LHTH...what am I missing?

[hsbaby]

Okay, so I started LHTH with my almost 3 year old last week. I have read a lot of positive reviews and am wondering if I am just missing something?!?!? It takes us all of 10 minutes to do. The activities seem quite repetitive. I know that a three yr. old doesn't need an intensive curriculum, but really? 10 minutes a day? Even when we do the activities (such as gluing things on a letter) she takes less time to do it than it takes me to get out all the supplies:) So, what, if anything, do you all add to supplement? I was really hoping it would be something I could have my older ones do with her while I work with the other. Yet, they come to me in two minutes saying they already read the story! I really don't want to shell out any more money:(

[Tidbits of Learning]

We had the same issue with LHTH. I was using it with my then 2 yr old. It started out okay, but even the 2 yr old got bored with the repetition. We made it to the letter F before I put it away. We tried it again this year with the older child options when he was 3 and again it was a bomb.

I know the feeling of not wanting to spend more money. We are recycling his big brother's Landmark Freedom Baptist's k-3 after LHTH bombed twice.

I think LHTH might work better when your child doesn't know their alphabet or if they have had no exposure to the letters and their sounds. My child knew them by 2 so it was a bad fit for us.

[Guest]

Where did you get it from? I was able to return mine; it didn't work for us, either.

[Dinsfamily]

We had the same problem with LHTH. My two oldest boys don't like fingerplays and already knew their numbers and alphabet by 2yo so it wasn't very useful. I really liked the idea of it and the amount of 'work' for a 3yo, but it didn't have the right content for our family.

 

With my younger two, I'm using Sonlight's P3/4 as a good base for reading aloud and lots of educational toys like Mighty Mind (inc in P3/4), lacing cards/blocks, and puzzles. That seems to be the perfect preschool for us.

[jewel7123]

Yeah, I feel ya. I got it in hopes of combining my 4 and 2 year olds together, but quickly realized it was way too young for my 4 year old. Try Bright Beginnings....that's what I'm doing now, and what I wish I had started with from the beginning. http://www.bright-beginnings.net/

 

If you don't want to spend more money, you could try Letter of the Week or Hubbard's Cupboard?

[mama2cntrykids]

Yep, we had the same issues. It just wasn't...enough for dd or myself. Honestly, she was fine with it but wanted MORE to do and I was bored. I sold it mid-way through.

 

Right now, we're doing workbooks, songs, books and art stuff. Way more satisfying for us. Next fall when she's four, we're starting MFW Kindergarten. I plan on taking two yrs to do it if need be but if she wants to do it at a normal speed, I won't stop her.

 

Have fun with whatever you choose...that's what it's about at this age!

[hmschooling]

Have you considered doing both the younger and older kid options? That should add time and a challenge. Also, I started having my 3yo narrate our story, which he is excellent at. LHTH takes us about 30 min this way. If your child is ready, you could add in pre-writing activities like tracing shapes and lines (straight, slant, curvy, zig zag, etc.).

My DS is now 3, and has known his letters and most of their sounds since he was about 1.5. LHTH is just so sweet, and I love that it doesn't take long. That's the point. School should not take up much time of a 3-5yo's day! Add in nature walks and nature journaling, trips to museums, outside play, creative play, have them learn scripture, and work on character training and habit forming, work on holding the pencil correctly, and read aloud to them often outside of school. Do service projects, adopt a grandparent, learn to take care of a pet, pull weeds for an elderly neighbor, draw pictures for a neighbor and deliver it personally with a batch of home made cookies she helped you make (measuring for the recipe and counting them is math!). Have her set the table and count plates and such and ask about how many more you need for guests and how many total she will need to set. Teach her how to entertain guests, how to care for friends/church that just had a baby or has a sick relative, etc. Go on playdates. Sit under a tree and watch birds then read a story about birds. Have them tell you or even better, have them tell dad about their day, their nature walk, the stories they heard, and about their school work. I don't want my 3yo or 4yo doing worksheets or worrying about reading or learning math facts just b/c he "can". This just isn't the time for academics!

 

Ok, I'll step down now. LOL Just my humble opinion. I find LHTH to be perfect, as well as all the other HOD guides! School gets hard soon enough. No need to rush it!

Edited March 11, 2010 by hmschooling

[razorbackmama]

So glad to find this thread! I was planning to use SL P3/4 next year for my then 3yo and then LHTH when she's 4, thinking it would be "more." I was planning to have my olders do it with her. (I'm only doing something next year to give her something to DO LOL.) Should I maybe flip them around a bit - LHTH next year and P3/4 the next? Or should I combine and do them both next year?

[SamuelsMommy]

So glad to find this thread! I was planning to use SL P3/4 next year for my then 3yo and then LHTH when she's 4, thinking it would be "more." I was planning to have my olders do it with her. (I'm only doing something next year to give her something to DO LOL.) Should I maybe flip them around a bit - LHTH next year and P3/4 the next? Or should I combine and do them both next year?

 

We used LHTH and enjoyed it, but I did add Sonlight P3/4 to it because I wanted some read aloud options and didn't have a library close by. We would do LHTH, read 1 or 2 P3/4 stories, and then do 1 or 2 pages out of the Rod & Staff preschool workbooks each day. It was perfect for my son.

[Tidbits of Learning]

Have you considered doing both the younger and older kid options? That should add time and a challenge. Also, I started having my 3yo narrate our story, which he is excellent at. LHTH takes us about 30 min this way. If your child is ready, you could add in pre-writing activities like tracing shapes and lines (straight, slant, curvy, zig zag, etc.).

My DS is now 3, and has known his letters and most of their sounds since he was about 1.5. LHTH is just so sweet, and I love that it doesn't take long. That's the point. School should not take up much time of a 3-5yo's day! Add in nature walks and nature journaling, trips to museums, outside play, creative play, have them learn scripture, and work on character training and habit forming, work on holding the pencil correctly, and read aloud to them often outside of school. Do service projects, adopt a grandparent, learn to take care of a pet, pull weeds for an elderly neighbor, draw pictures for a neighbor and deliver it personally with a batch of home made cookies she helped you make (measuring for the recipe and counting them is math!). Have her set the table and count plates and such and ask about how many more you need for guests and how many total she will need to set. Teach her how to entertain guests, how to care for friends/church that just had a baby or has a sick relative, etc. Go on playdates. Sit under a tree and watch birds then read a story about birds. Have them tell you or even better, have them tell dad about their day, their nature walk, the stories they heard, and about their school work. I don't want my 3yo or 4yo doing worksheets or worrying about reading or learning math facts just b/c he "can". This just isn't the time for academics!

 

Ok, I'll step down now. LOL Just my humble opinion. I find LHTH to be perfect, as well as all the other HOD guides! School gets hard soon enough. No need to rush it!

 

I think it all depends on what you are wanting. With 4 kids, all of the above would not be possible for me.

I think LHTH just fits some people and not others. If my child already knows the alphabet, letters and sounds, and numbers; then I would want something else.