Learning and Staying Focused.

Have you consulted any early childhood learning/teaching materials? preschoolers learn best thru play and music in my opinion. I'd steer away from direct instruction and focus on exposing him to the things you'd like him to learn thru play.

There are a few ideas which pop into mind:

If he likes bikes and trucks, use those as counting items
or
teach him the word 'no' as a Native American friend suggests so you can always get his attention on important matters

good luck

Being that you think he is thinking about cars or is more interested in them, maybe try the approach of placing numbers on the cars and asking him to hand you number 5. Some cars come with numbers already and this might be a way to help identify them. Also an idea is to create car-like paper shapes or other interesting shapes that might appeal to him and see if that keeps him more interested.

I'm not too experienced in children's education (I teach college) but did work at a daycare with 2.5 - 3 year-olds and found that they learn while they play. So sometimes as they are playing they are more actively involved and interested in learning. I have found that just like for college students they can learn more if they are enjoying what they are doing and applying it.

Another thought is Number Magnets , since they can pick out the number and stick it to something, move it around. Basically its more interactive for them. For example, giving them several number fives and letting them play with them on the refrigerator for a while but always asking them about the number five, "Do you see the number 5", "Can you hand me the 5, point out subtleties in the shape of the five, like: "Wow, five is really cool...see how it is wearing a hat..."

I don't know...just an idea, but let me know if it works. I'm always looking for ways to teach new ideas.

-A..

Dear K.,

You are trying your very best, but you cannot teach a 4 1/2 year old numbers that high. He needs actual practical experiences with things - five things = one thing, etc. ... and please do not try to get him to memorize. When his mind is ready for it he will automatically remember. The mechanism for understand numbers isn't quite ready to comprehend yet. It sounds like torture to me for both of you.

If you are homeschooling him for preschool activities, then he needs friends friends and more friends so that he can learn to cooperate and play together and be comfortable with peers. Now that is important for 4 1/2 year old brains !! No kidding, I am telling you the truth. Be cool. Let him go to real school.

If you want to homeschool him later on from 4th grade or so on, then have at it. but for now. Let him go to real school. Yes, real school with all the germs and mean kids and teachers that will help him learn how to follow rules in the real world. Kids have to learn that this is a complex world, not like home all of the time.

C. N.

Maybe you could let him count his dinosours or his toy cars & trucks. Or even how many times he pedals his bike. He'll be having fun and learning at the same time. Good Luck!!!

Hi K.,
I home schooled my three sons, 14, 12, and 10 for five years. Each of them has grown into a conscientious traditional schooled student. I learned the following: Boys do not learn the way their grown-up moms do. I am very familiar with your son's tendency to wander into his own thoughts at the most crucial teaching moments! I also know the frustration that you feel when it seems that all you just taught has immediately flown out the left ear. In this respect, being a home school mom can be no different than trying to teach a classroom of kids. But as a mom, you have the advantage of working that week's concepts into a trip to the store or the making of a meal. You can also decorate your home, using crepe paper to tape a giant number 16 to the wall, for instance, during the week that you are talking about that number. (You'll have to be creative as each approach can lose its "magic" after a week.) I can tell you that it's all about exposure and repetition. At 4 1/2, it's also so much more about creative, hands-on play! Relax, keep it up and enjoy. Over time, you will watch him reap all that you've sewn.

Oy vey! Where to start??

First, if you're determined to homeschool, get your hands on this book: Learning Math in Elementary and Middle School by George Cathcart. You need to know HOW kids learn math ... the stage you're at is about number sense: If you put 8 dinos on the table and add 8 more, can he count with one-to-one correlation to 16? Then he ROCKS ... send him straight to 2nd grade. Trouble? Try smaller groups.

Does it matter that he looks at a symbol of the number "16" and doesn't have a clue what it means? Not at this point. For that matter, can you explain to me clearly and concisely what it means that the "1" is where it is?

BTW, I have 2 super-intelligent, gifted learners of my own. I know they learn SO fast at 4 that you want to just keep pouring stuff in ... but relax! Life is a learning marathon ... let him LOVE learning!!

