Does LHTH have any "independent" activities?

[sharonb]

I know that there's nothing truly independent for this age; what I mean is, are there activities that you get the child started with, and then you can work with another child? I am about at my wits' end with my 3 year old today. He didn't want to play with playdough or puzzles. He asked for a game at first but quickly abandoned it, and just kept interrupting our schooltime. He doesn't like to sit at the table and color. He wouldn't even go and play with his trains. For a while he was interested in what the 5 year old was playing with, but that caused some conflict between them. I was telling dh about how the 3 year old seems bored and has been pretty uncooperative during schooltime (right now the 17 month old has been easier during school than he has, because she is willing to sit in her highchair and color, color, color!), and dh said, "Then give him schoolwork to do." The 5 year old acts bored a lot too, that's why we are starting LHFHG soon with him. But I'm trying to figure out the 3 year old too. When the 5 year old was this age, he sometimes worked in the workbooks carried by R&S for 3 and 4 year olds (I think the first one is called "About Three"). Or he would color. He loves to draw. I just don't think the same stuff is going to cut it for my current 3 year old. When we do hands-on science activities, he is right in there participating. If I give him rice and measuring cups, he will entertain himself for a long time (but of course he makes a huge mess so I don't do this often). So, I think hands-on is what he needs. But I made up a bunch of boxes for school-time only with stuff like button sorting (into an egg carton), stringing beads onto pipe cleaners, etc, and the 3 year old does not want to do them. The school-age children are the ones that are interested in that stuff, but they are the ones who need to be working on their schoolwork!

OK, to my question- if I were to get LHTH for my 3 year old, I'm wondering if anyone finds that there are activities that keep their child entertained even once you move on to working with their older siblings. Or is your child occupied for that 30 minutes while you are working one-on-one, but then you still need to figure out other things for them to do after that? (I guess I'm wondering- does anyone's child keep playing with the masking tape letter past a few minutes, or do they work on gluing projects without too much help, stuff like that!) My ds turned 3 in October, and seems to be pretty coordinated, and likes to try things out himself (but ONLY if it's something that HE wants to do!)

Sorry for the long post. Although we did get all of our work done today, I felt like I was constantly telling the 3 and 5 year olds to go play, but stay away from each other since they tend to start arguing.

[creativemommy]

To answer your question: YES! But it may not be that way at first.

This year I've been doing LHTH with my 3 yo daughter and LHFHG with my 6 yo son. Most of the activities are parent-led in LHTH but a few units into the program in the fall, my daughter was able to do a few things on her own. Now that we're in Unit 22, she can do the Count on Me page & the Hide'n'Seek page on her own. (The Count on Me page has the child draw a specific object(s) in each box then counts each - I've begun helping her by giving her dots to follow for the object that she can't do on her own - thanks to Julie's tip a few weeks ago! The Hide'n'Seek Letter pages has the child find the certain letter from the unit and mark/circle it.

Our school day begins with her doing LHTH and I always plan to end her school time with the project that day that she can do almost/all of by herself. It's not always perfect, but since she LOVES stickers, I'll have her put stickers on her masking tape letter while repeating the letter sound. (That takes quite a while when I give her little happy face stickers. ) Or I'll have her pick & cut out blue objects for her color page - she LOVES to cut with scissors. There are often days I'll make some random letters on construction paper, circle them and have her cut them out and glue them in order on another piece of paper.

She will often begin to play with props we used for our school day (Little People sets, baby dolls, beanbags, etc.) which is nice because it buys a few more minutes with my son. My son's school time is always interrupted by my 3 yo or baby, but I keep thinking it's just their ages...it'll be better when they're a bit older...maybe?!?!

Some other things that occupy her time while I work with my older son:
busy preschool books - cutting, mazes or matching objects/colors by drawing lines
computer games - we have an extra computer set up in our school area with tons of educational games on it that she can do on her own most of these games I've found for $1 or less at yard sales & thrift shops.
cardboard puzzles with the frame
lacing cards (I've made my own with characters she likes - you can find b/w coloring pages online, color them to look just like the character's colors, glue to cardstock, cut out and laminate and punch holes around the edges)
plastic tub filled with water on top of a big beach towel (to catch the puddles) and lots of small cups & spoons to pour
plastic tub filled with rice - add scoops, measuring cups, small cars & animals to dig and scoop like a sand box (only not as messy )
coloring BIG paper - we were able to get the end of a rolls at a printers so I have lots of rolled paper. I unroll a huge piece and let her color to her heart's content on the floor
file folder games - I had made some from a Carson Dellosa resource for my son when he was 3 and now she LOVES them, too There are a few websites where you can print them and make them yourself.
colored stones, poker chips, foam shapes, chunky buttons, etc. - she will sort them in her play kitchen bowls & cups or line them up. It amazes me how much she plays with little things like this.
play doh - she can play for awhile after I get the play doh tub opened for her - but that's just her - she loves to make "cookies"

Some of these activities result in a mess - but to have about 30 minutes interruption-free with my son is worth it.

[sharonb]

Thanks, that's good to hear!

Your list of extra activities has all the things we've tried. Really, the only things that seem to interest him lately are the most messy of activities! I guess I should let him make a mess a little more often though. But then the baby might not be so content to color in her highchair if she sees her brother playing with rice and measuring cups... I can just picture her pointing and screaming...

Oh well, we'll figure this out!

[countrymom]

I really think it will depend on the child. My high maintenance ds turned 3 in November and there is no way I could leave him to work on anything. However, my older ds could have worked on some of the things himself very easily. I guess that is not overly helpful, but an honest summary from our house.

[sharonb]

Well, if he ends up not working independently on anything, can I at least hope that the time I spend with him upfront will make him content to play quietly while everyone else is working???

[my3sons]

We are in about Unit 7 of LHTH with my almost 3 yo, and we're going half-speed. I am sooooooo thankful for LHTH. It has made my ds so happy to do school with me, even for just that little amount of time (about 15 minutes). The activities are parent led, but yes, he will keep doing them for awhile sometimes - more and more as we go. He likes the masking tape letters and will often drive his tractors on it or put blocks on it for awhile. The other day when we did the Red Sea with bubbles and whisks, etc. in the sink, he did that for as long as I'd let him. He has also started to enjoy just coloring or cutting on white copy paper now. First thing in the morning, he asks for his Bible so we can do school. Though he doesn't continue all activities on his own, this has been a life saver for me as he is happy to have had his "mommy time" with me, as he does choose to continue some things on his own, and as he knows now how to do a few more new things on his own. If I were you, I'd get it and start it half-speed, so he doesn't finish before he's 5 yo. I think your little guy would grow to love it, and you'd grow to love how happy it makes him!

In Christ,
Julie

[Mom4Him]

We have really enjoyed LHTH with all of our kids! Even my almost 2-year old will get in on the action.
I really like the Biblical focus & excellent activities that teach so much & are fun!! I agree with creativemommy on what she said- a lot of things my children have learned how to do on their own- especially after the first couple of weeks. I also always plan to do the activity they will most likely continue with last- in order for them to expand their play. This has worked very well- as they will often paint, play with blocks, play with the "tent" we made, etc. etc. long after we do school. I do think it is a lot because they've just had this "special time" with mommy & then are content to play with it or something else on their own. So, hopefully this would work in your family as well! I think Julie had a wonderful idea to do it 1/2 speed. I know you will enjoy it!
Jessica

[sharonb]

Thanks everyone! I just found a used set of LHTH with the Bible and devotional I'd need, for an amazing price, so I'm getting it! I'm looking forward to giving my 3 year old some Mommy time during school. That's probably just what he needs.