Need advice on ages for Little Hearts For His Glory

[blessedmommyof4]

Has anyone tried to use Little Hearts for His Glory for a four year old. I have a dd that will be 5 in August. Her younger sister will be 4 in December. I wanted to keep them together as much a possible for their studies. LHFHG looks like the perfect fit for my 5 year old. However, I realize that this may be too difficult for my 4 year old. I think the preschool book would be too simple for my 5 year old. I wanted advice from those of you who have used LHFHG. Would you recommend doing something else for my 5 year old for K and starting them both in LHFHG when they are 6 and 5 for 1st and K? Or would you recommend starting with LHFHG with my 5 year old and seeing how my 4 year old does. My upcoming five year old knows her letters and the sounds they make. My 3 year old (will be four in December) knows some of her letters and their sounds they make. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

[bethelmommy]

Yes, you can do LHFHG with a four year old BUT, it all depends on how they place. Check out the placement chart on the HOD home page (or hopefully someone will link it for you - sorry I don't know how). You need to look at the placement chart for both of your dc and decide how each of them place individually and then go from there. I am currently doing LHFHG with a 4 and 5.5 yr old at a 4 day week pace. They are doing great, but they both place squarely in this guide. My very verbal 4 yr old dd has advanced fine motor skills and is already reading. My 5.5 yr. old ds struggles with fine motor skills and is about at the level of dd. Ds is ahead in math and reading, but it is easy to have him work at his level. From what you have shared, it looks like your 4 year old would place in LHTH. You could do that with both, using the LHFHG resources for K with your 5 year old and then move on to LHFHG for both the following year using 1st grade resources with your 6 year old. I totally understand wanting to combine, but from what I have read and experienced so far, proper placement is key to a successful year whether combining or not. Good Luck!

[farmfamily]

If I were you, I would do LHTH (the preschool book) with both of them, but for your 5 year-old you could add the phonics, fine motor skills and math from LHFHG (K options). We are doing LHTH this year in our house, and everyone LOVES it, my seven-year-old included! It's great fun, and it's got wonderful Bible activities that really help your kids understand and remember the Bible stories. I think combining your kids is a great idea - we started combining my older two this year and it is going very well. But, even though your younger one may be able to follow along in LHFHG now - if you go at full speed she would be too young to thrive in the older guides when you get there. My seven-year-old, who is bright and I think academically ahead for her age really struggled with Bigger, just because of the amount of writing involved (the read-alouds are challenging too). Now she is combined with her younger sister for everything except Math, Reading, and Writing (grammar, dictation, etc) and it is working very well. I think with HOD the best way is to combine with the needs of the younger child in mind - while adding in the 3Rs for the older one.

[blessedmommyof4]

Thank you both for your advice! It has been a big help!

[Heidi in AK]

For what it's worth, I agree with farmfamily. It's easier to beef up a guide than to try to make it work for someone who's not quite ready for it. HTH, a little!

[Carrie]

Excellent advice has already been shared in this thread, so I'll just pop-in and agree! If you have other questions, ask away. The ladies are so gracious about helping!

Blessings,
Carrie

[striving2Bprov31]

Just wanted to chime in and give my LHFHG experience.....

I was so anxious to start this program with my son. I was chomping at the bit to start before he was 5 years old. If I remember correctly, I did try a couple of boxes a few times to test the waters when he was 4, and then decided to stop. Then, my son turned 5. I was still chomping at the bit to begin!! I MADE myself wait, lol. I made myself wait some more.
Then, I began Little Hearts when he was about 5 1/2 half speed. I picked up to full speed back in October. He is turning 6 today!

The point is, I am SO happy that I made myself wait. He absolutely loves it, is ready to "take on" all that the program entails, and its just going great. If I would have started too early he would not have been able to draw from the program like he can now. Starting him at 4yo., some of the elements may have been a "strain" as opposed to what they are now--FUN!! We have such great discussions.

Just thought I would share!

[blessedmommyof4]

Thanks again for all of your kindness in responding and helping me decide where to place our children!

[my3sons]

I just wanted to agree that LHTH with the LA/math from LHFHG for your older dd would be a wonderful placement for your dc! When wanting to combine and starting with young dc, placement should be considered for the years to come as well. An almost 4 yo doing LHFHG is very different than an almost 6 yo doing Bigger Hearts. You could easily do LHTH with "The New Bible in Pictures for Little Eyes" and "My ABC Bible Verses". For your 5 yo, you can do whichever fine motor skill options best fit her from LHFHG, as well as phonics, and Earlybird Math 2A/2B. You would just need the LHFHG guide, and the LA/math resources for this. I really like this idea because it will make combining be possible for both of your dc, it will give you time to really focus on teaching phonics and beginning writing skills to your 5 yo, and it will not leave your 4 yo in the dust. This is a plan that is good for both dc and for you as the teacher too! Enjoy - LHTH is a blast! I would not start our homeschooling with anything else.

In Christ,
Julie

[blessedmommyof4]

Thank you so much for your encouragement! I am very excited to be starting LHTH in the fall with both my girls! Now, if I could only decide on which phonics program to use with my K daughter, everything would be set!

[my3sons]

Thank you so much for your encouragement! I am very excited to be starting LHTH in the fall with both my girls! Now, if I could only decide on which phonics program to use with my K daughter, everything would be set!

Glad to help! Any phonics program works with HOD, so you can choose what you like the best. Here is a link to Carrie's commentary on her phonics suggestions, just to pass on some good information...

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=2503

In Christ,
Julie