BFIAR...anyone use it for their little ones?

[Sue G in PA]

Just curious as to how the program is set up. Anything like FIAR? What types of activities do you do? Thinking about something w/ a bit more "meat" for my almost 3yo as she is very bright. BUT, I don't want workbooks or anything like that yet. Her fine motor skills have to catch up to her brain first! :) I'm planning FIAR for my ds5 and ds6 for the rest of this year and summer as a fun learning time before we really dive into MFWK w/ ds5 in Sept. Just wanted some thoughts on BFIAR. Thanks.

[profmom]

I used B4FIAR when my oldest was preschool age. It's much lighter than FIAR and the focus seems to be on doing fun activities around good children's literature. My dd came to love the books we read and really enjoyed the activities. (Picture a small child hugging books. :) ) The recommendations aren't as crafty as they are things to do together, like maybe acting out a story (like Ask Mr. Bear. It's been long enough that I don't remember many details now, but I've saved B4FIAR and intend to use it again very soon. (My youngest turned 3 this week!)

[Kfamily]

be sure to look at Homeschool Share. It is www.homeschoolshare.com

They have a very active yahoo group and the site has a lot of great stuff such as notebooking pages, lapbooks, etc. for BFIAR and FIAR and additional children's books. I am using it with FIAR for my rising kindergarten dd. It's a great site!!

HTH

[Testimony]

I used BFIAR and I just love this program. This program is tried and true. It is such a great way to introduce a small child to school and love of books. I don't know of another that come close to it.

It is not a craft book it is more of a way to get your child interested in reading and loving books.

The books that she suggests are rich with pictures, but not just pictures, beautiful pictures. I love A Prayer for A Child. The pictures are so captivating. She will have different suggestions for art, music, math, science, etc. for each book that you read to your child. It is such a great way to get your child to love learning.

I did Before Five in A Row and Five in A Row with both of my sons. My older son had Beyond Five in A Row in a co-op one year.

I think what Makes the Five in A Row series so attactrive is the beautiful books that they recommend. They either are great stories or great pictures or both.

My Favorite Moment with Before Five in A Row:

We were reading Blueberries for Sal. We went outside on the deck to read the story. I sat with a bucket and dropped acorns and pretended to hear ker-plink, ker-plank, ker-plunk.:party:

Blessings,
Karen
www.homeschoolblogger.com/testimony

[St. Theophan Academy]

I had this book, but honestly, to me it was not worth it. Basically is gives a list of good books to read (many of which were out of print in the edition I had, don't know if that has changed?) and then gives ideas of things to do with your child that are related to the book. It would take you about a day to select a few books and come up with the same ideas, things like sing a song about ducks, play dress up with different clothing etc. It just seemed to me rather simplistic and obvious. I would try to look at it at a bookstore or maybe your library before investing in it, especially make sure about the books listed, as I said, several of them were out of print and unavailable when I had it.