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At_His_Feet
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I have a 3 year old ds, and I'm considering buying the Little Saints book. As I'm in Australia and I'll have extra costs associated with the exchange rate and air mail, I'm wondering if someone could tell me their thoughts about the programme before I make a decision? Apart from the web site I haven't been able to find much information about it.
I'm "ideas challenged" when it comes to creativity so I'm thinking I'll need all the help I can get with preschool 
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Tricia
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KackyK
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YES! I have loved it! I have used it as a program and as a supplement. It comes filled with crafts, games and lots of activities, including songs and fingerplays. It has a great book list for each week to go with each theme. I would recommend it...maybe you can find it used somehow.
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KackyK
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vmalott
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Little Saints has lots of good things to it, really. There is a whole packet of resproducible sheets to go along with the weekly themes. However, it also means you need to possibly purchase a lot of items you don't have on hand to complete certain craft or learning projects.
There is a list of items needed categorized somewhat by when they are needed, but the list doesn't indicate for which lessons they are needed. That was really frustrating to me. Just more mommy brain time for that one. 
The reading lists are pretty good, drawing on many of the children's authors you see in most homeschool reading lists. There are also good saints books and general Catholic books for children in the lists as well.
As I said, there are weekly themes with learning games and crafts. Creating the games is pretty time-intensive...lots of "copy this" and "cut out that." Many things included using felt, creating your own felt board for presentations, etc.
There are also ideas for circle time, including a related Bible verse, a song, a fingerplay, classical music that sometimes tries to be related to the theme, etc. Personally, I think the material is better suited to creating a Catholic preschool co-op than for using at home with one child. You could probably put something together yourself with ideas online at places like Homeschool Share.
If you're still interested in buying it, I'd recommend looking for it used somewhere, like Cathswap or maybe even here at the Trading Post. That might cut your cost a bit.
Hope this helps,
Valerie
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Valerie
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CKwasniewski
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I hate to be a downer... but I will.  I agree with these ladies that the lists are good. However, you've got plenty of great lists of read alouds and music available for free online.
Unless you are REALLY crafty, and have LOTS of hands -free time, the whole thing is maddening. I bought this and eventually threw it out bc I thought, "What mother of a toddler is going to have time to do all this stuff??!"
If you want to really get something worth your while, buy the CGS album for 3-6 and spend your time putting those presentations together.
my not so humble? opinion,
CK
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Mary G
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I'm with CK on this one -- I think it's a great book if you only have one or two toddlers and you've never done this before. This list probably has better books, ideas and suggestions for the littles than paying (what I think is an exorbitant) price for Little Saints.
We used it loosely in a co-op I was in, but I found myself supplementing EXTENSIVELY whenever we used it.
Just my $.02
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KackyK
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CK and Mary G are right about the time thing. [I failed to see how many dc you had already besides the 3yold] I used mine primarily with my two oldests when they were 4 and 3 and I only had a newborn. It wasn't hard to implement then.
Since then I have just used it as a craft resource, some decent religious theme crafts and for the fingerplays. Also when I have done other clubs and co-ops, I've referred to it for other ideas.
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ElizLeone
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I used it when we my oldest was the preschooler, and it was fun! However, now that my house is full of kids and we're teaching all levels, Little Saints doesn't make it off the shelf. Not sure anymore when I'd have time for it!
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Essy
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I enjoy it as a resource book. Also found that alot of it is more suited for K then pre-K...but maybe it's just my kids.
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Lisbet
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A completely agree with CK. It did not work for us at all.
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trish
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It was too time consuming for me too. I can't use anything if it involves too much planning ahead. 
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ALmom
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Personally, I was a bit disappointed with it. I'm not crafty so I thought this would help but the crafts felt contrived and I did not see all that many Saints books on the list and I thought many of the books on the list were a bit twaddly. Maybe it is just that I already had and read the better books they recommended. There were a lot of really dumb books on the senses that seemed worthless. I'd recommend skipping those books if you decided to go with the program.
I'm not saying there weren't some good things in it, but I just think I'd do a lot better going with the picture books recommended here and come on this forum and ask for an idea or two for a craft of find a good Bible craft book. Now I just pull an occassional idea from this but have liked and used CHC ideas more.
Edited to add: The fingerplays were a nice suggestion, etc. but if you don't already know them or have some sense of music/rhythm (which I don't), they took a whole lot of time to get ready to do. That was, probably, the best part of the program, though.
Janet
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SuzanneG
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I borrowed it from someone several years ago and just found it too much.
I prefered to just read picture books, sing, talk, go for walks, hang outside, draw, cook, etc. A "program" at this age was just too much for me.
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Meredith
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I really enjoyed the program when my oldest two were preschool age, but honestly it's too much for working in with many different aged children. What I AM grateful for and is probably worth the $$$ is all the black line drawings that I have used extensively over the years and will continue to use for lessons and rabbit trails, especially in conjunction with Catholic Mosaic  It's a winner in that regard for sure 
HTH and blessings!!
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Bridget
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I used Little Saints when I had 6, 4 and 3 year olds and a very easy baby. We all enjoyed it but it was a lot of work, though fun if you enjoy planning.
I hope to use it again next year. I will have a 3 and 4 year old then who will love it. My plan is to have my oldest daughter work on the preparations over next summer and we will do the lessons with the little ones together.
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SuzanneG
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Bridget wrote:
| My plan is to have my oldest daughter work on the preparations over next summer and we will do the lessons with the little ones together. |
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Bridget, I love it when you say things like that!  It gives me total hope for our future!
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Mary G
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Meredith wrote:
What I AM grateful for and is probably worth the $$$ is all the black line drawings that I have used extensively over the years and will continue to use for lessons and rabbit trails, especially in conjunction with Catholic Mosaic It's a winner in that regard for sure
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Oh, Meredith, I'd forgotten about all the printables -- you're right, those would be pretty worthwhile ... I know I'm always on the computer looking for great blackline masters for the kids to use .....
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At_His_Feet
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Thanks everyone!
CK, what is CGS???
I'm totally hopeless at craft! I avoid it like the plague , so I'm hoping that this programme will help me. But...
I'll go and have a cuddle with my son(our Sat. morning ritual) and keep thinking!
Tricia
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Tricia
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CKwasniewski
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CGS=Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, which done at home by amateurs (=lovers), means getting Moira's Home Catechesis Manual.
Of all the things I'd spend craft-energy and -time and money on (I don't have much of any of these!), it would be this! In fact, I really want it to be the center of our homeschool.
There are lots of threads on this, just search for it.
Your 7 year old would also benefit from the 3-6 manual (probably your 9 yr old too!).
hth,
CK
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I like all the book lists included. I bought a used copy, and it was worth it just to get the lists. It also led me to one of my very favorite books: Favorite Poems Old and New.
I've done several of the lessons full tilt, and used the others for ideas. I think I paid maybe $10 for my copy, so it was well worth it for me.
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TracyFD
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Sorry to revive such an old post here but I was searching for past discussions on Little Saints. My fourth child will turn four in May and I am giving some thought to her preschool curriculum next fall. I have never used LS and wondered if i should give it a try.
From the sounds of it, I should probably stick with doing the Alphabet Path again, BFIAR, and my Circle Time plans that include seasonal songs, crafts and books as well as Catholic Mosaic titles. I am busy enough using modified MODG with the older three and keeping track of where the baby is and what he has in his mouth!
Any good reasons why I should consider a switch to LS?
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4Real Forums : Nurturing the Years of Wonder
Topic: Is Little Saints Preschool prog. worth $
