| Author | |
teachingmyown
Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 20 2005
Location: Virginia
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 5128
|
| Posted: July 23 2009 at 8:12am | IP Logged
|
 |
|
I know there is a thread for the preschool/toddler crowd, but I think this is different enough for its own thread.
I need ideas for workboxes for a non-reading six year old. Obviously, she needs to do phonics and math with me. What else can I have her do on her own? Picture books only go so far. I love the idea of giving her more structure and "real" work. My non-readers are usually pretty aimless.  I am just not loving the idea of painting and playdough every day!
Thanks!
__________________
In Christ,
Molly
wife to Court & mom to ds '91, dd '96, ds '97, dds '99, '01, '03, '06, and dss '07 and 01/20/11
Remembering Today
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
mom3aut1not
Forum All-Star
Joined: May 21 2005
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 757
|
| Posted: July 23 2009 at 9:29am | IP Logged
|
|
|
Molly,
Workboxes are not just for independent work. My autistic 9 yo ds cannot work independently except on rare occasions. I just put the work he needs to do, independent or not, in his boxes.
In Christ,
__________________
Deborah
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
krystab
Forum Newbie
Joined: April 08 2009
Location: Missouri
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 41
|
| Posted: July 23 2009 at 10:23am | IP Logged
|
|
|
I have a 5yo and a 7yo that are non-readers. They don't get much in their boxes that is totally independent. Lots of stuff they only need me at the start. Some independent things that I have used in the boxes are:
picture books on tape from the library
music cd's
educational DVD's
wikki stix with alphabet cards
paper airplane kits
how to draw book
puzzles
I have file folder games to add in once I get them ready!
A first words book that I have taught them to study what the word for the picture looks like
My oldest reads very, very simple books, so I put some of those in there.
Once you get to thinking there is probably a lot of things that your child likes to do and if you simply put it in a workbox they get all excited about it. My 5yo usually only has about 6 boxes....the 7yo gets 12, but I really break up things.
__________________
Krysta
Mom to 6 little blessings
DD-00', DS-02', DS-04', DS-07', DD-09', DD-12'
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Becky Parker
Forum All-Star
Joined: May 23 2005
Location: Michigan
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2582
|
| Posted: July 23 2009 at 2:29pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Sometimes i put "just for fun" or "just to move" activities in the workboxes. So, if I put the dog's ball in the box, they know they are to throw the ball for the dog a while, or if there is sidewalk chalk they can go outside and decorate the driveway for a while.
Adding to Krysta's list, we have
~Wedgits
~ Puppets
~Paper Dolls
~Army guys and blocks to create forts or whatever
~crackers, a butter knife, and peanut butter in a dish
~Crackers and cheese squares
~An apple and our apple cutter
(Around here, the all time favorite workbox filler is a snack!  )
~Dinosaur lacing shapes
~A squirt bottle of water and cloth to clean the tables, windows, whatever he wanted to squirt 
~A Marble Maze
~Shoes to practice tying
These things might not sound that "educational" but the benefit of the workboxes for my non-reader last year was more in the area of discipline. He learned to stay in the school room and finish his workboxes, which was a little difficult at first. He only had six, but I realized how little time he actually stayed "on task" with anything. I'm not a big fan of pushing little ones into academics. I do feel though, that they need to learn to attend to something for a period of time. Mine needed to learn how to do that and the workboxes were a fun way to learn it.
__________________
Becky
Wife to Wes, Mom to 6 wonderful kids on Earth and 4 in Heaven!
Academy Of The Good Shepherd
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
teachingmyown
Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 20 2005
Location: Virginia
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 5128
|
| Posted: July 23 2009 at 3:06pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Becky,
Those are really cool ideas! I was thinking that the whole workbox thing could push me into a more Montessori way of thinking since I would have more control over what was out when. I like the idea of specific skills, not just an assortment of coloring books, playdough, etc.
We are very laid back here and my little ones tend to get worked in when there is a lull in the day. I don't push academics, either, so if she wants to do phonics, we do, if not, we wait. But I do think the workbox will make it more appealing because she will see it as real "work" like the older kids.
I guess my next project is to see what activities I have and what I want that I can afford!
__________________
In Christ,
Molly
wife to Court & mom to ds '91, dd '96, ds '97, dds '99, '01, '03, '06, and dss '07 and 01/20/11
Remembering Today
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Milehimama
Forum Pro
Joined: July 16 2008
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 202
|
| Posted: July 23 2009 at 4:49pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
We're just starting workboxes, but my 6 yo is barely starting to read. I put the books in his boxes that he needs to bring to me (i.e., his catechism, or his phonics practice) I made up cards with a picture of a lady teaching that says "go to mom for a lesson".
He also has fine motor (stencils, tracing, etc.). Some of his work needs a brief instruction from me (Draw a picture of gifts God made for you). I made a reusable card for computer time (Starfall.com and so on). I also have the First LeapPad books and cartridges in binder pouches together to put in there. He does handwriting sheets independently and also loves the Kumon cut and paste book, so I'm going to put pages from that in there, too.
I am planning to make some file folder games and I printed off some 3 part Montessori cards for his boxes, too.
I have to parcel his stuff out because I have 5 kids and I can't have them ALL needing a class with Mom at the same time.
__________________
Milehimama in Houston
Mother of 11 - 8 Church Militant and 3 Church Triumphant
Mama Says
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Becky Parker
Forum All-Star
Joined: May 23 2005
Location: Michigan
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2582
|
| Posted: July 23 2009 at 5:01pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
teachingmyown wrote:
I was thinking that the whole workbox thing could push me into a more Montessori way of thinking since I would have more control over what was out when. I like the idea of specific skills, not just an assortment of coloring books, playdough, etc.
|
|
|
Yes! I actually was working towards a very Montessori method but I needed more control I think. I wasn't comfortable when my ds chose nothing but water pouring every day. I have tons of Montessori Materials that I really like and having the workboxes allows me to use them in more of a controlled way. I know, pure Montessorians are probably cringing here , but I have to go with what works for us. And really, some of the things that didn't get used at all are finally getting used and the kids are realizing they enjoy them.
__________________
Becky
Wife to Wes, Mom to 6 wonderful kids on Earth and 4 in Heaven!
Academy Of The Good Shepherd
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
SaraP
Forum All-Star
Joined: Dec 15 2005
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 531
|
| Posted: July 23 2009 at 5:45pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
-mazes
-coloring pages
-sewing cards
-a jigsaw puzzle
-pattern blocks or tangrams
-a book on simple orgami, paper snowflakes or paper airplanes and appropriate paper
-beads, string and pictures of patterns to string
-for the just beginning to read 5-10 language objects and word cards to match them with
-art postcards
__________________
Mama to six on earth, two in heaven and two waiting in Russia. Foxberry Farm Almanac
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
SaraP
Forum All-Star
Joined: Dec 15 2005
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 531
|
| Posted: July 24 2009 at 9:06am | IP Logged
|
|
|
One more that my pre-readers have loved is audio stories on CD, MP3 or ipod. There are lots of good ones for free at storynory.com and lightupyourbrain.com
__________________
Mama to six on earth, two in heaven and two waiting in Russia. Foxberry Farm Almanac
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
|
|
4Real Forums : Living Learning
Topic: Workboxes for non-readers
