MFW K--too much for a 4-year-old? What else can you recommend?

[Sarita]

I'd love a little feedback, so please weigh in if you can! Here's the deal...

 

I have 3 kids--dd5, dd3, and ds1. The girls' birthdays are both in August, so they're young for their respective grades. So at the "beginning" of next school year they'll just be turning 6 and 4--1st grade and PreK. I'm pretty set on what we'll do for 1st grade, and I'm planning that dd3 (then age 4) will tag along and (I assume, if this year is any indication) learn a lot. But she also wants to have her own "school" to "do" when big sis is doing her seatwork--math, writing, etc. I'd LOVE to be able to spend more one-on-one school time with her, specifically to work on learning letter sounds and maybe some early reading skills and some basic early math. Trouble is, I only have a finite amount of time and energy. So I'm looking for something that I can just pull out and go. MFW K seems like a good choice, but I'm wondering if it's too much for a young 4. Thoughts? Any other suggestions? Thanks so much for any help you can offer!

 

Sarita

[Susie in MS]

Personally I don't think it is too much for a 4 yo. My dd (will turn 3 in July) knows all of her sounds. MFW-K goes the next step and introduces blending and very short, simple sentences by the end of the year. Mostly you have a letter a week sort of thing. The science is also simple. The Bible concepts may sink in or go over your child's head at this point, but there is plenty time for that level of learning.

If you look at ABeka's catalog you will see that the same phonics that is covered in MFW-K is covered in ABeka's Pre-K 4yo curriculum.

From what I hear MFW-K takes about 1 1/2 hours per day.

[CalicoKat]

We found it to be too slow and repetative for ds 4.

 

We jumped ship to OPTGR and ETC workbooks. He's also doing MUS primer this year.

 

Personally as a teacher I found the TM very difficult to understand and "wrap my brain around visually" how I was supposed to teach it. I know now that that is a common complaint for MFW Kindergarten.

[Lovedtodeath]

MFW K is perfect for a 4 year old. It starts from scratch, so if you have already done Preschool and then get MFW K it is pretty disappointing. It is a great program, but definitely not advanced.

[Sue G in PA]

I plan to do MFW K w/ my 4 yo in a year. She is now almost 3 and already knows her letter and sounds. She'll tag-along w/ ds5 doing MFW K in the fall and then do it herself the following year, unless she already is too far advanced! In which case...who knows what we'll do! I think it's perfect for a 4yo.

[GymboFroggie]

I agree with PPs that it should be fine. I have been reviewing the TM and putting the weekly file folders together over the past week, and I am pretty confident my 4 year old will have no problem with it. I am glad we are doing it for Pre-K 4 and not waiting the additional year. It's a good fit for my dd's abilities now.

[Penelope]

I plan to use it for my 3 year old starting when he is 4-4.5. I tried it when my 6 year old was a new 5, and it was already boring for him. The exception would be the writing. Some kids aren't ready to write on the lined paper at age 4, mine probably won't be. But I think that is easy to adapt by having him trace letters, or just write them on unlined paper. Also some scissor skills are required, so that may acquire some adapting, depending.

 

Be aware that there are no books included, so you will need to visit your library regularly and find books on the science topic of the week. Also there are a couple of suggested books each week for an enrichment activity, but I found my library has most of these.

[snickelfritz]

or

 

Will you also be doing the science, Bible and literature?

 

If you are only wanting to give her separate time for the 3 R's, I wouldn't invest in the whole MFW K. I would just pick separate programs for those subjects and put her with siblings for the rest.

 

I can get phonics/math/handwriting done in 30 minutes a day, but the MFW K would take much longer.

 

If time isn't an issue for YOU, than the program really is gentle enough for a 4 year old.

[G5052]

She was ready to learn to read and did fine with it. I did pace it to her to her though, and the whole thing took us about 20 months to finish.

 

My older one (a boy) would not have been ready for it at that age, but she was much more focused and interested in letters.