Earth Schooling by Accident: Teaching and Learning as we Go “My 16 year old is really struggling with his purpose in life. He asks WHY about everything, lately. It’s just why about finishing high school, why he’s here, and what is he supposed to do in life (all in a very negative way). It’s heartbreaking as a mom, and while I’ve always taught them they are here on earth for a purpose… I can’t always answer those questions thrown at me. Have any of your boys struggled with that?” Her heart beckoned me to respond. I stopped in my tracks and wrote her back. “Yes… My youngest son was really struggling a few years ago (when he was 14 I think). I did something extreme. Every day, rain or shine, we began our day with a walk. I didn’t give him a choice. Honestly, his dyslexic brain needed the fresh air. Every day we laced our shoes and hit the road for the first 1-2 hours of school. I found myself looking at the man-child and realized I have very little time with him. It was killing me that when he struggled with school our relationship suffered. I named our new way of learning Tom Sawyer schooling. I handed him my phone and encouraged him to take pictures. We walked to a local beach and searched for treasures.We purposely splashed in puddles.He began to talk more and more each dayI began to listen with intensity. After a few weeks, (yes weeks), he said, “don’t laugh… but I think I might know what I want to do when I grow up.” “Buddy, I won’t laugh… what?” He took a deep breath. “A cardiothoracic surgeon.” My eyes went wide. ignoring the truth that he is dyslexic and can’t spell for beans, I replied. “WOW!! How can I help you get there?” Mom, this is the most important thing I learned that day. He already KNEW what his first steps were! We continued walking and talking and he became more and more excited. Not wanting to lose any of the GOLD flowing from his lips, I recorded his developing plan so he could write it down when we got home. The Un FANCY recording of our conversation He’s now almost 16. He’s been studying human anatomy and the history of medicine since. He studies on his own, unprompted. Things like: how to survive and thrive in medical schoolhow to sleep enough in medical schoolhow to learn complex ideaadvance note taking skills Everything he studies has a clear purpose in helping him reach his goal. and he’s ALL IN. New homeschool word: Earthschooling. I didn’t know this is what I was doing; but it works. No. I didn’t buy any curriculum:). Everything he does has purpose. Everything he does has purpose. Taking photographs to relax his mind and soak in the outdoors and improving his fine motor skills through sewing and crocheting earning money for medical school with: photos he’s takena DIY heart foldableHeart BOOM cardssnowman printablesteaching kids to crochet, opening his Etsy shop. He’s laser focused on his goal, and we give him time, resources and assistance by wrapping all his school in a way to align with his goals. Oh the JOY As his teacher, I lay the practical skills he needs right on top of his goals. And then I stand back and rub my eyes in astonishment with what he accomplishes. Your teen can do the same kinds of amazing. If I could whisper in your ear it would be to say… stop normal school for the next few weeks, at least for an hour or two a day and hang out with him without technology. For me, walking was the ticket. It may be going on a drive with him… you know him best. That season is a serious gauntlet where the enemy not only discourages their hearts, but floods their minds with hormones so they can be testy. Prayer is key. So is leaning into their lives and listening. Even if it’s late at night. Once you’ve spent time enjoying each other, he may be open enough to share some of his hopes/wishes with you… respond with “how can I help you get there?” And then listen and take notes.” 3 Tips to Unlocking this Magical Learning Spend enough time shoulder to shoulder with your kids that they relax and learn to TRUST YOU with their heart.LISTEN a lot more than you speak. Take notes even.Choose materials and hobbies that feed their passion. Yes, even buying gifts like this for your wanna be surgeon like we did. (He LOVES it). I learned this “How can I help you reach your goals” and then listen from Kerry Beck. Wow! One workshop from her transformed my homeschooling. PRINT THIS FREE HOMESCHOOL MOM REMINDER. This post comes with a free printable reminder list to help keep your heart focused on the heart of homeschooling. I always have the hardest staying focused. This printable simplifies it! Here is a sneak preview… DOWNLOAD YOUR FREE PRINTABLE Download the checklist. You’ll get the printable, plus join 9,000+ homeschool moms who receive my weekly parenting tips and ideas!Print. Any paper will do the trick, but card stock would be ideal.Place it on your refrigerator as a helpful reminder. WANT MORE POSTS ON HOMESCHOOLING FROM THE HEART? Don’t homeschool your kids Godly women and homeschool You don’t need to apologize
