Deepening Little House study w/Hands & Hearts?

I want to add a little more depth to our Little House study. I’ve already come to grips that we aren’t going to finish all 9 books by the end of our year and I will switch those that remain to free reading and move on to a different period of history. I’m using the Primer, but am anti-unit study (too much on my part and too contrived) so I just use the book suggestions (though I wish some of the longer ones had chapter and page recommendations) and a couple other recommendations. I have the Crafts book and the food book, but I’ve been stretched lately (chronic physical and husband’s health) and need them doing things independantly and learning about the time period more deeply. I don’t fell like they are getting a big picture of the time period. WE already garden and preserve, make butter and bread! So many of those types of things aren’t unique or unusual to us.

I caught the comments regarding the Hands and Hearts stuff. Would the Westward Expansion Kit be appropriate even though it covers some things that happened before her existence? Like the Gold Rush? They’ve done the corncob doll, but other than that, nothing crafty.

Opinions please,

Rachel

I should add that we have emphasized music of the era, the mucis “pa” sang and played, state’s information, maple sugaring as well a few other things so it hasn’t been completely without layers of knowledge, I just want it to be more.

thanks