A few questions about PreK & K from a new homeschooler

[Reverie]

Hi everyone. I'm new to homeschooling, and this board (I did post an introduction).

 

Last week, we started PreK at home with our 4 year old daughter. I'm a strong believer that her most important work right now is play, so nothing too academically rigorous. I love a lot of Waldorf philosophy and education, but am not a purist. We're doing Oak Meadow PreK curriculum, with added literature and science projects. Math is worked in.

 

PreK questions:

 

We have a 'book of the week' that we read daily (we read a lot more than that, but it's our focus) and do activities and crafts based around that book. My book list is largely from BFIAR, but not entirely- do you think it's worth buying the BFIAR manual if I'm not going to use the entire book list? I've heard mixed reviews as to whether BFIAR is worth it. Part of me thinks I should get it just to make sure I'm not missing anything, and the other part of me thinks I'll do just fine without it. Is it worth it? What about FIAR for later?

 

Kindergarten questions:

 

How did you decide whether or not to use a box curriculum? I like the idea of having a set curriculum, even if I have to supplement it, but I don't want to spend the majority of my budget on something and not have enough wiggle room to round it out. 

 

If you do create your own curriculum, how would you present it in your records if someone wanted to see what your child was working on?

 

How closely do you follow Core Curriculum standards? How much weight do they hold in your planning?

 

Anyone doing a Waldorf-inspired, seasonally- or literature-based curriculum with their children? 

 

 

 

 

 

Thank you for reading. I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed. Any advice welcome. :)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[craftyerin]

Last week, we started PreK at home with our 4 year old daughter. I'm a strong believer that her most important work right now is play, so nothing too academically rigorous. I love a lot of Waldorf philosophy and education, but am not a purist. We're doing Oak Meadow PreK curriculum, with added literature and science projects. Math is worked in.

 

PreK questions:

 

We have a 'book of the week' that we read daily (we read a lot more than that, but it's our focus) and do activities and crafts based around that book. My book list is largely from BFIAR, but not entirely- do you think it's worth buying the BFIAR manual if I'm not going to use the entire book list? I've heard mixed reviews as to whether BFIAR is worth it. Part of me thinks I should get it just to make sure I'm not missing anything, and the other part of me thinks I'll do just fine without it. Is it worth it? What about FIAR for later? We never used BFIAR, but did use FIAR, starting at 4, through my twins' PK and K years.  I enjoyed FIAR, but was uninspired by BFIAR when I thumbed through it. 

 

Kindergarten questions:

 

How did you decide whether or not to use a box curriculum? I like the idea of having a set curriculum, even if I have to supplement it, but I don't want to spend the majority of my budget on something and not have enough wiggle room to round it out. I have never considered using a boxed curriculum.  My children have rather asynchronous skills and there's no way a boxed anything would fit all three of them.  We use a mix of things and prefer it. 

 

If you do create your own curriculum, how would you present it in your records if someone wanted to see what your child was working on? I have a list in my planner of what we are using for each subject, and I keep a daily log of what activities and lessons we do.  

 

How closely do you follow Core Curriculum standards? How much weight do they hold in your planning? I have no idea how closely we are following CC standards, as I've never read them. They do not hold any weight in my planning. 

 

Anyone doing a Waldorf-inspired, seasonally- or literature-based curriculum with their children? We use lit-based curriculum.  We used FIAR for PK and K, and are now using Ambleside Online for 1st.  We do the 3Rs from a variety of different publishers, depending on what works well for the each kiddo. 

 

Thank you for reading. I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed. Any advice welcome. :)

My advice would be to relax and enjoy PK! You cannot ruin a 4yo, I promise. And welcome to the boards! 

