Emma S Posted April 12, 2014 Share Posted April 12, 2014 My 5 year old loves writing. She is not reading yet, but knows all her letter sounds. She enjoys asking me how to spell things and writing them down. I have done very little handwriting with her, and want to encourage her in a gentle way as I notice she is writing her letters from bottom to top. I have a very limited budget so if anyone could suggest a cheap/free resource that would be great. I was also wondering (even though she isn't reading yet), if there is a language arts curriculum or something I could start using with her? Her vocab is excellent and she will sit and listen to chapter books for up to 40 mins. Again free or cheap would be great. Thank you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aiden Posted April 13, 2014 Share Posted April 13, 2014 I don't know about a Language Arts curriculum, but for the handwriting--if she has the basics and just needs to practice doing it correctly, you can always look at Wal-Mart/Target/Dollar Store/some little teacher supply store if there's one near you. At Christmas, my daughter received a Curious George backpack full of inexpensive workbooks, including a tracing one. It started with tracing straight lines, then curved, then loops, and moved on to letter formation. She loves the workbook, and I think it only cost a dollar or two. I'd be amazed if there wasn't something similar that focused on letters. Amazon or your favorite online homeschooling store probably would have some options. Of course, you also could make your own tracing sheets. Indicate with a circle outline where she should start, a little arrow which way she should go, and a full/colored-in circle where she should stop, of course with the dotted lines along the path. You could customize it to just do the letters at first, and then make it more interesting by teaching her how to write her name or your name or the names of her friends. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nature girl Posted April 13, 2014 Share Posted April 13, 2014 Kumon has handwriting books that are excellent, each is under $10 on Amazon, if you wait they sometimes dip under $5. If you want a more comprehensive LA program, 100EZ is cheap, around $13 on Amazon, and includes a writing component (although I think it just asks the teacher to show the student letters on a white board and have them copy.) HWOT is also pretty inexpensive, get the workbook and a small chalkboard (I got mine from RR for $4) and dollar store chalk. You could also go free, at least to start, in teaching reading...We've used Progressive Phonics (online), it's not really a reading program so much as phonogram instruction and a set of readers, but once she has the idea of blending down it's great, fun reading practice. Reading Bears (also online) is also free. I haven't used it, but it looks like a decent program. And I'm just remembering...There's also a free reading program that someone here suggested a week or two ago. I'll try to find the link... ETA: http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/510281-free-and-fairly-comprehensive-phonics-program/?hl=%2Bfree+%2Bphonics Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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