Is Sonlight REALLY worth the $$?

[This Mama Teaches]

I'm getting ready to make a big purchase and wanted to discuss this with all you sonlight users (those of you who both hate or love the program, please chime in!) I'll be purchasing 3 multi-core sets. The P3/4, P4/5 and the Kindergarten. Hefty chunk of change..which I don't mind as long as it will really be valuable for my homeschooling journey. I don't have much planning time right with a cranky 4 month old and a 2 year old who believes she is an amazing acrobat and olympic gold medalist at climbing and gymnastics (bless her heart...) I want grab and go, easy on my part but challenging and very educational for them. (selfish, yes...but between the nonstop cleaning, feeding, cooking, re-cleaning, burping....etc...not much free time around this neck of the woods). I have been using a few blogs with wonderful printables for lessons but by the time I figure out what to do for the week, print the lessons, cut out what needs cutting, laminate what needs laminating, and purchasing extra required materials in order to do the before mentioned lessons, it ends up being a 20 hour process for 3 hours of learning......a tad bit of overkill it seems. My husband wants cheap and feels I can grab from free resources all over the net...which is what I've been doing. I want it all laid out for me, whatever the cost, if it will make my life easier and my children get a wonderful education from it, sign me up! So...all you sonlight users, what are your thoughts?

[Murrayshire]

You've got alot on your plate! We love Sonlight History & Lit. around here....we used their science this year but wasn't impressed with the whole worksheet thing! We won't be using that unless I stumble across it for FREE!

So....I think with your age groups, using 3 cores would be overkill. You didn't mention the ages of your kids, but it looks like you could combine some of them. (I've only been homeschooling for 2 years....what do I know....but did go to school to be a teacher) In my opinion, at this young of age, I would try to find open-and-go materials....fun, and on the level, reading books(fables, fairytales, character books maybe? science books..anything that strikes their fancy)The only structured plan I have for my k'er this year is Reading and Math. Math is our fun time! He checks out books from the library that interests him...mummies, sharks, etc. and watches cool science documentaries on discovery streaming/netflix. Learning should be fun and at an interest level at these ages!

 

Back to your question.....if you want to save money, I wouldn't purchase 3 SL cores at this young of age! You could get on Sonlight's forum and they may be able to direct you to a much better solution. Sorry if I seemed to ramble on....Good Luck!

[mumto2]

:iagree: You didn't mention the ages but 3 cores at that level are way too many. The thing that is so lovely about sonlight is the ability to teach more than one at the same time. They learn together and enjoy it. There will still be plenty there for the child who is older. My dd has always done sonlight with her younger brother. You can add other resources if needed. Three cores at once will be a huge time commitment each day.

[SelinaKyle]

Do you know anyone who uses SL who could let you look at the materials? HAve you looked at the sample IGs?

 

We only used SL for a couple of years and every year dropped more and more of the programme. This was partly cultural - we are English - but it meant that we paid for a lot of materials we didn't use. I think it is rare to find one package which fits children in every single subject area, most people I know pick and choose bits from several places. It ismore time consuming but produces a more tailor-made curriculum in the long run.

[boscopup]

How old are your children you'd be purchasing for?

 

I agree that 3 cores at that level is probably more than you need. If your oldest is K, I'd go with P4/5, and maybe just get the P3/4 books from your library (or if you want to own them, you can purchase them).

 

Some cores can be pieced together cheaply. The high cost of Sonlight is really the BOOKS. At the P4/5 level, the IG is only $26. You're mostly paying for books, and they are good books.

 

We just started Core D last month. I'm doing it pretty cheaply, with a used IG and using the library for many of the books. I'll spend about $100 when it's all said and done. I plan to buy P4/5 outright (for K), as I'd like to go ahead and own the books, and that core has enough books that are SL-only or not found cheaply on Amazon that it ends up being not much cheaper to piece it together (though you may find it used somewhere).

 

I would not do the K multi-subject package unless you really love every single part of that package. The Core package is probably a better bet, and just add your own math, handwriting, and phonics to it.

 

I just think if you're using 3 consecutive cores like that. you probably have children overlapping cores enough that they can be combined. I may end up with 3 different cores at some point, but I wouldn't do that until I absolutely have to (my kids are 2.5 years apart, 3 and 2 grades apart, and vastly different in levels of ability and understanding).

[MIch elle]

No, not for those ages. Save your money and go to Barnes & Noble and get math, reading, and handwriting workbooks along with some read aloud novels.

 

You'll have plenty of years to spend that kind of money but on older dc. We enjoyed SL 3/4; that core was worth the money.

 

See what Timberdoodle has for those ages: http://www.timberdoodle.com/Complete_Homeschool_Core_Curriculum_Kindergarten_p/999-0050.htm

[ALB]

I do love Sonlight's read alouds, but I just look at the list of titles and pick up what I can find cheap from used book stores or online. Then, we do our own thing (mainly WTM) for other subjects. At those ages, the SL IG's don't actually include a ton of info (well, the first two don't anyways), so IMO, you don't really need them.

