We use Moving Beyond the Page and really like it. It CAN be time consuming, but if my kids are not into a certain topic or activity then we hit the basics and move on. We took a little break from it, and tried some other approaches at the beginning of this year, but started with MBtP again in January. My son was immediately more engaged in our lessons, enjoying the topics and activities and just more hands on than we had been the first half of this year. We did 5-7 last year, working on 6-8 this year and will start 5-7 with my younger son for K next fall. Overall, I find it to be a fun, engaging, thorough curriculum that my kids actually enjoy (most of the time ;) ). It does require some resources for certain topics and projects, but the teacher manual is really thorough and I find most days I can just open an go and if we don't have the things I need, we get them and do it the next day or two.

This is our first year homeschooling (K) but we will continue through the summer. Much of June and part of July is taken up with vacations and family visiting, so we won't do a lot of formal school, but plan to do reading reading reading every day, math most days and just science through a bunch of new Ocean, Space and Animal books and fact cards he recieved for his birthday (TODAY!). We will 'officially start 1st grade' at the end of July once all vacations, family and VBS are over.

We are doing Saxon this year (1 and 2) and it is SOOOO boring for my son. So, eventually I looked at the lesson and figured out a way to teach it while making it fun. So, for some lessons I would use mini m&m as our manipulatives. A lot of days instead of the boring drills of adding endlessly I had them roll a dice and it together. roll it twice to make a two-digit number, add them together. One day my son was really struggling with the worksheet, whining, crying, etc (adding two-digit numbers), when he finished I told him I had an activity for him: put numbers from our foam number puzzle in a big box full of rice and pasta and beans (sensory bin), find the numbers to make two-digit number, add them together....he was SO excited. When it was the exact same activity he had been complaining about .5 seconds before. We also do uno adding or subtracting. Roll a dice or draw a card and put it in the 100s, 10s and 1s place. after doing that 6-8 times, which is your largest number? which is your smallest? we still use a curriculum that does have worksheets, but adding in those fun extras makes them excited and way more cooperative!

I always like to hear what people who have asked questions about curriculum end up doing and how they feel about their decision, SO: Our horizons 2 arrived last week and I only took a quick peak at it, but I think he is going to LOVE it. Once we actually start we shall see how I feel about it teaching wise, content, etc, but I think he is going to be very happy with it!

Just show her the world. Read to her, do shape puzzles, story times. Describe what you see, hear, etc on a nature walk. I don't think it is important to DO anything special, just make a point to really explain all the things around her. I feel like my youngest is the most 'neglected' on the one on one 'academic' time, but just being involved with older brothers' activities, hearing us talk about what we are doing during school time, etc, she picks SO much up. Just exposing her to the world around her is really enough at this age

YES. Our family is Christian, our family is also made from two parents who have degrees in Biology. Science and faith do NOT have to be mutually exclusive.

We are using Saxon this year....too time consuming and BORING for my little guy. He wants color and needs a curriculum that moves more quickly. Next year we are switching to Horizons (I let him chose between Horizons and Math Mammoth). If horizons arrives and doesn't look like the right fit for us, then we will likely go with math mammoth or McRuffy.

We used MBtP this year for K. We finished the 5-7 and started on the 6-8. We are doing our school thru and ALE this year and MBtP is basically your science and social studies curriculum IMO. We have a separate math, phonics, handwriting (he struggled with HW so I needed extra for him than what was included). To me, because I had to supplement so much, it all just became too much. Older level might be different since kids will be reading and don't need a phonics program. We aren't using it again next year (because we aren't doing the ALE and I think it is too much money for all the other supplementing I have to do.

What did you end up choosing?!?! I have been 'fretting' over math programs for my 1st grader next year and finally decided to order Horizons yesterday.....then remembered Mcruffy after the fact! ugh. We did Saxon 1 and 2 this year and he was so bored. He wants color. I was hesitant about horizons because I have heard the TM isn't great at guiding (not that I will need much at his level, but stil) and it may gloss over the WHY of math. Now of course I am second guessing my decision! Curious which you went with and how you liked it?!!!

thank you all so much for your input!!!!! I truly appreciate it! We did an Alternative Learning Experience through our state this year for K, so this is the first time I am 'going it alone' and trying to decide on all my curriculum. I requested a few of the Life of Fred books from our library so definitely excited to see if those might be a fun supplement. I have checked out Beast Academy and don't think we are quite there yet, but maybe in a few years! I think I might just go with Horizons for next year since that is the one he is most inclined to try.

I have looked a little bit at Singapore, and probably should take another look. I have not looked at MEP but will check it out, thanks for the suggestions!

I am looking for a new math curriculum for next year for my little guy. This year we did Saxon and while I liked some of the teaching approaches, it was SO boring for him. He is VERY math minded, so most days we did two or three lessons and will have finished Saxon 1 and 2 by the end of this year. Despite how much he has learned, he just didn't enjoy math like he did before we started 'formal curriculum'. I want him to enjoy math again and I think for him that means more color. I am looking at both Horizons and Math Mammoth and am hoping for some tips from anyone who has used either or both. Curious about how Horizons is taught, are there good explanations? I have been able to look at a friend's Math Mammoth and like the approach and teaching style, but worry that it may not be as 'fun' for him. After how BORED he was this year, it really is a priority for him to enjoy math again, but not at the expensive of choosing a program that won't give him a solid foundation in math. ANY input is appreciated....especially since Horizon's sale ends today ;) One other option I have considered is using MM and Mathematical Reasoning, so he would have the fun colorful workbook to do as well. THANK YOU!!!!!!!

Once my boys knew their letters, I started teaching them sound that each letter makes, then we started on the Bob Books. They really liked them and are doing great. My 4 yo is currently on Collection 2 (got all the collections at Costco), and I found lots of printable on pinterest to go along with the Bob books, so occasionally he does those as well. I also picked up some workbooks that he does while older brother is doing work. He really loves the LeapFrog 'Kindergarten Skills' book I found at Target for $5. More multisensory (stickers, instead of just writing in letters all the time) than most and a good variety of activities rather than just tracing every letter one page after another. Mine loves math as well, so looking to get a more 'formal' math curriculum or good workbook like Mathematical Reasoning.

My son loves the Magic Treehouse books, we have read the first 20 so far. Also just started Winnie the Pooh with him and little brother (4). We started Little House, but he wasn't quite in to it yet, so maybe next year. "Honey for the Child's Heart" by Gladys Hunt has been a great resource for us recently for finding great books.

Hi! These are the two I am looking at for next year, for for first grade. Did you end up using both? Which did you prefer, which did your child prefer? Any suggestions or info would be greatly appreciated! THANKS!