Starfall Paid PreK Curriculum or BFIAR

[CJVW]

We had our minds set on BFIAR for our three year old, but then I saw Starfall has a compete curriculum for PreK that is extremely affordable.

 

Does anyone have experience with the curriculum package (not the paid website access, the complete curriculum?)

 

Has anyone tried BFIAR?

[carriede]

I do not have the Starfall curriculum, but have reviewed B4FIAR.

 

At first glance, Starfall seems to be more a preschool at home program with an emphasis on prereading skills and math.

 

B4FIAR will not teach your child how to read/letters and specifically states that you'll need an alternate program to teach letters (if that's even your aim since its designed for 2-4 year olds who may not be ready for letters yet).

 

Basically, they are two COMEPLETELY different programs with completely different goals. B4FIAR is based on reading good quality books with your child and extrapolating information/activities based on the story. Starfall seems to be more straight academics.

 

You could probably even use elements from both if you wanted to, they are THAT different. Just depends on what your own goals are for you child and their particular abilities.

[CJVW]

Thank you! I'm assuming it is a new curriculum, since I can't find a single review!

 

I think we will get StarFall and see if she is ready for it. We will continue to do literature units (reading books and doing coordinating art projects, recipes, etc.)

[TianXiaXueXiao]

I am interested to hear about your Starfall experience after you have been using it for a while. We use the apps with my two year old. She knows all her letter sounds and can spell simple words using the app. She has recently begun writing letters like H, A, and T, so I think she might enjoy a full curriculum. How much does the program cost?

[CJVW]

The Pre-K program includes a year of paid membership on the websiteand is $185.

 

Here is a link. I really liked the overview and the other downloads about the program.

 

I contacted them because I could not find a single mom review of the program. He sent me links, reviews and even the exit questionnaires from the teachers who worked in the program.

 

If you go to their website and click on the Pre-K tab, it's all there. They have a classroom curriculum and a homeschool curriculum.

[CJVW]

Woops! I forgot the link!

 

http://more.starfall.com/info/curriculum/pre-k.php?ref=classic&

[TianXiaXueXiao]

Thanks for the link!

[boscopup]

I wouldn't pay for Starfall's curriculum (I've seen the K, and it was "meh"). I would pay for the "More Starfall", which is much, much less than that! My kids have all started playing on starfall at age 3 and learned a lot by doing so. I think $185 is way too much for a PreK curriculum that doesn't include a bunch of good literature to read to your child. BFIAR would probably be a better investment, longterm. I think BFIAR and a More Starfall subscription would be a good combo. And actually, you probably don't even need the More Starfall subscription, as a 3 year old can get a lot out of the free side alone. The More Starfall is more necessary (pardon the pun :D) as the child moves beyond what's available for free.

[CJVW]

I'm so torn!

[MomatHWTK]

Do both.  I loved BFIAR but am not doing it with my youngest- he is too into big kid stuff.  The youngest does Starfall on his own as a fun activity and has learned a lot from it.  Neither is going to be a real "curriculum" without your participation of course, but DS really does love his Starfall.  The books used in BFIAR are classics and worth spending a year sharing with your child.  (We still have the books, I'm just not doing the program this time around.)

 

ETA: I just realized that you were considering the actual Starfall printed materials.  We are only using the full online subscription- no printed materials other than the free ones.  You might start with the subscription and see how it goes.  I don't think I would spend $185 on any curricula for pre-school. :)

 

 

[lea_lpz]

I'd pay for the more starfall membership and buy BFIAR. Your kid could do the Lang / phonics stuff on starfall and then read the BFIAR books and do activities. If you want wrkbk type stuff, you could get some from Costco or have you seen confessions of a homeschooler.

[Mergath]

I'd pay for the more starfall membership and buy BFIAR. Your kid could do the Lang / phonics stuff on starfall and then read the BFIAR books and do activities. If you want wrkbk type stuff, you could get some from Costco or have you seen confessions of a homeschooler.

 

:iagree:   This is exactly what I was going to say.  I haven't seen the pre-k curriculum, but I remember looking at some of the K curriculum when dd had a subscription to more.Starfall, and I wasn't terribly impressed.  And we did BFIAR when dd was about three.  I think Starfall combined with BFIAR would be a good combination.  Or maybe Reading Eggs instead of Starfall.  We've done both, and Reading Eggs had much more direction.  When dd would play Starfall, she tended to do the same two or three things over and over.

[CJVW]

Thank you! I think I am going to "Dummy Proof" our first year and follow the program in the book...as opposed to BFIAR or StarFall...although we may still do BFIAR if the budget allows!