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Update 2019: This is a super old post, but it still brings a lot of traffic. So, I wanted to add an update. We are no longer using this program. You can see why in this post. However, I have NOTHING negative to say about Heart of Dakota. In fact, I have considered it time and time again with my son, and may again return to it at some point.
I remember the moment I found it. The PERFECT curriculum. I knew THIS is what we were going to use for the rest of our homeschool journey. I shared it with friends, endorsed it on my blog, moderated FB groups related to it, and sung its praises. Loudly.
And then, it didn’t work anymore. I cried. I stressed. I wondered how in the world it could be. And no, I am not exaggerating in any shape or form.
We stepped away from that perfect curriculum for two years. And, now we are back!
Here is why we chose Heart of Dakota curriculum… AGAIN!
It fits our needs
When we stepped away from Heart of Dakota, it wasn’t fitting our needs. This was due largely to the fact that I did not follow the program as directed. My middle daughter started Heart of Dakota kindergarten, LHFHG too early (she was ready at the time), placing her in a guide that she was not ready for later on (Bigger Hearts).
At this time, after two years away, I feel comfortable coming back and putting the girls in the guide, Preparing Hearts, together. This is due to the fact that my middle now fits the age range, and thanks to the extensions, I can beef the guide up for my oldest. I am also super excited to start Heart of Dakota preschool with my son soon.
So, at this time it fits our needs, and we are thrilled!
The literature is awesome
After two years away, I realize how much we all love literature based curriculum. There is something fun about the way Heart of Dakota weaves real books into their program. This encourages us to read books that we may not otherwise have read, and gives us a break from textbooks that can become dry after months of use.
Out of all the Heart of Dakota guides, we have used, I have yet to find a book from the Heart of Dakota book list that we did not like. This reiterates the fact that the literature in Heart of Dakota curriculum is awesome!
We missed it!
We really enjoyed our curriculum choices over the past two years, but honestly, we also really missed Heart of Dakota!
- The ease of having an open and go curriculum can’t be beaten!
- The community feels that you have with the families using Heart of Dakota is amazing!
- The combination of hands-on projects and textbooks makes learning SO much fun!
- The love of Christ and Bible knowledge that is intertwined in all aspects of the curriculum set a biblical foundation that I want for my children.
So, for those of you who have emailed me, and asked me in person, why we chose Heart of Dakota, I hope this answered your questions.
For those of you wanting to know more about why we originally switched check out this post. Also, I truly believe there is NO perfect curriculum. Not even those we LOVE can be perfect 🙂
For those of you using or considering using Heart of Dakota now, I encourage you to use it as written. I caution you to not jump ahead just because a child is ready. The guides really do build upon each other, and there is a reason why they are marked for the age/grade level that they are. So, be sure to peruse the Heart of Dakota catalog thoroughly.
Have a question about Heart of Dakota? Leave it in the comments, check out the Facebook group, or visit the official Heart of Dakota blog!
Hi Blythe! We are not. It was a really hard decision, but, my girls just had their own interests and didn’t want to “do school” together anymore. So, we separated again. I really have nothing negative to say about HOD. I wish it would have worked for us long term, but it just didn’t. It is a fantastic program though!
I’m new to your blog! Are you still using HOD? We used it 3 years ago and loved it however chaged to CC ( mostly because we have an only child that needed friendships) for other reasons and not sure it’s a good fit at this point. We are getting ready for next years decisions and would love your curriculum input.
Yes, MFW K is a great option while you are waiting for your child to be ready for LHFHG! Good luck 🙂
Hi, I was thinking of doing the same! My DD is doing LHTH now, and shes doing great (she’s almost 4) MFW is updating their K package now. Ive used their new preschool package and it is very nice, but i much prefer HOD. So our schedule is MFW preschool age 3 then HOD lhth age 4 then MFW kinder age 5, then LHFHG age 6, then HOD from then on out. Maybe i will consider doing MFW exploring countries and cultures before starting Creation to Christ.
