My son turned 3 and December and I would like to teach him some things. How long would you think his attention span will last before he becomes disinterested?
I'm just talking about typically. I know each child is an individual, but I would like to know what the average is.
Teach him by playing with him and having him "help" you with chores around the house. This way, he won't lose interest quickly. If you mean sit him in a chair and have him do schoolwork, he'll lose interest very quickly. I don't believe there is anything a 3 or 4 year-old needs to know that can't be learned by doing.
I guess I can't give you a time frame, because I don't even know it for my son, who is also 3.
I try to teach him while we play. He loves to play games so I got the Go Fish game with letters (School Zone cards) and that has taught him letter recognition awesomly, without even feeling like teaching. When we play cars we try to count them, all the red ones, blue ones etc. We also do the School Zone activity/sticker books. Those are super fun and also teaching.
I think no matter how long your son's attention span is, learning while playing is the best bet. But if you try to sit down and give him a lesson - school style - I don't think his interest will last long at all and you will probably be able to see him start to loose interest or look bored.
Great teachers have different methods and means of teaching. Using the 5 senses (sight, sound, smell, taste and touch) helps alot in the learning experience. My sister was and is very tactile meaning she likes to touch. So that is the best way for her to learn. I'm visual, so I have to be able to see new concepts. My husband is auditory which means he needs to hear it. Each person has a little of each in them but can be dominated by one type of learning. If you can tap into his learning style you can keep him entertained for a very long time.
Mostly at 3 it is all about playing and 3 year old boys need to move around more because that is how the synapses in their brains form connections.
They are a sponge at that age and always learning.
Play games. Cards, recognizing letters, shapes, etc.
At the grocery store ask him to get things for you such as 4 lemons, etc.
When you are cooking, let him see you measure.
Everyday activities can be turned into educational activities for toddlers. You are great to be thinking ahead and trying to stimulate his brain. Some parents just sit back and rely on preschool and school to do this. Good for you for being interactive with him.
That's the great thing about being three, they are learning all the time, you don't even need to "do" anything!
Read to him every day. Have him help you cook, clean and garden, he will learn lots of math and science (measuring, counting, sorting, etc.) Give him the chance to play with puzzles and blocks (problem solving) and pretend/dress up play (social skills.)
Most importantly, just talk to him a LOT, point out EVERYTHING, when you are out and about point out colors and shapes, numbers and letters. Keep it fun and he will soak it all in :)
You can sit and work with him for 5-10 minutes at most. But teaching can be a daily activity. We are having yellow bananas on brown cereal in a white bowl. Our cereal comes in a rectangle shaped box. By adding the colors and shapes of everyday objects as we are talking to them they get the idea. When you grocery shop ask him to find yellow, blue and red things and rectangles, squares and circles. As you pick up items and put them in your basket say we are having green lettuce, with red tomatoes, and orange carrots, you get the idea.
Do the same with animals and plants. Look sweetie there is a brown rabbit by the pink flowers.
This way he doesn't know he is learning new things, he is just having fun with his mommy.
I taught both of my boys their ABC's, 123's, shapes (even the weird ones), and a lot more using a MagnaDoodle. I just drew the letter/number/shape and asked them what it was. Start with 5 things each day and do them over and over until they start to get bored, and then quit. You'll usually get about 10-20 minutes per daily session, depending upon when you do it and how tired/hungry/etc they are.
On some strange days I'd get them begging me to do more. Resist the urge to add more letters or numbers to what you've taught that day when they ask for more...just review the ones you've already taught.
Oh--he'll let you know when he's "done"! LOL
I would not make it formally "teaching" but just have fun with shapes, colors, numbers.....work it into your normal playing time.
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Oh--he'll let you know when he's "done"! LOL
I would not make it formally "teaching" but just have fun with shapes, colors, numbers.....work it into your normal playing time.
Teaching through everyday activity, observations and play is likely most effective at this time.
Generally, we (preschool teachers) usually can get about "one minute per year" focus on anything in specific via direct instruction, concentrated focus is hard to maintain, so avoid dumping lots of information. Find a way for the child to interact with what you are trying to teach.
Keeping it playful and short is key at this age. Also remember not to 'quiz' or 'drill' kids... that sense of parental expectation and repetition can quash their joy in learning. Flash cards, too... too much expectation. Playing with children, counting toys, playing with letter shapes (they can be so many things-- cookies at a bakery, letters for 'alphabet soup', "can you make a picture or shape with them?") talking about colors as you put them onto paper or use food coloring in water... all of these are great ways for getting kids engaged. The more they are engaged, the longer you can stay "on topic".... just remember, the kids are sometimes discovering other things *they* notice than what is important to us as the teaching adults, so be sure to give their discoveries attention, explanation and *your* focus too. Kids learn better if they 'discover' the knowledge on their own sometimes.
