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This coming school year I will have 5 and 7 year old girls. I originally thought I would do Beyond for my oldest and something else for my younger daughter. Now I'm considering combining them in Little Hearts. My 7 year old will be in second grade, but hasn't done much history or science. She's way ahead in reading and math though. Would she benefit from starting with Little Hearts with her sister? With a toddler and newborn, too, I thought it might be less overwhelming to only do one guide.

You haven't said where your five year old is - just assuming beginning K with no reading /math. If you put them together then you would do learning through history page together and the other page (Basics) separate? You definitely could, especially if you feel it would be a good fit for your year. It may be something to call HOD about to get more input. I have a second grader in Bigger and my K in Little Hearts and they are so different. The Bigger would get into some science writing, language writing, spelling, besides the reading and math at higher levels. All would work out fine doing at least the math and reading, but you may have to decide whether the other parts are important or can wait. I do love starting the history at the same point and enjoy how laid back Little Hearts is at that level. The history does seem to come back around in more depth. Little Hearts seems to be more of an over view of Bible to Christian history, if I'm remembering right. I'm in the middle of it now going over people like Martin Luther and other historical Christian people. I'm in your same shoes and I wish I had two in the same manual sometimes, but their levels are so different and I do love time with each individually, so I'm mostly glad I started them all separately when I did. Just one mom's experience! So much depends on your kids, too. Have fun deciding!

If your 5 year old fits well (according to the placement chart) in LHFHG, and your seven year-old fits in Beyond, I think you could definitely combine them for History, Science, Bible, etc. (basically the "left side" of the guide, plus storytime from the right side) in LHFHG. Then you could also purchase the Beyond guide to do spelling, math and other "right side" skills from Beyond for the seven-year old.

My girls are also about two years apart (with summer birthdays), they are 6 & 8 this school year and have been combined in Beyond, with beef-ups in the 3Rs for my older one from higher guides. It has worked wonderfully so far for us, even though my older one is quite a bit further ahead in reading and writing than her sister.

I think combining is best when the kids are no more than one guide apart in skills, so for the pp, whose K and 2nd grader fit in LHFHG and Bigger, separate is best - but if yours fit in LHFHG and Beyond, combining on the left side may be a good plan for you.

I think kids' personalities can also come into play on whether it is a good idea to combine.
HTH!

Great thoughts from Mitchellfamily and farmfamily! I agree with both of them. If you get the chance to pop back in and share about each of your dc with the first page of the placement chart in mind - focusing on reading, writing, and math - I would love to help you customize your HOD year for your dc!

In Christ,
Julie