Pi Day Fun One of the perks of being both a homeschool mom AND a mom is going over board for things like Pi Day. March 14 is when all the crazy, fun and quirky math lovers around the planet have a blast celebrating this amazing number. Yes, there’s even a PiDay Organization to fill your imagination with amazing ideas! We are Teachers has 31 Amazing Fun Pi Activities for you! “Thank you, We Are Teachers What is Pi? Pi is the sixteen letter of the Greek alphabet, and it’s also a symbol used to describe the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter, meaning that pi equals the circumference divided by the diameter (π = c/d). The interesting this about pi is that mathematicians who have been working on this number believe that it is infinite, meaning that it’s not the quotient of two integers. In other words, the number pi goes on and on and on, and we don’t know where it ends! So, the number “pi” begins with the numbers 3.14159265, and goes on and on infinitely (so we think). Computers have been cranking away at the number for a while now, trying to figure out just how big it is (and if it will ever stop), and according to Number World, the number has been computed up to 10 trillion digits. Wow! How do you get in the spirit of fun days like Pi Day? Get it? Chicken Pot Pi!! But pi’s ubiquity goes beyond math.
10 of the BEST Homeschool Subscription Boxes for your Kids Inside: Top picks for homeschool subscription boxes by moms like you. These subscriptions will spice up your homeschool Travel to the future with me, and let’s give each other a virtual high five today. Ready? There are two boxes and an envelope on the kitchen table for your child. YOU are so excited, you can’t contain yourself. You close your eyes and think to yourself: “Don’t say they’re for school!”“Don’t say they’re educational!”“Don’t say they’ll be fun learning lessons!” You are squirming with excitement, because you know your child is holding the future in their hands and waiting with anticipation for the go ahead to peek inside. They hold up one of the boxes. “This one?” YOU: Not, yet. They try to hide disappointment, and hold the the other box. “This one?” YOU: Maybe you should open the envelope first.((Insert wink.)) They tear open the paper and read, “You are about to get a glimpse of the future. Something that will some to you every month for the rest of next year!!!” At this point, tell them to pause while you get another cup of tea or coffee and ask them to guess what’s inside. YOU: What do you think it could be? ((Insert virtual high-five here)) They are so excited, they can barely contain themselves. What is in the boxes? 💛 Excitement💛 Curiosity💛 Fine motor Development💛 FUN How is this possible? I polled hundreds of homeschool moms and compiled their favorites list of kits into a list for you. My own 15-year old gets the Kiwi Co Tinker Crate each month. When it arrives, he places it on the ottoman and waits for the end of the day. That evening, he opens the box with great fanfare, making sure his DAD sees and is equally impressed. Then he gets building. Careful reading of instructions Fine motor development Engineering and design Problem solving and math skills Those are the words we HIDE AWAY from his ears and replace them with WOW! FUN! Let me see. MAGIC. You have time to make this happen. Most kits take a few weeks to get to you and there is one for almost every kind of child and passion. Just be stealthy and I promise… …I won’t spoil the surprise. Food for thought: These make GREAT gifts for people in nursing homes too!! Quick Links to the top Homeschool Subscription Boxes Green Kid Crafts KiwiCo Mel Science Bitsbox Ivy Kids Young Woodworkers Let’s Make Art Rock By Rock Raddish Letter from Afar Highlights Little Passports Think Outside Craftsman Crate Sensory Therapy Play Box BarkBox DIY Preschool Earth Box Plan DIY ABCs of God Plan Free Science for three months from Mel Science? Here’s how you register! When you really want to know what’s best you ask the experts, right?Kids LOVE getting stuff in the mail! Surprise them with