Kindergarten- please help!

[littleleadvillelady]

Hello Everyone,
I was wondering if anyone out there could give me some suggestions for what to do with my soon to be Kindergartener. My goal is to teach him to:
read, write, know and start working with his numbers, simple bible, and to spend time reading to him. I would love it if I could spend no more than 45 mins (is that sad or what !) working individually with him and then have him work on a simple project on his own.
He is my 4th of 5 children. I really need something that is short and sweet but I would like something that has simple hands on stuff that would excite him about 'school'. I have an idea on what I could do for bible (Leading Little Ones to God), I could find something for numbers I am sure, reading....I could always fall back on Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons:tongue_smilie:. But it is the hands on part that I am unsure of what to do. If there was something out there that could combine it all, that would be even better. I also know, from miserable experience:glare:, that if the hands on type thing, is not present and available, it will not get done. Are there any kits out there for his age with all the bits and pieces ready to go?
I am thouroughly tired of attempting curriculums and falling short... so I emphasize the do-able part. Fun wouldn't hurt either! :-)
Can anyone help?

[Melinda]

Timberdoodle kits? You could just look at the supply list and buy the parts you want, though.

[chefgirl96]

What about just doing some fun lapbooks to go along with good children's books? I am going to do this with my Pre-Ker in the fall using all the resources from Homeschool Share (http://www.homeschoolshare.com). I would be a great way to incorporate many of the early learning goals that you listed!

[coffeefreak]

Here's what we've ended up doing. I bought other things and it didn't get done. I thought I could do the same kind of program with my youngest that I did with my oldest, but I just don't have the time. So, this is what we ended up with for K, that is working and fun for us:D

LA - A Beka's K5 program. She loves the workbooks. They're colorful and she feels smart (she is, but you know what I mean) when she can complete them. (10-15 min including reading me a book such as a Bob book or an easy reader)

Math - I did Saxon Math K with my oldest and loved it. Unfortunately, it was loaned to me and I could not see investing the money in it this year. If you could find a used copy, that is a fun K curriculum with lots of hands on. With my youngest we're doing A Beka. Not as much fun, but still has hands on things and a very colorful workbook (which she loves:D) (10-15 min)

Handwriting - Handwriting is not fun to me. At. All.:lol:I did A Beka handwriting with my oldest and it was not a hit. I think that had to do with my oldest and not the program. We switched to HWT and I love it. They have some fun activities that are easy and quick, but get the job done. I wish I had known about it with my oldest. We own the wood blocks and I'm so glad we do. We also own the slate, but not the playdough. (10-15 min)

Art Projects - A Beka Art Projects K. They are simple, colorful, and use things that you probably have around the house.

I'm not sure if that's what you're looking for, but I totally understand where you're coming from. I have so much K curriculum (most given to me by friends who are done), I look like a kindergarten school! But even with all we have, this is what we use.

Blessings!
Dorinda

[Mrs. Frankweiler]

[quote=littleleadvillelady;893352]Hello Everyone,
I was wondering if anyone out there could give me some suggestions for what to do with my soon to be Kindergartener. My goal is to teach him to:
read, write, know and start working with his numbers, simple bible, and to spend time reading to him. I would love it if I could spend no more than 45 mins (is that sad or what !) working individually with him and then have him work on a simple project on his own.
quote]

I'm in a similar situation--with similar curriculum "wishes" for my soon to be k'er. This is my plan for the coming year:

Saxon K
100 Easy Lesson
Evan Moor Jumbo Fun with the Alphabet (has activities & crafts for each letter, and basically lots of kindergarteny type stuff)
HWT
Rod & Staff Preschool workbooks (This includes bible and also some (hopefully) independent work.)

Right now I'm working on putting together a schedule for the year because if I don't have it all planned out, there's a good chance it won't get done.

HTH!

[dhudson]

Have you looked at MFW K?

[AudreyTN]

I second MFW Kindergarten... You can do all or none of the Bible and Science projects.

[Chris in VA]

I'd do MFW K and add in Saxon Math K.

[Cadam]

My plan is MFW K (http://www.mfwbooks.com/k.htm). They assume you have big kids and so you don't have all day but want the little one to have some fun school stuff. It is all open and go with MFW and meets your list of requirements.

[1GirlTwinBoys]

I am using http://www.heartofdakota.com/ Little Hearts for His Glory for my 6 year old daughter and twin boy's that will be 5 next month. It is such a sweet little program and we are loving it. :001_smile: Very gentle but makes for wonderful conversations and activities.

[Aurelia]

For short and sweet we like/liked:
Five in a Row - usually takes a max of 30 minutes a day including the story, and you can add lapbooks if you like
ABeCeDarian level A covers K level reading and handwriting, anywhere from 5-15 minutes
Right Start math A - 1/2 a lesson (their recommendation) takes approximately 15 minutes

[Amber in AUS]

For K we did FIAR, Kumon workbooks, 100 EZ and Sing EB but with my DS we wont do Sing EB we will do hands on Monti style stuff following my own scope & sequence using MOTL.

[training5]

Oak Meadow K is easy, gentle, and as time consuming as you want it to be.

[Doodle]

...

Saxon K
100 Easy Lesson
Evan Moor Jumbo Fun with the Alphabet (has activities & crafts for each letter, and basically lots of kindergarteny type stuff)
HWT
Rod & Staff Preschool workbooks (This includes bible and also some (hopefully) independent work.)
...

For reading, writing and math this year, I am using the same as Mrs. Frankweiler posted above. I give a thumb's up to all three. We've also used some kindergarten workbooks from time to time and on a weekly basis, I use a book called Word a Day.

[Wee Pip]

Pattern blocks! Get a book with pattern block pictures and a set of pattern blocks. Use the pattern blocks to fill in the pictures. My kids loved doing this, and it helps with math skills.

Kinderart - www.kinderart.com (http://www.kinderart.com) has an Art Book (http://www.kinderart.com/artbook/) for kindergarteners to make. It makes a nice project and teaches about different aspects of art (primary colors, neutral colors, texture, etc.) There are other projects on the site, too. I also liked the book they recommended called Snack Art - which uses food to make pictures (caterpillars out of grapes and carrots, etc.)

The book series "Little Hands" (http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_b?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=little+hands) has a lot of neat projects. There is the Little Hands Art Book, Little Hands Big Fun Craft Book, Math Play, and there is also one for science and reading, too.

[Aletheia Academy]

You can see what we are doing here in my siggy. I really have no regrets on any curriculum we have been using. I will say that although my son was definitely ready and interested to begin a formal math curriculum, we have been going very slowly through MUS Alpha. It will probably take 2 years to work through it, which is fine with us. We probably could have waited until next year to begin that, but it has given us something to do, and he wanted to do it.

SSL, in particular, has been tons of fun.

My daughter has been using the R&S workbooks, and because she will be a much younger K'er than was my son when he started, and she is just a different kid, we will probably keep using those with her until Jan '10. She loves 'em.

[littleleadvillelady]

These are such great suggestions. Thank you so much. I have been googling all of the suggestions and there are some great things out there. Thanks!