3.5 yrs olds, letters and numbers

[Scout]

My dd goes to preschool 3 half mornings, and they sent home a sheet that had upper and lower case letters (not in any particular order), numbers to 10, colors and shapes. They checked off the ones she knew. Now I'm curious what is average for this age. How many letters should they recognize? I've not really worked with her on letter or number recognition, just when it comes up naturally, and wondering if I should.

She knew all the shapes and colors, but didn't recognize the numbers 4, 7 or 9. She got most of the upper case letters, but only 9 of the lower case.

I am going to ask her preschool teacher when she goes back on Tuesday, but just curious in the meantime.

 

[lau86]

I wrote a reply and it got lost! He knows his colours but not really any of the others. He is a bright child and can do 50 piece puzzles by himself but he isn't interested in letters and numbers. He is just 3 so a little younger.
My older child knew all his letters by 2 as we have an alphabet puzzle he loved to do, then he moved into other interests and forgot the letters!
My ds2 is in preschool and I don't think they are doing letters yet, I might be wrong though

 

[george83]

My ds2 is 3 but would only know his colours not his letters or sounds. He can hold up the right number of fingers for numbers to 5 but I'm almost certain he wouldn't recognise them written down. When ds1 left preschool at 4 he could do colours and recognise some numbers but nothing consistently and definitely no letters. When he started at school though he picked everything up at the expected rate and now in year 1 is average ability, so your Lo seems amazing compared to mine! I think preschool should be more fun than learning though, I certainly wouldn't be actively teaching them at home at that age

 

[CaptainMummy]

My dd2 is just about 3.5.
She knows her colours, shapes and can recognise numbers up to 11... but she has been able to do all of these since before turning 2! They absolutely do not need to know letters/sounds etc. I don't plan on "teaching" her these at all (she does not know any.) My eldest started school at 4.5 not knowing any letters or sounds etc (she could write her name and copy words etc but hadn't a clue about phonics or how to read) and she did/still does absolutely fine at school.
At dd2s nursery, the preschool children (she is not one as she won't start school until aug '18) do phonics but it is literally a sound a week and they practise writing the sound and bring in an item that starts with it, so its only very vaguely touching on it and they certainly don't expect them to remember them all, its just an introduction and they do like 20 minutes a week!
School is for learning to read and write and do sums etc, I don't think any preschool would expect much. Maybe colours, yes and basic shapes... but not the rest.

 

[catty]

My dd2 is just about 3.5.
She knows her colours, shapes and can recognise numbers up to 11... but she has been able to do all of these since before turning 2! They absolutely do not need to know letters/sounds etc. I don't plan on "teaching" her these at all (she does not know any.) My eldest started school at 4.5 not knowing any letters or sounds etc (she could write her name and copy words etc but hadn't a clue about phonics or how to read) and she did/still does absolutely fine at school.
At dd2s nursery, the preschool children (she is not one as she won't start school until aug '18) do phonics but it is literally a sound a week and they practise writing the sound and bring in an item that starts with it, so its only very vaguely touching on it and they certainly don't expect them to remember them all, its just an introduction and they do like 20 minutes a week!
School is for learning to read and write and do sums etc, I don't think any preschool would expect much. Maybe colours, yes and basic shapes... but not the rest.

Agree! I think that is what school is for.
My son is 3.5 and knows dhapes and can count well but hasnt a clue with the alphabet apart from the song. I wont be teaching him but if it came up in play id touch on it.

 

[Scout]

Thanks ladies. When I got that sheet from preschool, I thought, 'oh no, I didn't know they'd be checking these things this early and we haven't been working on anything at home'. I suppose she's doing okay then and I'll just keep doing what I've been doing.

 

[pa2k84]

Wow bringing work home in preschool!?! Honestly I would not care and would never push, children learn through play anyway and often know more than they say as just pointing to bits on a worksheet is boring! My son counts, like steps, paving stones etc. Have heard up to 14. Colours he knows like if I asked him to bring me his red cup he would but would nor know if I asked him the color. Letters, I know he recognises the O in his name bit that's it.

 

[Eleanor ace]

I'm sure the teacher is just wanting to gauge the children's level, rather than saying they should be able to recognize all letters etc. DD1 (4 in April) recently came home with a phonics sheet to check her level because she's starting Reception in September (eek!).
DD can recognize numbers 0-10 except for 6 and 9. She knows around half the alphabet lower case and probably a bit less upper case. She can read some short words with letters she is familiar with, such as vet as it has letters from her name. Colours she knows, 2d shapes she mostly knows (circle/square/rectangle/triangle/hexagon/pentagon/octagon/heptagon/diamond/star).

 

[Scout]

I really don't consider this work, and I'm sure if dd didn't want to sit and show her teacher what she knows, she wouldn't have been made to. Her preschool is play based, which is why I was surprised by this sheet.