a special gift – A subscription box just for THEM! Perfect for birthdays, holidays and more! But, if you’re like me you’re wondering which are the BEST Subscription Boxes for kids. So I asked all the moms On our Facebook page: I’m looking for subscription box and membership ideas for homeschoolers. Most subscription boxes are chosen to meet a specific need, want, or interest. Throw in the fact that you don’t need to look for duct tape, buttons, or instructions for how to whip together something cool and BOOM. Your kids will think you’re the coolest mom on the planet. Not sure which boxes will best fit your family? That’s exactly why I asked a few dozen of my homeschooling friends. Check out all the AMAZING subscription boxes other Homeschool Moms love. …Read More »
24 Ways to Make Learning about Verbs Creative, EASY, and Fun INSIDE: Fun and Easy Action Verb Activities for teaching verb tenses I was browsing Pinterest this morning over a cup of coffee looking for a creative action verb activities. I know, not your typical read-over-coffee topic. But I’m tired of kids falling asleep or worse groaning when we begin talking about verbs and other parts of speech. “There has to be a verb game I can use to bring this area of learning to life!” I dreamed. If verbs are really where all the ACTION is expressed in writing, then why can’t we find ways to make them jump off the page with our kids. I took another big sip and started digging. …Read More »
How to Keep Kids Dreaming, Thinking, and Happy Inside: Easy to follow Step By Step Drawing Lessons for your kids! Working from home is an incredible perk… Not all homeschoolers work from home. Not all work from home parents homeschool. But MOST of us are dealing with distractions and interruptions. Usually, it’s fine. This whole have ‘our own life at home’ thing.UNTIL: Your 5-year-old princess interrupts your Zoom Call for the 12th time.Your son designs a nerf ambush for his brother right in the middle of the baby’s nap.All of your kids decide the perfect time to come give you a group hug is right in the middle of your online presentation.Someone screams. Let’s be real. You ADORE your kids. You want to see their drawings and listen to their stories.You want to play. Mixing work and parenting is NOT for the faint of heart. You really want to be the best parent on the planet right now and join the nerf battle and hug your kids… But RIGHT at THIS moment you just need 20 minutes of UNINTERRUPTED time to focus on this project. Why don’t you let me keep your kids busy doodling, dreaming and thinking for the next 20 minutes while you focus! In just a few minute, your child will be FOCUSED, entertained, and learning something valuable. Developing fine motor skillsWorking QUIETlYPracticing the art of visual thinkingBuilding their visual vocabularyHaving FUN How?Learning to draw! Let me introduce you and your kids to the Doodle Clubhouse! Each week, I release a new series of How to Draw Videos for Kids of All ages (well, 5 and up if they need to do them independently) The videos are EASY to follow and are sure to give them Instant mastery over drawing. While you are Thinking and WORKING, your child will be focusing and practicing the art of bringing drawings to life, all while I teach them how to draw step by step. Start with a Plan for Success Without a plan, your budding little artist may decide to decorate your dining room wall, rather than that piece of copy paper. You can’t just slap those kids of yours in front of a screen and say, “see you in 3 hours.” Even the BEST online activities require set-up and practice with kids. Because they can smell busy work and “get out of my space” tactics faster than your dog can smell the peanut butter jar open. So, let me give you some NINJA Skills for getting those kids to draw happily for a few minutes! NINJA skills are those secrets for success that we brilliant work from home parents keep to ourselves so our kids begin to trust in our creative brilliance. I won’t tell on you if you won’t tell on me; deal? NINJA TIPS for SUCCESS: Do the first one TOGETHER. Seriously. Don’t roll your eyes. Do the first few videos of the SPACE theme inside the clubhouse together. Your kids will buy in to these drawing lessons if YOU show them they are worth YOUR time and interest.Layout paper and markers. If necessary, buy some new ones as a surprise. Drawing with pen is a powerful lesson for letting go of perfectionism. I talk about that all the time in the videos. Don’t let a lack of supplies slow you down. Use what