 

If you really want to purchase everything with one click, I'd just get one of those cores. If your oldest is definitely ready for the K level, you could get that one and just read great picture books with the younger ones. I do think the books are wonderful and worth purchasing, but I'm not sure I'd pay full price for them.

[Dinsfamily]

I totally agree with these ladies. My first year hsing, I bought both P4/5 (to use with my K'er) and P3/4 to round out my large collection of books for my then-3yo. It was a great year and I would recommend that if you have the $$. I've since used P4/5 for another K'er and perpetually used P3/4 for all my children. If money is an issue and your oldest is a K'er, P4/5 is the way to go. Core A is better savored as a 1st grader IMHO. My advanced ds8 loved it that year.

[Jlynn]

I've used Sonlight for Cores B-H (just ordered 100). What I did the first year though was look at their booklist for Core A(Which used to be core K right?) and check out those books from the library, read them to my son and see if we liked their selections. I would never ever buy a full core before the Core A because it just seems like a big book list to me and the reality is you as a busy mom aren't going to have time to sit down with the IG for each child. Your kids are too young to get much out of it anyway and if it were me it would just add stress.

 

I know, because I now have a 3yr old, who also believes she's a gymnast, and it's all I can do not to pull my hair out trying to get our SL stuff done with my 13yr old. And he's a lot more independent than your kids will be.

 

Color, Read, maybe look into Rod & Staff's Preschool workbooks (they're cheap!), and read some more. You don't need the PreK stuff from Sonlight to do that. Maybe the Core A, but nothing else....really!

[Paisley Hedgehog]

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[Mom0012]

Yes, I think it's worth the money, but I would not buy 3 cores, especially for children as young as yours. I don't know what books they have in the Pre-K cores since it's been so long since we were there, but another option for those preschool years is the Jim Trelease Read Aloud Handbook. It has wonderful book recommendations and is what really made me value reading aloud to my children.

 

Lisa

[ksr5377]

I was somewhat unimpressed with Sonlight. We did P4/5. The book selections were wonderful, but the rest was eh to me. I think I would have been happier had I purchased used and saved some money instead of spending over $400. I have actually purchased many of the books that are included in Core A and plan on including them in our read-aloud schedule, but I won't be following their IG.

[Jen+4dc]

No, not for those ages. Save your money and go to Barnes & Noble and get math, reading, and handwriting workbooks along with some read aloud novels.

 

You'll have plenty of years to spend that kind of money but on older dc. We enjoyed SL 3/4; that core was worth the money.

 

See what Timberdoodle has for those ages: http://www.timberdoodle.com/Complete_Homeschool_Core_Curriculum_Kindergarten_p/999-0050.htm

:iagree::iagree: We did SL core 3 and then core 4 (American History) and enjoyed them, but I combined all my kiddos together those years (focusing on oldest two who were 10 & 8, and then 11 & 9).With my younger two, they listened in on what they wanted to, we focused on the three "r's" and we just read lots of good books, which I got at the library for free.

 

If you have a decent public library just read, read, read at that age. Buy "Honey For A Child's Heart" by Gladys Hunt or Jim Trelease's "Read-Aloud Handbook." Add in math, phonics, and fun science books/documentaries. When you have kids that young, you want school to be fun so you don't get totally burned out and they come to hate it.

 

I would never do three SL cores at once: you won't have time for it all and you'll feel like you wasted a TON of money! This would push me to push them harder to "check every box" and not waste hard earned money. BTDT, didn't make for a good schooling environment at all. :(

[melmichigan]

:iagree:I would not buy three cores with kids that young.

[welovetoread]

3 cores for those ages would be too much. You could easily do P4/5 with those ages. I did P4/5 with my kindy and toddler this year.

[chicagoshannon]

I don't know the ages of your kids so I won't comment on buying three cores. However, I wouldn't buy the multi subject packages. I'm sure ou have crayons, scissors and construction paper at home. ;). If not its cheaper to get that stuff during back to school sales.

[G5052]

Keep in mind that each core up to 100 has read-alouds, so if you do more than one, you're going to be doing a lot of reading aloud. Even my friends with 5-7 kids never do more than one with read-alouds. The later ones are done independently, or obviously it would never work.

 

I always used one core for two that are 2 1/2 years apart. No regrets. We used Sonlight, then TOG, and then back to Sonlight. It seriously kept me sane. We went a different direction when they got older, but I love Sonlight.

[ByGrace3]

I do think if you can afford it, SL cores are worth it. I avoided SL several years bc of the price until this year I realized I was spending just as much if not more ohistory books each year. This year, we are using SL. Because I have several of the books and don't use their LA, I am just buying the IG and buying the any of the books used. This is certainly an option, but as a pp mentioned,mthe great thing about buying a SL core is you are paying for a lot of really good books, the IG is not very much in comparison to other programs.

 

I do agree that you can probably combine, that is the reality for us right now. If I could afford it I would probably buy p 4/5 for my Ker but I am sticking to 1 core this year at least.

