hands-on-mama Posted October 23, 2014 Share Posted October 23, 2014 I have heard some mixed reviews on the customer service at Winter Promise. I ran over to their site, and they have redone everything. I am seriously considering using one of their programs with my girls next year. They will be almost 6 and 7 1/2 when we start next fall. The two programs I am considering are Animals and their World and Hideaways in History. Both look like awesome programs that both girls would enjoy. Currently, my oldest is using Beyond Little Hearts for His Glory and my youngest is using MFW K. Help me! I'm ready to take the plunge. The only thing holding me back is the price tag and the fact that I have heard not so stellar reviews on customer service. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilverMoon Posted October 23, 2014 Share Posted October 23, 2014 Go for it. :) My 6th grader is using Adventures with the older learner guide this year, and both of us are quite content with it. Fwiw, I only ordered exclusives from them because of those reviews. By that I mean only the WP published components. Both the printed and ebooks were delivered in a timely fashion and we had absolutely zero problems. If we order from them again I will probably do the same thing. I prefer to buy used books for less anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reefgazer Posted October 23, 2014 Share Posted October 23, 2014 The customer service is atrocious, but my DD loved their Equine Science program! Just resign yourself to several phone calls to track your packages and get them to send them to you (you do eventually get your stuff), don't plan on a rush order, and you'll be fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meadowlark Posted October 23, 2014 Share Posted October 23, 2014 WP is a program that continually draws me in...but I'm too afraid to take the plunge. Well, that and the fact that all of those projects might make me hyperventilate with the ages of my kids right now. I just can't seem to find anybody that loves it either...yet the urge to try it is always there and was just rekindled! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RootAnn Posted October 23, 2014 Share Posted October 23, 2014 I constantly look at WP's Equine Science program ... and guess what I just spent the last 20 minutes doing? That's right - looking & comparing prices on amazon, WP, and Rainbow resources. Grr! Sigh. If I get it, do I get the ebook & have it printed or do I get the print book? Do I need two Horse notebooks for my two kids? Hmmm.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hands-on-mama Posted October 24, 2014 Author Share Posted October 24, 2014 Thank you so much for your thoughts! I think I really want to give it a whirl. Here's the question. Where should I place my kiddos?? I'm thinking either Hideaways in History or Animals and their World? What do you guys think? They will be K and 2nd grade. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kolamum Posted October 24, 2014 Share Posted October 24, 2014 We've used WP for going on 4 years now & never had an issue with their customer service. I never order anything other then WP Exclusives from them which may be why, but I've honestly never had an issue. I've ordered hard copy of stuff x2 while in the USA & it was all to me within 2 weeks time. I know do e-book stuff. I will admit their ebooks threw me at first because I expected instant downloads. That's not the case, but now that I know that it doesn't bother me as much. They've redone the website so you do get things much quicker now. Watch for an email, create your own pwd & walla. Easy Peasy. Have you checked out Spirited Autumn's Hope? It's their sister site & things are an instant download over there. You can buy each portion of Animals separate over there so you could try a section, see how you like it & then buy the next one, etc. I don't know that it would be cheaper, but it would mean you'd pay less at a go, kwim?They also have a MAJOR freebie {Rome I think} for Hideaways on their blog. Have you spotted that? There's a FB group for WP users you could seek out if you wanted. It's private so you'd have to join it, but you could gather information there as well. :) Just to clarify I do know people have had issues with WP, I'm not denying that it's happened. I'm just stating that I've never had an issue. I've been able to call, email, or just order & have knowledge of what's going on. If an e-order got hung up & I didn't have it in a reasonable amount of time a quick email sorted it out. When I first made the WP plunge I heard that the biggest problem was GETTING the books that WP didn't make/publish/write themselves, so I've always just purchased their exclusives & not had problems. :D I know others have complained about the lack of being able to resell curriculum. FWIW, that changed this year so long as you didn't purchase digitally.. Just throwing that one out there because it often creeps up in WP conversations. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kolamum Posted October 24, 2014 Share Posted October 24, 2014 Another thought in regards to placement.. Animal Worlds is pretty much a big science year, no history. So it would depend on what you wanted for them. Do you want them to have history? Do you have a plan for that subject? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hands-on-mama Posted October 24, 2014 Author Share Posted October 24, 2014 Honestly, I could go either way on that. I have materials for both science and history already. :) if we do Hideaways first, I think we would combine Animals and their World with Biblioplan (or just make it a heavy science year). This house loves science, so that wouldn't be a problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hands-on-mama Posted October 24, 2014 Author Share Posted October 24, 2014 I'm about to check out their sister site. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hands-on-mama Posted October 25, 2014 Author Share Posted October 25, 2014 Argh! I found the units! I love them both! I almost want to do them in tandem. Am I insane?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meg4 Posted October 25, 2014 Share Posted October 25, 2014 I just saw a Thanksgiving unit on their sister site that looked really nice . Maybe you could try that and see if you like it . I think with your kids ages it would be perfectly fine to do a year of only science . Is Hideaways an overview of history? I have looked at their American History for grades 1-3 many times but I can't find any reviews of it and their customer service does make me nervous but with the downloads it might not be as much of a problem . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmseB Posted October 25, 2014 Share Posted October 25, 2014 Forgive my hijack, but I'm having trouble defining exactly what WP is just by looking at the site. Are the themed packages like a history spine with assigned readings and projects? It says it's open and go, but it seems like there'd be a lot of prep from what I'm looking at. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hands-on-mama Posted October 25, 2014 Author Share Posted October 25, 2014 Oh, I doubt we would do everything. Hideaways in History is an overview of World history. It looks really fun. It says that it is only written for K/1st, so that's why I was thinking of doing it first. Hmmm...I almost wish we could start that in January. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hands-on-mama Posted October 25, 2014 Author Share Posted October 25, 2014 It is an open and go 4 day format with an IG and suggested readings. It is USUALLY history based and history will be the spine but several programs are science based instead. WP was begun by people who had previously tried Sonlight I think. It is a similar program with much more geared to other learning styles rather than just auditory (which is why I switched from SL- my younger two are kinesthetic and visual). It has more non fic in general. And fewer books which means my kids can choose more free time reading. How would you compare WP to HOD? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hands-on-mama Posted October 25, 2014 Author Share Posted October 25, 2014 Thank you for your thoughts. I think you probably summed it up. I do like HOD, but WP is so tempting. I can't help but give it a try. I'm not sure I love every aspect of HOD. I do like having everything planned out though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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