you have and then sneak in a few new markers later to keep them doodling!Pick up a pen and a blank piece of paper and write the words: DOODLE CLUBHOUSE across the top. Set a timer and draw with your kids. Every day. One doodle goes a LONG way. (NINJA high five)ESTABLISH rules of engagement. “I know you’re going to be excited to show me what you’re learning, but when I am working, you’ll need to wait until (insert your secret cue here… I suggest a timer) to show me.”Instruct young kids about markers… Only on paper, not on the baby, or the wall… you know the drill… Once, I thought my little angel was doing exactly what I thought he was doing. Reality? He was painting hime]self and the bathroom with red nail polish. A few minutes of proactive will set you up for success!AFTER work, or when you take that coveted break mid-day, Be sure to find a few minutes to OOh and Ahhh over their creations. Better yet, watch their favorite How to Draw Videos together and YOU DRAW WITH them and create a happy memory. The Great news?Anyone can draw. The Better news?I’ve grouped the themes into 20-25 minute themes, BUT each image is its own separate video, making them easy to follow! Sign your kids up for the Doodle Clubhouse for Kids today! For only a few dollars a month, I can give you those 20 minutes you are looking for instantly. Ready? FAIR WARNING: Your kids are gonna LOVE the Doodle Clubhouse! Be sure you establish the boundaries for your work time.PRACTICE for a few minutes each day for the first few days. Heads up. The first few minutes of each theme include fun hand warmup videos that will make them laugh. Out-loud. They will make a little noise as they get started and then they will quiet down as they draw. The goofy videos are a NINJA trick to get kids to exercise their fine-motor muscles. You need some time to work. Let me help you!! Diane Bleck is my Doodle Teacher Doodling and Drawing is NOT just something to keep your kids busy. It’s REALLY powerful and beneficial for their learning! Who benefits from the Doodle Clubhouse for Kids? Kids ages 5 and up. Our oldest doodlers are in their 50s! Anyone who wants to draw, but feels like all they can muster is a dot or a very short line. Yes! You can draw!Homeschool kidsPublic School KidsYour kidsMy kids There’s something MAGIC that happens when a person suddenly is able to MASTER a little drawing. CONFIDENCE blossomsCreativity is UNLOCKEDJOY flows in The Doodle Clubhouse for Kids includes: Video lesson on how to deal with mistakes. Really important lesson for our perfectionists!Weekly themes including multiple step-by-step videos showing just hands and the images come to life.Printable sheets including step by step drawing, a coloring page, a worksheet template and a colorful display of the theme.Access to a private Facebook Group where you kids can share their creations (optional; but fun) Why only a few dollars a month? All kids benefit from the POWER that is unlock as they master hand eye control and overcome those self-imposed hurdles. “I can’t draw” TRANSFORMS into “LOOK what I drew!!” I believe all kids need this type of confidence building, fine-motor development, joy bringing activity in their lives. I don’t want any child to be left out. This Clubhouse could easily be priced much higher… but then the kids who really need it would miss out. So POWERFUL! You need a few minutes to think, true. But you’re kids need the CONFIDENCE and JOY just inside the Doodle Clubhouse for Kids. Give it a test spin, today. Those 20 minutes of time for you to focus are hiding right around the pile of colorful markers and smiling faces.
How to Make Math more fun for Your Kids Inside: 7 Math Picture Books For Kids As I dreamed about my future as a little girl, I KNEW I was going to do a few things. Be an amazing wife and mom.Grow up to be a teacher.And dance. I was CONVINCED I’d be a ballerina. The only problem I didn’t factor in, was math. It turns out that being good at math and teaching math are two very different skill sets. How do you bring math to life for your kids? I stayed awake many nights trying to figure that out. It turns out the solution is also one of my favorite “do with kids” activities. Reading! 