[Tess in the Burbs]

you have a 4 and 2 year old? No, you don't need a schedule. You need to play with your kids. Read the books from those SL lists but buy at a local store or on Amazon. Do some ETC get ready books. Play with base ten blocks. Have some colors and shapes in a flip photo book to talk about. Visit the zoo, aquarium, and other local children museums. Enjoy this time. You don't need a schedule with your kids. Just enjoy them.

[alisoncooks]

I agree to buy just the 1 core for your oldest, maybe?

And if you want extras for your youngers, look into the preschool sets from MFW and maybe the R&S workbooks (which are super cheap). That would be more than sufficient, IMO.

[Irishmommy]

Girl, I would just go with Before Five in a Row and Five in a Row Volume 1! You could get those guides plus book packs probably for less than one core! I would really keep it simple and conversational at this age! Spend your money on art supplies or play dough. I can't recommend FIAR enough! Really the best years of homeschooling we have ever had, even with the cores we have done! You can alway just pick out a fe books that your kids might enjoy from those Cores you are considering. Pm me if you want specifics about the books I recommend from those cores (we have most of them)!

[StartingOver]

I'm getting ready to make a big purchase and wanted to discuss this with all you sonlight users (those of you who both hate or love the program, please chime in!) I'll be purchasing 3 multi-core sets. The P3/4, P4/5 and the Kindergarten. Hefty chunk of change..which I don't mind as long as it will really be valuable for my homeschooling journey. I don't have much planning time right with a cranky 4 month old and a 2 year old who believes she is an amazing acrobat and olympic gold medalist at climbing and gymnastics (bless her heart...) I want grab and go, easy on my part but challenging and very educational for them. (selfish, yes...but between the nonstop cleaning, feeding, cooking, re-cleaning, burping....etc...not much free time around this neck of the woods). I have been using a few blogs with wonderful printables for lessons but by the time I figure out what to do for the week, print the lessons, cut out what needs cutting, laminate what needs laminating, and purchasing extra required materials in order to do the before mentioned lessons, it ends up being a 20 hour process for 3 hours of learning......a tad bit of overkill it seems. My husband wants cheap and feels I can grab from free resources all over the net...which is what I've been doing. I want it all laid out for me, whatever the cost, if it will make my life easier and my children get a wonderful education from it, sign me up! So...all you sonlight users, what are your thoughts?

 

 

I don't know how old your children are, but we own and love all of these. P 3/4 and P 4/5 are still read daily around here. Many of the A (K) books are also dragged out by the children to be read over and over and over again. We are using B( 1st ) this year and I know it will be the same.

 

P 3/4 is just a reading list. P 4/5 only takes a few minutes a day to do, and A (K ) isn't that rough ( although many want to use it with a child 5.5 or 6 years old, it has been redone this year to be more age appropiate ). I think if you wish to do all of them, it will be fine.

 

We buy Sonlight because it is open and go, also because we are building a home library. So every dime is worth it to me ! IF you get all three, just play it by ear. You don't have to do everything, every single day. Focus on your oldest and enjoy some family cuddle time with the earlier 2 cores !

Edited April 4, 2012 by StartingOver

[SnMomof7]

Hmm, for those cores I'd likely just buy one in the middle somewhere and combine your children. The cores ARE worth the money because they include SO. MANY. BOOKS. If you had to buy the books it would cost just as much anyway (I love to find the cores used, then it is a HUGE value).

 

Those core 3/4 books are awesome though - we have a lot of them in our collection for littles.

 

Again, not sure how old your littles are, but maybe do core 4/5 - youngers can listen in, and olders will love the books just as much :).

[This Mama Teaches]

I love all these replies! Thanks for taking time to chat with me. I was debating getting the three cores because my son (will be 5 in October) has always loved school. I'm not sure what level would work best because he is advanced in certain areas and wasn't sure which would fit him best. My daughter (you know...the gold medal acrobatic gymnast, haha!) is 2 so I thought she'd love the 3/4 set, which would def. be too young for my son. It's a challenge to keep things interesting for my son. He just soaks up learning, as does my daughter. We have several different curriculums I use just to keep things new for them or they get bored. RS4K, Language lessons for little ones, etc. of course several blogs that have printables (1+1+1=1, confessions of a homeschoolers, etc). My son has mastered addition already and is starting subtraction, can read bob books without help, is writing, etc so the age appropriate stuff us appealing to him, just super easy. My daughter just turned 2 last week and counts to 15, know the abc's and their sounds, and we are close to mastering shapes and colors but she's stubborn and it's going to be on her terms haha! I'm hoping between all the advice given I can come up with something to help me out.....like I mentioned before, free time with this 4 month old is just not happening so I'm not as creative as I was with lessons! My kids both beg to do school, they really are sponges at this age and soak up so much...I just hope I can deliver for them!

