pls recommend a lit based curriculum for combining children

[3rugrats]

I am looking for something that I can use for 2 of my dc together that uses books over textbooks but isn't filled with lots of projects. A few lapbooks/notebooking would be fine.

 

We have been using sonlight for preschool and now k/1st, but if we continue on, my oldest will always be on the top end of the range, and my middle child, the bottom. We are using core A right now, and he is keeping up alright, but my dd could fly through it. I'm wondering if there is some thing else like sonlight that would fit better before I just give them each their own core. I also have another child who will be starting next fall, and I don't want to have to read 3 cores a day. Besides, the thing that drew me to sonlight aside from the books and philosophy, which I love, is that I thought I could combine kids. I love the idea of being able to keep my kids together for at least part of their schooling to cultivate their relationship, if that makes sense. They are 3, 5 and almost 7.

[MerryAtHope]

Maybe combine your 3 & 5 yo's instead of oldest 2?

[3rugrats]

Maybe combine your 3 & 5 yo's instead of oldest 2?

yes, I'm just at a loss for what to do w/ my 5yo right now....he's already done P 3/4 and P 4/5 which he did fine with. The youngest isn't going to start P 3/4 until fall 2015 (when the 5yo will be 6.5 and 1st grade). He's been doing Core A since July, so even if I do just stop that w/ him and wait until next fall and use it for his 1st grade year, what do I do with him now? 

[Desert Strawberry]

Are you looking for a boxed curriculum, or would you be ok piecing it together with some guidance? Perhaps a Charlotte Mason approach?

 

https://simplycharlottemason.com/

[Lori D.]

This is an "age awkward" year; in about 2 years, you'll be able to do lots of the History, Science, Art, and Music together. But for this year, you may need just something special for the 5yo, while 3yo plays, and 7yo runs with Sonlight.

 

Other literature-based programs:

 

Five in a Row

- Before Five in a Row (age 2-4) -- just for 3yo (and combine 5yo & 7yo with something else)

- Five in a Row (age 4-8) -- just for 5yo; or, combine 5yo & 7yo

 

Heart of Dakota

- Little Hands to Heaven (age 2-5) -- combine 3yo & 5yo (OR, 3yo solo and combine 5yo & 7yo with something else)

- Little Hearts for His Glory (age 5-7) -- combine 5yo & 7yo

 

My Father's World

- Preschool (age 3-5) -- just for 3yo (and combine 5yo & 7yo with something else)

- Kindergarten (ages 3-6) -- combine 3yo & 5yo; or, just 5yo

 

Ambleside Online FREE booklist and guide

- Year 0 - Kindergarten (ages 3-5) -- combine 3yo & 5yo

 

Winter Promise

- I'm Ready to Learn preschool program -- just for 3yo

- Journeys of Imagination (reading to go with I'm Ready to Learn) -- just for 3yo, or 3yo & 5yo combined

- Hideaways in History (K-2nd) -- just 5yo (maybe 3yo tags along) -- OR, 5yo & 7yo combined

- Animal Worlds (K-2nd) -- just 5yo (maybe 3yo tags along ) -- OR, 5yo & 7yo combined

 

 

Lit-based History options; combine 5yo & 7yo, AND can be used again for later stages:

- Biblioplan (K-2nd level -- your choice of Ancients, Medieval, Early Modern, Modern)

- Tapestry of Grace (K-3rd level -- your choice of Ancients, Medieval, Early Modern, Modern)

- Mystery of History (K-3rd level -- your choice of Ancients, Medieval, Renaissance, Early Modern)

 

 

Future options for combining with a Lit-based History program:

- Pandia Press: History Odyssey (gr. 1-4 level -- your choice of Ancients, Medieval, Early Modern, Modern)

- Guest Hollow (free -- gr. 2-6 American History)

[3rugrats]

Other literature-based programs:

 

Five in a Row

- Five in a Row (age 4-8) -- combine your 5yo and 7yo

 

