Teaching my kids during summer vacation?

(4 year olds)

learn their alphabets

numbers 1-10 or 1-20

colors (blue, green, yellow, orange, red, pink, brown, purple, black and white)

know how to write their names

address

phone numbers

read books to them..

(5 year olds)

Dotted number lines

mazes

sounding their alphabets, knowing it

counting 1-50

knowing their colors

learning how to write their names

addresses

phone numbers

read books to them..(15 min. a day)

1 - 2 hours should be good enough a day..

before kinder is over, your 5 year old son should already know how to read level 1 books..If when he gets to 1st grade, and soon would be over and still doesn't know how to read, he will be retaining 1st grade..

don't forget to take them to the playground too and treat them with treats..

The most important thing you can do is read to them every day. Have them read to themselves every day, too (if they're not "reading" yet, they can look at familiar books and that will facilitate their eventually reading).

I wouldn't recommend 2-3 hours of formal school time. Even kindergarten doesn't have that much "formal" learning time. The trick is to be learning but thinking you're just having fun (which is a big part of the kindergarten day, too). Let them dictate stories to you to type on the computer and print out for them to illustrate. If they can write in invented spelling, let them write a story for you (you can tell them that you'll write the "grownup spelling" under the "kindergarten spelling" for them so adults can read it better). Make signs for block castles. Play cards. Play board games that involve counting, like hi-ho cherry oh or sorry or anything with dice. Play games that involve logic and spatial awareness and thinking skills, like tangrams or checkers or drawing and solving mazes. Start a science journal and have them take notes (pictures or words) about the bugs in your yard or the plants they collect on walks or whatever. Check the weather every day. Talk about the calendar and the schedule for your day. Do cooking projects and ask them how much milk you'll need if you're doubling the recipe, etc.

This kind of learning is really how kids that age learn best, and it's how any good preschool or kindergarten will spend most of the day, as well. It will keep kids engaged instead of burned out, and you'd be amazed how much they can learn.

I think it's absolutely a great idea to study during the summer! No, I'm not a nerd. I'm a drama club-dancing-exercising-girl who sucks at math! So, during the summer I am studying math; as well as studying for ACT/SAT tests. And there's nothing wrong with being smarter than the teacher either. Haha, most of the time the teachers like to have someone that knows as much as they do about what they teach and has a great interest for that subject as well! It's a great way to make friends and make good grades!

You can google "kindergarten preparedness lessons" or "home lessons kindergarten", they may have some stuff. Just think of everything you say and do with them as a learning opportunity, and things dont have to be as structured as you may think. There are some really great books of activities you can scan/copy so they can do the pages numerous times (Sam's Club, Target, Costco) they are called "preschool comprehensive curriculum," etc. Think of crafts you remember from school, and take a trip to Michaels for some craft stuff (or the dollar store even!). Then while you do them, describe everything and have them explain things like what they are thinking and stuff. Good Luck!

I home school my kids, you may learn that what you are teaching them at home is way more than they will learn at school. Kumon books are a great resource for younger children. I really like Singapore math books for my 4 year old.

I'm having a hard time thinking of resources that won't make school boring when they start up again.

I don't think that sitting down with your children for 2 to 3 hours everyday doing lessons with them is a good idea. They do enough of that in school. My suggest would be that you allow them to learn though experiences. Take them to the zoo or the park of to a children's museum and let them learn though play not though all that structure. This is the time when they should be outside playing and interacting with the world. They will get enough formal education in school. Just my opinion.

I would just spend about 10-15 min a day on the things like practing writing their name or any kind of worksheets. Other than that playing games and letting them play outside are 2 wonderful opportunities to teach them without them getting bored. They won't realize your trying to do a lesson. tell them about everything you are doing and play games like bingo, uno, board games etc.

Why don't you let them enjoy their vacation.

They spend enough of their years in school!!

Vacations are so they can have fun and be children.