I agree, that he just may not be ready. But here is my 2 cents about teaching your own or other children... (I was a teacher before I became a mom). First, getting creative is necessary. Using the things he loves (trucks etc.) in your counting lessons can help the information stick. If he has any cars like Nascar that have numbers on the sides use those. Tell him to go get his 23 car, show him flash cards of what a 2 and a 3 look like and have him pick it out of a line up. Also incorporate numbers or whatever you are trying to teach in everything you do. When you see a license plate or price tag for example. Try taping/writing numbers or using stickers on his toys and leaving them or changing them every week or month. My kids know their numbers, letters and words mainly from stuff like that. Before the age of 2 I put their names on things--they are twins, and they began to recognize their name and then that transfered to outside of the home, recognizing "their" letters in the Toysrus, Costco, Walmart signs etc. Repetition, Repetition! But I do have to say, perhaps he would greatly benefit from preschool. Kids are so different for their parents, learning from someone other than mom can be exciting and interesting, hence making learning more fun and fascinating. Also being around other kids, watching them learn and respond can spark his interest too. If it is a matter of not being able to afford preschool try looking into church run preschools, they usually offer scholarships. Good luck.

Check out BRAIN GYM book

Relax. Your child is obviously not ready for numbers yet. Children develope at different rates and when he is ready, he will attend. Let him be a kid and play with his trucks and leave the numbers until later!

K., let me encourage you as the mother of four with a son for my first born. You must remember that he's only 4 1/2. We tend to push our first born and see them as being older than they are. Perhaps he is not interested when you focus on these things. You don't say how long you work on these schooling situations but remember his ability to focus on such things is very short probably only 4-5 minutes. Also it's important to remember that different children have different learning styles so maybe a different approach might work. using numbers in art work or drawing them in the sandbox.... You say that you need him to focus on important things but trust me he will learn these things well in kindergarten. Finally, remember that you want him to develop a love of learning and you want him to have positive associations for learning numbers and whatever else you're teaching him. If you are finding that you are impatient and snapping maybe you are not gifted at teaching (or homeschooling) your children. Please don't be insulted I know this only, because I'm not. My son is now in fourth grade and I still struggle with helping him with homework and not snapping at him when he can't get a concept as quickly as I want him to. At one time my husband I had visions of me homeschooling our kids but I am just not gifted that way, the mothers who are are extremeIy patient. I hope this is not too critical I wish you the best. Good luck.

Hello!

I was once a kindergarten teacher (now I teach second grade) so I know your frustration. I would focus on two numbers a week. I would do flash cards, crafts and hands on things with the numbers you are teaching for that week. For example have him count 16 pennies, marbles, noodles, etc. and then make a number 16 out of those items. Glue them down on a piece of paper if possible and hang it on the fridge. Hope that helps.

consider putting your son in a preschool a few days a week! Or if his interests are trucks and dinosaurs make the learning more fun using those items to help teach him the numbers.....

Hi K. -

I have a 6 year old and a 12 year old and was a 1st and 4th grade teacher. I now run a tutoring company, Team Tutors. Without laying everything out here, I have some thoughts on how to best work with your son. However, everything you're describing (his level of distraction) sounds very age appropriate! He is young, and learning his numbers will come in time! Now is the time to play fun,educational math games with him. You will keep him interested by making the learning interacive. Also, use high-interest subjects like transportation and dinosaurs to keep him motivated. - N.

Dear mom.
I am a mother of 4, ages 11,9, and twin 6 year old. I too am a stay at home mom. Even though I know your frustration, remember, your son is only 4 1/2 years old and children's attention span is limited. Try making learning more fun by playing games while teaching him at the same time. A fun learning game session may be sitting on the floor with him and playing a game of Bingo. Use only the numbers that you are trying to teach him. Play with him over and over again with the same numbers. Being repetition is a good learning tool. Just a suggestion. Remember, he is only 4 1/2.

