where do I start?

[BitTiredNow]

ds1 is 4, but missed going to school by 12 days so is still in pre-school and keeps telling me he is bored. The teachers tell me he is always trying to write, but they don't want him to spend all his time in the writing area. He is very interested in words and letters and so I think I need to plug the gap at home, but I have no idea where to start. He is doing Jolly Phonics at school but wants to learn vowel combinations such as 'ch' and 'sh'. Can anyone point me in the right direction?

WHSmiths sell stacks of National Curriculum workbooks, you could start there, but they're quite expensive, (ebay is cheaper).

If your ds likes the computer www.starfall.com is fab.
My dd also uses www.educationcity.co.uk.
I also recommend www.enchantedlearning.com for downloads of worksheets.
There are stacks of other resources online, I just google 'free primary worksheet downloads'.

As HE rs I'm not that keen on worksheets as it seems to 'turn off' the idea of 'doing work' with my two.
I like to do things like getting my dds to write the shopping list or all my Christams cards!
I've given my dd4 a pretty pink notebook and some coloured pens and she is free to scribble and write to her hearts content.

I've found to be honest that far from 'plugging the gap' my dd did 'most' of her learning at home with me.
(One of the reasons we've been HEing 18 months now).

thank you very much RunnerBean - that all looks very helpful.

I home Ed My dd 4 and ds 5, I mainly just leave paper and pens and books all within easy reach, sometimes they will draw for hours, we are very unstructured and this suits us brilliantly,
If your son's needs are already not being met, how will he be in a class of 30.

Good luck
Julia