I just started using LHFHG with my youngest. He turned 5 in July. He’s doing good, but we are going really slow and will be using it all next year as well. It’s a solid 1st grade/6 year old program. So, I think you should be in good shape for it next year with your oldest.
HOD placement chart would probably place your middle in Beyond, not Bigger. If you want to keep them together I would look over the placement chart very closely. I also, personally, don’t think you would need the extension pack. We never used Bigger but from what I saw it was very solid and a lot of work without the extensions. Your 9 year old should place fine in it without any issues.
Good luck!
I’m considering HOD for next year. I’ll have a K (5) and 2nd (7) and 4th (9). I’m thinking LHFHG and Bigger with an extension pack for my older two. Any thoughts?
I’m so glad you are back with HOD and feel good about it! It is so important to feel solid on the curriculum chosen. I’m so excited to be working through Preparing Hearts again!
We are going to be in a similar boat with my boy. He will turn 5 next July. I am NOT doing LHFHG with him, so I think we are going to do MFW K. I have heard it is a great Early Kindergarten program, and is a good way to transition into LHFHG. I’m hoping what I’ve heard is right!
I’m glad you’re back with HOD! Hopefully its a great year!
We’ve waited until our boys are almost 6 to start Little Hearts for fear of starting too early. My daughter will be be 5 years, 4 months next fall, and I’m still torn in what we’ll do for her. I may just hold off for a semester and start Little Hearts in January of next school year.
Hi Michelle! We started Heart of Dakota (LHFHG) in fall of 2011. That would have put my oldest at six, getting ready to turn 7 (September) and my middle daughter at 4 (turning 5 in December). My oldest thrived with LHFHG and Beyond, she also would have done great in Bigger.
My youngest daughter was reading at 4, and is very advanced for her age. She did GREAT in LHFHG and stayed with us in Beyond (she did the readers that year at 5). I beefed up Beyond a little for my oldest daughter, and she was done with phonics, so we moved on to grammar for her.
If I had a do over, I am not sure what I would have done. Honestly, we LOVED LHFHG and Beyond and enjoyed doing them together, so I don’t know that I would have done things differently completely? I love that we can come back to HOD now together, but I hate that we skipped Bigger.
If I would have done the guides as written, I would have started my oldest in Beyond, and when she was in Bigger, my youngest daughter would have been in LHFHG. They would have never been together in the first place As written that would have saved us a ton of heart ache, switching curriculums, and would have kept us on task.. But, that would have put my oldest daughter in Bigger a year earlier, and Bigger seems pretty intense. I think we would have had to go half pace. So, I just don’t know that I would have done that anyway, because I wanted to do things MY way (which didn’t work out either… lol!)
As far as your daughter, it sounds like she is RIGHT on track with LHFHG. The material DOES seem easy for the age, but believe me, Beyond is more work, and Bigger (we ordered it, but never used it) is a BIG jump. So, beef up now if you believe she needs it, but I wouldn’t skip LHFHG.
Anyway, this ended up being a novel. Hope it helps some!!
So looking back, when would you have started Little Hearts for each child? Since it is set for 5-7 as a K/1st grade, what would you do differently? My 5 1/2 year old is starting it soon and the material looks easy for him, which I am excited for because I realize I want him to build confidence and a love for learning. So if I use guide as is, and just pray for the Lord’s direction for any add ins (currently none), will we get to a gap year where he is not ready for the next material? Did your older child have problems with this or just the one who started on the younger end of the spectrum? Anyway, just some thoughts and thanks for sharing!
Oh, that is SO good to know. Thank you for the encouragment 🙂 I am praying this is a smooth retransition (if that’s the right word…) lol.
We had the same problem… We started out and ended up getting into Bigger and my
kids struggled with it. We left for about 2 years and are loving Preparing!
I am happy to be in Preparing with you!