Despite thinking that I might need to come up with a different theme/story this time (Woodland Creatures, Knights, etc) for a certain little five year old boy of ours, Snuggles was quite captivated by “Michael and Mrs. Applebee!” And how perfect that our family even happens to live “at the edge of a beautiful woods!” Perhaps we’ll just skip the “girly” flower fairy coloring pages this time and focus on our faith, the saints, and more. I just love how easy it is to modify the Alphabet Path to work for each child. There are so many fun ideas and options to choose from, it’s going to be such a fun year!
Since Snuggles just turned five during the summer, he is starting Kindergarten younger than any of our other children. (Captain did start at this age, but he really wasn’t ready and ended up repeating 2nd grade due to his Auditory Processing Challenges. And for Twinkle Toes, our other late summer baby, we “waited” until she had just turned 6 to officially call her a Kindergartner.) I’m not going to worry about whether or not we complete the Alphabet Path in one year or two – taking our time and spending two weeks on each letter, or more if necessary. If it takes us 3 years to get through K & 1st grade, no big deal. I’d rather this extra little guy of mine be the oldest in his class with a solid foundation, rather than one of the youngest struggling to keep up! (Not that it really matters, since we homeschool, but still…)
Anyhow, now that we are a couple weeks into our new school year, I’ve had time to figure out just what the Alphabet Path is going to look like for Snuggles! I’ve run across a few fun new additions that I am looking forward to sharing with you all.
In addition to his daily Religion, Math, and Language Arts, we will focus on one area of the Alphabet Path each afternoon:
- Monday :: Letter Introduction & Formation
- Tuesday :: A, B… Seas & Storybook Science
- Wednesday :: Arts & Crafts
- Thursday :: My Catholic Faith
- Friday (or on the weekend) :: A to Z Recipes
(Note: Most of these books were already on our bookshelves, with just a few new additions.)
Along the Alphabet Path Story Book by Elizabeth Foss
Various Saint Picture Books & Coloring Pages
I’m loving this little recipe box… For Aa week we made Ants in my Applesauce, and next week we will be making Blueberry Buckle! In addition to all the great recipes, each card also offers suggestions for servings and variations, plus fun facts. The letter tab at the top of each card works as a divider for any additional recipes you might want to add to the collection, using the 26 blank recipe cards which are provided, or your own.
You can find all of our posts for the Alphabet Path listed on this page. I’ll continue to add to the current label “Alphabet Path” for scrolling through everything. I also just filed all the posts from when the girls were learning along the Alphabet Path here: Alphabet Path (2009-2010) and will begin a new label for Snuggles: Alphabet Path (2012-2013). I’ll be back soon along after awhile to add all about Aa week!
Is anyone else learning Along the Alphabet Path this year?
How do you like the A is for Altar B is for Bible book? I've had it on the wish list for the baby, but Amazon's preview feature of the book doesn't show any of the book as it relates to the little ones.
Your peg saints are adorable.
It's a nice little book. I'm hoping to the themes from it or God's Alphabet as inspiration for our crafts each week… We'll see how that goes! Of the two, God's Alphabet is my favorite.
In A is for Altar, B is for Bible – when you open it up – one page will have the illustration and the opposite side will have the letter "A is for altar" along with a short quote from the Bible "I will go to the altar of God, to God my exceeding joy. Psalm 43:4a"
Going through the book the letters stand for: Altar, Bible, Chalice, Delight (picture of three kings following star), Elizabeth, Font, Good Shepherd, Hidden Treasure (kingdom of Heaven), Isaiah, Jerusalem, Kingdom of God, Light, Mary, Nazareth, Oil, Pearl, Quiet (He restores my soul), Resurrection, Simeon, Temple, Understanding, Vestment, Water & Wine, crucifiX, Yeast, and zzzzzzz.
Hope that helps!
We're going to give the Alphabet Path a try this year! I'm really interested to see what you will do with your five year old boy, since I have a 5 year old boy (who also had a summer birthday) and 6 year old twin boys who will be following the Alphabet Path. Your archives have been very helpful. We just finished our A week, and I hope to post about it on my blog soon. Now we're on to B week, which for my boys will be all about Building! 🙂
We're also following the Path with our 4 1/2 year old. Young for Kindergarten, but advanced for his age and he's loving it so far. We're also taking 1 1/2-2 weeks/letter using many of the ideas you used with your girls (less the flowery stuff 🙂 ). I like the recipe box, I think we may pick one up.
Thanks so much for the inside scoop on the book, it's very helpful. I'm sure it will be in our book stacks soon!
We're doing it. Thanks to you and Ms. Foss! Your well-documented ideas and links have made planning and doing our own alphabet path a pure joy and pleasure for this first-time homeschooling mama. Thank you so much!!
Please tell me about the lovely cubbies you're using to display the painted saint dolls. We have ours lined up across a narrow shelf, but I LOVE those tiny cubbies!
I also was eyeing the cubbie for the saint wooden dolls. Where did you get it?
How funny, I too, was wondering about the cubbies.
How funny, I too, was wondering about the cubbies.
We are doing a smaller version of the alphabet path this year as part of pre-K. I am planning on following your version next year for kindergarten. Looking forward to all the posts.
I just posted about those lovely "cubbies" here! 😉
An Alphabet of Saints :: Painted Wooden Peg Dolls
I first started reading your blog when you were posting about the AP with your daughters. I used your archives & ideas with my own daughter a few years ago (and loved it!). Last year I started putting together an animal-themed version for my 4 yo son, and was planning to continue through the alphabet this year…but all the extra planning takes so much time, perhaps we will just go back to the original program, too! Thanks for posting your plans and all your wonderful new resources!!
We just bought this book and I love everything except the picture of X is for Crucifix. It is not really a traditional piture of a crucifix. It is very abstract and can't really make out the outline of Jesus. We like things to be very traditional and so this is my only complaint about the book. Just thought I would share what we thought too 🙂
I agree, Courtney. That is also my least favorite picture in the book. I, too, prefer traditional artwork but since there are so few Catholic Alphabet Books this one has found a place on our book shelves and I still do like it as a whole. However if I had to choose one, as I mentioned before, God's Alphabet is my favorite. Do you happen to have that one? The pictures are all completely traditional and I think you'd love it! 🙂
No we don't have that one. I will have to put that on my list. Thanks! Always love finding great Catholic books the kids will like.
Hi Jessica,
I was wondering what the name of the publisher is on the Our Heavenly Father Text you use. Is it the text put out by Ignatius Press? Thanks
It is from the Living My Religion Series. I purchased the set from All Catholic Books a number of years ago, though I think it is now out of print. I did notice that OLVS (I think?) was reprinting some of the titles. It was originally published in 1942.