[Rosie]

I love all these replies! Thanks for taking time to chat with me. I was debating getting the three cores because my son (will be 5 in October) has always loved school. I'm not sure what level would work best because he is advanced in certain areas and wasn't sure which would fit him best. My daughter (you know...the gold medal acrobatic gymnast, haha!) is 2 so I thought she'd love the 3/4 set, which would def. be too young for my son. It's a challenge to keep things interesting for my son. He just soaks up learning, as does my daughter. We have several different curriculums I use just to keep things new for them or they get bored. RS4K, Language lessons for little ones, etc. of course several blogs that have printables (1+1+1=1, confessions of a homeschoolers, etc). My son has mastered addition already and is starting subtraction, can read bob books without help, is writing, etc so the age appropriate stuff us appealing to him, just super easy. My daughter just turned 2 last week and counts to 15, know the abc's and their sounds, and we are close to mastering shapes and colors but she's stubborn and it's going to be on her terms haha! I'm hoping between all the advice given I can come up with something to help me out.....like I mentioned before, free time with this 4 month old is just not happening so I'm not as creative as I was with lessons! My kids both beg to do school, they really are sponges at this age and soak up so much...I just hope I can deliver for them!

 

 

There is something that many people find very confusing when first starting to homeschool or first using Sonlight...

Academic skill level has nothing to do with read-alouds.

 

Good books are good books no matter what age you are. My oldest dd was reading at 3, doing 1st grade level math at 4... we did Core P4/5 when she was 5/6 and Core A when she was 7 and it was perfect. She is now 8yo and doing Core B and it is still perfect! She gets much more out of Sonlight than my 6yo (who still gets quite a lot out of it, I must say).

 

Think of Math and Language Arts separately from the Sonlight Cores. The Cores are more about maturity level, not academic level. When choosing a Core level you should think more about the length of time your child can sit still, whether he/she is ready for topics such as homelessness, death, war, etc., whether he/she needs books with pictures or can listen attentively with few pictures.

 

So, my suggestion, if you are trying to save money, would be to choose ONE of the PreK Cores to buy and then get a bunch of books from the library. Or just get as much as you can from the library and buy the rest from Sonlight. I just looked at the P3/4 list and my 8 and 6yo girls still love those books. If you want to combine your kids in a core in the future, you might think about doing that one instead of P4/5 next year for your older. Go into any Kindergarten classroom and that is the level of books they are reading. You won't be "holding your 5yo back," and if you really want to, you can add a few easy chapter books into the mix for him.

 

Basically, Sonlight is a great book list with a helpful schedule for busy moms (moreso in Core B and up, I think, though). Math and LA are separate from the Core. Keep that in mind when choosing....

[Colleen]

I've used Sonlight for nearly 12 years. Clearly, I think it's worth it. But I would never recommend someone do what you're considering. I'm not a fan of the pre-K Cores nor do I recommend purchasing the multi-subject packages.

 

Reading your posts makes me quite sad because I want so much for you to be able to step back, look at the big picture, and recognize that these years with your little people are fleeting. Yes, yes. I know they're smart little whipper-snappers who beg to "do" school. But don't buy into the notion that naturally enthusiastic, curious children require hundreds of dollars of programmed curriculum. It's shameful, really, that SL peddles these cores at all.

 

We are talking here about reading books, pure and simple. Snuggling up and sharing stories. Taking walks. Making pictures. Using the abacus and cuisinaire rods and the like. Dipping into some workbooks if you can't resist. Enjoying this season of life.

 

Your oldest child is but 4 and you have several programs on hand already. You're already thinking of your 2 year old as "stubborn" in that she learns on her terms. Friend, you're on the fast track to burn-out. I realize my years of experience are meaningless to people up-and-coming, but I'd be doing you a disservice if I didn't answer your post honestly.

 

Take it easy. No, you don't need to buy Sonlight ~ or any other curriculum. If you absolutely can't resist the urge, go with Core P 4/5, but you can just as easily enjoy those books together without the giving up the fistful of dollars.

 

Best to you as you look toward the journey.

[This Mama Teaches]

I hope I've not come across as a mother who pushes education hardcore on my kids, or feels one is smarter than the othrer, or that we don't have fun with our days. We fill our days with books to read, toys to play with, tons of outdoor time and when the kids request "school" we do it. I just wanted something grab and go so when we do sit down and learn, it's ready and I'm not stressed beause I wasn't able to find anything the night before or it's not been laminated or printed because the baby had a rough night...or I'm just too plain tired to mess with it. My mother in law came over yesterday and I told her unlike students in a school setting, we've been outside every day, pretty much all day for the last 2 weeks enjoying the unusual heat wave (87 degree at from march 23rd until yesterday! In Kansas!! Crazy!) my son wanted to do math so we grabbed out the singapore math book and sat at the picnic table did a few pages, then it was off to the climbing rock wall until lunch. My daughter brought over flashcards to do her numbers and abc's, and again, we just did it outside. I mentioned she does things on "her terms" because thats exactly how it is. If I pull out flashcards and she isn't in the mood, she simply won't even try to tell me the correct letter,...everything is "s" and every color is "orange" unless it's a time she wants to do it. And that's perfectly fine. She's just as advanced as her brother, but she's got a lot of me in her....she's hands on, earthy, explores, can't sit still very long, but has a great imagination, loves baby dolls, can climb and conquer anything in her path, and that is just her. We don't favor one child over the next, each has their style, each has their interests, and one learns one way while the other learns a different way. Thats where I get burnt out...is trying to find easily accessible materials for the two different learning styles without having to spend an insane amount of time doing it, I just haven't found anything that meshes the two styles yet. I was hoping Sonlight offered that. I've got the manuals for Bfiar and peek with books and our library just stinks at having anything on hand from the list. So, just like someone mentioned, I like to build our library here at home so they may be a purchase I make as well.

