Bored = TROUBLE!

This sounds a little like my son who is 7 now. He has always loved (since he was 18 months old) educational computer games. He had some for phonics, math, foreign languages, astronomy, science experiments, etc. These helped satisfy his need for challenging material and it's something he could do on his own. He's very independent. Anyway, it might be worth a try ...

Good luck!

Well, since he wants the mental stimulation of learning something new, have you thought about enrolling him in a music class or something? Maybe if he learned how to play an instrument it would occupy his mind. Or maybe a language class - I believe you can find them for that age group nowadays. How about finding a sign language class for him to take? Or how about a tumbling class or something like that? Or maybe a children's drama group? Sorry, I can't come up with anything else that wouldn't be "academia" related since it seems you don't want him to get to far ahead of his peers seeing he hasn't started school. I can understand your point there, at this point he will probably be bored by the first few years of school! Good luck!

Have you done language tapes. teaching and reading Spanish, French, German, even Chinese. My boys spent hours playing Legos and they (Legos) are very good with math skills. Does he help bake cookies or I got my son to fix things around the house. Get him a tool kit. I had my son program the DVD player and set the time as well as plug in the cords to make it work. He can look a an eletric box now and know what to do by looking at it.
Let him experiment as much as possible but keep a eagle eye on him so he stays safe.
Good Luck,
C. B

Why not look into gifted children's programs, and get them started. YOu don't need to be scared. You are very lucky. It's something to be proud of! Have fun, and let them get ahead. I'm sure some of the gifted schools have scholarship programs.

Ah the joys of an exceptional child! I have two who are pretty bright and if they aren't challenged, they become a challenge! Check out the Museum of Nature and Science, Zoo and Botanic Gardens, they all offer a variety of classes and activities. Cosco on Lincoln (at about 10th Ave) usually has some goodies, magnifying boxes to look at bugs were one of our favs. Hit ToysRUs or Discovery Store and get a reasonable kids microscope (not a toy), a telescope can be great, along with some books and a trip or two the planaterium. Get over to Bookies and check out what they have to offer. The resourses are there, you have to find what engages your kids.

Make everything a learning adventure. In the car spelling and math games, word games such as the homonym game are great. I Spy books and kits. Visit your local school and get the scholastic book order forms and not just for Kindergarten. BUT your son still has to learn what is acceptable bshavior and that he won't die of boredom. Only boring people get bored! Make age appropriate things accessable, lots of paper, glue sticks, craft items. Get a roll of paper and the put it up on part of a wall that he can reach and have him start working on a mural or collage. FIngerpaints are great, at bath time dampen the tub and walls, strip the kids, give them small tubs of fingerpaint and let them decorate themselves and the tub walls, then bathe. Tons of books, National Geographic has a big sale in Denver close to Xmas every couple of years, you can get some amazing deals there. Atlas's, maps, globes, Junior Explorer books, those are all great and can keep a kid engaged for hours. With bright kids forget the Sesame Street BS Theory that kids can't focus for more than 2 minutes, they can stay focused for hours if they are engaged. Sat AM free entry at the Art Museum and they have activities for kids in lower level. Dinosaur ridge, them make your own casts of things you find or excavate at home. You have to stretch your creativity and imagination but you also have to help your kids learn to appropriately entertain themselves!

Maybe go to the education store and find some workbooks and toys that he can work through. Teach him as if you are teaching him preschool. We put our 4 year old in preschool this year because of the same reason. However, we put him in a private school that is challenging. I used workbooks from the dollar store with mine and started him on them before 2 because he loved it so much. Good luck :)

I have a friend with an extremely bright 5 year old that sounds a lot like your boy. She has him in Montessori school. Do you have those in your area? He gets to focus on his interests there, and his teachers encourage his learning. It might be easier for you if you could find him a preschool like that, because then the burden of providing him with constant enrichment and mental stimulation wouldn't be on you alone. Another idea might be to find him some interactive computer games. Have you looked at www.PBSkids.org or any other educational sites out there? Maybe, too, you could visit a teacher's supply store and find games or workbooks for him. Good luck--you are right, gifted kids can be a challenge. But be thankful he is bright! It is a gift!

