How much should a 4 year old be reading and writing

[Librastar2828]

My son started school last week (reception) and he has just turnt 4 so literally the youngest in the class. He doesn't know any letters or numbers other than the first letter of his name and O. However can cant write them. All he can draw is a circle and a bizarre version of a stick man lol. And that's only on occasion. The problem is he just doesn't have any interest what so ever.

He can recognise his own name in print tho but that's it. He's been sent home with a reading record and a book which is fine we try to read a book at bedtime and he is good at reading me the story back through the pictures. He has also been given a phonics sheet which at least I can start to help him learn these but there's a page for me to write comments about his reading and phonics and which ones he struggles with.. He struggles with them all lol

Now it's only week one and I'm sure he will learn a lot at school but I know they need help at home and him being a summer baby he probably needs more than most.

I just want some tips to get him motivated and ways I can help at home as I havnt got a clue

 

[LoraLoo]

I think each child's different. My girls could both write their names and other words at 3. My eldest son was never interested and my youngest son (almost 4) can't write it draw anything- he's more interested in physical playing than sitting down and concentrating. I wouldn't worry- they're just babies really.
As for helping- I'd maybe get him to copy shapes you Are drawing, make it a game, then progress to letters etc. that's what we did with the others.

 

[AP]

I dont know if its just different here in scotland but our kids didnt get that til 5 year old. I wouldnt expect your LO to achieve what they are asking, our Tori has just turned 4 and still in preschool nursery, and they dont learn that kind of thing there

 

[lau86]

The difference with my son is he's not at school yet but he's 4 on Saturday and he can't write a single thing. He can barely hold a pen. He's left handed so I'm sure that doesn't help. He doesn't care. My 18 month old has more interest tbh.

 

[Cattia]

My DS just started school today. He can draw pictures quite well but can't recognise letters or numbers or write anything. He's not interested so we've not done anything at home. My daughter could recognise most letters and numbers and write her name by the time she started school. My son also doesn't have a dominant hand. I'm not worried though, as to me the main thing is for him to be happy and settled in school and hopefully that will happen as he's very confident and social.

 

[RachA]

He sounds like my son. He was 4 1 month before starting school. When he started he could read D and draw a circle. It took him a while to pick things up but he did.

I would say keeping him motivated is a really hard thing to do. My son has just turned 8 and he doesn't really like school. He loves maths and science but isn't actually good at either!!

Looking back we pushed him too much. I'd say to take his lead. If he wants to read then read with him but don't make him if he doesn't want to. DS can read amazingly if he's the one to suggest it. If we suggest it and make him then he trips over every word.
Try to keep things really light and fun. Make games of things. Don't expect him to get home from school and want to do his homework. If he's struggling to do his phonics then write that down each day. While they want you to do work with them you can only do it if your child isn't too tired.

 

[sequeena]

My son is in a special needs class so it is different for him but Thomas can recognise some letters. He doesn't recognise His name, can draw circle, a straight line and the beginnings of a diagonal. He cannot copy words or write in any form. He has only just turned 4 too.

 

[Neko]

In the US more formal schooling starts at 5 for kindergarten. Pre-K is only for free on some areas and if you want schooling before age 5 you generally have to pay for it. Most schools prefer the children come into kindergarten writing their name and recognizing most of the alphabet.

My DD is 4 years 8 months so a little bit older. Its definitely easier for the kids on the older side for their year. She can recognize/write her name, knows numbers up to 50, can easily count with one/one recognition up to 20 and is pretty confident with the entire alphabet. She can write many numbers and letters, but often writes backwards still. She knows some phonics, probably picked up from TV, I've never taught her phonics.

 

[CaptainMummy]

Paige is 4 1/2 and started school a few weeks ago. I have never taught her anything to do with letters/reading etc so what she knows she has learned at nursery and school so far. She is picking it up extremely quickly.
She knows the first 6 sounds that they learn (s i t n a p) and can recognise, name and form them correctly. She has been able to recognise and write her name for over a year. She has learned how to blend the first six letters so can read short words And also write them (with a bit of prompting, 'say the word slowly, what sound comes after "a"' for example)

Before she started school, I was worried because she barely recognised any letters, didnt understand sounds and certainly couldnt read or spell any words... But she is excelling in her class

 

[morri]

I am glad that where I live kids only go to school if they turn 6 before 30th jun .

 

[Natsku]

Maria is 4 and she can copy letters aright but if she's writing of her own accord its just a series of As and Is and Os

Their ability to cross their body's midline is essential for them to learn how to read and write and one of the best ways of them to learn how to do that is by climbing so get him out to the park!

 

[bumpy_j]

Joel knows the alphabet, can recognise numbers to twenty and a little beyond, can add a few numbers together with his fingers, he can spell his name, mum and dad. He is only just starting to learn phonics - we're doing a letter a night right now with some workbooks we picked up, but he's not really grasping it so we may leave it for a while. I don't think he can read any words apart from his name - maybe yes and no? He can navigate his way through game menus, so he probably knows more than I think. But we haven't tried out first readers with him or anything yet.


