how young does Charlotte Mason start?

[malakoa]

I'm thinking about getting one of her books to check it out.... she's 2 1/2 but VERY verbal and has a lot of higher level skills.

(A friend who taught kindergarten thought she was a small four year old)

Does this sound like something that would work for us now or in the near future?

[Punkie]

Charlotte Mason's first volume covers from infancy through age 9. There are definitely a lot of ideas in her books that you could start working on now.

[Cheyenne]

Another idea is the Letter of the week. It is a free curriculum online. I love it. I am using it with my 2 1/2 year old. It is VERY relaxed and fun. Not sure if it is Charlotte Mason style or not though. www.letteroftheweek.com

[Leslie]

She may be very verbal at 2 1/2, but that doesn't necessarily mean that she'd benefit from formal lessons this early. There are so many things for her to learn about the world - the miracle of plants growing from seeds, how people react in different situations, what kinds of routines have to be done every day, where things come from, how food gets from the grocery store to her plate - all kinds of interesting things. Her early verbal and higher level skills means that she'll process that information in a more verbal way, but that doesn't mean she should start on books and writing yet.

Amanda suggested Charlotte Mason's first volume. That's a good idea. In that volume, Charlotte Mason talks about how to make the most of those early years before actually starting "school." This is the time to develop good habits, instill a love and wonder for the world around her, and give her the beginning of a sense of serving others. Charlotte Mason talks about those things in her first volume.

[celestial princess]

I use CM and LOTW. :lol I'm really loose the LOTW, but it gives me a jumping off point or ideas for things to do. I don't feel like it's anti CM as long as you keep it loose.

[malakoa]

I use CM and LOTW. :lol I'm really loose the LOTW, but it gives me a jumping off point or ideas for things to do. I don't feel like it's anti CM as long as you keep it loose.

I'm going to check out LOTW and some of the free CM information.... so far she loves "school" and I hope she keeps loving it.

[Mamatoto]

She may be very verbal at 2 1/2, but that doesn't necessarily mean that she'd benefit from formal lessons this early. There are so many things for her to learn about the world - the miracle of plants growing from seeds, how people react in different situations, what kinds of routines have to be done every day, where things come from, how food gets from the grocery store to her plate - all kinds of interesting things. Her early verbal and higher level skills means that she'll process that information in a more verbal way, but that doesn't mean she should start on books and writing yet.



:yes

[eve]

I have the same 2.5 yo daughter. She's very verbal and active. My friend also thought that she's a small 4 yo.

Currently I'm using Montessori's EPL (Exercises for Practical Life). We have a corner where we put a table and a chair and shelves full with the EPL stuffs. She enjoyed pouring, transferring beans/rice, rolling table mat/rug, etc...

I'm thinking of starting to introduce her to letters and numbers. She can recite a-z and count 1-15 perfectly, but she can't read yet.

I want to hs her when she's 3. I just don't know what curriculum to use... they're so many, I'm confused. I'm looking at CM though and would probably use it.

[BekahsBoys]

As mentioned, reading volume 1 of CM's writings is a great idea! There is a yahoo group that may be of interest to you called Ambleside_Year0. Consider looking also at Before Five in a Row. :)

Read to her from good children literature (include poems, fairy tales, good picture books, artwork)
Do 'artwork' with her and crafts/handicrafts
Spend lots of time outdoors letting her become very acquanted with nature
Form good habits
Read her from the King James Bible (the lang is very beautiful even if you prefer a different version)
Let her become familiar with classical music, hymns, and folk songs

The above things lays a great CM foundation. ;)

[Aisling]

ITA with Mamatoto and Leslie...at 2.5, I'm not very concerned about any kind of curriculum. :shrug

Here are some things that are working for us:

-planting seeds and helping weed/water the garden while talking about what plants eat for food
-listening to the songs of specific birds in our backyard (she can identify 2 kinds now by their calls! :mrgreen)
-building blocks and counting each block as we stack
-drawing shapes and whatever letter she asks for in a pan of sand/salt/sugar
-sampling ingredients as she helps me put together raw veggie recipes and talking about sweet/sour/bitter/salty
-playing music games with toy instruments and yelling "Allegro" in the fast parts and whispering "piano" in the soft parts of the songs she makes up
-Reading to her!
-lots of hiking/exploring outside
-lots of crafts and handy man projects with daddy
-lots of animal watching
-talking to her as we d things about adult concepts in very simplified terms. (While I'm preparing food, I say, "This soup is too hot. We'll put some cold ice in! Cold ice helps the hot soup cool down...see how it's melting? Hot soup warms the ice into water!"

[malakoa]

We're already doing a lot of reading, language, art, reading etc. I'm just looking for more, fun activities for us to do every day.

Thanks to everyone for the ideas.

[Mamatoto]

I'm just looking for more, fun activities for us to do every day

Right now is a great time for free play outside! Tons and tons of time to just be outside playing, dreaming, being *with* nature, breathing in the air, feeling the sun....A sandbox is a wonderful wonderful thing for the young years....my kiddos are constantly in the sandbox or dirt right now with the beautiful weather. A simple bucket, shovel, sieve, and watering can should be enough for tons of hours of play. :bfly

[illinoismommy]

my son, the same age, isn't doing "school" but he sure learns! :rockon