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Lessons with a 3 year old – Sonya
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Sonya, I have a 3 year old who already knows all her letters, a lot of numbers (even can count backward from 10 to 1), and can read 3 letter words that are basic short vowel phonetic words. She has initiated all of the learning all on her own and I have just followed her lead when she tries to learn letters, numbers, etc. When do you think we should begin more formal lessons? I wondered if I should work with her each day more formally (maybe 10 minutes or so) since she loves to learn and is always sounding out letters, even speaking words without looking at them and then saying what letter they start with! She has already read one or two very short little books from the Hooked on Phonics series. She is a smart little gal!
Would you go ahead and try to do a little bit of work each day continuing to build on what she already knows and/or just have her read a little bit? Or just continue going along with her, reading if she wants to read, etc. until she’s a little older?
I’m not Sonya, but had the same thing with my girl… when she was 3 she was already reading various words, knew the sounds of the letters etc, and was watching her brothers math (and answering the questions!) Each day she begged for her “own” math…
So I got out the Dick and Jane readers (primer) and did that for reading.
Just after her 4th birthday, the Kindergarten level of MEP (our math program) was mostly released, and we did that.
I think if you get lots of outdoor time, and follow their lead, it is fine…. imnsho
Yep, I agree. My second daughter started reading when she was three. Some children are just ready then. If she is eager and ready for more, go ahead and give her more. You might do some word building and gently transition into long vowels and blends eventually. But as you know, we never push, prod, or cajole. Let her take the lead in when she wants more. You can have the “more” ready for those moments.
My mom and I were just talking about this the other day. I was reading at 3 myself, and my mom said I mainly taught myself (with her reading books to me constantly). Basically, yeah, just let her lead. I was reading my dad’s business papers by 5yo, all by myself. So I’ve been told…
Thanks suzukimom, Sonya, and Sara B. for your feedback. You’ve all confirmed my thoughts on just following her lead. That is so true Sonya that I can have “more” ready when she wants more. I read to her a lot and we have a wide variety of learning materials for her (magnetic numbers, flash cards, etc.) that she can look at and/or play with. She loves playing with my Scripture index card spirals. I have a ton of them and I put them out where I can have them readily available for me to read. She likes to get one and look at it and try to read them. She also likes us to read them to her. I am also planning to make alphabet cards (like letter tiles) so she can use them to make words if she would like (which I know she will LOVE). Once again, thank you all for sharing your thoughts!
Mrs. K, can I just ask what the Scripture index card spirals are? They sound interesting. Also, how do you plan to make the alphabet cards? I’ve tried index cards (just cutting them in half), but they bend so easily, even laminated. I hate to spend so much time making them when they won’t last even 1 schoolyear, kwim?
I would like to know what the Scripture index card spirals are too.
On the alphebet tiles/cards, I actually made some very cheap! I use milk carton lids. I have neighbors and friends saving them for me. I have quite a collection now. I put all of the consonants on blue caps and the vowels on red caps. We have some other activities that differentiate in this way.
These milk carton lids (the thick ones that actually twist on) work great and you can slide them easily on a table. We use them right now just for putting the alpha in order as my two 5YOs are still solidfying that.
Just thought I’d share a cheap and FREE way to make letter tiles. I used a Sharpie to write the letters on them.
Sara B. and LDIMom,
Sorry I’m just now getting back to respond. All Scripture index card spirals are is this. I take the index cards that are bound together with a wire spiral at the top (you can find them at Wal-Mart, Target, etc.). They have white and color sets. For the color set, I will make a category for each color such as trust, peace, joy, praise, etc. and then I write Scriptures on each index card in that color that pertains to the category. I use the white index card spirals and do one particular category for the whole set. Also, this year, I decided to make a index card spiral for 2011. What I’m doing is whenever a verse stands out to me, I usually write that in this set. I think it will be neat to go back at the end of this year and look at all the different verses that stood out to me throughout this year. What I like about using these spirals is that if I have a day say where I am feeling discouraged, I can grab my Scripture index spiral that has the category “Encouragement” and read through and even pray some or all of the Scriptures.
As far as the alphabet cards, I’ve thought that I’d make them out of index cards. Just cut the index cards in half or maybe fourths. Fourths would probably be better. They do bend easily thought but laminating them would probably make them last longer even if they still bend easily. LDIMom, I LOVE the milk cap idea for the letter tiles. I think that would be perfect! I may do that. But until I have enough caps to do all the letters, I could use the index cards.I love how you use the different colors for consonants and vowels. You know, you could even use the light blue lids (from skim milk) for letter blends like “th”, “wh”, etc.
I was also thinking that I could use the magnetic letters. I could buy a couple of sets of those (I can get them for a dollar a set) and then we could use them to make words. That would save all the work invested in making the index cards!
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