 

[nannyaunt]

I am also brand new to homeschooling but I will throw my opinion out there, FWIW.  I came into this sort of sideways.  I am homeschooling my nephew. He is not quite 5. I started by looking at curriculums online at their websites and on Amazon and on Barnes and Noble.  I looked at different pieces I could find at bookstores.  I talked total strangers I cornered anyplace I found them. I read pages and pages and pages of forum postings at a few different sites.  The ONLY curriculum I found that didn't have any bad reviews besides it is a bit dry and boring was R&S math.  Everything else had some people loved it, some people hated it. Sometimes what worked with one kid didn't with another kid.  The whole piece together a curriculum was so confusing that I went with a box curriculum.  It covers the basics of reading, writing, and math with a lot of read aloud books.  It has enough good reviews and it has the R&S math which I thought looked really boring but it works so that's what we will go with.

 

I am sorry I don't know what Waldorf or seasonally based curriculum is.  I did find Winters Promise and Moving Beyond the Page both of which looked good but I wanted a Latin based curriculum.

 

I don't think Texas requires records to be kept, but I know I have seen blogs and websites where they have free record keeping forms you can just print off.  Oh I forgot about the hours and hours of YouTube.com videos I watched on homeschooling.  It was invaluable for planning and record keeping,but still left me confused about what to get that would cover most things you need for kindergarten.

 

I did not consider the Core curriculum at all, in fact until I began this process I didn't know it existed.  I don't think Texas uses it.

 

I think there is no perfect curriculum and everyone makes mistakes.  So just take a deep breath, relax and have fun with your kid while you explore the whole learning process.  When you make a mistake, back up, regroup, make a new plan, say you're sorry and keep on going.

 

Shannon

[Rosie_0801]

PreK questions:

 

We have a 'book of the week' that we read daily (we read a lot more than that, but it's our focus) and do activities and crafts based around that book. My book list is largely from BFIAR, but not entirely- do you think it's worth buying the BFIAR manual if I'm not going to use the entire book list? I've heard mixed reviews as to whether BFIAR is worth it. Part of me thinks I should get it just to make sure I'm not missing anything, and the other part of me thinks I'll do just fine without it. Is it worth it? What about FIAR for later?

 

I can't comment on that since we are not FIAR sorts of people, but I'd say it doesn't matter if you miss something by not having the manual because it is only preK. 

 

Kindergarten questions:

 

How did you decide whether or not to use a box curriculum? I like the idea of having a set curriculum, even if I have to supplement it, but I don't want to spend the majority of my budget on something and not have enough wiggle room to round it out. 

 

My dd has learning challenges, so a boxed curriculum was never going to be a good choice for her. I drew up a table with grade level down one side and subject across the top and set about filling it in. It helped clarify my philosophies of education and gave me a reasonable idea on what resources were out there. It also gave me something to tweak to suit my actual, real life child. :D Boxes are great for some people though.

 

If you do create your own curriculum, how would you present it in your records if someone wanted to see what your child was working on?

 

In my state there are very few people who have the right to that information. It happens I blog our daily doings because my mother and brother like to keep up to date, and her father could also access it if he felt like it. Until we're putting together a portfolio for getting into university, we have no need for anything else.

 

How closely do you follow Core Curriculum standards? How much weight do they hold in your planning?

 

None at all. As I said, my daughter doesn't fit in boxes. I might look at them again in high school. I hope the high school standards are better than what I've read of the primary school standards.

 

Thank you for reading. I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed. Any advice welcome. :)

 

Slow and steady. :)

 

[sewingmama]

I was interested in BFIAR for a while but I decided against it when I found www.homeschoolshare.com...because its the same sort of thing only free...which means I could pick and choose activities without feeling like I should do everything because I paid for it and want my money's worth.

 

I'm not sure what you mean by boxed curriculum. Do you mean a curriculum that includes every subject? I looked at many but am glad I didn't use them in the end. Just for starters we went through 4 different math curriculums before we found one that worked. I like making my own choices for each subject.

 

That being said I do use MBTP...which is literature based. I like it a lot but I make it fit us rather then the other way around. I pick and choose from it.

