My 3yo - unsure really of what I can do

[Naicecuppatea]

I am not sure whether my 3.1 yo is G&T or just bright. She has been writing her name and simple words if I spell them out to her for the last 2 months, as well as most numbers. She can read CVC words sounding out with phonics mostly accurately. Her sister has just started reception and she has picked all this up through absorption. Counting and doing very simple addition (1+3) with no problems.

Does not stop talking all day long and has vocabulary and reasoning (cause and effect) at the level of her 4.6yo sister, if not better in some areas. I will try and come back with some examples.

I am just worried as she is not starting school for another two years - September 2015. Should I look for a better, more stimulating nursery (as her current preschool are not allowed to teach letters etc)? Will she be bored mindless when she starts school?

[Phaush]

DD was similar although her birthday is the other side of the great September divide. She's one of the youngest in her class but she adores school, and they're doing a great job of challenging her.

I do think she'd be going a bit spare if she wasn't at school yet (i.e. if she was two months younger) but then her pre-school were great with her too. She wasn't full time but they used to give her reading books which made her feel very grown up. We (as in pre-school and us as parents) noticed that if she was bored, her behaviour got worse - or at least she got less co-operative.

It's nonsense that the her pre-school are saying they are not allowed to teach letters. I'd have thought it their duty to provide an appropriate education. I think DD would have voted with her feet (or general grumpiness) if that had been the approach of her pre-school. Have you spoken to the learning co-ordinator about it?

[tinsletits]

Play it by ear. Learning is in fits and starts at this age. You can provide additional support at home if she wants to. So many parents do not appreciate the social necessity for nursery. She has ages to advance in academia. Do give her additional support at home on her terms but do not push too hard. Let her be a toddler and she will guide you if she is gand t.

[Naicecuppatea]

Brilliant, thanks both for your reassuring replies. I may challenge the preschool on teaching letters.

Tinsletits, you are so right. Thank you! Hopefully the school will do a good job with challenging her when the time comes.

[simpson]

DD (now 5 and in yr1) was exactly the same. She was all consumingly obsessed with learning to read and taught herself the basics on how to blend at 3 (before she started nursery) and then progressed with reading very quickly. Took me a while to realise

She attended a nursery attached to her school and loved it but she did need additional work (phonics) even at 3 because she was demanding it. In all honesty she would have been frustrated (rather than bored) attending a nursery which did no phonics/basic number work.

[Lonecatwithkitten]

My DD was very similar and one of the first years of EYFS when certain authorities told nurseries they'd take away their funding if they taught children to read.
I cooked with DD, went on walks talked about plants and nursery did loads if maths with her (no one had said anything about maths).
She went to school not being able to read as I am dyslexic so was terrified of getting it wrong.
Now in year 5 not being able to read has not been a disadvantage she has surged away and reads for pleasure.

[ShanghaiDiva]

Be guided by your daughter and do more with her at home if she is interested:
enjoying books together
Jolly phonics books
cooking
basic maths
jigsaws
IME school will challenge her when the time comes. Boy in my ds's class was doing year 10 maths in year 4 e.g.

[Iamnotminterested]

Was our childhood like this?