Yr3 & 4 holiday homework ideas to keep them ticking over...

[JOJOHNSON23]

No, I'm not going to spend the next 3 weeks forcing my children to work hour after hour but I would quite like a couple of books/worksheets/print outs so we we can do maybe 10-15 minutes a day total of Yr 3 & 4 curriculum relevant work just to keep them ticking over. I've found in previous holidays, that when they get back to school they've almost regressed by a month as they've done no work at home.

Any suggestions of websites or books I can get from Amazon? We have Mathletics but they won't want to do that every day, variety is the spice of life!

Yes, they'll have plenty of time for playdates, trips to the park, cinema, bike rides, nature trails, bowling, lolling watching television, sweeping leaves... and all manner of fun stuff!

[trinity0097]

Get them to read, both to themselves and to you, a mix of fiction and non fiction texts, e.g. Reference books, newspaper etc.

Bring maths into everyday situations, e.g. How much change will I get, how much does this weigh, how long until dinner etc...

[Lonecatwithkitten]

Cooking it's maths weighing stuff out, it's science you put liquid cake batter in the oven and add heat get cake. Oh and it is an amazing life skill.
My year 4 DD can make pizza base from scratch, tomato sauce (peeling and deseeding tomatoes) and make a Thai musman curry to name, but a few things. As cookery at school this was to place some toppings on a ready made pizza base she is never going to learn enough at school. 8/9 year olds should be able to safely use a knife to chop veg and fruit if you have shown them correctly. So with you other activities helping with one meal a day should pretty much fill their time.
Oops I'll get of my soap box now,

[tillyfernackerpants]

Some good ideas on the National Woodland website

What about getting them to keep a diary of everything they've done? Let them take photos, do drawings, write a bit each day.

[difficultpickle]

I'd be very surprised if your dcs really regress by a month over a three week holiday .

Ds is year 4 and he will be doing absolutely no school-related work at all. He has had a really busy term and he needs a rest. Would you like to go on holiday and take work with you? If you would then you are far more dedicated to your career than I shall ever be

[JOJOHNSON23]

Thanks for the excellent suggestions - the national woodland website is great, I also use nature detectives which is fun. We do lots of cooking but I never thought about the maths part of it, that should make it fun and they won't even realise they are doing maths!

And bisjo, why don't you cock off if you have nothing constructive to add? :)

[SunflowersSmile]

I am another parent who won't be doing school work as my children would rather stick pins in their eyes.
However will encourage older one to read and may try and force myself to play chess with him [or hopefully get someone else to].
If weather crap danger of them trying to play electronic games/ tv all day and that is to be avoided unless I am feeling supremely lazy!
Our school don't set homework over holiday for year 3.

[YellowandGreenandRedandBlue]

I think doing extra homework over the holidays is counterproductive and boring. Surely the time should be fun? I would just make sure you do a lot of pleasant thngs and talk a lot, they will learn masses that way.

For example, go see a play, then buy the book version, then encourage them to put on a puppet show for you - this uses so many skills but avoids the tedium of worksheets.

Similarly, play lots of games that use number and word skills.

[Hulababy]

Dd's headteacher has insisted that the year 6s are to do no homework this holidays as they need the break after working hard rest of time. She told the teachers this, and then the children yesterday and the parents at the spring assembly last night. She said reading most days is sufficient and for them to just enjoy their 3 weeks off. I shall be encouraging dd to do just that.
She will get writing practise anyway as her and her friends spend half their time messaging one another anyway!

[Kazooblue]

Sadly schools and kids differ,one size doesn't fit all.

Schools differ in how much kids are stretched during term time and how well kids do.

Some kids need to go over/reinforce core skills which is nigh on impossible after a school day.Few minutes/half an hour isn't going to kill any child during a 2 week break particularly when they're doing loads of other lovely stuff as listed by the op.

[Talkinpeace]

We are going on holiday to Greece. That should be enough to keep their brains "ticking over".

The main thing is for you to engage with them, expect them to listen to the news, look at the weather, identify plants and birds WITH THEM - then ticking over becomes living.

[difficultpickle]

Nice OP. I genuinely am surprised that you don't want your children to have a break from school work. If they seriously will regress with three weeks away from school then you are right to be concerned, I certainly would be.

Maybe you could speak to the school about doing some memory exercises with your dcs to help them retain the knowledge they have acquired. Ds had memory problems associated with being premature (bits of his brain were affected and didn't develop properly). Lots of work with the SENCO including specific memory exercises really helped.

