What Are Kids Suppose to Be Learning/doing in 4 Year Old Preschool?

I was a preschool teacher for a few years, and it is mostly about socialization and learning through play. However 4 year olds should be using scissors, glue by themselves, writing some numbers and letters on their own. The teacher may write 1 or 2 letters for them and have them trace the letter, then write their own. Feel free to pm me if you wish to change preschools, I know of a few really good ones, and some not so good ones.

My daughter is 4 and in a private pre-chool. She goes 3 days a week. They do different art projects that require cutting, gluing, coloring, counting, painting. She brings home dot to dot (numbers and letters) papers as well listening papers. The listening papers are quite unique. The teacher says circle this or underline that in a specific color. Pretty neat idea, I thought. Every paper has her name it that she has written. My daughter tells me about an alphabet book that they are working on at school. I am thinking it is to be brought home at the end of the year. My daughter is a November kid. As of right now she will be going on to kindergarten much to the dismay of her grandparents who say she is just too young!!( Another issue entirely, you are right)!!

I also have a child in 4 year old preschool. He is starting to write on his own, mostly letters. He does cut on his own but has a hard time cutting a straight line. I have noticed that the teacher will write over the letters he wrote to show him the correct way to do it. That is fine with me because my son is very laid back and doesn't really care to write at this point. Any push in the right direction is great. He is a Sept. baby and will be doing young 5's in the fall.
I also have a kindergartener that is a May baby and was writing letters and numbers and cutting very well this time last year. He has a much high desire to learn then my 4 year old.
The preschool I use has 2 teachers with no more then 9 kids each. They also have a girl that comes from the high school once a week along with a parent helper the other days. So it's about 4 or 5 kids per person.
Hope this helps!

Hi - I have 3 children. My oldest son is in kindergarten this year, my middle son (4 years old - birthday in Nov. like yours)and a 3 year old daughter. I am also a high school teacher so the topic you are talking about is something that I constantly monitor.

My 4 year old is in Junior Kindergarten in west bloomfield schools. He goes 5 days a week 9am - 3pm. His class has 10-13 kids in his class with 2 teachers.

My son has learned how to do the following skills (as have all his peers in class)
1. Can cut easily
2. Knows his ABC and about 50% of their sounds can write all of his ABC and 1-10 - not always great but a mom can read it.
3. Can rhyme
4. Sequences 4 part stories
5. Sings, dances, plays games, socializes
6. He has learned how to follow directions about how to do a center than do it independently.
7. He can clearly write his first name - he does it abot 10 times a day in class on all of his many projects.

Hope it helps, if you want to talk more about the topic pelase mail me. After seeing what is expected in kindergarten this year with my other son I watch closely what my middle son can do so he is prepared for kindergarten next year (he is going to kindergarten as a 4 year old - turning 5 in Nov.) Good luck :)

My son recently turned 5 at the end of January. He has been in preschool full-time since the age of 2. He is currently working on reading and they began having spelling tests when he turned 4. He knows his continents, address, phone number, president, capitols, bodies of water, colors, planets, sign language, he can count and greet in Spanish, he can count by 2's 5's and 10's (up to 100), tell time, his class has just recently begun learning how to add and he has a very extensive vocabulary. Because his school offers art as a subject, he knows how to use scissors, paint neatly and colors very well. He writes extremely well for his age (according to his teacher) including his name, numbers and random words for spelling tests. Science, music and computers are subjects as well, so he is knowledgeable regading instruments, the internet (for kid sites) and basic life science. He goes to a small school so I think there may be about 8-9 children in his class. He has homework packets every week, thatnormally consists of reinforcing whatever they learned for the week (spelling words, fill in the blanks for time...etc.)
I hope this helps, it was a little long, but I just wanted to make sure that I provided enough detail. Both of my boys attend a Montessori, so it may depend on the curriculum being offered at your children's school.

Hi D.,
When my daughter was 4 she went to a co-op preschool, so I was there a lot and saw what they did. It's more about coloring and singing songs and learning how to do things and act at "school". If the child can not cut or write their name then the teacher(s) will do it for them. I don't think my daughter could write her name until the end of school. As far as cutting and stuff she could do, but that was because we did it at home as well. Lots of the kids couldn't do it. But you really learn your ABC's and 123's and cutting and all that in Kengarden. If you have questions the feel free to ask the teacher(s). That's what they are there for. There is nothing set that they have to learn before they can move up in grade until 1st grade. Most preschool is, starting ABC's and 123's and working on names, but doing arts and crafts. I'm sure your daughter is were she should be for her age. But if you are worried, just ask the teachers.