Heart of Dakota

- Little Hands to Heaven (age 2-5) -- combine your 3yo and 5yo

- Little Hearts for His Glory (age 5-7) -- combine your 5yo and 7yo

 

My Father's World

- Kindergarten (ages 3-6) -- combine your 3yo and 5yo

 

Ambleside Online FREE booklist and guide

- Year 0 - Kindergarten (ages 3-5) -- combine your 3yo and 5yo

 

 

Lit-based History options; combine 5yo & 7yo, AND can be used again for later stages:

- Biblioplan (K-2nd level -- your choice of Ancients, Medieval, Early Modern, Modern)

- Tapestry of Grace (K-3rd level -- your choice of Ancients, Medieval, Early Modern, Modern)

- Mystery of History (K-3rd level -- your choice of Ancients, Medieval, Renaissance, Early Modern)

 

 

Future options for combining with a Lit-based History program:

- Pandia Press (gr. 1-4 level -- your choice of Ancients, Medieval, Early Modern, Modern)

- Guest Hollow (free -- gr. 2-6 American History)

thank you so much! this is so helpful :)

[Farrar]

I'll add to Lori's list Moving Beyond the Page, Build Your Library, and Book Shark (aka Secular Sonlight). All are literature based curricula. However, I don't know that any of them will satisfy your combining needs any better.

[Lori D.]

thank you so much! this is so helpful :)

 

Oops! I edited while you were commenting. See my post for some additions. ;)

[RootAnn]

Future options for combining with a Lit-based History program:

- Pandia Press: History Odyssey (gr. 1-4 level -- your choice of Ancients, Medieval, Early Modern, Modern)

- Guest Hollow (free -- gr. 2-6 American History)

 

Adding to this particular section - for later:  Classical House of Learning (Literature) Guides for literature -- both read alouds & at the older ages, readers. They have some copywork, some lit. analysis, some vocab work, etc. These are optional parts. You can just use it for the lit list & schedule and it is FREE. It is even broken down into two sub-levels for the Grammar stage where they have different written work expectations but the same read aloud schedule. It is meant to tie in with Story of the World's four year history cycle.

[MerryAtHope]

yes, I'm just at a loss for what to do w/ my 5yo right now....he's already done P 3/4 and P 4/5 which he did fine with. The youngest isn't going to start P 3/4 until fall 2015 (when the 5yo will be 6.5 and 1st grade). He's been doing Core A since July, so even if I do just stop that w/ him and wait until next fall and use it for his 1st grade year, what do I do with him now? 

 

What to do now might depend on how much you like Sonlight. If you think it works well for you & just not how you have them combined now, there are ways  you can work towards combining. (When I started SL, there was only one PRe-K core, but  my kids loved those books and we read and reread them for years for fun). I don't think a full "core" is really  needed for little ones, just read and have fun, and ease them into 3 r's as they are ready. I'd probably do P3/4 now,  mix in any fun read-alouds you want but not worry about the 5 yo. Do 4/5 when they are 4 & 6, and A when they are 5 & 7, and see if it's a better match then.

 

But there are tons of others that you could explore, as Lori listed, if SL doesn't seem like it will be a good fit, or that you could use as you work towards combining your kiddos. 

 

Really in these early years, do lots of literature read-alouds, go on nature walks, bake things, go to museums etc... I let some early cores spread  over two years  so that we had time for other things,  plus I could add in some of  my favorite books from childhood. 

[FriedClams]

We love Sonlight, but we had a rough start too. My kids are 16 months apart. We did core k when the oldest was 5, then core 1. We loved it. We then took a break because the themes were getting to mature for my kids. We did MFW, MOH, SOTW, and a short stint with TOG. We just never found a groove, (but we did use SL for book lists and my kids read 90% of the books...). When the kids for older, we did do the VP self paced courses for 4/5, & 5/6, and the kids loved them!

 

So, with grades 6/7 we went back to Sonlight. We love it. We completed Core F and are now doing Core W. I'm so glad to be back with Sonlight. It's such a great for for my family. My kids LOVE it. It's perfect for us.

