In the course of one day he can build: a train track on the living room floor; a city in our conservatory (including road network, car garage, airport and a block of flats;) a fire engine that becomes a flat that becomes the rainforest in his bedroom; a dolls house made of duplo; a tall tower with extra large bricks; a treasure chest and probably a whole host of other things that work their way into the process before reaching the final product. I'm already wondering where this love of building things will lead him and whether it will be a life long passion or, like so many other things, may come to pass. He will use any material available to build whatever comes to mind, my favourite has to be using the grated cheese at mealtime to create a bonfire!Stories have been a number one favourite since birth, I think. There are days when we can sit and read together and do little else. A trip to the library is a real highlight and, when asked, 'what would you like to do today?' will often request a library visit. We are very keen that he learns to read in the traditional sense in his own time and I allow him to read anything that he chooses from picture books, to chapter books, information books, the daily newspaper, and other magazines we subscribe to. We deliberately choose not to limit reading to 'age appropriate' material initially to give a more rounded view of what reading was for but more recently have been aware of how much he responds to and inquires about things that we previously wouldn't have introduced him to. In some ways this is probably due to a decade and a half of me teaching Reception age children the same old topics: 'All about me' and 'Mini-beasts' etc. that I have missed the fact that children want to know so much more.
...I also want my children to have their own love of reading and let this be the springboard for them to learn to read, dare I say especially because they are boys. For a more articulate rational: see Michael Rosen blog
It is reckoned that the *average* 4 year old asks 500 questions a day! I should try and count them! Mostly Bean is currently asking questions about astronomy, skeletal structure, trains, nature and the great outdoors, babies, death, time and distance. I love nurturing their natural curiosity and am very honest when I don't know the answer...as I often don't but we collectively go to lengths to find the answers so much so that he has started asking, 'mummy, who would know about...?' Am I ready for him to be so autonomous at the age of 4?
end note: today I have enjoyed reading this article: the benefits of homeschooling
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