[Periwinkle007]

my kids are younger but reading in general for fun, cooking with weighing is a great idea someone suggested, nature and physical geography/natural history/environment type stuff is good, not really work but still keeping them from vegetating for a few weeks with an electronic gadget of some sort.
what about trying to get them involved in a bit of gardening, setting up some tomato plants or planting some vegetables/sunflowers or whatever and watching how they grow. I remember enjoying growing a broad bean I think it was inside a jam jar squashed up against the side with a bit of blotting paper. something like that. then you can see it grow its root and shoot etc. can do similar things with hyacinth bulbs in a special vase and watch them grow. adding food colouring to water with flowers in etc. all fun mini experiments so not work really.

[Kazooblue]

Pmsl Bisjo memory exercises

Many kids can lapse,not the majority in a class but one or two can.My son is excellent at spelling but doesn't put what he does in lessons into his writing sooooo during the 2 week break we'll do a bit of writing focusing on spellings covered during the term.He is also a left hander so will try to do a bit of handwriting.Dd has no confidence in maths,needs to get her number bonds more fluid to boost her confidence so again the holiday is perfect.

There is absolutely no way I could do either after school so holidays are perfect.Half an hour after breakfast.I'll probably end up doing far less as they'll be doing all sorts of things and I'm not that organised but the op's intentions are good and she most certainly doesn't deserve such judgy posts.

Also my dc are in a shite school,lowest quintile for everything.If I had the luxury of being able to sit back and leave the school to ensure my dc came out fulfilling their fullest potential I'd probably be able to forget about school during the hols however I haven't.Maybe the op hasn't either.

[IslaValargeone]

You could log them into The Times spelling Bee website, there are some good games on there. They could also challenge each other on some of the games if they feel like being competitive. Bit of fun and they'll improve their spelling and vocab, everyone's a winner.

[YellowandGreenandRedandBlue]

If the school is 'shite' then why leave them there? I don't see the point of making them go to a school you thinks poor then making them do extra to compensate.

[Kazooblue]

If only it was that simple.Are you not aware one can't just click one's fingers re choosing schools?

School wasn't shite when they started.They are happy and part of the community they have grown up with.To move from their friends they have known since tiny wouldn't be good.When kids move schools they go back 6 months.All of my kids are quite shy.I have 3 and 2 are in a year that's full where we would move them to,I don't want to leave 1 and move others. Transport issues.We only have 3 years to go.

Sooooo. I simply do the odd bit of work in the hols when I'm disciplined.They don't even notice and don't melt.

I'll continue to do so-if that is alright with you of course!

[YellowandGreenandRedandBlue]

Ok, cool your jets.

[Kazooblue]

Ditto

[YellowandGreenandRedandBlue]

I'm not angry in the first place. I just asked why.

[clam]

Am genuinely curious as to how you are able to measure a month's regression after the Easter break.

[difficultpickle]

Pmsl Bisjo memory exercises nice. I really hope your children never go through what ds did. If you had an ounce of understanding you would know what absolutely bloody hard work it is to deal with what my ds had to go through. Hope your dcs are having fun with their excellent memories in the 'shite school' which is so 'shite' you have to work them in their holidays.

[Kazooblue]

Diagnosing the op's dc as needing memory exercises because she wanted to do work with them over the hols is extreme.

[Kazooblue]

Op didn't want a lecture just some recommendations.

Op CPG do books to cover each year.They seem to be linked more to what they actually do in school.They do discount and free delivery over £20 I think.

The Letts 10 minute tests are quite good.They are listed in topics eg synonyms,silent letters etc in the front so you can pick and choose.They're not very demanding. There is an English and a maths one.Think you'd need the 7-8 for year 3 and 8-9 for year 4.You can get them in Smiths.

My swotty child asks to do them.

[Hulababy]

To be fair memory exercises and games can be an excellent thing for most children, not just those struggling. Most schools I have worked in do them with children. Improving memory and study skills are actually essential skills in a child's education.
Yes it may not be sit down and study and seem more like games at times, but still very useful skills to take forward.
Many schools have study skills sessions timetabled in to each week.

[Hulababy]

Kazoo blue - every child benefits from memory skills. Many very academic schools work on these in study skills sessions especially in juniors. Not sure why you feel this to be such a ridiculous suggestion.