 

As for Core Standards...well I have a folder filled with the grade level standards for my State...that sits in a corner that I never look at . LOL. Basically, I have 8 learning areas to cover and I make up my own thing to cover them. My DD is working below grade level and my DS is working way above grade level... so I tailor everything to suit them. The only standard I have is that they are improving and making progress no matter where they are starting from.

 

For records...well I do have someone from the education department come out once a year and look at what I use and what my kids are learning. I fill in a form they give me where I use lots of waffle and educationese that amounts to nothing to fill up the spaces LOL. Last year I made a photo book with pictures of my kids doing their HS activities. I kept samples of their best work and whacked it in a folder for her to see. Nothing special...they don't want to see every single thing your kids have ever done LOL.

 

As for Waldorf ...there was a free curriculum that I thought was cute. Oh yes.. www.weefolkart.com. It is literature based.

 

The best advice I have is that you don't need to spend big for PreK or K. I would not do expensive box curriculums at that age...there is so much for cheap or free on the web that do the job just as well...or better. Wait until you really know your child's strengths, weaknesses and learning styles before you invest in a box curriculum so you can find one that is a good match to your child.

[Tanikit]

I was already thinking of homeschooling when my oldest was 2 years old. I bought Sonlight P3/4 and just read her the stories and we did a few activities based on some suggestions, but also whatever I thought of that seemed fun. I believe in this curriculum now there are more suggestions for activities than there were when I bought it. I have also used many of the BFIAR and also the FIAR books with my children since. These days however I actually do fewer activities planned around the stories than I used to do probably because my eldest is following a more traditional curriculum schedule now that she is heading into grade 2.

 

For my youngest in preK she now hears endless stories but joins activities with her sister more and we do free play with learning objectives too. 

 

By K with my eldest we had already been doing unit studies (collected activities off the internet in preK and K sites), teaching basic phonics (OPGTR) and reading, and had started using some K curriculum with her in preK so by then I had to go eclectic and buy separately for various subjects since she would never have lined up with a boxed curriculum. Since then I have just done what comes next pulling in subjects as we found our feet and doing the next thing in curricula we had chosen that were open and go and were working for us. I also keep a daily log of what we have done - we are not in the USA so do not have to bother with Common Core Standards - I looked at them briefly when there was a lot of talk about them, but have not bothered since then. I usually check standards about 3 times a year - at the beginning when I am checking that what I have chosen for the year meets some kind of minimum standard, in the final quarter when my DD writes tests/olympiads and right at the end to make sure that everything has been covered - we are working ahead so I am really just checking that I have not missed anything - again this only applies to my eldest right now. The youngest in preK I just make sure that we have learnt something and had fun and played enough and ask myself what it is she enjoys most and if we have done enough of that.

[DhanyaCali]

Hey Reverie! We're in pre-k right now too! :)

 

I always assumed I would go 100% Waldorf homeschool all the way, my sister's been in Waldorf private and charter schools are her whole life so I did live in a Waldorf home for a few years before I got married and moved out. I Waldorf is beautiful, lovely and effective but I always felt as if I was only in the shallows of understanding the deep river that is waldorf philosophy and practice. Charlotte Mason has proven much more accessible and understandable for me, so I'm doing that, literature based + occasional waldorf inspired elements.

 

I really enjoy the BFIAR manual, it's very sweet, the 2nd half has lots of thoughtful ideas for play learning fun. I would say it's worth the investment if you could find a used copy. (But you WILL do fine without it if you choose!)

 

I also assumed I would make my own curriculum from scratch, nope again! There is no doubt for me that I could, and could do it well, but in my mind's eye I see me on the computer researching and compiling endlessly, taking away from time with the little ones. That's just me, I'm sure tons of people have time/energy to do it all, but I don't! I really enjoy our boxed curriculum (Sonlight) it's really open and go and it's relaxed literature approach keeps me in check from pushing too much academics (I secretly fear I'm a bit of a pusher!). 

