Last week I went on a fun field trip adventure to NYC, and the forecast called for rain. A quick search of rainy day fun in NYC brought up the idea to visit the American Museum of Natural History along Central Park West — an exciting and educational place indeed!! Here are some of the […]
Candy Pumpkin Addition Game
October 22, 2013 by
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 […]
Estimating with Halloween Goodies
October 14, 2013 by
Halloween can be a fun time of year, filled with pretend play, decorating, and an over-abundance of candy. Why not put the candy to use, with a little learning exploration? Here’s a fun Halloween math activity that you do can do with just a bag (or two) of candy and a few glass jars. […]
5 Books about Feelings
October 11, 2013 by
Are you in search of high quality children’s literature to accompany discussions and lessons regarding feelings and empathy? Check out my 5 favorites listed below. Books about Feelings The Way I Feel by Janan Cain In this delightful rhyming story, children of all ages will relate to the whimsical illustrations and real-life situations described in […]
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 […]
Apple Themed Mini Unit
September 16, 2013 by
I love fall, especially since it means fresh, crisp apples! Every year we visit our local orchard to pick apples and I wanted to do a quick apple themed day beforehand to get the kids excited about picking apples. Planning a week long unit can be daunting but creating a mini unit is simple and […]
When Your Child Hates School
September 13, 2013 by
“I hate Kindergarten,” he confessed with little arms crossed and tears in his eyes. “I did not have a good day and I do not want to go again.” My heart sank. It seemed that almost everything, from a too-tight snack box to a lonely after-lunch recess, had gone wrong for him on his first […]
Super EASY DIY Homework Workstation
September 9, 2013 by
This simple DIY homework workstation can be made in about 5 minutes from a tri-fold foam display board (available here on Amazon, and other office supply stores). Cut the foam board in half so that one poster board will make two workstations. For a finishing touch, add a border of colored duct tape, and hang […]
Back to School $25 VISA Gift Card Giveaway
September 6, 2013 by
Do you still have school supplies on your shopping list? Thankfully, my friends from Crayola offered to sponsor this fun giveaway for a $25 VISA gift card for your last-minute back to school shopping needs!! (Thanks, Crayola!) Crayola also supplied me with a $50 VISA gift card to help with some of our back to […]
A Year-at-a-Glance Calendar for Your Homeschool Year
September 2, 2013 by
We all have great ideas for our kids school year as homeschoolers, but if we tried to start every great idea on day #1 of school our kids (and us!) would burn out very quickly. For this reason, I started to use this year-at-a-glance calendar to plan the things I want to get to this […]
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 […]
End of Summer Time Capsule
August 26, 2013 by
Summer is coming to an end whether you are sending your kids off to school or keeping them home for school. More than likely, their friends are going to want to know all about their summer, so why not reflect on all the summer fun by creating an end of summer time capsule. Not only […]
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 […]
Structuring Your Homeschool Day
August 23, 2013 by
Figuring out a homeschool schedule can be a challenge. Should you focus on reading and math? What about the other subjects? Are you doing enough in a day? Will they eventually get it? Once your homeschool year begins, it sometimes takes a few weeks to figure out what works for you and your family. Here […]
