Little Bug is enjoying the BOB Books with printables! Phonics worksheets bore Little Bug but these fun, engaging, hands-on activities are perfect for Little Bug’s learning style. She has done Word Sorts where she categorizes words from the Bob Book. Word Climbs give her clues and she has to figure out what word from the Bob Book goes in the blank. Little Bug has made her own sentences using the word cards. Then I had her write the sentences she made for some handwriting practice. Little Bug made Talley Marks for certain words she heard in the Bob Book as she read. Little Bug thought the coolest activity was when she got to type on Mommy’s laptop. I had a list of words from the Bob Book for her to type and then she got to hit the print button and see her work!

I bought the Explode the Code Primer Set, Books A, B & C at my first Homeschool Convention. I probably should have pulled them out sooner for Little Bug but with the writing component I didn’t think she would be ready until now. The phonics instruction is below Little Bug’s level at this point, but she saw these books (that I was saving for Sweet Pea) and asked if she could do them. Little Bug enjoys these (which is surprising because they are very workbook-y) and they are good practice for her, especially with handwriting. Homeschool friends who have children older than mine told me I needed these books at my first convention! Their children have loved them and I do think they are a wonderful supplement to your core phonics curriculum. I intended for Little Bug to start Book 1 in 1st grade, so we will do as much as she wants in Books A, B, and C and then move to Book 1 at the new school year.

Little Bug has completed Book 1 of Horizon’s Math K and she has now moved into Book 2. We will just keep plugging along. This year has been so good for me in that it has totally transformed the how’s of homeschooling for me. I no longer feel the pressure to complete everything within the standard school calendar year. We will just keep plugging along now in Book 2 through the summer (since we now plan to school year round) and whenever Little Bug finishes the Kindergarten math, we will move right into the 1st grade Horizon’s Math.

This month Little Bug learned about place value, perimeter, counting money with pennies, nickels and dimes and she continued to learn to add numbers. I am so pleased with Horizon’s Math. I could not have chosen a better math for us this year. The lessons are perfect in length for Little Bug and I love the spiral approach to learning. A topic is introduced and taught in one lesson but then the concept will reappear in multiple future lessons so Little Bug can review the concept and eventually master the concept.

Little Bug loves the If You… series. This month we took a break from Science and read If You Lived with the Sioux Indians. I am following The Measured Mom’s chronological list of the If You..series. This is an example of how just reading a book is enough. We had no activities or crafts to go along with reading this book. Reading it was simply enough!

During this month Little Bug had her Spring Break with her school she attends three days a week. That week was spent having a special day with each set of grandparents and celebrating Gram’s birthday. It concluded with us taking our first trip to the park now that the weather has warmed up! We also enjoyed a family walk in the neighborhood after dinner one night. The weather was absolutely perfect!

- Elaine