I didn’t really need an excuse to buy sweet, delicious candy pumpkins, but it sure was fun to validate the purchase by telling myself, “These are for an addition game! An addition game for my kid, of course.” To play the candy pumpkin addition game, you will need: candy pumpkins dice 3 rings (metal canning […]
Tips for Raising Empathetic Children
October 9, 2013 by
It’s a rainy Friday evening. My youngest and I are snuggled in a red fleece blanket enjoying A Ball for Daisy, a picture book by Chris Raschka. “She is happy!” Owen tells me, pointing to a picture of Daisy carrying her ball to the park. “How do you know she feels happy?” I ask him. “She is […]
Exploring Nature with a Camera
September 30, 2013 by
The natural world is something that interests our entire family, so this year we are devoting more time to nature study. At first, nature study can seem a bit overwhelming. As adults, we feel the need to know everything as we set out. We often worry about being able to answer all of the many […]
The Elements of a Perfect Book Nook
September 29, 2013 by
One of the best ways I encourage reading at my house is to make a cozy place where my kids can curl up with no screen in sight. A kid sized spot, where books are always handy and the lighting is always good. Book nooks are easy to create with things you have on hand. […]
Apple Taste Test and Graph Activity
September 17, 2013 by
Using seasonal favorites is something I do a lot of in homeschooling. Each year we do something with apples, then pumpkins, then turkeys, then snowflakes and so on. It creates a rhythm of the year that the kids can rely on. I love teaching my kids with food related themes, so right now, it’s all […]
Helping Kids Choose Just Right Books
September 2, 2013 by
This week we’ll be sharing posts to help with the transition of getting back to more formal learning. First up is a great video from Amy at TeachMama.com on the importance of helping kids choose the books that are just right for them. Choosing the right book can make all the difference and this video […]
Kid Illustrated Summer Memory Books
August 30, 2013 by
The end of the summer is bittersweet; it’s sad to say goodbye to the warm weather and time with the kids, but the new school year and upcoming seasons are wonderful things to look forward to. We celebrated summer’s end by creating Summer Memory Books, illustrated and put together by the boys! This post contains affiliate […]
What About Socialization?
August 25, 2013 by
Are you hesitant to homeschool because you’re worried about socialization? More often than not, when I tell someone that my family homeschools their first question is, “What about socialization?”It’s a common misconception that homeschoolers are unsocialized and the socialization question is frequently asked. I decided to ask a few fellow homeschooling moms what they thought […]
Water Fun with a Marble Run
August 14, 2013 by
Using water as a learning tool in the summertime serves a dual purpose; kids learn and stay cool! Below is a list of three things that kids can learn about water through water fun with a marble run. 1. Water drips in drops. Due to surface tension, when water is slowly dripping off the marble […]
6 Simple Discovery Bottles
August 12, 2013 by
I’m getting ready to start the homeschool year with my rising first grader and preschooler. I really needed a quick and engaging activity to keep the baby occupied for a few minutes while I assist my daughters with their schoolwork. These simple discovery bottles were the way to go! I already had all the materials […]
Learning in an Instant: Scissor Skills
August 2, 2013 by
I know many families are preparing for the upcoming school year by setting aside a little time to let their kids practice some of the basics before they go back. Practicing scissor skills can be one of the easiest activities to encourage. And it can be fun! You don’t even have to have an end […]
Ocean Themed Fun
July 26, 2013 by
Interested in teaching your children more about the ocean? Make a day out of it! Here are some ideas for planning a day filled with lots of ocean themed fun. Eat ocean themed food Make an octopus’s garden snack with a bell pepper as the body and 8 legs wallowing in the dip of your […]
Beach Keepsake Craft
July 24, 2013 by
One of our favorite places to go for vacation is the beach. It’s so relaxing and enjoyable, yet at the same time, the kids love to explore, build, and discover on the shoreline. This summer, I decided to use this opportunity to create a beach keepsake using their discoveries. The supplies you need are quite […]
Developing Storytelling Skills with a Mini Sandbox
July 19, 2013 by
Here’s a quick and easy way to work on developing storytelling skills with your preschooler using the sandbox, or in this case, a mini-sandbox! Clara was very lucky to have received this mini sandbox kit from a friend for her birthday, and she has spent many hours happily playing with this!! You could easily make […]
Sandbox Social Skills
July 17, 2013 by
There is a park near our home that has a spectacular public sandbox. Public sandboxes are fun places to play and learn because the high quantity of children and sand-toys present many opportunities for preschoolers to develop life-long social skills. As parents, we sometimes forget that our children are not born with social skills. Children […]
How to Make Cloud Dough
July 15, 2013 by
Summer is a great time to get outside and play in the sand and water, but those aren’t the only sensory activity opportunities! The warm weather makes it easy to take a variety of activities outside, and that typically means less mess and more fun! So today we’re sharing a video tutorial on how to […]
How to Make Colored Shadows
July 10, 2013 by
Sometimes summer plans don’t go as we wanted them to, especially if we end up with rainy days! Last week, we ended up being stuck in the house when we really wanted to be enjoying the sunshine. We pulled out a few lamps and created our own shadows. To our surprise, shadows don’t always have […]
Pretend Cake Tutorial
July 8, 2013 by
It’s amazing how much learning actually takes place during pretend play. The first time I discovered that my son could add and subtract efficiently, without prior lessons and without prompting, was while playing grocery store. I was astonished as he added up my total! Thanks to several rainy days, we’ve recently had a great deal […]