A little about me. I have 3 high achieving children. All way ahead of there classes. My daughter started reading at 4. My middle son started reading at 5. My eldest son started reading at 4. They all love Math and by the age of 5 were adding and subtacting my eldest understood the concepts and was multpling by then too. My kids didn't magically become smart I used there enviroment to teach. Not paper and pen.

WHAT I DO AND DID TO GET THESE RESULTS:
1. I used what ever they were getting distacted by in what I wanted them to learn. Example is if he wants to play with trucks we would get every car and truck out and use it to make a 23. Or i would make a parking lot and play Who has left the parking lot and who is driving in to it. Giving them the understanding of the concepts of addition and subtraction. My kids figured out sets, grouping shapes sizes.....you get the idea

2. we cook a lot we are a big family. I have them measure, brake things up and separate. Unknowingly they also learned fractions 1/2,1/4.2/3 ...... (becuase I am using what they already know they love it and do not relize that they are acctually getting a "lesson".

3. Your kids will get it. If you place impotance on education and stay involved they will love learning. Be careful. Learning should be fun especially at your kids ages. We all learn diffefently. You might be asking too much of him to stay focused on something that hasn't become important to him yet. Toys and games are very important to all childrens developement they are little for a very short time try not to rush it. By using what he loves he will always find wonderful ways to learn and use what he learns.

I hope this imformation is helpful to you.

Hi K.;

My second oldest son and my third child which is my daughter and had the same problem as you have. I spoke to my children school teacher before. She suggested to me to have them analysis by physchologist and find out why he has difficulty of learning and focused. It is important now that we analysis the child than later on in life because so that we could help him. There's nothing wrong if we found out the result of his test. Then you can have your son to have a specialized program with disabled children. Since our system has specialized program with children that has problem in learning and focused and see if this one will help him. I done so with my two children and it help me to understand and calm down to teach and deal with them. I also found out that learning how to do art and music lesson is also a good tools with children having difficulties in learning and focused. You can try and see what happen. Good luck. A.

Boys learn much slower than girls, don't expect so much. Send him outside to discover the mud, sticks, grass, birds, dig holes in the dirt, get covered in real life. There will be far too many years where he is told to sit still and learn. You say, "I need" him to focus, well he needs to go get dirty, and you with him, he will discover the real, magical, physical world and if you are with him he will be grateful forever.

E. & James, parents to 5 children.

I might suggest that a 4 1/2 year old boy is sometimes not quite ready for academic structured learning and may benefit more from playing with his trucks and dinasours for a another half of year. I am a teacher and have found that young boys usually spring into numbers and letters much faster and with less struggle between the ages of 5 and 6. Good luck!

Hi K.,
My two cents: perhaps he actually is taking it all in but he doesn't want to respond because he sees how much you really want him to and at 4 1/2 he is exercising what limited power he has. You may think it is crucial that he learn X or Y at such and such an age, but the truth is that every kid learns when they are ready. If you try to force it you will end up 1) very frustrated and 2) if your kid is strong-willed, with a kid who will rebel and act out and associate learning with your anger and his boredom.

Or, perhaps he is not remembering it right now because he is more interested in playing and running around and exploring. You brush this off as less important, but it is in itself a form of learning for kids. In my opinion, because I have an almost 5 y.o. boy myself, many boys need nothing more than to run run run, then climb, then run some more. If you stifle that my making them try to sit still for lessons he will be starting out his education on the wrong foot. Maybe you can combine things--if he wants to run, have him run and count his steps, for example. Or have him count out dinosaurs. In other words, step into his shoes and see how this can be more fun for him. You cannot change who he is, but you can change your attitude (for example, why is it so important that he know numbers right now?) and your approach to teaching him (does he learn better through physical activity, or is he a visual learner?)

Hope that helps.

Hi there- My name is S.- I am an Early Childhood educator with a degree in Human Development and Psychology. Actually, at the age 4 there are very few children who are ready to start learning cognitive facts. Children at this age learn best thru play. At the end of Kindergarten they are only expected to know numbers thru 20.