 

I don't give Common Core a thought.

 

You are obviously very thoughtful and dedicated to 4yo's education, you are going to rock this!

[Reverie]

Thank you for your replies! I don't really want a box curriculum, but having something pre-made is appealing when I'm just getting started.

 

Sewingmama- yes, I really like the Wee Folk Art curriculum! Little Acorn Learning also seems like a good fit for a seasonal guide. I'm considering MBTP- I like that it's literature-based and comprehensive. By 'boxed curriculum', yes, I do mean one that includes every subject.

 

I live in California, and it does not appear that home school work is routinely checked on a detailed level- I plan on registering with the state as a private school, which the state expects to offer a certain list of curriculum subjects per grade level. I hear a lot of conflicting arguments on Common Core standards, and have taken a peek. I might review them each year to see what my children are expected to be learning,

 

There's a little (probably highly irrational) part of me that seems to think I'm going to have to do a lot of explaining or justifying to some Great Unknown Powers That Be. I'm sure it's new homeschooler jitters. 

 

Thank you for taking the time to reply. I feel more confident to customize a curriculum.

 

 

[Reverie]

DhanaCali- I think we must have cross-posted, I'm sorry I missed your reply until now. 

 

I'm still keeping my options open for K, and I do find Charlotte Mason appealing. :) I still love the Waldorf approach, but I'm thinking outside the Waldorf box for due diligence.

 

I stumbled across The Great Books Academy today, and find their book lists appealing. 

 

 

[barnwife]

Pre-K

Personally, I wouldn't get the BFIAR manual or FIAR. If I was reading a book and wanted ideas, I'd check online first. But bear in mind that I am not using BFIAR or FIAR at this point. I am using God's Little Explorers Bible themes. And I choose my own activities to go with each.

Kindergarten
Whenever we finish God's Little Explorers, we will add in a bit a math and phonics (although we already incorporate both into daily life). So far I plan on a mix of Saxon and Miquon for math. I already have Phonics Museum, but I am unsure if that will be a good fit when we get there.

I will most likely never use a boxed curriculum, at least in elementary. I want to be able to put my own spin on things. And knowing myself I'd just tweak and tweak until it was no longer recognizable. That would defeat the purpose of spending the money on a boxed curriculum.

I've never thought about how to present it to someone else, as that's not required in our state. If it were, I'd start by listing the main materials/books and go from there. Nor does Common Core play a role in my planning. 

Literature will most likely always be at the center of our curriculum. 


 

[Jackie]

I never tried BFIAR. I did try FIAR. I found that after rowing a few books using their suggestions to get the hang of it, it was easy for me to do the same general concept on my own. So while it was worthwhile to me to buy one of the manuals to see how it was put together, I'm glad I didn't buy any others. (Especially because this just ended up plain not working for us.)

 

I tried a couple all-in-one currics but ended up abandoning them pretty quickly. My daughter is very asynchronous in her learning (reading at fifth grade level but still can't print, for example) and I needed to be able to pick and choose different materials at different levels. It's not hard - just decide what subjects you are going to cover and then research what materials may be best for each one for your own child. I neither seek out nor avoid Common Core-aligned materials. Because we intend to homeschool long-term, it is more important to me that DD learn things well than that she learn them at a certain time or in a certain order.

 

We read a lot, but don't use a packaged literature-based curriculum. Our reading includes a big stack of picture books and nonfiction from the library, lots of variety at home, and an evening read aloud of a longer book. I do design some of our subjects myself, when I can't find something already made that seems like a great fit. DD is below cumpulsory school age, and we currently live in a state with no reporting, so being able to prove what we are doing isn't an issue. If it were, I do have a "syllabus" of sorts for the self-designed courses to keep myself on track - you can see an example at the prehistory link in my signature.

