LHTH for 2 or 3 year old?

[alydar]

I was just wondering how you "work" the program if you start as early as 2 or 3 years old. Do you just repeat it 2 or 3 times til they are 5 or 6 years old and ready to go into LHFHG?

I was thinking I wouldn't do LHTH with youngest DS until he turns 4 (use it as preschool/early kindergarten). But I thought I'd entertain the idea of starting earlier - just don't know how though.

[krismoose]

LHTH has worked best for my kids from 3.5-4.5yo, so far. Younger than that, dd was happy to join into LHFHG with older brother. With ds, I started LHFHG early, with dd I'm doing something else for a year and will start LHFHG after she's 5. We'll see what happens with the youngest...I suspect I may do it really slowly with her, starting closer to 3. It's a lovely program, but I don't think I want to do it twice with the same child back-to-back. I think I would weary of it, but that's just me

[christina101902]

I would also wait until 3 as you will most likely repeat it alteast once.

[alydar]

Yeah, I'm thinking 2 is a bit young for us, too. I'll more than likely stick with the plan to start around 4 years old.

[netpea]

For my youngest. I am using playtime devotions now and will start Lhth when she is three. I may do it again when she is four.

[moedertje]

I just did the Bible Stories with my dd last year when she was 3, very casually and we did the letter activity to glue different clip art on our letters. I also did things like coloring, cutting and mazes. She sat in on most activities with her older brother who started LHFHG half way through the year wanting to participate. (This did alter the time I spend doing LHFHG, since she needed much more help with some of the activities) . Now that she is 4 we started LHTH at full pace and she is enjoying it very much, she already knows her alphabet sounds, but she is having so much fun.
Success

[KristinBeth]

My 2 year old went through it this year with her 4 year old sister. She had a lot of fun, but didn't retain the all of the letter names or understand the stories. The 4 year old retained everything, so we'll go through it again when my younger is 4. It was fun though!

[mmschool]

I started my dd in June when she was two (she has since turned three.) We would have waited until three about now, but this year we will have a baby and a cross country move.

I am pleased that we started. She likes the rhymes, listens to long Bible stories, loves the activities, and it makes me structure the time when she has my attention with some fun things. I don't do a lot of crafts and stuff with her otherwise. On the other hand, most of the younger math is still a little confusing to her and honestly she has trouble with the make-believe parts. She is just starting to do the imagination thing, and so she gets confused. The writing practice is totally lost on her. Representative art is in the future. But, five units in and she has learned some letters, holds a writing implement better, and follows instructions better. I would say that I bet she will get more in a year, but I really like the fact that it is doable for me and gets me to do some learning activities that otherwise I would skip. If you had older kids or do lots of activities of your own invention, I might wait. But if you are like me and don't have a lot to do with a preschooler on your own, it is a great place to start.

Modifications I make: I use stickers instead of glue on the letter activities. I draw pictures for her to color on the number books sheets. (My daughter is useless with scissors at this point.) I use the easiest devotional. (We use the Family TIme Bible from the K program just fine, though.) I introduce the Bible reenactments and math activities - if she gets it we go on, if she doesn't follow I drop it. (Although I was reenacting Jacob and the angel with stuffed toys and she dove in to save Bunny from horrible Mr. Bear. She missed the point, surely. Later that day she went to get Jacob and the angel and showed Daddy how they wrestle. Sometimes, more gets through than you really think.) I use a Magnatab to show her letters, so she has to trace the balls with her finger.

Lena
dd3 LHTH
ds1
ds-on the way

[Dustybug]

I started LHTH with both of my oldest children when they first turned 3. My DD(now 5) is completing her second tour through it.

For both, on the first cycle through we used the younger devotional and bible and did all the activities as written with younger options. This past year(which we are wrapping up) with my DD (who is doing it for the second time), I used the older devotional and Bible, added in Abeka phonics and reading at the K5 level, and during the letter, number, and color activities that she already has down, I had her work in a supplemental workbook while my DS did the activity. It was really fun going through it, even though I did it two years in a row. I haven't decided if I will go back through it again with DS because I still have at least one more child to go through the program in a couple of years and I don't want to be completely burnt out on it by then. DS will be doing something else this coming year, but I am seriously considering using LHTH with him the year after with phonics work and maybe even some math.

[my3sons]

I was just wondering how you "work" the program if you start as early as 2 or 3 years old. Do you just repeat it 2 or 3 times til they are 5 or 6 years old and ready to go into LHFHG?

I was thinking I wouldn't do LHTH with youngest DS until he turns 4 (use it as preschool/early kindergarten). But I thought I'd entertain the idea of starting earlier - just don't know how though.

I started LHTH when my ds was almost 3 yo, and I have been so thankful for it. He was falling through the cracks a bit. I had grandiose plans of doing this or that with him, and well, this or that didn't happen. So, I just decided to start LHTH half-speed. I got both Bibles, and one day I read from one Bible and did half the boxes, and the next day I read from the other Bible and did the other half of the boxes. We loved it! I just did it 4 days a week, as that is the schedule the other boys were doing. We took our summer break and will now finish out LHTH. It's been a blessing to me! I remember writing a post about it... I'll see if I can find that... ok, here it is...
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=5049&p=37287

Anyway, I'm just doing LHTH once, half-speed. It's been just right for Emmett! HTH as you decide what's best for your little one!
In Christ,
Julie

[MelInKansas]

Lots of people have already replied, I think what they have to say is great info!

I did LHTH with my older girls when they were 4.5 and 2.5. For the 4.5 the letter/number/color stuff she already knew. The Bible stories were great, the crafts were fun, the devotion (I did the older options in the books, did the crafts older options for 4.5 yr old, younger options for 2.5 yr old). Personally I think the perfect age for it is 3. My 2.5 yr old actually did retain letters and sounds, she didn't get the numbers until later. I plan to do it with my youngest next school year, right after she turns 3. If you wait till 4, chances are at least the academic part (letters, #s, etc) they will already know. No harm in reviewing it, and one of the best things about doing LHTH is getting them into a routine of doing their own school every day. This year with my 4YO she is listening in on storytime and readings with her older sister, doing phonics, handwriting workbook. I think again it will end up being similar with my 2YO - LHTH next school year, the year after phonics (if she is ready of course). The year after that LHFHG.

You can also do LHTH half-speed for 2 years. Just do it every other day, or 3 days a week. Voila, 2 years of preschool! I may consider that for my 2YO starting next year too, depending on whether I think I can fit it in every day or not along with the 2 other guides I will be doing.

[AngelBee]

We are using it this year for our dd2 (in April). She is doing GREAT with it.

I have low expectation for retention and she is actually doing quite well.

Phonics sounds are going good. Letter formation is.....well....cute! lol Also just sticking with math play and numbers 1-5 for longer.