Summer Homework Pack from School ??

Why would anyone want to do something like this. The first 6 weeks of school are a rehash of what they learned the year before. They'd be bored to tears until they started new stuff.

I think summer is for fun and playing and enjoying.

Does she go to private school? if it is not required i would not buy it. like the others said you can get the same thing at the dollar tree and wal mart. and yeah they do not need to be doing 9 weeks of bookwork to be graded unless she is skipping first grade and going straight to college! lol forcus on reading.

My opinion may not be a popular one, but here goes. I think summer vacation is for VACATION. Sure, we read through the summer, and do "educational" trips to museums, etc. (we live in DC, no lack of education here!) But as far as workbooks and that sort of thing, I'm not interested. I do have several friends who have used those bridging books that you're talking about, and they've been very happy with them. I agree with you - $59 seems awfully pricey! My kids are in 5th and 2nd grade - and so far have had no issues keeping up with their peers. It'll all change eventually anyway. I know pretty soon my oldest will be given a big 'ole summer reading assignment, to be graded the first week of school. For now, I'm just going to let them chill in the summer. IMO, you should go with workbooks you can buy on your own. I think your daughter would be fine with just that.

I would NEVER do this. Summer is for being a kid. Playing outside, learning to swim, climbing trees and riding bikes. Of course bedtime stories fit in there. But work sheets, um, nope. Seriously, my son does not do work sheets in kindergarten - forget about during the summer. Summer is for family and fun.

No. Way. There are reading, math, and science kits available at the library for free. Participate in the library summer reading program. Tons of educational websites: starfall.com, coolmath4kids.com, spellingcity.com, atozteacherstuff.com, internet4classrooms.com/kplus_writing.htm (writing worksheets), flatstanley.koolkidssign.com/FS2.pdf (learn about geography by making your own Flat Stanley and sending him on an adventure. My kids LOVE this, and this summer will be our 3rd year), funbrain.com. Some of the sites the kids can do activities on, and others are for you to get ideas of things to do or print out worksheets. Also, don't underestimate the value of fun, educational outings, such as a children's museum, the zoo, planetarium, etc. We also love to utilize our time in the car by listening to audio books, which I check out from the library. There are so many better ways to learn than by doing a worksheet, and I sure wouldn't pay $59 for a packet!

I agree with Laurie A. My daughter LOVES kindergarten, LOVES to do homework and even asks for workbooks on the weekends. If there is not a homework assignment, she asks me to create one for her. (Crazy, but true!) Now, would I pay $59 for a packet - nope! The Dollar Store has a bunch of learning activity books. And would I force her to do homework all over summer break - nope! But, I will absolutely foster a fun, creative, no-pressure, challenging learning environment for her and I will balance this with plenty of time for her to just be a kid.
For preparing for Kindergarten, I found workbooks on clearance at Barnes & Nobles called: 101 Things Every Kindergartner Should Know About _______ (fill in the blank with Math, Phonics, Spelling, etc). I know they also make them for 1st graders....I just haven't seen them out yet.
Have Fun!

I'd be the first to tell them where they can shove their packet. They should be providing the packet for free. Also, a child should not spend every week of their summer vacation doing homework.

I also wouldn't purchase any workbooks. I beleive that children should continue learning throughout the summer, but it doesn't have to be through doing worksheets. Have fun learning, go to the zoo and learn about animals, do science projects especially those messy ones that you can do in the backyard and then hose yourselves down, take trips to the library, draw pictures with sidewalk chalk then write the word next to them. Of course, don't forget to read several times a week.

I would not buy it... there are many other much less expensive options out there.

I am one, however, that thinks that some work over the summer would be a good idea...... it has been shown that kids LOSE a lot over the summer break, and that would help slow that loss by reminding her of what she has learned.

Keep it fun, though..... no pressure.... there are also a lot of ways to incorporate "lessons" into daily activities.

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/studies-show-summ...

I realize this is advertising a specific workbook series, but I think it also has good information. You can google "summer learning loss" and see many other articles about it.

Many times, the first few weeks is spent "relearning" what they lost over the summer. With so much pressure in schools now, I can see why the school is suggesting some kind of summer workbooks for the students to do.

SAMS club sells 400 page grade specific workbooks for under $10 so I would NOT buy the packet.

I taught and stressed reading every day. I agree with the M. about down time. Believe me, schools repeat K-3 too much as it is.

I agree with you.. It seems like you could go to a teaching supply place and find the workbooks on your own.. You can grade them yourself since it is kindergarten.. Now if it was AP Physics.. That would be different.

Our daughter loved going and picking out workbooks. She wanted to do "homework" for fun..

Geeky /Nerd.. Fine with me..

No, I would not buy this. I believe in childhood and summers off! I believe in trips to the library and lots of reading, road trips where we learn things and incorporating math and learning into fun summer activities, but I do NOT believe in workbooks and homework over the summer.

Unless your kid loves the schoolwork or is struggling to keep up (unlikely in K) I would skip it. The only other reason is if the school is really pushing it and your child will be out of the loop when school starts. Otherwise reading with your child and doing some fun learning activities (like visiting a zoo, science museum, etc) should be fine.

Would I buy it? Nah.

I, too, kind of believe in summers "off" for the kids. Reading....for fun? Sure!

I know families that do this--and I wonder...what's the point?
My kid is an "A" student that grasps things quickly...why learn it in the summer so he can sit there & be bored?

I agree with Katie. This is the year my 4th grader will be given 5 two page book reports at the end of the year due the first day of 5th grade. I'll be positive about it to her, but inwardly I cringe. Summer should be a vacation from traditional school work. I'd rather my kids just read for fun and play outside than be filling out worksheets and reports.