[BusyMom5]

I'm new to HSing, but I have done PreK w/ all my older 4 kids.  I did use BFIAR and FIAR, and I got most of the books from the library, and used them as a loose guide.  Looking back, I would just pick books and have a weekly or bi-weekly theme.  I always loved doing little projects, crafts and activities w/ my kids, so it wasn't hard to make my own things up.  If you want something that is more laid out, then get the BFIAR book to get the idea, and then you can 'row' any book you like! 

 

 

For Kindergarten, I've still got 2 years before my youngest starts.  My plan right now would be LOE Foundations A, HWT, K math will probably be games and manipulative based, I'm not sure if I will do an actual curriculum or not.  I have Saxon Math 1 for my 1st graders, so I know what skills to prep for 1st.  I'm not sure if I really need a K math program or if we will just do cheapie workbooks from Wal-Mart until ready for 1st grade math.  She already tags along w/ history and science, so I don't plan on doing anything else.  We read books daily, and I am sure I will chose some for her.  I would not do a boxed for K, I want hands-on and flexibility. 

 

As for CC- I've pulled my older kids from school in part due to CC.  It will not influence my choices at all.  Find stuff that works for your own kid, and don't worry about what the schools are doing. 

[lea_lpz]

I used mfw k and loved it. It was a very gentle approach to k with thematic units based on letters in the alphabet. By end of the year students will be able to do simple addition and subtraction, write simple sentences and read sight and cvc words. They have a book day each unit where you do some fun activities with that weeks special book- rowing the book is an option. They also have a book list for each unit so lots if options there. It's a Christian program so Bible is integrated. Not sure if that's for you but though I would throw it out there.

 

Our first time using it with dd we spent about an hour and half to two hours using it (we did a lot of fun extras). Now using it with my k'er I tend to stick with it as written and keep it simple-we take about 45 min working one on one and then we do an activity later that dd,7, usually wants to do too for fun and that is generally 15 min to maybe 30 min tops. She loves getting to do the k stuff again :)

[Ellie]

Hi everyone. I'm new to homeschooling, and this board (I did post an introduction).

 

Last week, we started PreK at home with our 4 year old daughter. I'm a strong believer that her most important work right now is play, so nothing too academically rigorous. I love a lot of Waldorf philosophy and education, but am not a purist. We're doing Oak Meadow PreK curriculum, with added literature and science projects. Math is worked in.

 

PreK questions:

 

We have a 'book of the week' that we read daily (we read a lot more than that, but it's our focus) and do activities and crafts based around that book. My book list is largely from BFIAR, but not entirely- do you think it's worth buying the BFIAR manual if I'm not going to use the entire book list? I've heard mixed reviews as to whether BFIAR is worth it. Part of me thinks I should get it just to make sure I'm not missing anything, and the other part of me thinks I'll do just fine without it. Is it worth it? What about FIAR for later?

 

Kindergarten questions:

 

How did you decide whether or not to use a box curriculum? I like the idea of having a set curriculum, even if I have to supplement it, but I don't want to spend the majority of my budget on something and not have enough wiggle room to round it out. 

 

If you do create your own curriculum, how would you present it in your records if someone wanted to see what your child was working on?

 

How closely do you follow Core Curriculum standards? How much weight do they hold in your planning?

 

Anyone doing a Waldorf-inspired, seasonally- or literature-based curriculum with their children? 

 

 

 

 

 

Thank you for reading. I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed. Any advice welcome. :)

 

When my dc were little, "PreK" had not yet been invented. :-) I did the kinds of things mothers have always done with their children--taught them colors and shapes, and terms such as "next to" and "under" and "on top of," taught them how to match things, and to count. We went to the zoo, and used public transportation a few times. I read to them, of course, and let them have as much free-play as possible.

 

I never found a single source for everything. It would not have occurred to me to buy a box of books for a little person who was only 5yo. I had a good phonics/spelling method (Spalding), and puttered around with arithmetic for many years. Everything else was just part of our life.

