Ideas for Home Edding Nursery and Reception age children please.

[Astrophe]

My DD is 3.5, and is at nursery 2 days a week currently, which I'm happy about.

In July we are going to travel in Europe for several months,

Then we will be in Australia for 4 months (it will be summer there, so no nursery)

then she will probably go to an Australian Kindergarten 2 days a week until she is 5.5, which is her 'school starting age' in Australia

then we plan to home ed for at least a year.

I'm quite satisfied with what she is learning at her current nursery, but would like to start easing into some home ed type routines slowly over the next year or so, to get a feel for it, and to see how it will work out in our family.

Could anyone tell me what your routine/planning is like, what you do in a normal day/week, what (if any) curriculum you follow or are guided by, any great fun learning ideas, and anything else you think I should know!

Thanks all

We don't do anything that isn't fun or interesting to DS. Why bother trying to teach him something he finds boring. Just follow your childs lead. If they are interested in butterflies, paint pictures, show them how they come from caterpillars, find a piece of silk and pull some threads out to show the caccoon. etc. Whilst travelling there are plenty of observation games that could be classed as maths classes. eg. Count 10 red cars and when you get to 10 we will look for green cars. etc. You will have no problem at all they will be having a great education.
Can I come, pretty please.

hi astro

What are your reasons for HEing? And are you quite keen for her to stay at around the same level in school stuff as her peers? (your post seems to suggest that she might re-enter the formal education system at some point-this DOESN'T mean that she needs to stay level, but a lot of HErs who are not planning to do it all through do prefer it that way)

I agree with dl btw, if you are going travelliing you are not going to be struggling to educate!

In answer to the actual questions though:

1. We don't have a routine based around say "read for 10 minutes each morning". This is more because it would drive ME nuts-I am not a routine person, I can do something 3 times and then I need to do something different . What we do have is a routine based around social activities and gym/sports classes (this happens to be something ds enjoys very much, I am not suggesting that everyone should be doing 3 gym classes a week!), and then we do have habits based on that (eg I read with ds in the car after gym when dd is napping)

We have a very good, close group of about 6 HEing friends with kids the same age. They are all a car drive away, but it makes all the difference. I'd always suggest trying to make such friends! We see each other probably 3 times a week, that plus the gym classes, park, neighbours kids etc takes care of the socialisation niggles for me pretty well.

1. We don't follow a curriculum at all, I don't think its necessary at this age. Having said that, for some kids, some skills are easier taught using a Method. Eg ds has asked to learn to read, and is the kind of child who needs (ie asks for) 20 minutes a day, so we have a book. (dd thus far is far more of the osmotic learner, and is picking up a LOT of ds's stuff just through playing quietly while we read)

1. I think going to Australia sounds like a great fun learning idea . Can't think of anything to top that...there are various good books but you probably have lots of those anyway. I think when you spend a lot of time with your kids, it does become second nature, and quite easy to know how to approach any given subject really.

Oh if you want specific ideas: cooking is a great fun learning idea. We do a LOT of it, the kids help out most days. It takes twice as long, but IMO its part of our "curriculum". Also we do quite a lot of sciency stuff, more to get the experiences there than anything else. Making bath bombs usually goes down well.

We don't do much formal stuff at all, as I say, ds IS at age level. This is a child with utterly boundless energy, who I suspect would have an ADHD and probably also dyslexia diagnosis in school-we had a very informal diganosis of dyslexia some time back but-he is starting to read, fgs! (he is 4.4). He knows huge amounts about electronics and small furry animals, he can sew and knit (a little) and make all sorts of food.

(oh dear, descending into rant now-)

And he does NOT have ADHD or anything else wrong with him. He is a 4.4 (?) yo boy and thusly needs daily walking and also, clear instructions. When I've looked around nurseries and schools, this has generally been seen as a difficulty, even evidence of a disability. Its not, its a developmental stage, and its a bloody new thing for needing to run about at age 4.4 to be seen as a problem. He is an end of August birthday and that does not help, of course-there is only one intake round here.

deep breath. Thank you

My DS is 3.5yrs old & tbh we don't do have any routines apart from planned visits or my household chores...and we don't follow any curriculums, preferring to HE autonomously, just letting DS learn through playing & being with us.