I guess if I thought my child would be really gung ho about this summer packet, I'd buy it. If not, I'd skip it. Not sure about that price. I guess it just depends on how much your child would get from the experience. I wouldn't want to pay for the service of sending a 1st grader's work out to be graded.

if it is the "GRASP" program it is wonderful. and the 9 weeks are not overwhelming, she'd maybe have 1 or 2 hours per week, so she won't miss out on summer. I think Kindergarten is a little young to be so focused on academics though! unless your daughter show signs that she may need help in either area.
the GRASP program has individual packets for both math and language and usually go for $69 EACH

For Kindergarten?! Seriously!!!! CRAZY!!! I wouldn't do that at all.

We've never had to pay for the summer pack, but the sks were also not in public school for K. Here, summer work is usually posted online as well as sent home. AP students in particular have books to read in preparation for the first day.

If it is not a district requirement, I'd look for my own programs. One of my friends suggested the books you can buy at Staples that her daughter likes.

I'd also go to the school's website and see the posted expectations for a kindergartner and see where my kid needed to brush up.

Watch out for weird stuff in the mail. There are lots of test prep programs, for example, that will target your child.

I agree that unless you're at a private school where it's required, I'd skip it. That's awfully expensive! That's the price my mom paid for me to take a "real" class on study tips, shorthand, etc (moving from 8th grade to 9th grade) at LSU.
That said, I remember that I provided childcare for a kindergartner, and he did well in school. He went to his dad's house for most of the summer, came back, and couldn't even recognize all his alphabet when I started helping him review (2 weeks before first grade). I was really concerned and called a friend with much more experience than I, and she said it's pretty common. My 2 1/2 year old was learning his alphabet so I had plenty of material to do a quick review with him and get him back on track. It's amazing what kids do forget if left to their own devices.
Growing up, I remember we would do ONE worksheet before being let out to ride our bikes to the neighborhood pool. I read copious amounts of books on my own. But that didn't hurt my "childhood" or summer vacation. If nothing else, it enhanced it. Doing an hour or so of learning isn't going to ruin vacation.
We do "homeschooling" of some sort 7 days a week. Including summer. That doesn't mean he's sitting at a desk and I'm standing up making him write his lessons. But we do educate, on purpose, a little every day. Even in the summer. And both boys are very happy, well-rounded little guys, and they are not missing out on ANYTHING. (Except extended family around...which we try to fix with skype).
I would suggest getting a calendar from your library and seeing what days things are. We go to "story time" every week, do a little craft, pick out 7 books for the week, maybe a movie. In the educational resources section, there are neat DVDs that are educational on all kinds of topics, and we'll pick up one of those that's going with something we're talking about already...or one that sounds good if we're looking for ideas. In that same section there are books you can get for ideas on educational "opportunities" and crafts or projects to do together, for FUN. (Fun is the operative word for "education" in our house). Return them next week when you're there for story time again. Go to all kinds of things: museums, concerts, gardens, places that do kids activities, let your child read you a simple book and ALSO you read a "real" book to your kids. Right now we're reading The Wizard of Oz and acting it out as we go. (1 chapter in the afternoon before naptime, 1 chapter in the evening at bedtime). I do think those bridge books are neat; for the price of an inexpensive workbook I wouldn't mind getting it as long as you keep in mind it's not the only place they learn and practice. We picked up a pretty thick book with loads of stuff for less than $10 at Walmart for pre-K / K (he starts kindergarten next year). We also got thinner dry-erase book for Math skills that he loves to do. For one thing, it's dry erase markers and that makes it more fun for him. I don't really make him do worksheets or workbooks right now though unless he's bored, waiting on something else, or asks for it. He takes his book with him when we're at the doctor's office, or while I'm doing kindermusik with his little brother, if it's rainy, if little brother is finishing up his nap. Stuff like that.
Joseph has great handwriting and practices a lot, but not just writing lines of letters. If we're at Ihop on Saturdays, we do the crossword puzzle on his child's menu together, and that's him writing. Or playing hopscotch or other games using sidewalk chalk. Writing out silly things on the dry erase easel. Writing notes or cards to daddy, his grandma, or his friend in TX. He also types on the computer. Math: he helps me sort out his money (change) and count how many pennies, nickels, etc. We play GAMES with neighbor kids that involve recognizing patterns and stuff (but they don't know it's educational). I think as long as you make things fun, "school" is great. It can enhance summer vacation, not be a drain.

The $59 wouldn't bother me because that is a small price to pay for her to keep up and be prepared for the upcoming year. But, are you able to find the schools website and see what the subject and objectives are for first grade? If you can, focus on that and forget the $59.

I love the "Bridge to..." books. They are very easy to understand and follow and mix things up. Plus they give you a plan to follow. I also buy books from the bookstore for Math or Reading Comprehension, depending on what my kids seem to need more. I have bought the Bridge books since 2nd grade. The kids can work on them on their own until I get home and we go over anything else, or we can do together. When they were in Kindergarten, I got books from Walkmart for $10 and they were pretty good and gave a good foundation for learning during the summer. Don't forget learning through doing as well. Go outside and really see what is there, the colors and sounds. I was out of work between pre-k and kinder and the kids loved it when we would go out and look for things beginning with a certain letter or were a certain color. We also looked for things that felt a certain way--though not always touching.
The most we spent inside doing "work" was maybe on hour depending on the weather. Summer is for fun but you can learn from that also.