BJU Press Focus on Fives (Online with Books) — Real-Life Review
This is the second time I’ve used BJU Press’ Focus on Fives Online with Books, and I don’t think I fully appreciated how easy it was to use the first time around. Since then, I’ve used and tested a number of other kindergarten programs, and very few of them encourage this level of independence.
At the moment, I’m actually using a different curriculum provider for maths (big mistake), and I’m really looking forward to finishing it because it’s quite time-heavy for me, and I feel that difference every day.
In contrast, with the BJU subjects, there’s a lot more space in the day. It gives me time to work from home, or simply be available for my toddler, without everything feeling rushed or overwhelming.
That difference has stood out even more the second time through.
I also absolutely love its focus on a biblical worldview, something you see in all their curriculum pages.
This is my gorgeous girl, Penny, who is in kindergarten doing BJU Press Focus on Fives Online with books.
Quick note — there’s an affiliate link below if you do decide to check it out. It doesn’t cost you anything extra, and it helps support our channel, so thank you.
What it actually looks like day-to-day
In our home, I setup the laptop for my five-year-old, and then she gets out the workbooks. I can look in the Video Lesson Guide (pictured below) for what I need OR it will tell you on screen, what you need to get out.
Then we press play on the Focus on Fives video lessons and Penny works through the lesson with the pre-recorded video teacher on the laptop, completing the workbook alongside it (see the picture above).
The teacher is doing the bulk of the instruction, which changes the feel of the day quite a bit. I’m still present and helping when needed, but I’m not carrying the whole lesson myself.
That has made a noticeable difference to our rhythm. It gives me a bit more breathing room during the day to stay on top of things at home or get small pockets of work done, without school stopping completely.
The BJU Press Video Teacher Guide shows what page to open up to, what video lesson goes with which video, and what manipulatives and crafts you need to get.
Time and flow
Officially, the lessons aren’t very long, but in real life, I’d allow about 1 to 1.5 hours, including breaks and normal interruptions.
And we do usually take a couple of short breaks, depending on the day. This gives my daughter a chance to reset.
I’ve found if we don’t do breaks, she gets too frustrated and overwhelmed. Whereas when there are lots of breaks, she seems to love the material!
And doing the course again, the second time through, it feels faster and smoother because I’ve seen it all and done it before.
Also, my older son can help out (with finding manipulatives or the right page or video) as he’s seen it all before and he’s sitting at the end of the table doing BJU Press Math 3!
Focus on Fives Workbook
What’s included
The course is quite full/thorough/complete, which I appreciate at this age.
There are:
Video lessons through the Homeschool Hub that guide the teaching (so you don’t have to)
Two workbooks with a mix of phonics, writing, and simple activities (The Worktext, which is more about writing, and the Phonics Workbook, which is more about reading and making sounds)
Early readers (LOTS of larger simple reading books as well as mini readers) that build confidence gradually
Phonics flashcards
(Teachers Manuals are included as online PDFs if you choose the online option; you get them in hard copy if you go offline)
You can see visuals of all of these in the video at the end of the page!
The readers are simple but effective. They’re repetitive in a good way and help build fluency without overwhelming the child.
The workbook pages include things like cutting, gluing, circling, and matching. Penny LOVES whenever she can do craft like this…she’s all over it like a pig in mud!
You get video lessons on the Online Homeschool Hub, the Phonics workbook, and the Worktext workbook.
Strengths
As a busy homeschool mom, I love that BJU Press encourages independence to grow over time.
At the beginning of a child’s journey through kindy material, there’s more parent involvement needed, but as the year goes on, children can do more on their own.
When we started, Penny wanted us to sit next to her all the time. Now, she tells me she’s okay and I can go!
Also, this is a traditional educational curriculum, something you’d find in a top private school.
They have a very strong phonics foundation, and reading progression is clear and steady.
It covers a lot, but I haven’t felt like we’re drowning in content or constantly needing to skip large sections (although we do occasionally do a sneaky skip if we’re feelin’ a bit lazy!
But really, you can adjust based on your child.
If you have a child who’s struggling with letters and sounds, I’ve learned the value of starting a little later, as kids will find the course easier and there won’t be so much pushback! (And that’s the beauty of homeschooling…you can wait!)
Working from home alongside homeschooling
One thing I’ve appreciated is that the video lessons take some of the direct teaching off me.
My son (who’s now 9) has been using BJU Press as his primary curriculum since he was four. During that time, I had a trainwreck of a pregnancy, which landed me in bed most mornings. Luke was able to homeschool himself 95% independently, so I didn’t panic when he was falling behind.
And that’s why I’m such a HUGE fan of the online video lessons. (I tried the teachers' manuals, but they were way too time-intensive for me…I don’t have the same time as a teacher has!!!)
And I love that I can be working in the kitchen, playing with baby, feeding her, while watching over my kids shoulders as they complete thier lessons and learn about Jesus!
Final thoughts
Overall, this has been a curriculum I’ve been happy to come back to.
It’s structured, fairly easy to follow, and gives a strong start in reading without making the day feel overwhelming.
It won’t be the perfect fit for every family, but for us, it’s been a reliable option that works well in the flow of real life.
