I have a 5 year old who will be 6 in August and a 2 year old whom I will officially start attempting to HomeSchool this year for the first time.
I already have Right Start lvl A for math and Delightful Handwritting, so I plan to go ahead and start w/ those.
I plan to get 106 days for creation studies, Hours in the Out-of-Doors: A Charlotte Mason Nature Study Handbook & The Outdoor Secrets Companion for Science/Nature Studies.
Is it recomended that I also invest in the videos suggested to go along w/ the 106 days for creation studies?
A Child’s Book of Character Building – Book 1 & possibly go ahead and get book 2 if I can find it somewhat reasonably priced for Character Building.
Boy of the Pyramids & The True Story of Noah’s Ark for history and bible.
My Big question comes in w/ the History Geography & Bible groups studies.
Both the current and updated family lists are quite extensive and we certainly won’t be able to invest in all of them straight up.
I certainly will not be leaving my 2 year old out, but I was hoping for suggestions that might help to whittle the list down a bit, so I’m not feeling quite so over whelmed.
We’re doing Module 1 this year. I think many of the family books would be over your 6yo’s head and I wouldn’t worry about them. Just gentle exposure at this age is all you need! If it were me, I’d buy the age appropriate books and maybe use a few books on Egypt from the library. My kids are 10 and 13 and the family books were a good fit for them. Also, I think doing the bible commentaries would be too much for that age, too…I’d just read straight from the Bible or a good children’s bible.
The handbook is an awesome resource. There’s a lot you wouldn’t use at this age if you skipped the family books, but it’s inexpensive enough that it could be helpful to keep on track w/Bible readings. But really not a big deal at this age….you’ll be cycling through again in 6 years and can go through the guide and all the family books then:) HTH some, Gina
Here is what I am doing this year with my 6yo ds (I have a 3 yo tagging along). We started last September and he turned 6yo in December.
Right Start Level A
Delightful Handwriting
Bible Study Guide for All Ages
Daily Read Alouds (we are currently reading Charlotte’s Web and we read other picutre books)
Outdoor secrets and Nature Study
Other things we are working on is habit training, learning to clean bathroom, Geopuzzles, art.
We currently take 45min-1hr for lessons and the majority of the day is play (as much outdoor as possible). I am not planning on added other subjects until later this year when he is closer to 7yo. We will do Delightful Reading when he is ready to read.
I was researching the list and was thinking to myself along the same lines as far as a lot of those seeming to be for older children. Just Thinking about getting all that was starting to be a chore, as we only have one school aged child. LOL
HISTORY – Momto2blessings gave the same advice that I would give regarding the history module. The 1st-3rd grade options are enough on their own. If you wanted, you could have a book basket with age appropriate books about American history for free reading (not scheduled or planned) with you. There are so many for littles about US history. Just a bonus.
SCIENCE – I suggest that you choose either 106 Days or Outdoor Secrets. Save one for the following year. We used the Outdoor Secrets and Companion in 2nd grade and it was a perfect fit. I own, but haven’t yet used 106 days. From my perusal, either could fit. My plan for my 5.5 yo is to use 1st – living books about a variety of subjects; 2nd – Outdoor Secrets and Companion; 3rd – possibly 106 days with my current 3yo tagging (He will be 6 then.)
COSTS – I prefer to purchase our school books over the library. I use many places to find used books – Paperback Swap, abebooks, ebay, amazon marketplace, etc. I try those first. Also purchasing books by term helps to spread the cost over the year.
We really liked the Child’s Book of Character. There is a post on this forum from last fall about ideas on how to use the book. You can find an older print of the second book with different isbn and it costs much less.
For right now, we’re doing Delightful Handwriting (copy work), RS Maths level A (cause we already have it), God’s Wisdom for Little Girls (Character Study), Little House in the Big Woods (Literature) and helping in the garden (Nature Studies).
We are looking to get Delightful Reading (Beginner Reading) and A Child’s Book of Character Building; Book 1 (Personal Development).
I was thinking, maybe I could do the Little House Series for Literature and History?
Does this sound well rounded enough for 1st grade and one child doing formal education.
Of course my 2 year old will be right there as we do everything.