[Mom22ns]

I agree with all the people who have told you ONE core only! Pick one for your ds, and don't be afraid to leave the schedule behind even for him if it doesn't work. For your future olympian:), just have lots of wonderful books around to read, play and let her be 2 or 3 or whatever. She doesn't need a schedule, just a library and you!

 

We love SL, but one core a year until they get old enough to be doing a lot of it on their own. Then you can separate if you need to. Your little ones will love listening to your ds's books along with all the other wonderful picture books you can find!

[In2why]

I agree with the previous posters but wanted to add that when I read your post it isn't because I am judging it is because I recognize parts of my journey :D. When my son was born I knew we were going to homeschool. And I was a convert on fire. I read every home school book out there and couldn't wait to get started because I adore these boys and want them to have every opportunity possible. And for me I also had pride and an identity. I was and am a homeschool mother. That meant that we lived, ate, and slept books. If my son showed me a rainbow, I turned it into a learning unit. If he found a snail I looked it up so we could know all about it. He also was called on to perform on a regular basis. Show everyone you can say your ABC's and know your numbers, and on and on lol. It is a wonder I didn't kill his natural enthusiasm and curiosity. But that is my story and yours might be different. I also had to buy learning materials and curriculum, because I didn't want to mess up in our choices. I had decided to homeschool and in our circle that is radical and I HAD to do it "right" for them, for me, and to prove that we made the right decision. Looking back we didn't need 90% of what we bought and my philosophy at the beginning isn't my philosophy now. But all of it was an important part of our journey. Even my son begging to go to real school for Kindergarten. If I had to do it again I would Breathe, sing, and play more. I would also let me off the hook.

 

If it were me then, I would have bought everything and ignored the naysayers because I could and there is nothing better to spend money on then my kids future and my time. The me now would maybe buy one core for the oldest and let the younger tag along. If I was me I want to be, I would go to the library and bring home crates of books and play more.

[Dinsfamily]

I hope I've not come across as a mother who pushes education hardcore on my kids, or feels one is smarter than the othrer, or that we don't have fun with our days. We fill our days with books to read, toys to play with, tons of outdoor time and when the kids request "school" we do it. I just wanted something grab and go so when we do sit down and learn, it's ready and I'm not stressed beause I wasn't able to find anything the night before or it's not been laminated or printed because the baby had a rough night...or I'm just too plain tired to mess with it. My mother in law came over yesterday and I told her unlike students in a school setting, we've been outside every day, pretty much all day for the last 2 weeks enjoying the unusual heat wave (87 degree at from march 23rd until yesterday! In Kansas!! Crazy!) my son wanted to do math so we grabbed out the singapore math book and sat at the picnic table did a few pages, then it was off to the climbing rock wall until lunch. My daughter brought over flashcards to do her numbers and abc's, and again, we just did it outside. I mentioned she does things on "her terms" because thats exactly how it is. If I pull out flashcards and she isn't in the mood, she simply won't even try to tell me the correct letter,...everything is "s" and every color is "orange" unless it's a time she wants to do it. And that's perfectly fine. She's just as advanced as her brother, but she's got a lot of me in her....she's hands on, earthy, explores, can't sit still very long, but has a great imagination, loves baby dolls, can climb and conquer anything in her path, and that is just her. We don't favor one child over the next, each has their style, each has their interests, and one learns one way while the other learns a different way. Thats where I get burnt out...is trying to find easily accessible materials for the two different learning styles without having to spend an insane amount of time doing it, I just haven't found anything that meshes the two styles yet. I was hoping Sonlight offered that. I've got the manuals for Bfiar and peek with books and our library just stinks at having anything on hand from the list. So, just like someone mentioned, I like to build our library here at home so they may be a purchase I make as well.

 

I get what you're saying and I know it's hard to take a step back with advanced kiddos. My first two are very advanced as well and it was hard not to rush in hard and fast with the school stuff. I had many people on this board and the SL board tell me take it easy (some of the same as in this thread). I'm so glad I listened to them. Now that my oldest is entering 3rd grade (which is still young, I know), I'm seeing that school needs to take more time and importance in our schedule. We are still able to take a week or two hiatus to enjoy unseasonalbly warm weather now but not forever. All they're saying is that you don't get this sweet, uninterrupted time back and to make the most of it.

 

There is something that many people find very confusing when first starting to homeschool or first using Sonlight...

Academic skill level has nothing to do with read-alouds.

 

Good books are good books no matter what age you are. My oldest dd was reading at 3, doing 1st grade level math at 4... we did Core P4/5 when she was 5/6 and Core A when she was 7 and it was perfect. She is now 8yo and doing Core B and it is still perfect! She gets much more out of Sonlight than my 6yo (who still gets quite a lot out of it, I must say).

