Stay w/ LHTH & Supplement or move on to something else???

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laurabelle1317
Posts: 47
Joined: Tue Apr 27, 2010 9:53 am

Stay w/ LHTH & Supplement or move on to something else???

Post by laurabelle1317 » Mon Sep 13, 2010 12:33 pm

My son is 4.5 and we are doing Little Hands to Heaven. He is way beyond learning his alphabet and numbers though and is learning to read with 100 Easy Lessons. So all we are really doing with HOD is the Bible stories, art, and science portions. I am trying to decide if I should continue on with LHTH and just supplement with something else...or if there is something else that I could/should do.

Any ideas? I'm just not sure which direction to go to make sure that we have a fun year of learning - and learning all subjects we would like to learn!
Last edited by laurabelle1317 on Mon Sep 13, 2010 9:21 pm, edited 1 time in total.
JayBird, 4.5y/o using LHTH
JellyBean, 2y/o copying Big Brother doing LHTH

We're blogging! Check out my new (and first ever) blog as we share all that we are doing with Little Hands to Heaven, and more! http://www.IntoTheirHearts.blogspot.com

creativemommy
Posts: 304
Joined: Sun Jan 25, 2009 9:01 pm
Location: USA

Re: Stay w/ LHTH & Supplement or move on to something else???

Post by creativemommy » Mon Sep 13, 2010 1:05 pm

I don't know if this will help you or not, but I'll let you know what I'm doing this year with my dd who is 4...she is loving it!
  • We are using the Bible/Devotional boxes of LHTH for the second time using the older age recommendations for the Bible/Devotional resources. Occasionally we'll do an art activity or drama activity - depends on the activity & day.

    She's going through 100 Easy Lessons this year, too. :wink:

    From the LHFHG guide, she is working through the Do It Carefully & Finding the Answers books and Singapore's Earlybird Math. Some days we'll do half a page and some days we'll do a whole page.
Next year, for her Kindergarten year we'll use the entire LHFHG guide with the 1st grade Thinking Skills book (my ds did this last year with his Kindergarten year and did well) along with finishing up any Earlybird math we didn't finish this year and beginning Singapore 1A - possibly going a bit slower when needed and stretching it over her K and 1st grade years.
~Beth
Used & Loved LHTH, LHFHG, BLHFHG, & Bigger

krazzymommy
Posts: 95
Joined: Sat Sep 11, 2010 1:37 pm

Re: Stay w/ LHTH & Supplement or move on to something else???

Post by krazzymommy » Mon Sep 13, 2010 5:02 pm

creativemommy wrote:I don't know if this will help you or not, but I'll let you know what I'm doing this year with my dd who is 4...she is loving it!
  • We are using the Bible/Devotional boxes of LHTH for the second time using the older age recommendations for the Bible/Devotional resources. Occasionally we'll do an art activity or drama activity - depends on the activity & day.

    She's going through 100 Easy Lessons this year, too. :wink:

    From the LHFHG guide, she is working through the Do It Carefully & Finding the Answers books and Singapore's Earlybird Math. Some days we'll do half a page and some days we'll do a whole page.
Next year, for her Kindergarten year we'll use the entire LHFHG guide with the 1st grade Thinking Skills book (my ds did this last year with his Kindergarten year and did well) along with finishing up any Earlybird math we didn't finish this year and beginning Singapore 1A - possibly going a bit slower when needed and stretching it over her K and 1st grade years.
Thank you for this. I'm thinking about my dd for next year. She'll be 4, but slightly advanced 4. I think this is a great idea and something I'm definitely going to consider.
~Monica
DD8 - Bigger
DS10 - CtC

We've enjoyed: Little Hands to Heaven, Little Hearts for His Glory, Beyond Little Hearts for His Glory, and Bigger Hearts for His Glory - took a break from HOD for awhile; excited to get back into it!

countrymom
Posts: 770
Joined: Tue Nov 10, 2009 3:16 pm

Re: Stay w/ LHTH & Supplement or move on to something else???