Is your son in a preschool/learning center or a daycare?? There is a difference there!! It does depend on your child's teacher and also you working with him at home!! A 4 year old is capable of writing letters and numbers and even their own name,and cutting, but you have to work with them. Also, a four year old, will only listen so well. It depends on the schedule and structure in the classroom!! I worked at a learning center for two years and it always frustrated me that my two-year old class seemed to be learning more at their age level than the 4-5 yr. olds!! It was b/c I worked with them and had structure and a schedule though!!! Like someone else said, I would maybe sign them up for pre-k next year!!! Good luck and remember, learning starts from home!!! It REALLY makes a difference!! :)

My son was writing his letters and numbers in preschool. His teacher never corrected it but encouraged each child's effort to make their own way. One thing I found fascinating was that they had stencils that showed kids how to create the letters first - from the time they were 2 1/2 or so. I even bought some to reinforce the writing. My son could count to 20 or so when he left preschool, was cutting (though not very well) and coloring.
He started all-day Kindergarten (late August baby - I never thought to hold him back) this last Fall, which was a very smooth transition for him coming from all-day preschool.

I would encourage you to work with them on their days off from preschool - the JumpStart pre-K and K workbooks are great. Set aside some "home school" time each day to keep the academic structure into their lives and reinforce what they are learning in school. Go to Kindergarten roundup in your area to see what the curriculum would be like and whether you think your boys will be ready for that. In June or so, meet with their preschool teacher to assess their emotional readiness for moving into Kindergarten. That way, you should be able to make an informed decision on whether they should try Kindergarten or an early 5's program.

For me, preschool was about learning to be on a schedule, socialization and some numbers and letters. I work with my children on my own as well. To be ahead in the long run, keep reading to them and playing school at home. They usually love it and it will help them so much. As I signed my daughter up for high school, you will be amazed what they require each student to do and have learned by 14. THat's only 10 years away. She is an August birthday and has always done well academically (4.0), but she is one of the youngest in her class. Keep your boys our of kindergarten next year. Her best friend is over 1 year older. She will be driving, dating, etc so much earlier. School at this stage is very social and I'm just letting you know what you have to look forward to. I also have a son that is a straight A student, but he is one of the older kids in his class. He doesn't have the social issues and especially for boys, the little bit of maturity as they get challenged academically really helps in the early grades.

My daughter is in a 4's program. They work on scocialization, numbers- my daughter can count to 100, cutting following a pattern, colors, letters, phonetics and story comprehention. It seems like a lot for a 4 yr old but she does very well with it all.

My daughter is a late September birthday and will be attending kindergarten next year. BUT my son in a December birthday and I will not be allowing him to enter kindergarten so early. I think boys should not graduate before the age of 18. Just my opinion.

D.,

I have a four year-old son (December baby) who is in preschool and I have twin sons as well (11 months old). My oldest son is in a Montessori program which allows/encourages children to self direct their learning. The Montessori philosophy stresses that children learn better when their learning is self directed. Some children his age are writing their names, some are not. My son has not shown much interest in the "work" that involves writing, drawing, and painting. At this time he is interested in his letters, phonics and words. So he may very well be a child that is reading by the time he is in kindergarten but may not do much writing other than writing his own name at that time. My son does use scissors by himself and knows his numbers (and understands the concept of quantity that goes along with the numbers). I don't think you can or you should lump all kids the same age together in terms of expectations for what they've learned. Our preschool also stresses that many children show interest in different things at home than they do at school. For instance, our teacher commented on our son's fine motor skills and said she thought it would be beneficial for him to do activities that would help him develop them. We told her he eats with a fork and spoon at home and that he can cut some of his own food and that he also uses training chopsticks (like tongs) well. She was happy to hear that and this information (knowing that he was using skills at home that he did not use much at school) made her more comfortable with his development. I'm not sure if any of this helps you or not. As for putting a child into a kindergarten program on the early side - my son just missed the cutoff and I'm really happy. I would not have wanted him to be the youngest in his class and probably would have elected to hold him back in preschool another year before sending him to k-garten. There was an article about this in the NY Times in the past year. A lot of studies have been done on this topic. I think the general consensus is that you are not doing your child any favor by having him be the youngest in his class. The extra year to develop emotionally and socially will do them a lot of good.

S

Even though the world has advanced in the area of education, it isn't typical for 4 year olds, especially with late birthdays to be printing letters, cutting perfectly, and assembling things that are truly beautiful. Muscle control is not developed yet. I used to teach K and 1 (and all the way up to 6 so I have seen the spectrum.) Some of those children still had difficulty doing those things. Be patient. Try some crafts at home and you will get a better handle on what they can do not only now but in case you think you should send them to K. Keep in mind that there are children who make the Dec. 1 cut (most states)and are already 5 almost a year before your kids. That would put them in the lowest end of the age group. Something to think about for later.