7 Math Picture Books For Kids The Girl With a Mind for Math: The Story of Raye Montague After touring a German submarine in the early 1940s, young Raye set her sights on becoming an engineer. Little did she know sexism and racial inequality would challenge that dream every step of the way, even keeping her greatest career accomplishment a secret for decades. Do Not Open This Math Book: Addition + Subtraction Finally, a FUN book to read with kids that helps bridge the gap between what’s being taught in school and how today’s parents learned math back in the day. Giggle your way through entertaining lessons on addition and subtraction involving muffins, turkey sandwiches, kittens, googly eyes, and more! A Hundred Billion Trillion Stars Did you know that the earth is covered in three trillion trees? And that seven billion people weigh about the same as ten quadrillion ants? Our world is full of constantly changing numbers, from a hundred billion trillion stars in space to thirty-seven billion rabbits on Earth. Can you imagine that many of anything? Place Value You had better not monkey around when it comes to place value. The monkeys in this book can tell you why! Order of Operations Task Cards Students work backwards from the answer and a set of four numbers. Using the information given, the student (or team) must add the appropriate symbols to solve their task. Fractions in Disguise: A Math Adventure Crack the case with George Cornelius Factor in this entertaining math adventure that introduces simplified and reduced fractions with equal parts intrigue and humor. When a valuable fraction goes missing, George Cornelius Factor (a.k.a. GCF) vows to track it down. I’m Trying to Love Math Do multiplication tables give you hives? Do you break out in a sweat when you see more than a few numbers hanging out together? Then I’m Trying to Love Math is for you! In her signature hilarious style, Bethany Barton introduces readers to the things (and people) that use math in amazing ways — like music, and spacecraft, and even baking cookies! Fall Worksheets: Math Mazes, Targets and more These Fun Math worksheets are all centered around 3rd Grade multiplication practice and mastery. 9 No PREP 3rd Grade Math-Multiplication Activities Included in this pack: 3rd Grade Math: Multiplication- Mazes solved with multiples3rd Grade Math- Sudoku puzzles3rd Grade Math: Multiplication-Candy Corn Multiplication Families The Grapes Of Math “This…clever math book uses rhyming couplets… riddles…visual clues to help the reader find new ways to group numbers for quick counting…A winning addition! FANTASTIC Math Manipulatives and Games So FUN!! Problem solving is so important!! Best Subscription Boxes for Kids More Math Products Fun Math Worksheets for Middle School: Division (Thanksgiving) Fun Math Worksheets for Middle School: Division and Divisibility (Christmas) Classifying Numbers Bundle. Fun Math Worksheets for Middle School: Order of Operations 14 Divisibility Games and Activities. Scattergories Game BUNDLE (Thanksgiving & Christmas Themed) Fun Math Worksheets for Middle School: Number of the Day Middle School Math Worksheets: Budget Project
How to Turn Homeschool Frustration into Joy and Learning Dear homeschool mom, Don’t homeschool. I’m not kidding. Yes, kids need to read and write and solve basic math problems, but they don’t need school at home. They need to have plenty of time to run, jump, slide, swing, lay, laugh, build, and rest. Related: building toys Give them time to be bored, time to think, time to day dream. Don’t give them workbooks, worksheets, and hours of assignments. Instead, give them LESS. …Read More »
Preschool At Home MAGIC Now You Can Easily PreschoolYour Child At Home…With little to NO PLANNING and PREP and without SPENDING a fortune. BEST Deal? 20 weeks of AMAZING Preschool-at-Home lessons (for less than $2 a week!!!) Mommy and Me Preschool Amy, your new best friend, has done all the work to make this as EASY as possible! Monthly ADORABLE themes Learn more here! Best part? You can try it for 15 days! Make your payment today, and you don’t even have to decide if you’re in for good! Take the full 15 days to explore the materials and experience the vibe of and THEN… make a decision using the information YOU HAVE, rather than the information you don’t. Just want Individual PRESCHOOL Learning Packs? No problem! All the goodness is here. Once you see how much your kids LOVE these activities you’re going to want to come back for more and more and more. You’ll want to hop on the Planning PLAYtime email list to get freebies and first dibs on what’s new. (The place to drop your email is right at the top of her page! Go ahead and grab a copy of my book, Homeschooling from the Inside Out! It’s completely FREE. Just click over and fill in your first name and primary email below and we will send you a digital copy immediately!!
