Simply Charlotte Mason has science courses that just use picture books. The picture books are not all YEC but they give heads up where they contradict a YEC point of view and they also pick books that are mostly neutral. They do have some from a YEC viewpoint too. I really like Exploring what God has made and Discovering what God has made.

I really like simply Charlotte Mason science. Discovering what God has Made would be perfect for your ages. https://simplycharlottemason.com/store/discovering-what-god-has-made/ I really would like doing American History of some kind with those ages. I've only had 1 first grader interested in ancient history. I've had 1 who didn't like history at all till I started reading interesting American History stories to him. I almost killed his interest in the subject early on. Not all families are like this though. Find out what your kids would like. I don't have a curriculum suggestion exactly. If you want a textbook Notgrass Our Star spangled Story is nice. You can just use 1 book each year so you have time to add in library books and documentaries. The student books are nice. Simply Charlotte Mason has nature study ideas integrated into the science books some. They also have nature notebooks and articles about nature study so you can DIY it. If you want a program I like Exploring Nature with Children. It has interesting weekly prompts and going deeper ideas if you get interested. It is from England so some of the prompts are a bit off depending on your climate....it's ok for us as I never get to it weekly anyway and have other ideas on our own some weeks.

Dd newly 5 just finished Letter Mastery from Little Seedlings Press. I do it between AAR pre and 1. This way kids are blending 3 letter short vowel words before beginning AAR 1. It seems to be a good bridge. Then AAR 1 hits fluency. She is really beginning to read and wanting to practice so this is great. She's excited to "read books" now for phonics time.

It's a fair amount of reading but my dyslexic did fine with it. It is a good ramp up into Wiles Atomic Age. It has a lot less vocabulary than atomic age and the readings are easier. The mineral book he found dull. I thought it was a good overview of all elementary science and bridge to middle school science. "Too much reading" would depend on what your expectations for upper elementary science are. I think it's appropriate. Also most books are well illustrated and interesting. Science isn't always about stuff you love. Do you have any specific questions?

I am using Berean Builders audio with my dyslexic son for 7th grade science this year. I plan to continue with Earth Science from Berean Builders with audio for next year. It is experiment heavy which has been very good for my son. I will likely stick with this through highschool. He is supposed to write answers to the 1-2 questions after each reading and we do the chapter review orally together. He's learning and beginning to write for academic reading. ..I will gradually increase this to eventually do tests sometime in highschool. We are also slowly and successfully using All About Spelling which has some writing in it. I like the amount of reading and writing in Heart of Dakota a few grades behind his age....you may try a lower level of bookshark just for history so he can read it then read some harder books aloud. Writing I will try IEW Medieval next year. I'd take some time to write out big goals for the next 6 years then write yearly steps to get there ...

Yes to blending sometimes "clicking" but I wouldn't stop working in it. My kids who got it easily got it at like age 4. My ones who struggled at 4-5 needed extra work ... I used Abeka blend ladders for 1 who couldn't blend 3 letters and CLE sound slider for another before AAR 1. I don't find AAR overkill for a child who gets reading easily. I just skipped some parts of the fluency pages and used the "challenge word" sections. She still liked the games. I would pause after level 3 and not do level 4 until 3 rd grade though. My daughter flew through level 4 in early 2nd grade, but wasn't reading books "in the wild" with that hard of vocabulary. I think the derivation lessons would have stuck better a bit later. I will say I am a strong proponent of thorough phonics though.....to each his own;)

I tweaked my plans bit;)

I have used AAR with 2 kids...one learned easily one was dyslexic. I am using it for number 3 (likely dyslexic) and saving it for 3 more following. I did use Abeka some and can compare if you like. AAR spends way more time on short vowel words and is more explicit if the child needs that it's great. If they don't... just go faster. It isn't graded and all my kids have really liked the readers. I did have my 2 dyslexic kids do level 1 basically twice but they didn't mind and got it;) I like the variety of practice but reading lists of words is hard and everybody who needs the practice does need it. It goes slower than Abeka, but I think it also goes farther.

I learned to read early, liked to write, liked school in general.... spelling however was a great big mystery. My Orton Gillingham class in college really improved my spelling. I'm using All about spelling with my dyslexic son and it is finally helping. He started to get it about age 11 and is slowly doing level 4 as a 12 yr old and spelling is slowly improving. He also does a lot of oral letter by letter spelling to practice words he struggles with. If you have reason to suspect dyslexia for any child pick some Orton Gillingham based spelling program. Dictation will not likely work for those children... otherwise I really like alot of CM style teaching.

RightStart has a different sequence than some... it's a bit hard to jump in and out of. I switched oldest a few times and had to back fill some upper elementary topics. Like fractions as division is introduced in like C and then built on so that by F it's common sense....stuff like that. Sometimes I had a bit of trouble seeing where it was going and what was important. It really does make sense in the end and customer service is really helpful. Also oldest struggles some with school so that doesn't make it easier. We slowed down and reviewed more often, but he seems to be doing well now partway through H. @rebcoola

I really like RightStart. I've used every level except oldest hasn't finished H yet!

Dd will be solidly 5 in September. She loves to be read to, knows her letter sounds can blend 3 letter words, understands 2 digit numbers, understands addition and subtraction and can do it with an abacus, can subitize to 7 (8,9, and 10 she tends to count on...). She generally likes school....I don't want to push though so we'll see. Math and phonics are my stand by options. Here is a tennitive plan RightStart A and/or B (probably fast through parts of A then start B...but again not sure) All About Reading 1 (just for practice reading 3 letter words) Outdoor secrets maybe from SCM Probably Little Hearts for His Glory for small moter, handwriting, Bible, history.....

Yes, yes to systems. I have checklists for my oldest 3. If it's not done it's "homework" you do it in the evening, on Saturday, whenever, but you do it. If it's all done by the end of the day you get a "school treat" currently a chocolate kiss. Also look at what needs to be done. Sit down with your oldest and have a talk. Involved him. Look as homeschoolers we must cover XYZ the state says so. Choice is do it here or go to school for 8 hrs a day 5 days a week and bring homework home. I'll bet he can do it unless time at home. Self discipline is hard to learn but child has to want to learn it..... we've been there this year;) Growing up is work!

@HomeAgain Amen to teen/preteen boys handwriting....lovely cursive age 8ish.....down to scrawl now at age 12+....;) Yes to plenty of play outside, coloring, chalk, scissor play, art projects, handwriting practice once 4 or 5 with whatever book for 5-10 min at a time. Quality over quantity here.

@Foofaraw can you tell me more about the Lansing books. I'm interested too