Our days are spent chatting & playing with his toys, reading books, doing sticking, painting, drawing etc (I always have a few things cut out or prepared in case he insists we do something "now!"), playing on the pc & internet, watching tv/dvds and he generally follows me around the house as I do my chores & 'helps' where he can. We go out on a lot of walks, to the local shops, library & playground or just round the village, over the fields or explore the local woods etc. He is a very curious chap & is always stopping to look at something & ask what it is (although atm he seems to be more interested in bits of rubbish than anything else ). I am without a car atm & so getting to HE meetings is hard so aren't going to any for now...but DS seems happy with going to the local toddler group occasionally & he loves going round to MILs once a week to play with the children she minds.

Have you seen the Muddle Puddle website/
It's a website dedicated to families who home educate young children.

and then there is a book on the subject;

One-to-one: A Practical Guide to Learning at Home Age 0-11
By Gareth Lewis, Lin Lewis

"One-to-One is a comprehensive guide to learning at home with young children. Its sections on reading, writing and arithmetic have been widely praised by educationalists and parents alike. Additional sections on art, cooking, gardening and crafts show how parents can use these activities to complement academic work and create an idyllic childhood for their children, free from stress and the pressures of modern life."
You can get it here

lol terramum, my kids love rubbish too!

Actually they are now getting very into what happens to it after we chuck it away, etc.

I really do want to take them to the municipal tip, but I think we are not allowed to go in, for rat related reasons

Thanks everyone, for your thoughts and links.

Fillyj, yes, the kids will go to school at some point I expect. Thankfully, school age is later in Australia (and more flexible - parents can choose between 4.5 and 6 depending on when the child's birthday falls), but I still feel that this is too early for children to be in institutionalised education 5 days a week.

In my ideal world she would continue going to a play centred nursery 2 days a week until she is 7 or so. I have emailed some Montesori and Steiner Schools in Sydney in the hope that they might take a part time student, but they all said no. So we plan to HEd for a year, then maybe school when she is 6.5, or maybe continue with HEd.

What 'd like to start doing is keeping some notes and a 'planning' diary - something really flexible and broad, where I can make notes of her questions and interests, and any ideas I have for learning experiences / outings / resources I want etc.

This is for me really. I am having a bit of a crisis of confidence (had PND for 6 months or so starting when DS was 5 months old, now he is almost 2 and I'm having a bit of a 'relapse' and don't feel I'm coping too well), and am wondering if I will ever be able to cope with HEdding. I feel like doing some 'planning' would help me to feel better about how much she is learning.

I do know she is learning loads, and am certainly not worried she wont be learning as we travel, and while she is not in nursery etc. With 2 adults who love to talk with her about things, and a continent full of experiences, how could she not learn!?

As I said, any planning and structure would be for my benefit really, and my confidence.

As we will plan for her to rejoin school at some stage, I would like for her to be roughly keeping up with her age mates in terms of reading etc. However, she is now 3.5, wont go to school for another 2-3 years, and is actually very good at recognising letters and sounds and counting anyway, so as far as I'm concerned its not an issue. From my experience in Reception classrooms, many children come to school without knowing what a book is even for, bless them, so I think DD will be just fine!

Thanks again for your thoughts and letting me use you lot as a sounding board

RE: The depression, you may find that HE ing works for that as well. You don't have to get up at a stringent time in the morning, if you need it, a duvet day or slobbing in the pj's is allowed. Being with kids who have learnt not to be bored, (one of the problems with schooled children have is that they do not know how to fill their time without a teacher or parent telling them what to do), but a Home Ed child has so much they want to do that they dont have enough time.

astro-not to ignore what you are saying about depression, but I do think most HErs go through crises of confidence. I can't imagine doing something that most people think is weird, daft, irresponsible and/or unecessary without having periodic "wtf am I doing to myself and my kids" moments. Thankfully, I think they reduce as the kids get older.