I would not focus on learning his numbers, but more, have him grasp the concept of how many-much a certain (lower) number is. For example, when playing blocks with him- try building a tower of 3 blocks and have him hand you three blocks. Can a truck sit on three blocks? add 1 more, now see if a train can sit on four blocks. You want to keep learning fun- especailly at such a young age. The best way to increase a child's IQ and knowledge base is communication. Keep talking to him and he's going to do just fine. Remember HAVE FUN!

My daughter is the same age and does the same thing. Sometimes she show interest in learning so I jump on it and teach then. When she is looking around and just frustrating me I just stop the leason. She knows her abc's and the sounds they all make and her numbers up to about 30 for sure. I have been trying to teach her to read and she seem to want too but then we both get frustrated. So I am just going to let Kindergarten take over. I know that I am not a teacher and I think my daughter knows how to push my buttons.I hope me sharing this helps you.
Gook luck to you.

Hi K.,

I am a mother of three and have been reading a lot about homeschooling my two youngest children, which we are considering. I have been reading quite a bit about Rudolph Steiner's philosophies, the founder of Waldorf. There are some very wonderful insights and knowledge that Waldorf has to offer for educating children. One of the main points he makes is that children will not learn or remember unless they WANT TO. Maria Montessori also had a lot to say about this as well. Maybe this explains why traditional schooling and ways of "teaching" don't work for so many children and people - they are simply not interested and learning therefore learning becomes a forced thing. Plus your son is so young still - his main interest is play and children learn mainly through play through age seven. I realize that your family has your own ideas as to how you want to educate your children but maybe we need to let our children guide us.

A little about me:
I am a stay at home mom of three children. We live in Palos Verdes Estates. My wonderful husband and I have one daughter who is 16, a daughter who is 4 and a son who is 5 months. It is fun to have such a spread and range of ages - it really helps to know how quickly it all goes and what is really important in life. I learn something new and gain new wisdom with each child. I am so grateful and privileged to be able to raise my children.

He may not be developmentally ready. A 4 year old will generally have an attention span of 10 -15 minutes. Make sure he is learning these things through play or music. Have you tried doing a daily calendar with him that includes patters, number order, weather charts, etc. Also, use the things that he is interested in, such as dinosaurs and trucks, to graph and sort. This is another avenue to expose him to numbers. You may also want to see if there is a home schooling co-op in your area. Often children will listen to other adults better that their own when it comes to schooling. Or you may want to try and put him in a preschool for the remainder of the year. He will get it - but gradually over time. If he enters kinder able to go to 20 he'll be fine. Good luck.

If he is more interested in trucks, bikes, etc., then have him count those things. Have pictures of these things (or real objects) and then pair it with that number. In my experience, children learn better when they're having fun while doing it. Children also learn when there are other children around for them to watch. If you're home schooling, maybe there is a group of you to get together to do a math lesson.

Your son is most likely too young to be dealing with the numbers you are trying to work with him with. Use manipulatives and stay in the 1-10 area until he is ready to move on. His interest and focus is telling you that the material and/or the style of presenting the material are not reaching him.

Just a thought (and maybe you are already doing this) but have you tried incorporating things he loves to your math / numbers lessons. Like using dinosaurs or trucks to count or add and subtract.....I think when they can relate to something they learn much better (just like we do)....If it doesn't have context it doesn't stick.

K.,
are you having him sitting down and working on worksheets etc., like a traditional school setting? That might be too much pressure for such a young boy.
Go to the park. Count the swings. Count how many other kids there are. Count the benches, the picnick tables, the parking spots. Go to the grocery store any put 8 apples in a bag. Have him pick out a bunch of bananas that has 4 in it.
Ask him how many action figures he's playing with. How many (insert name of toy here) do you have?
Make it a game.
Don't let him see your frustration, because he is too small to understand you're frustrated with your own inability to get your point across. He might think you're frustrated with him.
Don't harp on about numbers if he's not having fun.
Don't give up! :)
Perhaps find a book about early childhood learning at the library.

If he loves dinosaurs and trucks, incorporate that into the learning. It's tough at that age to get kids to "learn and retain on demand". Make it fun. Teach him while he plays, it worked for me! My daughter is now in kindergarten and it will kick in when he's ready.