 

Anyway, my advice would be to take a year off from Sonlight and then go back. The new catalog with grades is insane, and the old ranges were far more appropriate. If it's a good fit for your family, then take a break and get back with it with your two oldest. Otherwise you may spend years making stuff fit when ask you needed was a gap year.

[LindaOz]

 

I am doing P3/4 with my 4yo at the moment but my 2yo is in on all the readings too as she won't be left out ;) . They are about 20 months apart. I would like to keep them together in their SL journey so I'm planning on spreading out the lower cores with some FIAR and lapbooks/unit studies from http://www.homeschoolshare.com/levels.phph. Some of the books from the pre-school cores are listed there and it will keep the learning happening until I think both girls are ready to proceed with the next core.

[3rugrats]

What to do now might depend on how much you like Sonlight. If you think it works well for you & just not how you have them combined now, there are ways  you can work towards combining. (When I started SL, there was only one PRe-K core, but  my kids loved those books and we read and reread them for years for fun). I don't think a full "core" is really  needed for little ones, just read and have fun, and ease them into 3 r's as they are ready. I'd probably do P3/4 now,  mix in any fun read-alouds you want but not worry about the 5 yo. Do 4/5 when they are 4 & 6, and A when they are 5 & 7, and see if it's a better match then.

 

But there are tons of others that you could explore, as Lori listed, if SL doesn't seem like it will be a good fit, or that you could use as you work towards combining your kiddos. 

 

Really in these early years, do lots of literature read-alouds, go on nature walks, bake things, go to museums etc... I let some early cores spread  over two years  so that we had time for other things,  plus I could add in some of  my favorite books from childhood. 

I love sonlight, and I really want to make it work. My kids love it too. 

 

I've thought about just reading the sequels to my oldest to stretch things a bit.

I've thought about lapbooking the books with her to add more as we slow things down a bit

I've thought about just doing the history/bible w/ them together and separating them for Read alouds, allowing my 5yo to listen in as he wants

I've been also reading the FIAR booklists to stretch things out more

 

I guess I wonder in all of this.....will my oldest miss out by having to wait to do core B? 

[3rugrats]

We love Sonlight, but we had a rough start too. My kids are 16 months apart. We did core k when the oldest was 5, then core 1. We loved it. We then took a break because the themes were getting to mature for my kids. We did MFW, MOH, SOTW, and a short stint with TOG. We just never found a groove, (but we did use SL for book lists and my kids read 90% of the books...). When the kids for older, we did do the VP self paced courses for 4/5, & 5/6, and the kids loved them!

 

So, with grades 6/7 we went back to Sonlight. We love it. We completed Core F and are now doing Core W. I'm so glad to be back with Sonlight. It's such a great for for my family. My kids LOVE it. It's perfect for us.

 

Anyway, my advice would be to take a year off from Sonlight and then go back. The new catalog with grades is insane, and the old ranges were far more appropriate. If it's a good fit for your family, then take a break and get back with it with your two oldest. Otherwise you may spend years making stuff fit when ask you needed was a gap year.

my kids are also 16 mo. apart! you'd think this could work--my oldest is a girl though, and very bright. 2nd child is a boy and though on target for where he should be, isn't reading yet and not as interested in school as she is. 

[MerryAtHope]

I love sonlight, and I really want to make it work. My kids love it too. 

 

I've thought about just reading the sequels to my oldest to stretch things a bit.

I've thought about lapbooking the books with her to add more as we slow things down a bit

I've thought about just doing the history/bible w/ them together and separating them for Read alouds, allowing my 5yo to listen in as he wants

I've been also reading the FIAR booklists to stretch things out more

 

I guess I wonder in all of this.....will my oldest miss out by having to wait to do core B? 

 

Why not let your oldest move on, and combine the younger two?

[hands-on-mama]

I plan to combine my will be 5 and 7 year old in Winter Promise next year. That's my plan as of now at least. We will either use Hideaways in History or Animals and their World.