I occasionally keep a diary of things we have DONE (I always seem far to busy to do it with any regularity, which I think must be a good sign ). It does mean that when I look back over stuff, it is quite clear that everything HAS been covered, even if I didn't think it at the time.

Another point-have you actually spent any time in an infant school classroom, since you yourself were there? My mum is a primary school teacher and, in odd moments, I've been helping in her classroom (and other teachers in the school) for as long as I can remember. I do think that this has given me a pretty good idea of what is actually happening in those early years. Its great for the confidence-you CAN do so much more 1-1 (or even 1-2). (incidentally my mother is about the biggest advocate of HEing there is...)

Oh, another thing. Are you SURE that the Steiner schools at least won't take part timers? Up til 7 they are normally in a kindergarten, and certainly round here, being part time is the norm.

Thanks again. It is good to know that lots of folk have crises of confidence. A mate in Australia spent a month or so HEing during her daughters last year of Pre school, but didn't fee up to it (her youger son got quite sick during the time) and she copped so much flack from family, that she stopped, and her DD is starting school in Feb (she is almost 6 though, so it could be worse!) But its made me wonder if I'm up to it, especially as we plan more children in the future. I'm also s* scared of what my ILs will say - it wont be pretty.

Steiner schools - I will perhaps send some more emails then? I emailed a Steiner and 3 Montesori schools, I think, but perhaps I will try some more.

Re spending time in the classroom, yes, I did Primary teaching at University and spent time in a Kindergarten (Reception) class. And you are right, I can do so much more!Thanks for the timely reminder!

I bought a plain notebook today, and I am going to note down what we do (if anything apart from "played" happens!), and any ideas for further activities.

So today I put 'looked at Australia in Atlas, talked about maps being pictures' and then I put down notes for Saturday (which is Australia Day, by the way) - look at Atlas again, talk about national celebrations, read all of our Aussie picture books, make lamingtons"

Then for further ideas "get a globe"

Its all for me though, I know DD is just fine playing and chatting and faffing, and will be for years to come!.

one thing I keep meaning to do is to do a blog. limited access, because its for me really, and I am careful not to post my kids names or idenfiable info publically on the web (that said, anyone who knew me in RL could identify me and in fact I have been outed...) But it would enable me to organise everything-links and so on-in one place.

What our ILs have said re HEing has not been at all pretty. It is bloody upsetting and it is in danger of jeopardising their relationship with their grandchildren-I will take an awful lot, and butt out of that relationship to a great extent but...I do have my limits.

I don't know what to say about this issue really, come on here and rant about it quite a lot and you will get through it. Please don't let it put you off though.

When I told my Mum she was absolutly shocked. Then she phoned her confidant (best mate) who knows DS2 nearly as well as she does, and hey presto its alright because her best mate thinks its a wonderful idea for a,b & c reasons.
It also helps that my cousin is a teacher and managed to expalin what home educating is really about.

No, I don't think other people's bad opinion will put me off. In a funny way, its one of the things I like about HE, the fact that it's an active decision not to 'go with the flow'. But it is a bit scary. The idea of DH's family sitting around the dinner table saying unkind and untrue things about us is a particularly disturbing image!

Just think to yourself that you havve made a 'considered' choice for your DD which is more than most people do initially for their children (I'm guilty of it as well).
We went past Ds2's old school and DH made a 'Baaa ing sound', which I did think was a bit mean, but appropriate.

"The idea of DH's family sitting around the dinner table saying unkind and untrue things about us is a particularly disturbing image! "

oh god, its a REAL image for me, they do it when we are there too, I think its their way of just making conversation really

For them though, it is a real issue and a real challenge, as they are both teachers and really believe in the system. I can see it from their pov, I just think they are narrow minnded. They seem very psychologically dependent on the approval of others, tbh.

As another thread said to do. Whe you get the 'I really think you should do A/b/c the way I used to do it' stick an extra sentance on in your head saying 'yeh! and look at the mess you have made'. It will make you feel better.
Or tell them all to bog off in the rudest manner you can as they are narrow minded gits. You don't have to be polite to ignorant people whether family or not. They may even take the hint and never darken your door again. If they are going to dish it they should also be prepared to receive it.