It sounds like your son is doing well with the math end of things, but how about reading? I would suggest if he can read and likes to read, give him chapter books to read. They will keep him involved for a while and challenge him to learn new words.
My 4 year old loves to play chess and is learning the rules pretty well. If you can stand it, he may enjoy playing with you and learning the strategy. There are also chess clubs available.
As far a learning a language, you could try spanish. You two could learn it together and there are many people that speak spanish around. He would probably enjoy learning with you and get excited remembering words you forget.

Get him challenged! He's going to be so bored in school and cause trouble if you don't make sure he's challenged enough. A recent Wondertime had a great article on this from a mom's point of view. It's been 2 or 3 months since I read it, but I think it was this summer. She had great resources for what to do as a parent of a kid like this. One was find professor in the local college to talk to your kid so he has intellectual peers. It's a fine balance between social peer and intellectual peer. Denver University has a school for the gifted and they may be a good resource to get you started. I think they would be online or talk on the phone. I'm sorry I don't remember the specific name of the school. GL!

http://www.boiseschools.org/gifted/index.html

I understand. My middle daughter is gifted with an off the roof IQ. When she was younger, we would go to Walgreens or educational stores to get her workbooks...she loved/loves them. I'd get higher level workbooks. It was amazing to me when in kindergarten she picked up math workbooks far beyond her and just knew how to do what was in the book. I taught her how to use the internet to look up answers to all her questions...Mom, how do they make mirrors?...for example. She also loved/loves mazes...I could get her maze books and print mazes off the internet and she would stay occupied for a long time. She also loved/loves educational computer games. Anyway, I put the site address for Boise's gifted and talented. You might look into that. My daughter is in 2nd grade gifted and talented currently and there is actually a 5 year old boy in her class. Smart is smart, but gifted is a whole different deal and these programs are designed to teach kids outside of the normal box. My daughter is challenged every day and since she started, there is no learning boredom for her.

I think you've answered your own question. He needs to be kept busy. I have two boys. I have discovered that whenever they are getting into trouble it is because they are bored. Your boys not only need stimulation of the brain, but also stimulation of the body. Take them to the park and the library --- both free. Follow his lead. For example, my oldest son is into transportation. So, we learn everything we can about cars, etc. We take him to car shows, etc. This doesn't have to be a chore for either of you --- make it fun! What's more important though, is when he gets to school. You need to find a school/teacher that is going to be flexible in working with him and challenging him. If he really is that advanced --- why can't he start kindergarten already!?!? Have him tested by the professionals. For example, I know of schools in which the child was in the kindergarten class for social reasons --- but for reading and math he/she joined the 3rd grade class for that scheduled time. What does the preschool say about him??? I am a teacher and a mom of two boys.

Hi S., Wow, it must be interesting every day to watch your son. I have a very smart son, probably not a genius, but I am amazed at what he can build with legos. So anyway, something to think about for when your son gets into Kindergarten. Every year the school sends home a flier for after school programs like chess, and Spanish lessons. You will get bombarded with fliers for different programs. I'm sure you will find something that will stimulate your sons brain.

Even though your children are very advanced academicly, they still need the same normal social interaction with children their own ages. Look into playgroups or a preschool, go to story time at the local library, arrange playdates. Once your child finds some good friends he will be much less bored. Don't fall into the mindset that since he is very smart for his age you can treat him as a more mature person, he is still a young child who will enjoy many of the same things that his peers will enjoy. Good luck!

S.,

I just wanted to chime in with some information about your son changing the first letter of each word to "L" or "R." This is a very common thing for children to do, especially as they are getting ready to learn to read. It shows that he is understanding how words break down into phonemic sounds. Most children play this game with songs, but some children just speak that way. If you play that game with a song, then you get to sing along, too and it is fun! Playing with language is a wonderful thing!
Here is a suggestion. We play this game a lot while we are driving.
Me "Say the word ball."
Kids "Ball."
Me "Take away the b."
Kids "All."
Me "Add a w (or I'll say the w sound) to the beginning."
Kids "Wall."
This can be played with real or nonsense words and kids love it especially when you make a string of words. We play a lot of question and answer games driving in the car to keep the kids busy. Work on phonemic awareness and math word stories.

Also, does your son enjoy radio theatre? I'm not talking about books on tape; I'm thinking about acting on the radio or on CD. Something like Adventures in Oydssey where kids have to really pay attention and create the story in their minds is very good for kids with higher level thinking abilities.

