preschool/early years workbooks

[Shuv66]

My DS is going to leave full-time private nursery in January to start foundation stage part-time (Monrnings) at our local primary school - I'm concerned that he will not get the same level of development going from full to part-time so would like to fins some really good work books/sheets that we can do at home together - any recommendations would be welcome! thanks

Unless your DS is really keen on the idea, I would avoid any sort of worksheet like the plague!!

Nursery and Foundation/Reception are all about learning through play and plenty of this you can do at home.

Encourage him to develop his favourite "play" activities - e.g. if he likes building with Duplo can he "design" something and then build it? Can he count the bricks he's used, match the colours, point out the tallest tower?

Go the library and let him choose his own books then when you read to him get him to (e.g) point out words beginning with the same letter as his name.

Baking is always a good one - weighing, measuring, using numbers, following instructions.

Hopefully you get the idea ...

You might like to investigate the Jolly Phonics workbooks -designed for 4-7 year olds.

www.amazon.co.uk/Jolly-Phonics-Workbooks-Books-1-7/dp/1870946502/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1287562517&sr=1-1

Early Learning shops stock them too.

Don't completely dismiss workbooks. My preschooler goes through phases of loving workbooks. Try to get a variety, some matching, sone tracing, some colouring. I've also got a list of 24 Short and Sweet Preschool Maths Activities on my maths blog which are great hands on activities for when you and your DS have 5 mins to spare.

Worksheets for nurseries went out about 1995!

Sitting little ones down in nursery to do worksheets is very different from a mum doing some age appropriate worksheets one to one with her own child for short periods.

If a child wants to do it I don't see the harm as long as it is only part of a varied day.

Do you have a shop called 'the works' near you? I've got loads from there very cheaply. I've even got a few good ones in the pound shop.

this set looks like good value but I haven't bought them for two reasons:

• I prefer to look through a workbook before I buy it

• IMO it's better to get books from a range of companies rather than just one.

Thanks all - some great advice! My DS does enjoy workbooks and has been completing a workbook with one of his nursery teachers every other day - I guess the key to it is that he does it when he wants to and not to push him.