 

Think of Math and Language Arts separately from the Sonlight Cores. The Cores are more about maturity level, not academic level. When choosing a Core level you should think more about the length of time your child can sit still, whether he/she is ready for topics such as homelessness, death, war, etc., whether he/she needs books with pictures or can listen attentively with few pictures.

 

So, my suggestion, if you are trying to save money, would be to choose ONE of the PreK Cores to buy and then get a bunch of books from the library. Or just get as much as you can from the library and buy the rest from Sonlight. I just looked at the P3/4 list and my 8 and 6yo girls still love those books. If you want to combine your kids in a core in the future, you might think about doing that one instead of P4/5 next year for your older. Go into any Kindergarten classroom and that is the level of books they are reading. You won't be "holding your 5yo back," and if you really want to, you can add a few easy chapter books into the mix for him.

 

Basically, Sonlight is a great book list with a helpful schedule for busy moms (moreso in Core B and up, I think, though). Math and LA are separate from the Core. Keep that in mind when choosing....

 

:iagree::iagree::iagree:

 

Building a home library is important for me too. That's why I love the SL P Cores. Since your ds isn't even 5, I'd start with P3/4 for now. My 8yo still loves many of these books and often reads them to his little brothers. There is no rush to get to higher cores. In fact, I think you get more for your money when the dc is older and can get so much more out of the reading. Once you've read through P3/4 several times (you know how much they love repetition) and just can't stomach reading Chicka Chicka Boom Boom or Make Way for Ducklings one more time, buy P4/5. I really does make a great core for a 5/6 yo. Your dd can listen in or not as she's in the mood to be quiet. It is so hard to think about combining preschool ages because a couple of years makes a big difference. I chose not to combine at all because it works better for my brain and teaching style. You'll probably have more clarity on that in a couple of years.

Edited April 5, 2012 by Dinsfamily
Fixing auto correct mistakes

[boscopup]

Completely agree that academic skill doesn't have to match the core age guidelines. I'll be using P4/5 with a child that will be almost 6. He will probably be reading by then (he can "read" now sort of, but is still getting past sounding everything out), he's able to add and subtract now (including whole hundreds, thousands, ten thousands, etc.). I think P4/5 will be perfect for him.

 

My oldest is advanced, especially in reading (and math), and he would probably have done great with Core B or C. I'm only doing Core D with him now because we wanted US history the next couple years. I'm going to try to stretch it out to 3 years for the two cores (D and E) so we won't be on the younger end of the cores when doing the older cores. He still enjoys a good picture book, even though he's able to read the Core B read-alouds himself. ;) I'm sure he'll happily sit in on the P4/5 readings. :D

 

Do NOT get the multi-subject packages (well, except P4/5, which IS the core package). You don't need the $700+ Core A multisubject. Chances of your child being at the same level in every single subject are probably slim. :)

[walkermamaof4]

I totally agree with these ladies. My first year hsing, I bought both P4/5 (to use with my K'er) and P3/4 to round out my large collection of books for my then-3yo. It was a great year and I would recommend that if you have the $$. I've since used P4/5 for another K'er and perpetually used P3/4 for all my children. If money is an issue and your oldest is a K'er, P4/5 is the way to go. Core A is better savored as a 1st grader IMHO. My advanced ds8 loved it that year.

:iagree: I own all of these cores. We don't use SL as written with the guides, although I owned the guides but sold most eventually. The books are so lovely that I buy their cores anyway. But I wouldn't use 3 cores at once and wouldn't use A with a K'er. If you can get a copy of Family Under the Bridge somewhere and read it, it may help you understand why. I am thinking it was in K. Maybe I am off. But I remember it being one of the books I thought was presented too soon. The kids didn't "get it". HTH!

[boscopup]

If you can get a copy of Family Under the Bridge somewhere and read it, it may help you understand why. I am thinking it was in K. Maybe I am off. But I remember it being one of the books I thought was presented too soon. The kids didn't "get it". HTH!

 

Family under the Bridge has been removed from Core A. They replaced that and a couple other books with a Curious George anthology, Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs, etc. So Core A is more little kid friendly than it was, but there are still some books that might not be the best choice for a K'er, which is why we're going with P4/5 for K still. :)

[AngelBee]

I love all these replies! Thanks for taking time to chat with me. I was debating getting the three cores because my son (will be 5 in October) has always loved school. I'm not sure what level would work best because he is advanced in certain areas and wasn't sure which would fit him best. My daughter (you know...the gold medal acrobatic gymnast, haha!) is 2 so I thought she'd love the 3/4 set, which would def. be too young for my son. It's a challenge to keep things interesting for my son. He just soaks up learning, as does my daughter. We have several different curriculums I use just to keep things new for them or they get bored. RS4K, Language lessons for little ones, etc. of course several blogs that have printables (1+1+1=1, confessions of a homeschoolers, etc). My son has mastered addition already and is starting subtraction, can read bob books without help, is writing, etc so the age appropriate stuff us appealing to him, just super easy. My daughter just turned 2 last week and counts to 15, know the abc's and their sounds, and we are close to mastering shapes and colors but she's stubborn and it's going to be on her terms haha! I'm hoping between all the advice given I can come up with something to help me out.....like I mentioned before, free time with this 4 month old is just not happening so I'm not as creative as I was with lessons! My kids both beg to do school, they really are sponges at this age and soak up so much...I just hope I can deliver for them!