I am a certified teacher, who taught pre-school for many years. I also work on a state study looking at child care providers and school-readiness skills of the children 3-5 not in kindergarten that they care for. Your children should be developing early literacy skills, social skills, gross motor skills and insrtuctional skills. Letter identification and early writing faciliataion is very important. Self-control and lstening skills are also very crucial. Every child is different, but I would think about putting the boys in some type of pre-k program next year. They are young, and often times boys really benefit by waiting a year to mature, and it will give them a leg up. As a teacher, it is obvious when parents work at home with their children. Role-model reading and writing for them, it will really impact them:)

Hi,
My son is 5. He is in kindergarden this year. I decided to send him, even though his b-day is Sept. 1. He went to pre-school last year, 3 days a week. Let me tell you, he had some problems at first! He never wanted to do any of the crafty stuff they worked on, (that seemed to me, that was all they did most of the time.) He wanted to be playing with action figures and more pretend play. He is not a hyper-active child either, he was just young. His pre-school teacher seemed preoccupied with the other children in her class, it was a private-Catholic school, so I beleive there was "favorites". My son usually clicks with everyone, so to have his first teacher react that way to him, kinda upset me. But, anyway, now he is in Kindergarden and doing great. He has a great teacher, who I communicate with regularly. He is reading and writing and his listening skills have improved 100%! Your sons might just be young, things should improve next year, especially if you work with them at home!

First of all I would just like to suggest after preschool to send them to young 5s. I was an October baby and I always felt"behind" and I was younger than all my friends.
Also My daughters Bday is in November and her preschool teacher recommended for her to go straight to kindergarten,I wish I wouldve stuck with my gut because now she struggling she in a class where some kids are already 6 and she wont be until November.The kids learn ALOT in kindergarten I was surprised when I read the list of what they are expected to learn. Last year in preschool she learned how to use scissors, write letters,write her name,learn colors and shapes.I cant remener how high she learned to count to though. Hope this helps :-)

Hi D.!
I know schools vary a lot, and probably depending on the area/district. But my daughter goes to a charter school where the emphasis is on the Arts. She is 4 1/2. As the kids get older, they tie all the classes together by focusing on a certain subject together. (For ex: if they are learning about the food groups/healthy eating, then in drama class they will somehow have them make believe they are at the grocery store and picking out healthy foods.) Anyway, I've been noticing how my daughter has been counting much higher/more accurate within the last few months as well as writing and recognizing letters much more. She often comes home with a certain art project she made- recently one was focusing on the United States, another was on some of the Presidents, and another was on some specific wildlife animals that live in Michigan. They have the kids do most of the cutting themselves as well as writing letters/etc. themselves. She has a dance class as well that helps teach other disciplines besides just dancing. I know a big part of preschool is to help them be prepared socially for Kindergarten, but if you aren't happy with the class, school or teachers, it certainly wouldn't hurt anything to do some checking around and investigating on other schools...just for your peace of mind.

Are your boys in a traditional preschool?
I have my own Montessori school & we have 4-year-old students that are solving addition & multiplication problems, building three letter words & writing in their journal.
Traditional preschools are more play based than academic based. You may want to ask the teacher if they can give you details of their curriculum so that you can monitor their progress.
Regards,
Ms. J., Eager Minds Montessori

Well, I hope they're not cutting themselves! <grin>

Preschool is semi-directed play. Lots of resources and lots of choices make the best preschools. Lots of direction, seatwork or 'curriculum' is a mistake at this age. While some kids can learn to read this young, those who can't cannot - and it's a brain development issue, not a teaching issue. You can't teach a child to develop brain matter, they can only grow it.

Kids this age need a rich environment (like a backyard or nearby playground AND a kitchen to explore with appropriate supervision but lots of freedom) and lots of opportunities to move their bodies. They learn best through self-directed play, so the less of that there is the less they will be learning. They can learn to be good mimics, if that's what they're taught to focus on, but that doesn't mean memorization is a good use of their time.

I like Viola Lenin's opinion about preschool education in general: if human children were supposed to be raised in same-age groups they'd be born in litters.

My son is in the 4 year class at Funshine Preschool in Clarkston. He is writing all his letter (capitals) and matching words written in upper to words written in lower case (their list of about 20 sight words). He is cutting by himself, coloring and using a color wheel, painting, following instructions (ex: They made train headbands the other day. The instructions were to color each car a different color, cut out the cars, glue the cars to a strip of construction paper and a teacher stapled it into a circle to fit their heads). Initially the teachers did do most of the writing, but by now, he is always the one to write his own name and if there is teacher writing on his paper, he has copied it in his own handwriting too. He is still a very sloppy writer, but we work on it at home too, and his teachers say that is normal. I think their curriculum is pretty standard. I would be concerned if they weren't doing most things on their own. Good luck!

