Workbooks

[MomtoJGJE]

Anyone know any good fine motor skill / math/ handwriting type books that are in between pre-k and kindergarten? We've recently discovered that Julianna's knowledge is beyond the workbooks we are using with her, but her hand strength and coordination isn't there yet for K level work. We are already doing other things to build her strength, but I'm looking specifically for workbooks because she feels she must have workbooks to do school like her sisters.

To give you an idea... she can mentally and with crayons not on lined paper do the work in the Earlybird K math workbooks. She can form all her letters and numbers. She knows all her shapes, colors, numbers, letters/sounds... Also the Fine motor skills workbooks that come with the K level in LHFHG she can do the concepts.

I looked at the Rod and Staff workbooks that are pre- Do It Carefully and Finding the Answers, but for $7 worth of workbooks it's over $4 shipping.

Further information... she's currently doing LHTH along with some workbooks from the dollar store. We are trying to keep it slow and not starting her with LHFHG until after she turns 5, and then I'm planning on going half speed, except doing the fine motor skills box every day. But I want to have some separation between her starting LHFHG and Grace finishing it, and Grace will be finishing in September. I want to eventually have a whole guide between them instead of back to back. So that's why I'm wanting different workbooks for between now and November

My other thought was to order the Earlybird K books and the K level fine motor skills and just work through those and start handwriting when I start the 1st grade options with her, because the handwriting will be the last thing for her to not get tired out of doing....

[erin.kate]

I have a four-year-old daughter and she loves her ReadyWriter workbook. It has been a blessing in building and toning the muscles in her hands for refining fine motor skills (and the patience in her heart). I also find that my daughters both have enjoyed Kumon workbooks on Alphabet Games, Math Games, and Mazes at the 4 and 5 year old range. My Ellie also must have workbooks to feel like she is working on school lessons. Makes me laugh ... she is very independent. Doesn't she know how much I love Charlotte Mason?

[Mumkins]

If she already knows it, but you just want some books, what about some from the $ store?

[MomtoJGJE]

My Ellie also must have workbooks to feel like she is working on school lessons. Makes me laugh ... she is very independent. Doesn't she know how much I love Charlotte Mason?

I know! Tell me about it... she should be playing and listening to stories... but NOOO... she's too big for that!

We are using dollar store workbooks right now. I was just wondering if there were some better

[Melena]

I use Developing the Early Learner: Perceptual Growth Through Motor, Visual, Auditory, & Thinking Skills by Simone Bibeau. There are four workbooks in this series in which I bought years ago through Sonlight. I cut the books apart placing the pages in plastic protectors and 3 ring binders; my children have all taken turns using them with dry erase markers. I mostly used them so my preschoolers/K'ers could "feel" like they were doing school. They all loved them. I believe they were academically beneficial as well. HTH Marie

[krismoose]

I also use some Kumon books that I turned into wipe-off books as mentioned already, My first easy mazes and My first book of tracing. Crayola makes wipe-off crayons now that are wonderfully smooth to use - no more dried up markers! My ds wasn't into them much, but my dd does them over and over. I also leave the pages she's not ready for yet in a separate place, so she doesn't spend her energy on mazes and tracing that are way too hard. I also turned the first of the "About Three", pre-R&S books into a wipe-off book, because she kept wanting to do it over and over

[Carrie]

Lora Beth,

I'm going to close out this thread due to the following board rules outlined in our HOD Board "Welcome":

"This is the only "official" Heart of Dakota" board moderated by us. Since this board is sponsored by Heart of Dakota, we ask that you do not post links to other companies or other boards, promote other boards or groups, reference posts or threads from other boards, or post for the purpose of discussing or promoting a product that is not scheduled within the HOD guides. We also ask that you do not post for the purpose of buying, swapping, or selling items or curriculum or to suggest that our customers shop elsewhere."

I will mention that a big part of preschool and kindergarten work is not only being able to understand the concept but also having the fine motor strength to do the writing that goes with the concept. Building fine motor skills often is the purpose of younger level workbooks. I would lean toward having your little one do Do It Carefully and Finding the Answers if she is ready for those workbooks. Then, the following year she could move into Thinking Skills.

Blessings,
Carrie