Do you buy Ready for School workbooks?

[Octavia09]

I have found one in the M&S brochure called Ready for School Bumper Workbook preparing under-5s for starting school. I wonder whether I should get this one or anything similar? Thank you for your suggestions.

I guess it's potentially confusing because there is, unlike reception classes, a massive range in what nurseries actually do with their charges - some completely play based, do-what-you-want type stuff, some include some structured activities, and others are very structured indeed. so presumably the average 'graduate' from these three types of nursery will come out with different levels of skills.

DD goes to a daycare (paid for) preschool twice a week now, and will add 3 sessions in the community centre, volunteer-run playgroup when funding kicks in in sept. it'll be really interesting to see the difference in the ways they are run!

although I'm not really bothered about what she's 'learning' there, I see her learning loads with me at home, which is really amazing to witness

All pre school settings should be providing the same balance between "unstructured" child led play and adult led "structured" activities. The difference usually comes from the perception the setting has of "what our parents want" - they want their child to read and write before they are three and can hold a pencil
Whether children have been to a pre school or not they will always be different and have different strengths and be at different stages of development (even in a group of children exactly the same age ) The difficulty for me as a reception teacher lies in when a child has been taught something before they can understand it ( a bit like a performing animal) yes they can do it but it is meaningless so better to teach understanding first IMHO

agreed! as I said on another thread (or was it this one?!) no point getting a child to learn to recite the 50 states of the US, if they have no concept of what a state (or even a country!) actually is...

same with times tables - I'm sure there are littluns who can recite them without actually knowing what it means in a real life situation - they may be able to say '3 x 4 is 12' like a robot, but if they don't know that it means 'if I have 3 packets of 4 cookies, I will have 12 cookies' what's the point? I can see how it'd actually do more harm than good once they get to school.

that kind of learning, nay, parroting, is usually entirely for the parents' status

reminds me of a comedy last year 'may contain nuts' where the dad was quizzing their young child on dinosaur species.

I would teach number recognition by matching quantities to the numeral and name. I like using pegs (the fancy craft ones) and circles of card with numbers 1-9 and ask the children to peg the correct number of pegs to each circle then put them in order then a bit more pegs or fewer pegs ... chocolate buttons in numbered bowls is very popular

the pegs helps strengthen fingers for writing the numbers at some point

oooh pegs that's a great idea! do you mean the really little ones? (oh and thanks for the link on the other thread BTW)

DD recognised numbers 0-9 from around 18m, by accident (off a computer toy thing) but it's only been since about 2.6 that she knew what the numbers 3+ actually meant and she started properly counting objects. I can't really remember how that happened though!

I've always found it fascinating the way children learn things in different orders.

pegs like these?

The coloured pegs are nice I have a box with different types and sizes some tiny ones and some normal clothes peg size and every size in between.

these go down well with boys

cgi.ebay.co.uk/Set-six-decorative-pegs-animals-/350374779832?cmd=ViewItem&pt=UK_Crafts_Embellishment s_SM&hash=item5193f6dbb8

cgi.ebay.co.uk/Set-six-decorative-pegs-transport-/350374779895?cmd=ViewItem&pt=UK_Crafts_Embellishme nts_SM&hash=item5193f6dbf7

and these with girls

cgi.ebay.co.uk/10-wooden-craft-pegs-jewel-flower-gem-Blue-/230502693823?cmd=ViewItem&pt=UK_Crafts_Em bellishments_SM&hash=item35ab07fbbf I managed to find these in different colours over the years

cgi.ebay.co.uk/CO154-CRAFT-EMBELLISHMENTS-FELT-FLOWER-PEGS-/380253000456?cmd=ViewItem&pt=UK_Crafts_E mbellishments_SM&hash=item5888d85308

cgi.ebay.co.uk/CO157-CRAFT-EMBELLISHMENTS-BEE-SPRING-PEGS-/380252703779?cmd=ViewItem&pt=UK_Crafts_Em bellishments_SM&hash=item5888d3cc23

ah very cute!

although if you were posting this on another thread today, about ELC and gender stereotyping, you'd be getting flamed

I may have to go with the plain ones anyway, as they're oodles cheaper

been wondering about doing counting/patterns with Hama/Aquabeads type things too, but DS is 11m so probably a bit risky with him around!

(one day in the very distant future I'll use them to demonstrate square, cube and triangular numbers)

have a look at the ideas on www.childcareland.com/teach.html

I keep them mixed up in a big tuperware box so they have free choice but it's interesting to see most little girls go for sparkles and most little boys for cars even if they have to dig deep to find the last few to complete the task rather than use ones near the top.

that's a great website! lots of fun ideas.

my friend and I are setting up a preschool "science club" - I know, sounds mega-pushy but it's basically to split the cost/mess of fun 'experiments' like vinegar & bicarb volcanoes - anyway I noticed more ideas on that site. TYVM for another useful link mrz