Have you looked at Heart of Dakota? http://www.heartofdakota.com/

You could put 2yr in LHFH (1st book) and adv 4yr in LHFHG or Beyond.

Then you could add SL titles as you wish. :)

[Dinsfamily]

Family under the Bridge has been removed from Core A. They replaced that and a couple other books with a Curious George anthology, Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs, etc. So Core A is more little kid friendly than it was, but there are still some books that might not be the best choice for a K'er, which is why we're going with P4/5 for K still. :)

 

It does seem that they were making it a bit more K friendly but there are still titles like Twenty and Ten and Mary on Horseback which are much better suited for 1st grade or older. We loved Family Under the Bridge and I'm sad it was removed from the core.

[dakarimom5]

I've used Sonlight for nearly 12 years. Clearly, I think it's worth it. But I would never recommend someone do what you're considering. I'm not a fan of the pre-K Cores nor do I recommend purchasing the multi-subject packages.

 

Reading your posts makes me quite sad because I want so much for you to be able to step back, look at the big picture, and recognize that these years with your little people are fleeting. Yes, yes. I know they're smart little whipper-snappers who beg to "do" school. But don't buy into the notion that naturally enthusiastic, curious children require hundreds of dollars of programmed curriculum. It's shameful, really, that SL peddles these cores at all.

 

We are talking here about reading books, pure and simple. Snuggling up and sharing stories. Taking walks. Making pictures. Using the abacus and cuisinaire rods and the like. Dipping into some workbooks if you can't resist. Enjoying this season of life.

 

Your oldest child is but 4 and you have several programs on hand already. You're already thinking of your 2 year old as "stubborn" in that she learns on her terms. Friend, you're on the fast track to burn-out. I realize my years of experience are meaningless to people up-and-coming, but I'd be doing you a disservice if I didn't answer your post honestly.

 

Take it easy. No, you don't need to buy Sonlight ~ or any other curriculum. If you absolutely can't resist the urge, go with Core P 4/5, but you can just as easily enjoy those books together without the giving up the fistful of dollars.

 

Best to you as you look toward the journey.

 

This is one of the best posts that I have read. Thank you I needed this today.

[nukeswife]

We've tried SL off and on for a few years. I plan to use Core A for my son next fall and he'll be 7 in a few months (I will use the older version that includes Family under the bridge) but I had bought it when ds was 5 and after getting it and looking at it I sent it back because it would have been too much for him at that age. I think P4/5 was perfect for K and 1st and I've just kept those books for him and read them at our leisure, not really following a schedule. I used them as a book basket and would just have him pick what he wanted me to read to him from there.

[StartingOver]

I tend to use the cores at an earlier age than some. The polls on Sonlight clearly show that folks are split. Many use Core K at 5, and many use it at 6, with some below and above. I tend to the lower age range of the cores, and my children are doing well. Not all children will fit well with the lower end though. I would recommend you check out some of the books and then make a decision. LA has been redone, so I feel it would work better with my children, although we have only used K in the past and I dropped it quickly.

 

I attempted to combine my children this year with both of them in core A, my son is bored, but it is a perfect fit for my newly 4 year old. So very soon my son who will be 6 in June will restart core B. I wanted them to fit into the same core, but it won't work for now.

 

Remember, you do have the 18 week guarantee from Sonlight. ( Be sure to read about this, as you can't put stickers on the books to qualify for a refund. )

[MeganW]

my son (will be 5 in October) has always loved school. I'm not sure what level would work best because he is advanced in certain areas and wasn't sure which would fit him best.

 

My daughter (you know...the gold medal acrobatic gymnast, haha!) is 2 so I thought she'd love the 3/4 set, which would def. be too young for my son. It's a challenge to keep things interesting for my son.

 

I would do the readalouds from P4/5 for your son. Ditch their math, handwriting, and reading, and use your own. You DO NOT want to age up on the readalouds. They were over my kids' heads at 5.5, but perfect at 6.5. They have gotten so much more out of it this time around!

 

For me, it was worth buying the instructor guide just to have a schedule. I just subbed out my own phonics, math, & handwriting.

 

I would just let your youngest tag along. If you find you have the time, buy the books from P3/4, and add those in. Or better yet, go with Before Five in a Row.

 

I also wish I had found Slow & Steady, Get Me Ready when mine were toddler/preschool age.

[Mommy22alyns]

I think Colleen has a lot of great wisdom. I would also recommend P 4/5 for your oldest. I did it with Sylvia (who is advanced) for K and she loved it. Yes, she could have picked up any of those books and read them herself, but it was nice to cuddle up and read them to her.

[MeganW]

One other thing that we LOVED - The Learning Box Preschool. The arts & crafts portion alone is worth the cost! You open the guide to Day 1, find the baggie that says Day 1, and go. EVERYTHING you need is in there. Need 1 white cotton ball? It's included. 1 tsp hot chocolate? It's in there!