Good luck!

K. O

Hey K.,

My 3 1/2 year old is in a very expensive preschool, and I recently had the same concerns as you. My husband would ask her where the number 3 was on the magnet board and she would point it out, but when we asked her what number "that" was (when we pointed to the number three) she wouldn't know. We were getting very fustrated because we pay for her to learn at school and didn't want to pay for a tutor down the line. So we asked her teacher who explained that objects such as letters and numbers are still abstract for them at that age. They are working different areas of the brain. Kind of like understanding spanish but not being able to speak it. It is pure memorization and if you try to give them too much too soon they kind of shut down. So my advice to you is to spend one full week on each number or letter you want him to remember. Do it in a game type of way. You can write the number "23" on a chalk board, have 23 cars lined up, have him write it on plain paper then color it in, count 23 cheerios as he puts them in his bowl, look for the number 23 while talking him on walks in addresses and such, etc.

Good luck and thank you for taking an active interest in your child's education. Too many do not and I think our education system is suffering because of it.

I too have a 4 1/2 year old, along with a 6 (almost 7) year old, and an almost 3 year old.
Ironically I had a conference with my 4 1/2 year old's preschool teacher yesterday. We talked a lot about numbers, and his lack of knowledge. I recently have noticed a bigger interest in scholastics, but he is still not extremely interested. I know he is capable and when he is ready it will click for him. I believe in using regular everyday experiences to teach them and expose them to numbers, letters, colors, shapes, etc... Like the number setting on the toaster. Or how many raisins they have for their snack. Along with number bingo, and games like that, your son will get the exposure he needs to become successful without him or you getting frustrated with it. If learning isn't fun, he is going to be less likely to absorb it. As an ex preschool teacher, I know and see the value of teaching through play. They get plenty of quizes, worksheets and the such when they enter school.
Hope this is helpful.

Children at this age learn through play. Use the numbers in games that he likes to play. Matching, memory, run to the ___, find the ___. Make it fun. If you got him to focus on numbers for 5 minutes in a drill-type situation, you're doing pretty well. He's also only 4 1/2. He probably doesn't care about numbers right now because he wants to ride his bike and climb trees. He just may not be developmentally ready for such a focused learning time. Play, play, play, and make the numbers relevant to his life - How many blocks do you have in that pile kind of thing. Preschool is more about socialization than academics. Most preschools do both but he'll also get it all again in kindergarten. It's more important for you to expose him to things in your community. Provide him with multi-sensory learning. Make the numbers out of Play-doh, make number cookies, measure things, listen to music, sing, dance color the numbers, jump on the numbers... The rote information will come but be sure you are providing him with the concepts behind that basic information.

Leave him alone.

Children learn numbers just during play in nature.
and by games that you make up, and songs that you learn together...

Let it unfold in an internal manner rather than externally directed!

If it is an experiential process then the child will not develop a distaste for Math.

Hi! K.
Try Incoporating pictures of dinosaurs or trucks into the number process. Have 16 dinosaurs and than equal the number 16 after and so on it worked for me when I was teaching my children and now my grand children. Sometimes you have to make it a game for them to learn. You can use dinosaur paper. Using props is sometimes a great way to keep their interest. Hope this helps. Also remember do not continue to work with him when you are both fustrated. He will get it it just takes time. Be patient. A. S

Hi there, don't know if you've tried any of these things but sometimes it helps to make learning the #s more kinesthetic..i.e., make the numbers using different types of manipulatives like macaroni, leaves, toothpicks, etc. I saw some awesome cookie cutters at michael's , there were numbers and letter in it, how fun--make some brownies and then use the cookie cutters to create different #s. You can also go to lakeshore and get some of the , what are called, i think base ten units, can't remember exactly , but they're little manipulatives used to make #s , there are ones, tens , hundreds. also , keep in mind: the short attention span of a 4 1/2 year old, be sure to mix it up...make the learning fun and low key, not too much pressure, there will be time enough for that. I can't remember the standard for #s, but i think your son is still too young for the #s you're trying to teach him. Hope some of that helps.