17 of the Best Advent for Kids Activities for your Family <small>Inside: Fun Advent for Kids Printables to help countdown Christmas</small> Share the nativity with your kids in a fun and unique way with these FUN and Easy Advent Activities. On Christmas morning, there were ash boot prints on my carpet and sleigh marks on my roof in the snow. To say my parents went over board to help us believe in Santa is an under statement. My child hood is filled with stories of Santa, reindeer, and all things Christmas. Did you grow up KNOWING Jesus is the reason we celebrate Christmas? I sure didn’t. And yet, Christmas remains magical in my life, even without a jolly old man in a red suit. Weaving the truth about the nativity story into our kids’ lives while surrounded by tinsel and elves can be a bit challenging, right? 17 Quick Advent for Kids Activities All 17 activities included in the BUNDLE 1. Advent Door Hanger Craft For 8 days, read a little bit about the nativity Story as found in the Bible. Then cut, laminate, and hang a decorative door hanger as a reminder that we choose to let Jesus in. A New Door Hanger for 8 days! Includes: mini story book foldable with prompts to help your child learn and re-tell the greatest true story of all time: The Birth of our Lord and Savior! 8 Advent style Door hangers (With light and dark skin alternatives!) These make fun and easy craft and story time, but also make a fantastic gift set! I laminated mine with –> peel and stick self laminate. Get your free copy of this set here. 2. Advent Scattergories 3. Advent Dice Game for Toddlers 4. Build your own Nativity Board Game 5. Mini Jesse Tree Activity/Craft 6. Daily Readings to Help your Kids understand the Nativity story from the Bible. As I began having kids of my own, i really wrestled with Christmas in general. Yes, I LOVE that it’s all about Jesus. But would my kids miss out on the MAGIC I experienced as a child? Nope. Heads up: No judgement here! Although you and I both know Santa is a myth and Jesus is real, many still bring the belly jiggling fellow into their homes. Like my third son. He was about 5-years old when he said, “Mom, I KNOW Santa is make believe, but I’m gonna have fun pretending to believe in him anyway.” Even at 18-years old, he just loves to add ALL the holiday flair into the scene; even as a sold-out-for-Jesus worship leader at church. 7. Ornaments for a flip Book 8. Advent Ornaments for a tree 9. Christmas Chain Countdown Craft 10. Advent: Make Your Own Calendar Adding Advent themed activities into our kids learning activities is another fun way to bring the advent season alive. Just make the focus the Lord, rather than the grade. 11. Advent: Language Activity- Find the Missing parts of the word 12. Advent: Writing: Diamante poem about Jesus 13. Advent Themed Math: Fact families 14. Advent themed math:Pie Graph 15. Advent Maze: Help Joseph and Mary find Bethlehem 16. Maze: Help the wise men find Jesus 17. Christmas Eve Reading No matter how you bring the Nativity truth, advent, and Jesus into your lives, have fun. It’s LOVE, laughter and memories that bring this amazing season to life for our kids! More Christmas Activities Christmas Color by NumberKindergarten Sight words: WinterSnowman Math: KindergartenSnowman Worksheet and ActivitiesWinter Writing Booklet and Writing PromptsScissors Skills worksheets and Fine Motor Practice: Winter Bible Studies for Kids: Bible Study BUNDLE #1Daniel 1: Bible Study and Children’s Ministry ActivitiesBeatitudes Coloring PagesSunday School Activities: Fruits of the SpiritBible Object Lessons for Kids: WaterfallsBible Fun for Kids: ABCs of God’s CharacterBible Study: What Can I Learn from the CamelBible Study: Pearl of Great Price- Matthew 13:45-46Bible Study: Transfiguration of Jesus- Matthew 17Daniel 4: King Nebuchadnezzar’s Tree DreamSunday School Lessons on Prayer for PreschoolersBible Study for Kids: What Can I Learn From the Ant?
Your Brilliant Dyslexic Child Will Surprise You The Most Homeschool Hack: Grammarly is free. This is one of those “no-brainer” add-ons for your devices. “Mom, can I sit next to you and work on my story?” Sure kiddo! Enjoying the warmth of his shoulder resting upon mine as he typed away at the computer, I glance at his screen and almost spit out my drink. … Read More »
