spend a lot of time playing one on one with him and suggesting activities for him to do.
I know you asked for reading suggestions and it's a shame your library seems so limited because I would recommend non fiction on a subject that piques his interest. My library will order kids books from another library for free. I go on a well trained mind forum which is for American homeschoolers (which I am not) and there is a lot of threads on there asking for advice on books for young readers.

MaisyPops, I think this OP never listen to anybody. No matter how many times op changes user name, it's always the same.