 

I never heard the words "core curriculum," so clearly they had no weight in my planning. :-) As a well-educated adult, I had a pretty good idea of what I wanted my dc to learn over time.

 

I had also never heard of Waldorf at that time (early 80s); trying to orchestrate my dc's learning to go with seasons would have seemed too contrived to me; we went to the library weekly, used trade books for information as often as possible, but no one had yet invented the concept of literature-based learning, and I suspect that might have felt too contrived to me, as well.

[PagesandFields]

Hi there - 

 

I liked the FIAR/BFIAR reading list... but not all the books.  I really liked Peak With Books for us, I found those books and activities easier to pick and choose from.  I would read the section ahead and mostly just include the poems/finger plays or activities (or similar ones) within our week.  I tended to only do that kind of thing during summers...  For some reason integrated lit work doesn't work for us..  I find that truly engaging with stories and coming up with our own projects usually works better than followed planned out activities... BUT... the ideas are great and Peak With Books was really great to use for activities and suggestions.  

 

I mostly wanted to post to say I'm happy to share whatever reading lists I have put together.  I'm very inspired by waldorf and charlotte mason both... but have a background in education, eco-psychology, and world religions...  So I've put together my whole curriculum to be rooted in the earth's seasons...  My website it a  disaster...  Just when I was starting DH started working 8 days a week (well, 7 but it seriously feels like 8)  haha!  But you're welcome to poke through what's there...  if the site's working!   :)

 

If Oak Meadow pre-k is working for you, I'd do the K... just adding in what you want.  Or - if this year you notice specific things that you don't like or aren't working look for something that would work better.  I'm pretty Charlotte Masony and think that until age 6 focus should be about imagination, exploration, habits, play, stories, and natural educational exploration.  But... that said... my precocious boy is actually happier when he's had a bit of seat work.  So what works best for us is focused "academics" for very brief time in the morning, then everything else works its way through the day... 

 

I didn't want a box curriculum because the more I have learned about education the more I realize that no child fits perfect inside one of those boxes...  But I do think that there are good box curriculum out there and can sometimes give the parent/teacher/student focus to stick with something... which is important.  Every child has different interests and abilities.  My son is asynchronous and would be very bored with some of the K books because we've just read them so many times... But he needs extra support in other areas.  He also tends to "binge"... or like to work in blocks instead of daily.  Another example is that as much as I want him to adore waldorf watercolor painting.. he just doesn't like it.  Forcing him to do it isn't going to help his creativity or imagination...  He was really into math and reluctant to do any handwriting (he needs motor skills/writing/drawing practice)... then suddenly was really interested in tracing/handwriting/drawing and not interested in math..  I went with it (to a degree) and he's learned faster and is happier... PLUS... I think it's easier on the teacher/parent if you can follow their interests, abilities, and speed of work.  It just means less frustration/struggle.  

 

SO...  Finding some kind of a core can be great because it can take the stress/load off the parent/teacher.  A centered parent/teacher who feels comfortable is better than the perfect curriculum with a really stressed out parent/teacher...  Does that makes sense?  So I know for me I've pre-planned out certain tracks - core math/reading/handwriting...  Then apart from that we explore and move at a pace that's a lot more fluid and flexible   I have seasonal books, seasonal science and nature, a history track... it happens some days, others we just do farm chores, look for frogs in the creek, or vacuum the messy house...  

 

You'll figure it out.  The Pre-K year is really helpful at figuring out what fits for everyone.  Don't feel like you have to do everything, and don't feel like you have to have the perfect thing.  And remember that you're both people.  It has to be something that works for you both.  For example...  I've researched and spent a ridiculous amount of time and money putting together our plans...  But I also firmly, firmly, firmly believe that as long as you avoid things that take away from learning (for us it's too much screen time, my own exhaustion, getting out of balance, too many activities outside of the house) and get yourself a library card to a good library, and spend as much time in nature and exploring the world (including cities or cultural experiences)...  then at these ages you're doing great. 