Post by countrymom » Mon Sep 13, 2010 6:43 pm

If your son can sit for short chapter books, you could begin LHFHG at 1/2 speed with him using the kindergarten options. We started LHFHG with our 4 1/2 yr old and it went very well. For me, that is easier than supplementing, which we are doing with our youngest this year because he is not ready for Little Hearts.
Countrymom
Wife to J
Big J - LHFHG, Beyond, Bigger, Preparing, CTC, R2R, Rev to Rev, Modern Missions, beginning parts of World Geography
Little J - LHTH, LHFHG, Beyond, Bigger, Preparing, working in CTC

my3sons
Posts: 10698
Joined: Sun Aug 26, 2007 7:08 pm
Location: South Dakota

Re: Stay w/ LHTH & Supplement or move on to something else???

Post by my3sons » Tue Sep 14, 2010 4:14 pm

LHTH is such a good start to homeschooling. :D My dc already knew their letters and most of their letter sounds when doing LHTH, but I thought it was still such a good way to teach them to listen well to readings, learn to answer the questions well after the Bible readings, follow directions for art projects, listen and discuss devotionals, and work on fine motor skills of color/cut/paste/simple writing. They actually were both reading very well by the time they started LHFHG too, but we still did our phonics program to be sure there were no gaps. I think laying that foundation well for future learning is super important. We've found that by doing this, our dc are thriving with their guides and able to tackle everything in them, even the more difficult assignments in the upper guides. :D Though I did LHFHG with my early reader and writer when he was 4 1/2 yo half-speed, he's had to grow into each of the subsequent guides at half-speed. It's actually gone very well because I've been willing to go half-speed, but I'm not rushing with my youngest through LHTH. (Plus, he's my "baby", my last little pumpkin that I can savor LHTH with :wink: ).

Do you have the more difficult Bible, "The New Bible in Pictures for Little Eyes"? That Bible really taught my dc to listen and answer questions, and was good (and necessary) prep for being able to listen and answer questions from the LHFHG Thorton Burgess books used for Storytime. :D Do you have the "My ABC Bible Verses" devotional? That is a devotional that is more difficult and good prep for the devotionals to come in LHFHG on up. You could easily do both devotionals. They are different from one another, and both encourage a love for the Lord, as well as a steady diet of improving reading comprehension. :)

I think it is important to do the Fingerplays in prep for the Rhymes in motion in LHFHG, the simple art in prep for the harder history-focused art in LHFHG, the simpler books and comprehension questions in prep for the harder books with fewer pictures and a more classical CM sounding feel to them in LHFHG, etc. Plus, it's just plain fun. :D

I love the pp's ideas of adding "Do It Carefully/Finding the Answer" as well as "A Reason for Handwriting K" or "Italic A" to your sweetie's day. If you do start the Earlybird math, it would be worth getting (IMO) the LHFHG guide for the hands-on math lessons for it. They are wonderful. We've found them to build a great foundation for the later, much more harder math to come in Singapore.

You will know best here, but I'd get the harder BIble, do both devotionals, do all of the boxes as training for LHFHG, add "Do It Carefully'/Finding the Answers" and a handwriting program, consider starting the EB Math and hands-on plans, and keep doing your phonics - before stopping LHTH and starting LHFHG. :D I'd even consider doubling it up doing 2 entire pages plans a day in LHTH before stopping LHTH and starting LHFHG. I just think LHTH makes LHFHG a success, and it gives dc a real sense of joy for homeschooling. You will know best here, but I hope something here helps as you think through it! :D

In Christ,
Julie
Enjoyed LHTH to USII
Currently using USI
Wife to Rich for 28 years
Mother to 3 sons, ages 23, 20, and 16
Sister to Carrie

krazzymommy
Posts: 95
Joined: Sat Sep 11, 2010 1:37 pm

Re: Stay w/ LHTH & Supplement or move on to something else???