I am a second grade teacher and I am so glad you are taking interest in your child's education, but remember he's 4. California State Standards require kindergarten students to count, recognize, represent, name, and order a number of objects (up to 30). This is by the end of the year. He is still in preschool. My advice is go slow and have fun. If you are concerned with what he needs to know for kinder, go to the local school and ask them. There are no regulated standards for preschool, but if you want to know the standards for kinder just google them and remember they are for through the end of kinder, not to start kinder. Good luck!

If he's interested in dinosaurs, then just count dinosaurs.

Hi K., I bet you that he is listening. He may be a kinesthetic learner and needs to "absorb' what he learns through seeing adn doing. He is probably processing it all. On those days when he doesn't respond right after the lesson - don't force it. Tell him good job for listening and return to it tomorrow or the next day. Then ask him if he remembers and "challenge' him to recall what he previously learned. If he get's it be sure and praise him, if he doesn't simply review and come back to it another day until he does. Children are like sponges and, while they may not always show it, are learning and processing all the time. Just don't let it get to be a 'chore' or work, keep it fun; for both your sakes.

Great job home schooling! That is a noble endeavor. I am sure you are doing a great job at this point. Do you have a designated place/time for lessons? I wonder if having a special "school" corner and time may help him focus more than if you are trying to do lessons in the same place you eat/play or whatever else. Also, look around next time during your lessons, what distractions can you see from his eye level. Are there dinosaur toys in his line of eyesight, is his little brother giggling or playing with things while he is trying to word, are you distracted and doing multiple things at once, is he hungry and near snack time (of course he is, he is a boy...)? Eliminating as many distractions as possible may help him keep a bit more focused. Good luck and keep up the important work!

Hi K.,

I am a mama and also a child care provider in Lake Elsinore. I have a daughter who is 23 mos, is very active and seems to be a little sponge right now. I have children in my care from 4 mos. to 4 years. I just got through with taking a workshop on how we put children at risk by starting academics too early.

As parent's we share the same goal which is to be sure our children succeed in school. Larry Garf, the keynote speaker talked about how the education system is structured in a way that causes many bright, well-adjusted youngsters to struggle and fail.

He went on to say that there are different reasons why children do poorly in school, some reasons are clear but others have negative school experiences that are far more difficult to explain, such as those who are blamed for not trying hard enough, or not paying attention and sometimes not being terribly bright.

I am not saying you are doing anything wrong but wanted to shed some light on what you were concerned about. We need to give our children the gift of time, as Piaget a theorist revealed that children learn at their own biological stage and
if the bar is too high then they may not be maturely ready to do what they are asked to do. This does not mean they are not intelligent or not wanting to pay attention but, may not be developmentally ready to learn those things yet, even though they are said to be learning those things for the age. We have to remember as children mature, their capabilities increase.

You see we don't want them to see us frustrated and then they get frustrated and think they are failures, that is why what Larry Garf talks about is so important.

If you'd like more information let me know and you can do some reading. Hope this helps a bit

C.

Hi K.,
I believe that at age 4 trucks and dinosaurs and bikes are really important. As a long time early childhood educator (with PhD), I would encourage you to step back from the number drills and instead foster your son's thinking, his inquisitiveness, his natural ability to understand the concepts of numbers--quantity, how they're useful (let im dial the phone calls you make, measuring, time etc.). A four year old wouldn't be expected to know all of the numbers even to 10. Of what use is '23' for example if he doesn't understand the concept,the sense of quantity, etc. Count the forks on the table and show him the number, help him count days until a special dayor trip, keep a graph of sunny days and cloudy days and count them, compare them, etc. Remember he's four, and should not be expected to sit and "learn" as if he were1 0. good luck

maybe with teaching numbers, you can use objects, you mentioned that he loves dinosaurs and trucks, why not get small counting tools from the Lakeshore store? They carry many teaching tools for home and montessori type setting...instead of just "writing or books". I also have a 4 1/2 yr. old son.