Writing he cannot really do at all without tracing the letter. He's never really drawn anything obvious aside from shapes either. Saying that, I've never taught him to draw stick people or anything like that as I never did that myself. I'm hoping he's like me and randomly picks up an interest in drawing what's around him.

 

[tommyg]

Joel knows the alphabet, can recognise numbers to twenty and a little beyond, can add a few numbers together with his fingers, he can spell his name, mum and dad. He is only just starting to learn phonics - we're doing a letter a night right now with some workbooks we picked up, but he's not really grasping it so we may leave it for a while. I don't think he can read any words apart from his name - maybe yes and no? He can navigate his way through game menus, so he probably knows more than I think. But we haven't tried out first readers with him or anything yet.


Writing he cannot really do at all without tracing the letter. He's never really drawn anything obvious aside from shapes either. Saying that, I've never taught him to draw stick people or anything like that as I never did that myself. I'm hoping he's like me and randomly picks up an interest in drawing what's around him.

Your son is a few days older than mine. He sounds about the same stage. I've started using the Jolly Phonics activity books with him to try and help him for starting school and to encourage his concentration span (which preschool are concerned about).

When does your son start school?

 

[bumpy_j]

Joel knows the alphabet, can recognise numbers to twenty and a little beyond, can add a few numbers together with his fingers, he can spell his name, mum and dad. He is only just starting to learn phonics - we're doing a letter a night right now with some workbooks we picked up, but he's not really grasping it so we may leave it for a while. I don't think he can read any words apart from his name - maybe yes and no? He can navigate his way through game menus, so he probably knows more than I think. But we haven't tried out first readers with him or anything yet.


Writing he cannot really do at all without tracing the letter. He's never really drawn anything obvious aside from shapes either. Saying that, I've never taught him to draw stick people or anything like that as I never did that myself. I'm hoping he's like me and randomly picks up an interest in drawing what's around him.

Your son is a few days older than mine. He sounds about the same stage. I've started using the Jolly Phonics activity books with him to try and help him for starting school and to encourage his concentration span (which preschool are concerned about).

When does your son start school?

He's started last Thursday, Reception class. It's an infant school that only goes up to Year 2, so it still has quite the feel of a pre-school. Is your LO starting next year? It's good to hear that he's on the same page as others his age though! We have Usbourne workbooks that are pretty good (they do one sound at a time in the same order as Jolly Phonics). His attention span is not great, and it worries me as mine was abysmal at school. He's not confident with following instructions from other adults (although his Saturday football club is helping with this) and he tends to watch what other kids around him are doing instead. His speech is still a little off compared to some of his peers (we are suspecting Apraxia, luckily the school we go to has a fantastic speech and language department). I'm happy with how prepared he is for school otherwise though

 

[george83]

My lo was 4 in July and has just started school. He can recognise the letter k which is the start of his name and on good days a few more but nothing consistently. He likes trying to write but again can only do the letter k. While he was at playgroup I wasn't concerned about his reading or writing but now he's at school id like him to at least be able to write his name so we have literally just started practising that (he copies it from the line above on a piece of laminated paper using his special homework pen, then he's allowed to draw a picture with the special pen before it goes away). I would say he's typical of the reception children we usually take into the school that I work at but clearly from reading the replies here there's a huge range in abilities

 

[tommyg]

Natsku what do you mean by cross their center line?

 

[Natsku]

Natsku what do you mean by cross their center line?

For instance if they're drawing or painting on a big piece of paper and they are using their right hand they continue to use their right hand when drawing/painting right over on the far left side of the paper. Before they have that ability young children will usually swap the pen/brush to their other hand to the other side. I've noticed that Maria does that still sometimes, her daycare teacher said that's one of the things they look out for in their development, to know when they are ready to start reading and writing.

Another indicator of readiness is if they can skip and swing their arms in an opposite rhythm - so right arm swings forward while skipping from the left leg, then left arm with right leg.

Climbing helps this develop because they have to use both arms and legs at the same time to climb up, and sometimes move right arm and left leg at the same time and vice versa.

Edit: This explains it better https://www.childdevelopment.com.au/areas-of-concern/diagnoses/130

 

[tommyg]

Thanks for that explanation! It explains a few other things going on in the background.

DH was late developing a handedness but was also under the teachers nose in school.
DS occasionally does it, and preschool recommended we deferred school (Scotland he's just before the cut off)

It is probably something that more attention is paid to in countries where they don't start school so young.

 

[kaths101]

My LO was 4 at the end of August and just started reception. He is not interested in reading and writing ..can only write J for Jack but can copy letters if I write it first.
Numbers he can count to 20 and recognises numbers to 20

I must admit I haven't done much at home, we occasionally try and write his name etc and have a handwriting book but he's not really interested and I'm not going to push it. He is still so young and will learn it when he is ready

 

[Natsku]

Thanks for that explanation! It explains a few other things going on in the background.

DH was late developing a handedness but was also under the teachers nose in school.
DS occasionally does it, and preschool recommended we deferred school (Scotland he's just before the cut off)

It is probably something that more attention is paid to in countries where they don't start school so young.

Maria hasn't determined her handedness completely yet but seems to be settling on her right hand now more and since she started using her right hand more I noticed the few letters she does right are getting much clearer - its funny to see how it connects.