Bright Beginnings review by Rainbow Resources, Inc.

It’s not uncommon for your younger kids to want to "do school" just like everyone else in the family. Preschoolers and younger, children tend to be naturally curious about the world around them, and they want "Mom time" just like everyone else. If you haven't had a chance to really put together a program for your 3-4 year-old, you might want to check this out. Tammy Shaw has put together a very thorough, user-friendly, nearly all-inclusive AND fun pre-school curriculum that places an emphasis on the Bible, as well as covering a multitude of other subjects, each in 10-15 minutes a day, a total of about 2 hours and 15 minutes if you do it all. Of course, you don't have to do everything suggested either. That's one of the beauties of this program - while it is very complete and all lesson plans have been carefully thought out and are ready-to-use, it is also easy to change things around, pick and choose which subjects you will focus on, decide which activities to do or adapt to your liking, and include whichever library or other supplemental books you wish. The program features 144 complete lessons, to be used however you see fit. Depending on the age and ability of your children, you may want to attempt to do them all in a year - or spread it out over two. Each well-thought-out lesson plan includes Bible, language skills, math, character development, health/safety and manners, science and social studies (God's World), memory verse, art, music, physical education, field trips, and snack time. The program is divided into two volumes, with the first containing an orientation, teaching helps, scheduling, supply lists, subject overview, and all 144 lesson plans. The lesson plans contain activities and lesson content for Bible, language skills, math, character building, memory verse, as well as a list of supplies needed for the lesson. The lesson content for science, physical ed, art, snack, music, appendixes and bibliography are included in the second book. This allows the mom short on time wanting to focus only on the "core" subjects some flexibility in this manner. If you feel that the other subjects are non-essential at this level, skip out on Book 2 (although you will be missing the appendix worksheets and bibliography) or use these lessons more sparingly. As far as the actual supplies needed go, you will be glad to hear that you will need only a Bible as well as household and craft supplies that YOU likely already have around the house, such as index cards, markers, crayons, old magazines, construction paper, file folders, ruler, writing and copy paper, glue, and a few others. Library books are suggested for some lessons, but not required, and you are certainly free to substitute any that you may like better, or can find more easily. A supplies list for each lesson is included at the very end, as well as diagrams for how to construct any paper manipulatives or charts you will be making in the lessons. So you can get a slightly better "feel" for what is included in the lesson content, let me give you a brief overview of skills or content covered by subject. The Bible lessons consist of 124 lessons that proceed through the Bible chronologically, and are age-appropriate to their comprehension level (although the author points out that you may want to read from a more “kid-friendly” version with simpler vocabulary so they retain more) Comprehension and understanding questions are included in the lesson, along with the verse that the answer is found in. An additional activity accompanies the Bible lesson with a theme-appropriate hands-on or craft activity, and a prayer focus is offered to complete the Bible lesson. Language skills lessons focus on the skills necessary before learning to read. Language activities included cover letter recognition and sounds, listening activities, vocabulary, following directions, auditory and visual discrimination, following directions, eye-hand coordination, left-to-right progression, sequencing, and classifying. Whew! Thoughtfully, the easier lessons are presented earlier, with the harder ones being tackled further on down the road. Early math concepts covered include learning the basics of counting, adding, and subtracting as well as colors, shapes, measurement, money, comparison, and sedation. 36 character development lessons are included, about one character value per week. A simple activity practicing this character value is included, and may be repeated through the week, ideally with you and your child finding other examples of the character value as well. Health, safety and manners lessons divide these three subjects into topical lessons, each of about 12 weeks. Two lessons are given per week, and are designed to teach the foundations of proper behaviors as well as an understanding of how to take care of themselves. God's World lessons consist of 36 topical units, which are included in the appendix of Book 2. This format lets you and your child choose a topic to your liking each week, which gives you four activities to complete for the topic as well as optional activities you may wish to complete as well. Supplies as well as suggested books are included at the end of each God's World lesson, and the author notes that these have been carefully selected for appropriate and inoffensive content, although there is plenty of room for you to decide not to use a suggested book, use another, etc. Memory verses consist of simple, easy-to-learn verses from scripture, and each included verse also correlates to the character value of the week. 72 art and 72 music lessons are included, and these feature a range of rewarding activities to set their creativity loose, as well as develop motor skills. Physical education lessons encourage large muscle activity, and feature activities to develop skills such as coordination, aerobics, gymnastics, whole body movement, and of course there is an assortment of fun, active games as well. Suggested field trips are listed in the appendix, and these correlate to topics studied in the God's World lessons. 144 simple snack ideas are also offered, and although optional, food preparation and enjoyment is a great activity that most small children revel in doing with Mom (or big sibling), and may provide a fun "diversion" from the rest of your school day. Whether you just want to get your early learner off to a good start at home, or if that youngster of yours just wants to "do school" like their siblings, these hefty volumes contain a great, solid foundation of learning that you both can enjoy.

– Jess, Rainbow Resources, Inc.
   Page 90, 2004-2005 Catalog