Post by krazzymommy » Tue Sep 14, 2010 4:21 pm

my3sons wrote: Though I did LHFHG with my early reader and writer when he was 4 1/2 yo half-speed, he's had to grow into each of the subsequent guides at half-speed. It's actually gone very well because I've been willing to go half-speed, but I'm not rushing with my youngest through LHTH.
I know I'm not the OP, but thanks for this, Julie. I am kind of in the same spot as the OP, so I appreciate your advice here - a lot! Your quote above is what I really want to avoid, as exciting as LHFHG looks, lol. ;)
~Monica
DD8 - Bigger
DS10 - CtC

We've enjoyed: Little Hands to Heaven, Little Hearts for His Glory, Beyond Little Hearts for His Glory, and Bigger Hearts for His Glory - took a break from HOD for awhile; excited to get back into it!

laurabelle1317
Posts: 47
Joined: Tue Apr 27, 2010 9:53 am

Re: Stay w/ LHTH & Supplement or move on to something else???

Post by laurabelle1317 » Mon Sep 20, 2010 1:45 pm

Thank you all for the responses, especially thank you Julie for your well thought out response. We do have all the older/more difficult options. The Bible is very easy for him. He answers the questions with ease. We supplement with other Bible reading as well.

I was thinking that when it mentions some of the alphabet activities, like drawing letters in pudding, I will have him right some short words instead.

He does enjoy all the art activities because art is his favorite right now. I thought he would like the drama activities more because he likes to act, but he isn't so interested usually. And he isn't very interested in the finger play songs either, although I thought he would like them.

I feel like most of what we do out of HOD is Bible, not much in way of phonics and math at this point. But I know it is good to go through the Bible at this level, even though the Bible itself is too easy for my son, we supplement with others and it is working okay that way. I have him tell many family members what he has learned so he can retain the Bible stories better. He likes the science too.

I think we are good with where we are at with adding more art and supplementing extra Bible. He is resisting learning to read some right now, even though he LOVED it before. So we will write words in pudding and such. About to add in some handwriting. We are pretty relaxed though and going at this all at a half speed pace just due to other activities and field trips, his interest, and having an almost 2 year old. But I need to form a plan to get LHTH done at a reasonable time so he can move on as he is ready too. I really can't add in too much to our days though as it is getting hectic with the almost 2 year old.

Sorry, feel like I am rambling and am all over the place.
JayBird, 4.5y/o using LHTH
JellyBean, 2y/o copying Big Brother doing LHTH

We're blogging! Check out my new (and first ever) blog as we share all that we are doing with Little Hands to Heaven, and more! http://www.IntoTheirHearts.blogspot.com

my3sons
Posts: 10698
Joined: Sun Aug 26, 2007 7:08 pm
Location: South Dakota

Re: Stay w/ LHTH & Supplement or move on to something else???

Post by my3sons » Tue Sep 21, 2010 9:15 am

From what it sounds like, your ds should maybe clip along with LHTH, and by the time he is 5 yo or a bit older, finish it so he can start LHFHG with formal phonics, handwriting, science, and 1 year sweep of history. LHTH usually takes us about 20-25 minutes, which I love because it can be fit into my busiest of days. :D It sounds like you are wanting to get to the more formal phonics and handwriting that is part of LHFHG. The training of consistently doing school each day - if possible at a relatively similar time - for about 20-25 minutes with LHTH does wonders for dc learning to do school for 1 1/2 hours with LHFHG. :) Being able to handle the length of the school day is a skill as well, that dc need to mature to be able to handle. :wink: With LHTH, I often first do it half-speed over a few days, and we just enjoy going through it slowly. :D But, as we are getting closer to wanting to start LHFHG along with its increased length of time and increased rigor, we up LHTH to full-speed and get down to business with it. It sounds like you may be at that point with ds. I definitely would finish it out in a routine way rather than not really ever getting into a rhythm with it, shelving it unfinished, and starting LHFHG. Dc really do need to grow into the demands of school, timewise and skillwise, and so do we as moms (at least I have had to :wink: ). Thinking ahead, those are just a few thoughts I had for your little sweetie. I hope something here helps as you think this through and make a plan! :D

In Christ,
Julie
Enjoyed LHTH to USII
Currently using USI
Wife to Rich for 28 years
Mother to 3 sons, ages 23, 20, and 16
Sister to Carrie

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