I also just want to encourage you that sometimes all kids get cranky and negative. When ourkids are struggling with this, we go around the dinner table and everyone has to answer the question, "What are the three best things that happened to you today?" It gets the conversation going in a positive direction and everyone gets a turn so they feel special.

If in his imagination, the building is the Star Ship Enterprise, then let it be the Star Ship Enterprise. You cannot argue with a child's imagination. I know he was arguing with his little brother, so all you have to say to the little brother is not to argue and for today the building is... whatever he is imagining it is. Don't turn this into a big deal or a big debate. As the saying goes, "Choose the hills you are willing to die on."

I know you said that you have a lot of educational computer games. I didn't read all of your responses. Have you tried Freddi Fish, Pajama Sam or Spy Fox games yet? These are wonderful adventure games of logic. I would start with Freddi Fish and work your way up to the harder ones like Spy Fox. You can find them on ebay or Amazon or in a store. We also like Reader Rabbit because the games automatically switch to the level your child is performing. Look for the A.D.A.P.T learning technology games.

Marble runs are good as well as anything he has to design and build himself. Even though he is not reading, word searches are good as well as books like Where's Waldo where you have to find the hidden images. I'm just brainstorming now on what my little guy liked when he was four. He is six now and in first grade, but has always been good with numbers especially when it had to do with sports. Children who think mathematically usually also do well with visioning space and the use of it. They enjoying building huts out of blankets and spaceships out of boxes. (All kids love this, but mathematical thinkers think differently about these things and can compute in their minds what they will need and how it will look before they get started. It is amazing if you can get him to verbalize what is going on in his head.)

Take what he likes to do now and expand on it. Our son likes sports, so all of his math questions tend to center around sports. I also agree that you need to keep him active, not just busy. I hope all of my babbling is helpful!

Theresa

Get him involved in everything that you do. This will help keep him stimulated and will clue you in on what his passions might be. Then you can expand on those. For example, when driving in the car, ask him when you turn what direction you're going in. After the next turn ask him again. When you're making dinner have him help with the measuring. When you're doing laundry have hime guess how many clothes will fit into the washer. Then (this can be the tough part), try to spend 20-30 minutes a day with only him. Let him be the leader of this time and see what it is that really interests him. If its bugs, have him find some in the yard and them get a book from the library for him to identify the bug. If its trains get him a book on trains and then take him downtown to Union Station. Have him try to pick out the different cars and engines. If he is bright, learning will most likely be fun for him. You just need to figure out what he wants to learn and then find every opportunity during your day to "teach" him that.

We love these classes. I also have a gifted child who needs challenges to sustain good behavior. Just a thought.

Erika

Music Lingua French classes are starting in September!

12-week Fall Session for Ages 0-8
Sept. 8 - Dec. 8, 2008
Theme: Life on the Farm


Music Lingua classes use music, movement, storytelling, drama and art to present thematic concepts and key vocabulary. The emphasis is on hearing the spoken language, learning the songs, and in the process, learning target vocabulary and responding to commands. Students receive a thematic CD of the songs sung in class, along with a bi-lingual music/activity booklet. Parents are encouraged to play the music and sing the songs often with their child at home and while riding in the car, thus reinforcing what is learned in class.

The Music Lingua program is effective and fun because...

• - Kids love to sing along with the songs, getting practice speaking and hearing the language.
• - The CD’s are fun, so the children enjoy listening to them. This repetition reinforces the language learning between classes.
• - Infants enjoy listening to the music and become exposed to the sounds of that language in the critical early years.
• - The music and activities in the class are a tremendous benefit to the child in their own right, even without the language.
• - The combination of singing, drama, games and art make the classes dynamic and fun, and hold the child’s interest.
• - Words and phrases, even foreign ones, are much easier to remember when put to music.
• - Music and language are complimentary, and both are important for a child’s development. By combining the two, the child enjoys a benefit far greater than just the sum of the parts.

Parent/Child Classes – Ages 0-8 (45 minute class): $170 per 12 week session + $30 materials (CD & bi-lingual activity book), Infant siblings are free, 50% discount for siblings over 12 months old

If you'd be interested in an Infant Only class (ages 0-2), please let me know.

Please contact me with any questions. You can find out more about the program at: www.musiclingua.com


Sincerely,

Shannon Powell
###-###-####
____@____.com