 

It does cover all the basic preschool academics - letters, numbers, colors, calendar, etc. etc., but truly the crafts are the impressive part! We have a few of the craft baggies left, and my kids (at almost age 7) still love to grab them and do them. They can make anything about of paper now, and love nothing better to sit down with paper and scissors and glue! I attiribute their creativity and craftiness to The Learning Box.

 

http://www.thelearningboxpreschool.com/

 

I think you can buy a sample old month kit to try it out.

[mom2scouts]

I agree with those who say you should get Core 4/5 and do it with all your children. I love Sonlight and will probably be doing two Cores, but at that age you should have no trouble combining and filling in your other subjects.

[KAM]

P 4/5 would be great. I did it with my younger boy, he was 5/6 at the time and it was perfect. I did get many of the P 3/4 books as well, for his younger sister, but we didn't treat it as a Core, we just read the books when she wants to. We didn't buy the IG for either Core for ds, but I am going to buy P 4/5 IG this year because my little one wants her own "school" and I'd like to have something laid out that her siblings and I can take turns working through with her.

 

I save quite a bit too, by not buying everything from SL. Many of the books are cheaper at Rainbow Resource or on Amazon, though it certainly is easier to order the whole box from SL. I couldn't find where it said what age your kids were....I do agree that anything structured isn't necessary at this point, but I have four kids myself and can see why you may want something to work from, to add a little routine in and keep the kids engaged. Sometimes it is easier, with multiple kids, to have something planned out for you, as long as it stays fun and doesn't feel like an obligation. So if you have the $ I wouldn't hesitate to get P 4/5 and maybe even P 3/4. The books have been very popular with my kids and well worth the money.

Edited April 5, 2012 by KAM

[Tsutsie]

I agree, P4/5 is perfect for a BRIGHT, young, 5 year old.

We loved it here!

 

(Soon to start pass 2 through it.)

 

PLEASE listen to everybody. (Been there, done that, and then had to spend another few hundreds of $ to purchase P4/5 for my bright son.) Needless to say, hubby was not happy.

 

The core is not the place to challenge a clever kid. You do that with Math or LA or wherever his strong points are. For the read-alouds, social, etc - just enjoy it. It much easier to make something a little more difficult, than to water and dumb it down to a childs level.

 

Do yourself a favour - if you STILL think you should get Core A instead of P4/5, go and get "Twenty and Ten" from the library or The Family Under the Bridge. Even The Light at Tern Rock is not easy. (They removed The Apple and the Arrow this year, which was WAY WAY WAY over the head of 99% of 5 year olds.)

 

Also, we are reading P3/4 to our 4.5 year old as bedtime stories and not only does she love it, my 7 year old does too. He gets upset if I ask him to go with his dad and read a slightly more advanced book.

 

Again, I'd just get P4/5 and then make a trip to the library every week to pick up books for the littlest ones.

[StartingOver]

Sonlight can be done within the recommended age ranges... Edited April 5, 2012 by StartingOver

[sewingmama]

You do not need a curriculum for a 2yo - seriously. She will pick up on whatever her brother is learning. I have hardly done any learning activities with my 2yo due to less time as I school the olders but he knows much more then they did when they were 2 even though I did a lot more with them.

 

It will suprise you what a bright 2yo can follow along with. I have been reading Dr Dolittle to my olders -the 2yo has never sat with us for it but played in the same room (or in the next room ) and the other day I asked him to get me a book to read and he grabbed Dr. Dolittle - I laughed and told him he didn't want that book -he said "Yes I do" I laughed again and said "but you don't even know what it's about" and he said "Doctor and animals and boat and pirates" :001_huh:

 

I agree Core A might not be a good fit. I've been trying to read some of the books from it to my almost 6yo and she isn't getting a lot of them.

 

Stick with books that are right at their level - it isn't necessary to challenge them all the time with reading -just enjoy :D

[Jennay]

I agree, P4/5 is perfect for a BRIGHT, young, 5 year old.

We loved it here!

 

(Soon to start pass 2 through it.)

 

PLEASE listen to everybody. (Been there, done that, and then had to spend another few hundreds of $ to purchase P4/5 for my bright son.) Needless to say, hubby was not happy.

 

The core is not the place to challenge a clever kid. You do that with Math or LA or wherever his strong points are. For the read-alouds, social, etc - just enjoy it. It much easier to make something a little more difficult, than to water and dumb it down to a childs level.

 

Do yourself a favour - if you STILL think you should get Core A instead of P4/5, go and get "Twenty and Ten" from the library or The Family Under the Bridge. Even The Light at Tern Rock is not easy. (They removed The Apple and the Arrow this year, which was WAY WAY WAY over the head of 99% of 5 year olds.)

 

Also, we are reading P3/4 to our 4.5 year old as bedtime stories and not only does she love it, my 7 year old does too. He gets upset if I ask him to go with his dad and read a slightly more advanced book.

 

Again, I'd just get P4/5 and then make a trip to the library every week to pick up books for the littlest ones.

 

They also removed The Family Under the Bridge.