I’m in love with the beautiful layout the simplicity of the curriculum. While it is simple it is still very thorough and a lot of great learning. There are books that I never knew about and fell in love with just in the first week and so excited to continue the rest of the kindergarten year. My daughter is loving it and as a first time mom and first time homeschooling mom I feel blessed to have found the Peaceful Press Thank you for all you have done to make such wonderful curriculum and helpful information.
We're all cradle Catholics who didn't grow up memorizing verses so I'd like to get better at it myself while instilling it in our kids. This curriculum sets one up for success by dedicating each week to a particular verse and its corresponding Gospel story and artwork (plus related activities).
Because we're bilingual, I also like that I don't have to keep everything in English. Instead, I note the verse + Gospel reading in my (Peaceful Press) Homeschool Planner for the following week and bookmark them on our Kids Spanish-language Bible. Easy peasy!
Lastly, and I don't think this was done on purpose because the Pepitos are Protestant* and we start our school year in January.. I found the Gospel stories to match the ones read at Mass--at least for the early weeks. As someone who enjoys listening to Catholic podcasts (like Sunday School, which explains said Gospel readings, and Fr. Mike Schmit's Sunday Homilies!), I was pleasantly surprised and overjoyed to have come across this coincidence.
One suggestion:: Please consider making the files easier to print by offering both ONE big file and THREE zipped folders incl. The Parent Guide, the Printables, and the Artwork. This way, one can, for instance, print and bind *only* the PG, print the Printables as needed (or skip if not needed), and either print each Art piece as needed *or* send them all to have them affordably printed on cardboard elsewhere so they can become sturdier pieces the family can save for later picture studies or playroom/homeschool art that can be hung up and preserved for a long time. There ARE free apps that let us successfully separate PDFs (we used Stirling for making our own "three" files), but it' be neat and easier if this was by default.
I can't say enough good things about this curriculum (but I do have a couple of suggestions toward the end). I've found the variety of skills sufficient--enough to either satisfy a day's worth of activities or to pick and choose from if there isn't enough time or interest to finish them all. (E.g., If you don't want to build a bird feeder on the same day you'd also be doing the other six suggested activities, it's OK!)
The content is also wholesome--perfect for a small child in a family seeking the Good, True, and Beautiful. Most of it is secular/neutral, with a couple Bible additions throughout, which is nice.
We're a bilingual family, so the book selections don't always appeal to us. Because I prep our week(s) in advance, I simply choose another one related to that following week's theme/letter. We tailor the curriculum to *our* needs, which is another Pro to this Peaceful Preschool: it's highly customizable. A few of the books have also been kind of a drag to read so I've gotten better at previewing future ones online just in case.
Our oldest has greatly enjoyed the activities and I appreciate how much thoughtfulness and consideration for children's development and play went into listing a day's activities. (E.g., Who thought tossing/kicking the ball outside and playing Follow The Leader could be part of a curriculum? We didn't, and now we're doing that more often thanks to this one.) Other programs are pretty basic, but Peaceful Preschool has more than expected.
My couple of suggestions:
- Make the Bundle easier to print: When I downloaded my copy, I saw that the Mama/Parent Guide and Printables were all part of the same file but I wanted them separate so I could keep the PG bound like a notebook and the Printables in my computer to print as needed. I easily separated them using Stirling PDF. By offering both one big file and two separate folders, families could more easily manage and transport these files rather than requiring them to separate them themselves.
- Incorporate cutting lines/shapes earlier in the program. Maybe I'm biased because it's our oldest's favorite activity, but the Printables could also include sheets with straight lines, zigzag lines, and shapes for littles to cut around and practice using scissors with. I draw our own so he does this at least weekly, but Peaceful Preschool could make them be part of the Fine Motor Skills weekly or monthly so kids don't lose practice.
Thanks so much for this curriculum and I look forward to future Peaceful Press programs.
We have been loving the Farm Guide and how we can connect it to real life!
I began homeschooling 5 months ago my kindergartener. I’ve meddled in a few different loose curriculums until I determined his learning style and what worked for us. I was ready for more structure. I SO wish I would’ve found this sooner as it has brought a lot of purpose and structure to our day. This is excellent and seems to build on knowledge appropriately. It is so easy to follow and I am able to substitute things if I need to based on his level of understanding.