The Three Rs for Multiple Ages

Sunday morning, I’m helping put his shoes on for church and he says it. “Mama! N is for no and Y is for yes!” And I realize then that it’s time. It’s time to teach four-year-old to read. Those gentle ways of reading. He’ll be the fifth one we’ll teach.

Of course the three Rs are each subjects children need individual attention in. And each of our children have math, English and writing studies specific to their grade level that we work on each school day. However, there are ways to enjoy teaching multiple ages together in these basics as well. And they’re fun!

The follow examples of reading, writing and math are only a few of many, many activities you can enjoy with all ages:

The Gentle Ways of Reading

• Older ones helping younger ones learn to read – I often ask the older children to read to the younger ones. Six-year-old loves to read to four-year-old. Mother Goose is not only good for the littlest ones, the rhyming is perfect reading practice. Plus just fun. When it was time for third child to read, she wasn’t much interested in Dick and Jane. She loved Biscuit. She would go to bed with the Biscuit Storybook Collection. But here’s the beauty – her brother and sister would still sit and read to her. Teach her all they’d learned. Read from Hey I’m Reading with a little spark in their eyes. They remembered what fun it was to have the reading light switch on in their heads. Full post: The Gentle Ways of Reading

• Read Alouds – of course this almost goes without mentioning but the benefits of reading aloud to the whole family are far-reaching. Even Mama learns something. Memories are made.

• Games like Scrabble and Boggle Jr. are phonics and language practice. We’ll talk more about online games and apps next week.

Writing for an Age Range

• Making homemade books – this is a creative project for older children or for the one learning to read.

• Thank you notes – oh what a good practice this is – not only in letter writing but in gratitude. At Christmas we write a family thank you note – multiple ages – each one writing a line or two of thanks in one note to the recipient. The Art of Thank You Notes is full of simple ideas for gratitude, handwriting and art – for even the most reluctant writer.

• Dictation around the table – youngest ones can sketch, older ones write – each according to their skill level. The 10 Days series at Fruit in Season is Copywork and Dictation – many ideas we hope to incorporate in our day.
• Play-writing – sometimes for our Tapestry of Grace unit celebrations, the children write a play set in the time period we are studying. Some play a role, some perform the videography duties.

Math for Multiple Ages

Marvelous math lessons can be accomplished on many levels with multiple ages – in several ways. Take a recent morning of math manipulative fun from preschool to middle school. Kindergartener was creating ‘some went away’ stories with teddy bear counters. The teddy bears had chairs and were enjoying a movie at the movie theater. Well, her stories drew a crowd.

Mainly, some brothers. Little brother started stacking linking cubes. Great small motor skills for a four-year-old plus he was just having fun. Well, big brother joined in making several tall towers. Little brother had to make a size comparison. What started as math for Kindergartener ended up being a good time in math for our preschooler and middle-schooler too.

Living Math is for All Ages

• Estimating with popcorn. We have learned from Cindy West’s Loving Living Math ebook that we can enjoy living math a few days a week too. (This resource gave us permission!)
• More living math ideas on Cindy’s Living Math Pinterest board
• A list of living math books at Heart of the Matter
• Card game of war – this is Kindergartener’s current favorite

So, while each child needs daily practice in the three Rs, you can enjoy these basics – all ages together. How about you? Are you incorporating any of these ideas in your day?

More on the 3 Rs:

• Hodgepodge Curricula 2011-2012
• Simple Schooling Strategies

Topics in this series:

• A Recipe for Teaching Multiple Ages {Day 1}
• Helpful Homeschool Habits for Multiple Ages {Day 2}
• The 3 Rs for Multiple ages {Day 3}
• How to Fit in All the Extras {Day 4}
• Afternoon Quiet Time for All Ages {Day 5}

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Be sure to stop back by tomorrow – I’ll be sharing how we fit in those extra subjects like science, history and more.