 

Okay - sorry for the rambling!  I don't get on these boards often since our schedule's gone all insane - but I could relate to what you were saying and wanted to respond.

[PagesandFields]

Hi!

 

Sorry for records I keep all his work, and have 2 planners.  one where I write ideas/projects/lesson plans, and one simple notebook where I write down what we ACTUALLY did every day... This is helpful because at age 5 most of our learning doesn't happen during "school" time... so when I'm good about it I write down all the activities/projects or books that we stumble into through our days.  You can't lesson plan finding a tortoise in your back yard... but sometimes it happens!  haha!   :)

 

ETA: My state currently requires no testing or records... but there's just too much teacher/educator in me to not keep records anyway...

[freeindeed]

I like the looks of Oak Meadow's Kindergarten package. I used their Preschool package with my special needs daughter last year when she was 5. I am hoping my daughter will be ready for their kindergarten package next school year. Currently we are using Wynstone's Series and A Child's Seasonal Treasury-both Waldorf. We have circle time with verses, finger plays, and songs. We use Sonlight P3/4 for Bible and read-alouds. I pick and choose what we use and when. I relate our circle time to the seasons. I don't worry at all about Common Core. You might be interested in http://waldorfessentials.com/ Melissa is very helpful and has some great, reasonably priced materials.

[happypamama]

I live in a state where I don't have to do any reporting until grade 2 or 3, so I'm not at all concerned about common core for preK or K (or, really, for the older grades either; I go by my children's academic needs, not some arbitrary list of standards), not about keeping any sort of detailed records for little ones.

 

This year we have been using Wee Folk Art, and we like it a lot. It's seasonal and incorporates books, music, art, and crafts. It's plenty for my preKer. For my Ker (I have both preK and K this year), I add handwriting (sometimes; he's still young, so I don't push this), math (we like MEP), and reading practice (this varies and can be a lot of things). And we have Bible/memory work, and a calendar where they velcro things. They also come along for the ride with the big kids sometimes and listen into readalouds and participate in science projects.

 

We are pretty unschooly for little ones, and they can do or not do whatever they want, depending on their moods. I print off a lot of free printable themed packs for days when they are looking for something to do until it's their turn to read with me, so they can practice cutting, sorting, making graphs, etc. We also have the BrainQuest workbook, and my Ker will find pages in there to do when he feels like it. Some days they go through a lot of those activities, and some days they paint or draw a lot, and some days they have their own thing going in and just want to play with trains or build things. (It helps a ton that they are best little buddies and pretty much joined at the hip, so they entertain each other.). But if I say, "okay, it's your time with Mom," it's very rare that they won't come running for that.

 

Enjoy the early years -- they are so much fun!

[3curlytops]

I don't think the BFIAR manual is necessary.  Get on pintrest and search the book title and you'll find activities for those books.  I only like about 30% of the BFIAR book list, and we are a very book heavy house.  

I never really considered doing a full boxed curriculum.  All we are really concerned about right now is phonics and some early math.   I do a lot of read alouds, but I don't really consider that as "school", more of just our family culture that everyone reads.

[Reverie]

Thank you for all the replies! They've been very helpful. :)

 

For PreK, we're doing a sort of modified Before Five in A Row- some books fro the BFIAR list, some my choice, and activities to go along with each book. Lots of play, science experiments, and math in real life (recipe measurements, sorting, skip counting, etc).

 

I think the BFIAR books are nice, but seem a bit young for my daughter. I think FIAR books would have been a better match.

 

If I had to start over again for PreK, I would do Wee Folk Art Simple Seasons. I love that it's seasonal, and the book choices look interesting.

 

I purchased Oak Meadow K for next year, but was uncertain on when to use it because my daughter already knows above and beyond a lot of the curriculum. However, I really love the philosophy behind how OM is structured, and decided to use OMK next year, along with WFA for enrichment.