Life Skills for Kids of All Ages This is where the rubber hits the road in homeschooling and raising up the future generation! “We NEED these!!” Be nice to peopleHow to make a bedThe proper handshake5 ways to cook an eggHow to sew a buttonHow to iron a shirtDigital mannersHow to tie a tieHow to secure passwordsWhat to do if locked out of your houseGross habits to STOP and avoidSmall talkHow to pass on a complimentSmall talkand so much more!!! These mini units are hands-on, FUN, and guaranteed to be filled with things your kids REALLy need to know to ROCK Life! Don’t miss a lesson! The Proper Handshake Buy Now! PRINT THIS FREE HOMESCHOOL MOM REMINDER. This post comes with a free printable reminder list to help keep your heart focused on those important life lessons. I always have the hardest staying focused. This printable simplifies it! Here is a sneak preview… DOWNLOAD YOUR FREE PRINTABLE Download the checklist. You’ll get the printable, plus join 9,000+ homeschool moms who receive my weekly parenting tips and ideas!Print. Any paper will do the trick, but card stock would be ideal.Place it on your refrigerator as a helpful reminder. WANT MORE POSTS ON HOMESCHOOLING FROM THE HEART? 120 is the number of classics you need to read Don’t homeschool your kids Godly women and homeschool You don’t need to apologize
Homeschool and Delayed Reader I spent about 30 minutes searching for my then 10-year old. It was cold and rainy, so I doubted that he had adventured outside. I looked everywhere. We lived in a big home then, so it took me a while to go back and forth while calling his name. Silence. I couldn’t find him anywhere. I walked faster toward the back door so I could begin looking outside. Movement caught my eye as I called again from the kitchen. The little squirt was hiding in plain sight, as still as a statue, curled between a black bean bag and our fluffy black and white dog. “What the heck are you doing?” I asked. He lifted a Magic Tree House Book in the air without making eye contact. I almost spit out my gum. The boy’s reading!!!! Did you catch that he was 10-years old? That’s old enough to thoroughly enjoy the sight of me walking right by without seeing him. It’s also way beyond the “normal” reading age. I get messages from frantic mama’s often about: how to teach their 4-year olds to read What language curriculum to buy for their kindergartener and suggestions for chapter books for 5-year olds Meanwhile, my own kids took their sweet time learning to read. As my son grew into the, “I’m starting to wonder if I am the right teacher for this child” age I began to leave him hanging in a story. My goal became leave him begging for more… And you know what? It worked. We never stressed about his lack of reading skills (out loud). We just kept reading. All five of our sons were delayed readers. Our youngest was the most delayed. His brain had too much going on to be troubled with the task of decoding the dancing syllables on the page. This extra busy, brilliant, and wiggly son couldn’t be bothered until that day he disappeared in plain sight. So how did I get him to read? I didn’t. I just kept reading to him. I read his math instructions, his history and science lessons to him and marinated him in exciting read-alouds. Sure, I pointed to words, tracked with my finger, and read slowly and carefully, but I kept reading without adding pressure on him. That day he curled up in the beanbag with our dog and read his first chapter book launched him from not reading, to devouring books almost overnight. Some may be tempted to roll their eyes. A 10-year old reading Magic Tree House? Big Deal. I think that’s where so many people miss the point. The point is not to rush your kids through the easy readers and into the ocean of “Big Kids Books”, the point is to get your kids to love to read. I mean head over heels in love with reading, reading. I make it a point to never roll my eyes at the book choices of my kids to their face. Instead, we embrace the fact that they love to read. Magic Tree House for Big Kids? You Bet! My son burned through 1-3 books a day when he discovered he could read. I even sat him down and picked his brain. Together, we created learning activities to go along with the books he was reading. Excited, overjoyed, and proud. That’s how those silly little kid books made him feel. Related: Don’t panic if your kids aren’t reading yet. Just keep reading to them. It will click eventually. The goal is NOT when they read, but THAT they LOVE to read. When that cold rainy day comes and you are frantically searching for them, just be sure to check the beanbag in the corner! Do your kids love Magic Tree House Books? Click here to grab some fun activities for books 1 and 2. Print this free homeschool mom reminder. This post comes with a free printable reminder list to help keep your heart focused on the heart of homeschooling. I always have the hardest staying focused. This printable simplifies it! Here is a sneak preview… Download Your Free Printable Download the checklist. You’ll get the printable, plus join 9,000+ homeschool moms who receive my weekly parenting tips and ideas!Print. Any paper will do the trick, but card stock would be ideal.Place it on your refrigerator as a helpful reminder.
