Starting School

[dorinda]

Hi just wanted to know what activities do you do with the children who are leaving in September to go to school. We find that they become bored of playing with the activities and just want to run around with the stickle bricks and make weapons, Sometimes it can be very hard work. We have noticed changes in them especially the boys. They don't want to sit and make a train track anymore. Dorinda

[hopeytg]

We run seperate sessions which we call 4+ - we are fortunate to have a seperate room and put 2 members of staff in with a max of 10 children and they then do more 'structured' activities. Our school said the best thing we can do to help the children was to ensure they are able and confident to undress and dress for PE so we do our own PE every week so they get used to it - it is amazing how many children can't dress themselves. We basically try and let them have a bit more independence and encourage them to do things for themselves. It is staff intensive but the children love it and so do the parents and teachers of our feeder school. It works well for us but I know it does not suit everyone.

[Guest]

We run seperate sessions which we call 4+ - we are fortunate to have a seperate room and put 2 members of staff in with a max of 10 children and they then do more 'structured' activities. Our school said the best thing we can do to help the children was to ensure they are able and confident to undress and dress for PE so we do our own PE every week so they get used to it - it is amazing how many children can't dress themselves. We basically try and let them have a bit more independence and encourage them to do things for themselves. It is staff intensive but the children love it and so do the parents and teachers of our feeder school. It works well for us but I know it does not suit everyone.

 

the setting I am used to do 4+ before I started, but they were told they had to stop doing them by the Early Years Team and Ofsted!

[Panders]

How much access to the outside do your children get Dorinda? could they have more - our boys have really enjoyed being outside so much, they are building with planks and offcuts of a tree which has recently been taken down, they are digging all these types of activities are physical enough to stop the bang, bang you're dead stuff!

 

Boys I have been told receive an extra boost of testosterone at this age and so it is little wonder that they become a little more bristling with bravado - keep them active with big muscle activities, rather than passive ones, try doing some wood work - real wood, real tools and good health and safety rules. How about trying sports day type activities with them, so they can show off who's the fastest etc. Real pirate role play is good with them, we also allow a certain amount of play fighting and step in before it gets too rough, there is a body of thought which suggests if we stop boys from experiencing "fighting" they never really know how much it hurts and hence can become violent/ bullies etc. at an older age. Obviously, I am not advocating the boys fighting and really hurting each other there would not be any sense in that, but by allowing a certain amount of playful fighting I don't see that it does any harm and frankly the adults don't get anywhere near as stressed as trying to put a stop to it all.