Aloha K.,
You could try spending more time on individual numbers. Like, for instance, having a "16 or 23 Day" Then everything during that day, from eating meals to his bathtime would include that number. You know, counting the pieces of cereal (making sure he had 23 to start with), finding 23 on the calendar, finding 23 on the TV, in the news paper, on the back of the pizza box, at the grocery store. Pretty soon he would be looking for certain numbers everywhere.
I used to do child care, and we used to actually set aside a week to introduce a new color, number, shape. etc. Then we did stuff with those ALL the time, ALL week. After a few days, it seemed that everyone of the kids , from the littlest on up would have it down.
At his age, you have to really make this learning interesting and fun. You could even make up a song that uses whatever number you are working on.
Hope this helps,
K.

He is still quite young to be learning his numbers or maybe better put, he is still quite young to be interested in learning his numbers. Kids at that age learn best through playing. I would suggest making it a game rather than making him sit down and learning by doing a lesson plan. Count his cars, count the stairs, count rocks, etc.. make it fun. Just count the items and that is it, he doesn't need to repeat it back, etc.. he will learn his numbers when he is ready. If he isn't listening it is for a few reasons, he is a boy, he is young, he isn't interested. We joke that my son is always thinking about chicks and trucks.. my son is 2. You do not need your son to focus on this right now. You say he is thinking of dinosaurs, trucks or riding his bike.. then include those in his learning. I think it goes for anything we try to teach our kids, toilet learning, ABC's, numbers, etc.. if we become frustrated, it's time to try something new. I'm glad you reached out for advice. He is still young, play and have fun!

This particular number concept is one that your child may not be interested in or ready for at this time. Since you school him at home you have the flexability to move on to another number concept that may be of more interest to him, or another subject all together. Whenever possible try to learn through play. Make up learning/ counting games using his toys or that involve song. Also lots of number games are availagle on the internet. (See noggin.com) which may engage him in the subject. Good Luck.

http://www.ooeygooey.com/ Check out the Resources on Lisa Murphy's website. She is a preschool director, national speaker and a proponent of a play-based, developmental (not academic) approach to preschool. Children need to be physical at this point. They learn concepts from the inside (touching, exploring, running, playing, spinning) out (then go to the head...) Her website resources/articles will explain it better than I can right now.
http://teacher.scholastic.com/products/ect/whychildrennee...
Check out that article WHY CHILDREN NEED PLAY (Scholastic Early Childhood Today Magazine, September 2005, by Elena Bodrova, PhD. & Deborah J. Leong
If you do an online search for those 2 researchers, you'll find more articles. Good luck!

At his age he is justified in thinking about dinosuars and trucks! I understand YOUR desire to teach him numbers and you probably want him to have a jumpstart when it comes to Kindergarten which is understandable! You just have to realize it's not HIS desire just yet. My advice to you is to let him do his thing-be a little boy and have fun! When he is ready emotionally to sit down and really listen, you will know it. I have a 7 year old son who was just like yours. He spent 3 years in preschool developing what I consider to be more important that academic skills, and that is social skills and learning how to interact with other children. I knew he would get the academics eventually and he has done just fine! Due to him having a September birthday I waited an extra year to start him off in Kindergarten and have been extremely pleased with my decisiion. Good Luck!

I homeschooled my older kids, but I wouldn't try it with my youngest. He is just a different type of learner, and I am not the best teacher for his style of learning. He thrives in the classroom. my older kids thrived at home. I think it is very important to be tuned in to your child, understand where they are developmentally, and follow their lead. HOWEVER! Your son is 4! He should be thinking about dinosaurs and toys. Just because the government is now saying every kid should go to preschool doesn't mean it is true. Many European countries with much higher educational standards than we have do not start kids at school until the age of 7. Especially with little boys, who tend to mature more slowly than girls - they just aren't ready for school at 4, 5, or even 6. My mom was an elementary school principal, and she said 9 times out of 10, the kids who had trouble in elementary school were boys who were started too early, who were sent to school before they were ready or able to truly learn, process and retain the information. Push him and it will backfire on you in the long run, both educationally and behaviorally.