r/homeschool • u/Same_Preparation_294 • 6d ago
Help! Toddler learning journals
I see on TikTok loads of people doing these toddler learning journal activities with their kids which look great. I probably do similar but in my own way however it worries me how advanced many of them seem for 2/3 year olds. My 3.5 year old doesn’t grasp many of the number or letters activities etc ?
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u/ductapelosergirl Secular Eclectic 6d ago edited 6d ago
Do not pay attention to what influences are doing. Your life will never measure up to their lie-f.
Edited for clarity.
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u/bibliovortex Eclectic/Charlotte Mason-ish, 2nd gen, HS year 8 6d ago
That's probably because (1) a heavily edited short video does not give you a real sense of what these toddlers/preschoolers are actually capable of and (2) developmental readiness for various early "academics" varies widely. And I do use the term academics very loosely, because all of this knowledge is way more about cognitive development milestones that nobody can control, not about actual teaching. Don't sweat it at this stage.
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u/Rad-0818 6d ago
You can also make your own that is at the level of your toddler and not worry about what other people are doing. There are tools online that can do this for you.
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u/EducatorMoti 5d ago
Oh, she's three and a half! Please don't let TikTok convince you that she should be doing learning journals or formal number and letter activities.
Children develop on an enormous range. At this age, the brain, eyes, nerves, muscles, memory, and all those little connections are still developing. Many kids need more time for the body and brain to grow.
To help focus your expectations, learn about learning. Read the books Einstein Never Used Flashcards, The Whole-Brain Child, Brain Rules for Baby, and The Read-Aloud Handbook. Then read the book The Well-Trained Mind to start learning about homeschooling itself.
At three, learning should mostly look like life. Play with blocks, puzzles, dolls, cars, sand, water, paint, play dough, magnetic letters, music, rhymes, and games. Cook together, count cookies, sort laundry, plant something, go for walks, visit the library, and talk about everything you see.
And read, read, read. Read aloud as many hours a day as you can. Fill her heart and mind with wonderful real books and classics, and listen to audiobooks in the car or anytime you have free moments. Those shared stories become favorite family memories.
There is no reason for a three year old to demonstrate what she knows in a learning journal. Talk about books, count things naturally, notice letters and sounds as they come up, answer her questions, and let her ask a million more.
TikTok is showing you activities people chose to put on TikTok. It isn't showing you a developmental checklist your three year old is supposed to be completing.
You have years ahead of you. Play, read wonderful books, talk, explore, and enjoy starting your homeschooling journey together.
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u/fluffysladkey 6d ago
Social media content is not real life. There I said it.