Here is a website that might help. It lists every grade level and gives you what they should be learning at the stage.

http://www.worldbook.com/wb/Students?curriculum

My 4 year old daughter attends Preschool and I feel she is learning quite a lot. The Preschool concentrates on one letter a week (she attends 2 days a week). They participate in many activities during the morning and have to follow directions. Her teacher does have an aide and there are about 18 students. I am very happy with what she is learning. As a matter of fact, she has been writing her letters recently on her own and has been doing a fantastic job - she is quite proud of herself!!!!! And of course, I am!! Obviously I can't speak for other Preschools, but I am very happy with the one she is enrolled in.

I think years ago Preschool was just for socialization, and some schools still operate with this mindset.

They should be learning to recognize their letters and the sounds they make (they should be ready to learn to read when they go to K).

They should start writing

Start practicing cutting

Identify numbers, and begin to write them.

And many more skills. I would find out what your school expects them to know going out of PS, and if this is not it, you could find another school, or teach them yourself.

GL:)

HI there,
i have a 4 year old in preschool as well. My daughter's teachers have them do everything themselves. She can write both her first and last name, she can write most of her number's and letters herself. And she can cut by herself as well. How many students are there in the class? my daughter's class has 18. It does sound like the count may be too high. Maybe try and work with your children when you have the time. print things out that they can trace and cut. i have done that for my daughter and it has helped tremendously! Hope this helps! If you would like please email me! I would love to talk with you!

D.

My son is 4.5 (5 in May) He has been in "school" since 2 1/2. He started at a Montessori school which taught him how to effectively play with other kids and provided structure that provide a great outlet for all of his energy. He would have school in the morning an play in the afternoon. He did not have homework at the montessori school but by three he could recite and recognize the alphabet and numbers 1-20. He began to get control of his small motor skill to be able to write and color neatly. Today he attend an all boy christian academy and he can read one syllable words. Write his name, tie shoes, learning the difference between bigger and smaller etc.
I am delightfully surprised at the success my son has had at both schools. My daughter once she turns two will be attending the same montessori school.

My daughter is 4 and goes to preschool every day for half a day. She does write by herself (not perfectly) but she is encouraged to do so there. She also cuts things out quite nicely for being her age. They also assess her for following instructions and putting things in order. Hope that helps you.

Hi D.,

I am a first grade teacher and the mother of three children one of whom just got out of preschool last year. Yes the numbers are too high in all schools thanks to state funding. As far as what the teacher is doing for your child I think really depends on what your child is capable of. Preschool is more the time to learn how to socialize and the routine of going to school. In preschool letters and numbers may be taught but not to mastery. You at home may want to focus more on letters and numbers. (You are your child's most influential teacher.) If you think that your child's preschool teacher is not doing his/her job you can go to the school principal or volunteer in the class to see what is actually happening. As an educator please just know that a lot of problems that arise between parent and teacher is based on misinformation so make sure you do your homework.

Heather

I was very concerned with what my daughter was/was not doing in preschool compared to my older child. However, I discovered that as long as they're learning to take turns, listen to directions and follow rules, their kindergarten teacher will do the rest. My son learned a lot of abcs and 123s in preschool, and ended up bored in Kindergarten. As long as she's getting along with others and respectful of the grown ups around school, I wouldn't worry about it. Also, build her independence, having her be responsible for putting on her shoes and coat, remembering her backpack, etc. Make sure to give her extra time for that to avoid frustration. It will take her longer, but it will give her a sense of accomplishment and save you hours of reminders in the future! Best of luck!

Everyone's answers are great. However - you really need to go with your gut on this one. The other main question you need to ask yourself is this - are yous ending your sons to all day kindgergarten - do you think they're ready for that much structure? I know most of Roseville schools are all day now. My son is an April baby - turns 5 in a couple months, and he's starting kindergarten this fall. I'm not doing the young 5's. however, he was in a preschool program since he turned 4 last April. He can write his name, recognize all of his letters, cut color and paste extremely well, knows all shapes and colors, etc. (His preschool / daycare is fabulous - I'm very lucky). It's really about where your sons are mentally and emotionally. If they're not ready - don't send them yet - it will only set them up for failure down the road. Good luck!

My dtr is in a Montesorri preschool and they focus on life skills as well as the academic skills. I don't see alot of writing or letter work come home but they do incorporate it into their work daily. It just might not be in the form or busy work or a worksheet. She is 4 (Oct bday) and I too debated on whether to send her to kindergarten next year. We have decided to move her on to all day kindergarten. If you look at the research out there, it does not make a difference holding them back. By 3rd grade they pretty much are all at or near the same level. As a matter of fact, the drop-out/burn-out rate is higher for those children held back. You also have to remember is it going to be challenging enough for her have the same curriculum repeated in preschool? The way I look at it, I would rather my dtr be learning new skills. Yes she may be the youngest but does a couple months really make that big of a difference?? It's a tough decision and you might be surprised on how much she grows thru the summer. Do a google search on holding children back, you might be surprised, I was.
L.