Top Picks (Kindergarten - 2nd grade)

Several people have asked me recently what I use for homeschooling a certain grade, and what curricula I like the best and so forth, so I decided to put together a list of SOME of what we have used and love.  I emphasize the word some because there are  many wonderful books that I love and my list could go on forever and ever! 

Kindergarten:

I have used these books with all four of my boys so far and plan on using them this fall with my daughter.  I highly recommend them.  They are by far my favorites for Kindergarten.

Learning At Home by Ann Ward

Teach Your Child To Read In 100 Easy Lessons

Spectrum Phonics K

First Grade:

First Grade: Learning At Home by Ann Ward

Saxon Math 1st grade

Alpha Omega Language Arts 1st grade

Spectrum Phonics 1st grade

2nd grade:

Saxon Math 2nd grade

Alpha Omega Language Arts 2nd grade

Spectrum Phonics 2nd grade

Plants Grown Up

(Doorposts)

In kindergarten and 1st grade you will get all of the Science and Social Studies and Bible you need from the Learning At Home books.  Starting with 2nd grade I began using other books for Science and Social Studies, using the library as our primary resource.  We also used the zoo, aquarium, museums, and other field trips for Science and Social Studies.  I have used a few text books for Social Studies and Science but nothing I loved.  Textbooks work better for older students in my opinion and with younger children I like to do as much hands on learning as possible.  Here are a couple of things we used for Science, Social Studies and Bible during the first 3 years that I did really like.

Christian Kids Explore Biology by Stephanie L. Redmond

(Beautiful Feet books)  We have all of these and have read them over and over.  They are the best!

My favorite place to order curricula is Christian Book Distributors.  You can find them HERE.

My other favorite resource for ordering great books is Vision Forum.  You can find them Here.

And also Beautiful Feet Books.  Find them Here.

The very best thing you can do for the first 3 years of "school" is to develop in your child a love of learning and a love of reading.  Read books aloud to your children every single day.  Play fun learning games.  Go on nature walks and have the children draw pictures of what they see in a nature journal.  Visit the library as often as you can.  Read the bible before or after meals, when you wake up in the morning, and before you go to bed at night.  Limit TV watching and be VERY selective when you do watch.  Have the children copy verses from the bible to practice writing.  Teach math while the kids are helping in the kitchen.  Buy learning Cd's to listen to when you are in the car.  Make learning fun and fill your home with learning activities.  Play good music, supply lots of great books, have plenty of puzzles and other learning toys on hand and spend time talking about the world we live in. Have an area of the home set aside for arts and crafts.  Fill it with paper and crayons and glue and scissors and glitter and paint.  Encourage the children to create.  Learning will take place naturally and does not only take place seated in a desk.  Make learning a lifestyle!

In my next post I will discuss 3rd through 5th grade.  I will eventually cover all grades through the 10th grade.  Stay tuned!!