Age Specific English Worksheets

The Worksheet books are divided into age groups to ensure that the exercises are age appropriate and achievable by children in that particular age group. Each book has a parent / teacher section explaining how to use the book, as well as the behaviors and actions that should be used to teach using the worksheets.

Step-by-Step

The Worksheet books provide a step-by-step method to teach your child/children the basic skills of reading, writing, drawing, color and shape recognition, as well as pattern basics and mathematics. You can print individual worksheets as and when you need them, and print multiple copies of ones you feel your child needs more practice on. We recommend that you start with the first page of each section.

If your child does not manage that first worksheet, do not make them do it again and again, as they will only get bored. Print the next one in the section and let them try that one, then go back to the first one another day.

Different Perspectives

The worksheets are designed to approach the same tasks from different perspectives in order to encourage learning and understanding rather than rote copying.

Over and above the worksheets

Parents and teachers should use the worksheets to explore further with their children – for example if the picture depicts a butterfly, talk about the last time you saw a butterfly, what color it was, what plant it was flying around etc. There is a lesson in everything we see and do, so use the worksheets to expand your child’s knowledge further than just the exercises on the page.

Level of difficulty

As you progress from worksheet to worksheet, you will notice that the level of difficulty gradually increases. Each exercise can be repeated any number of times until your child is comfortably coping with it, before moving to the next level. The worksheets can be used as additional practice for children who attend preschool or kindergarten, as a teaching tool for preschool educators, or as a useful tool for parents who are home-schooling their Pre-K children.

Creative Skills

The basics of reading, writing and math are not all your child needs to learn, and imaginative and creative skills must be developed too. Arts and crafts, storytelling, dancing, music and play-acting are important for this area of a child’s development.

Two of the free bonus books you get when you buy a worksheet book, ‘Learn to Draw’ and ‘Animal Friends’ poems will help you encourage these skills in your children. Physical activity is important not only for health reasons, but to develop hand-eye coordination, as well as fine and gross motor skills. Beanbag or ball throwing and catching, kicking a ball, hopping, skipping, running and swimming are all good for your children, and should be encouraged. Exercise will prepare them for sporting activities at school and develop the muscles and motor skills that will better equip them to play with their peers at school.

There are a few basic guidelines that will help you make the most of the Workbooks

1. Have a special work space

Whether it’s a desk in their own room or a space on the kitchen table, your child should have a quiet, clear area to sit while doing the worksheets. This encourages concentration, and should be encouraged as a good habit to get into for homework once the child starts school.

2. Finish what you start

Children have a short attention span that needs to be developed into the ability to sit still and concentrate for longer periods of time, as they will be required to do when they start formal schooling. The first level of worksheets should not take more than 15 to 20 minutes to complete, but the child needs to understand that the worksheet must be completed in one sitting.

Not only does this help to teach children to focus and concentrate on the task at hand, it also teaches them to stick to a task until they complete it, rather than leave a job half done.

3. Praise, praise and praise again

Encourage your child, offer assistance when they need it, and praise any and every effort they make. Putting pencil or crayon to paper is an exciting step for your child, and they will need gentle guidance rather than demanding discipline in these early stages.

Your child will need some help from you – but you will not be helping them or teaching them anything if you do their work for them.

4. Be prepared

Teach your child to be prepared – sharpen pencils, have crayons ready and extra paper or other requirements so that the worksheets, and later homework, can be completed without interruptions. Give your child a special container or pencil box to keep their stationery in, and keep spare paper handy too. (Paper printed on one side at the office and about to be thrown away makes excellent scribble paper for little ones, so get your colleagues to start gathering their discarded printing or copying pages.)

5. Know your child

Recognizing your child’s strengths and weaknesses will help you both to work on the weaknesses, making improvements where you can, and of course encourage and be proud of their strengths.

6. Work with your child

Particularly in the early stages, your child will need your guidance. You will have to explain what they need to do on each worksheet, and possibly show them an example. Use this time to communicate with your child. Use the pictures on the worksheets to talk with your child about other things, and encourage them to ask questions, and answer yours.

7. Listen to your child

Not just to their words, but to their body language and attitude – it can tell you a lot about your child. Although the worksheets are designed to prepare children for formal schooling, and the guidelines above are intended to help foster good habits for the time when homework is a daily chore, it is important to have fun with your child.

8. Read, read, read

If you make learning fun right from the start, it will remain fun – and your child will enjoy learning and do better at it. It is extremely important to encourage your child to read. Reading teaches children new words, spelling and grammar, is a source of information as well as a wonderful way to entertain and exercise a child’s imagination.

Too often, people believe that the internet has eliminated the need to be able to read well, comprehend and analyze what is written, but anyone who has searched the internet for information on a specific topic will know that they need to be able to read – even on the computer.

Read to your child, with your child, and in front of your child to set an example.