What You Really Need to Homeschool Homeschool Supplies at Your Fingertips When we had our first son, we had all the gadgets. Bassinet, stroller, carrier, car seat, bouncy seat, playpen, baby gate, huge diaper bag, and a baby monitor for our 425 square foot apartment. By the time we had our fifth son, we had narrowed down what we really needed: a crib, a car seat, a diaper in my purse, and a fun toy for him to play with (my car keys). Homeschooling is like that. … Read More »
7 Easy Thanksgiving Desserts that Kids Will be Proud to Make Inside: Thanksgiving Desserts for kids and made by kids. The first time my oldest son tried to cook he was about three. He had decided that “I will make eggs”. Thank goodness the only damage was done to the eggs. I believe a dozen fresh eggs met their end that day. Kids love to help in the kitchen. All five of our sons can cook to some degree or another. We even have their favorite “fails”. … Read More »
Make Toys from Sticks, Stones, and Natural Materials Just because you’re stuck at home due to injury, illness, or global pandemic, doesn’t mean you can’t create a magical playtime for you and your kids. While we all live in different climates and have different types of raw materials near our back doors, we can use what we find to make some fun natural toys. Browse for a few ideas.Go outside and gather your materials with your kidsLet them lead I bet you’ll make something cool, but I’m also guessing you’re gonna make something else: MEMORIES! Learn more from The Best Ideas for Kids Nature Sun Catchers! Learn more from Hands on As We Grow Learn more from Adventure in a box Make a fairy Garden! Learn more from Family Handy Man Make a tie tac toe board! Learn more from Chicken Scratch NY Paint Name, or word, rocks! Learn more from Mama Papa Bubba Make story stones! Learn more from Happy Hooligans Related: Turn classic puppet show stories into story stones Sea Glass Chime! Learn more from All Snug as a Bug Nature Sensory Bottles! Learn More from Rhythms of Play Make a SIMPLE draw string bag with your kids to store these NATURAL WONDERS! Learning at Home: Everything you need in one place Don’t stress about Screen Time
How to Homeschool: Quick Start Videos to Rescue “Help! We just decided to homeschool our kids and I’m freaking out!” I’ve received various translations of the same message from so many family members, neighbors, friends, and readers that I’m, putting all the answers on one page. –>THIS ONE. Homeschooling is like eating and elephant, you’ll have to do it one bite at a time. Pages: Page 1 Page 2
100 Easy Earth Activities to Delight and Inspire your Kids Inside: 100 Earth Crafts and Activities for Kids As I emptied the hot clothes from the dryer, socks, jeans, t-shorts, sea shells, rocks, and sand fell into the basket. A cup of sand. I sighed. Someone lost their earthen treasures; AGAIN. You don’t need to tell your kids; they just KNOW. Mud makes perfect Pies.Sand can be molded into amazing castles.Worms will continue to bury themselves in the soil.Trees beg to be climbed.Rocks and shells need to be collected.Earth is filled with treasure. Your kids don’t need to be told that earth is a great place to live, explore and conquer. They were born ready to go forth and enjoy and collect all sorts of treasures. It’s the big people on this planet that need to be reminded. You. Me. Them. Earth Day was established to help moms like me not implode when the clean laundry turns into a sand box. As I folded the clothes, I collected all the treasures into a pile. I saw an oyster shell, a smooth flat rock, a bumpy black rock, and one of those boring “looks like every other rock on the planet” rocks. But that wasn’t all I saw. “Hey, buddy,” I called. “Come get your laundry, please.” He came flying around the corner holding a Lego. “Those are mine!” he declared. “Not so fast, buster. You’re gonna have to prove they are yours,” I winked. Eyes twinkling, he grabbed the flat gray stone… 100+ Ways to Celebrate Earth with Our Kids Embrace it mom. Your kids LOVE the dirt, rocks, sand, shells, grass, and sky. Get creative, head outside, incorporate green, blue, scissors, glue, and mud and you’ll have your child’s full attention a sneak in some learning without them knowing! Let’s begin with BOOKS! Grab your favorite blanket and a few picture filled books and head outside. Let the world slow it’s spin long enough for your heart beat to slow down and for your kids to kick off their shoes and enjoy a few books with you by their side. The Wondrous Workings of Planet Earth: Understanding Our World and Its Ecosystems: focuses on the complex way that God created our vast and scientifically operating universe, including the biodiversity of life on our planet and the intricacies of a vast solar system. The Ultimate Book of Planet Earth: Learn all about our planet’s geology, geography, atmosphere, weather, and more! Here We Are: Notes for Living on Planet Earth. Scenes that inspire cosmic awe. What a Waste: Trash, Recycling, and Protecting our Planet: Recycling for children. When God Made the World: Rhythmic, whimsical journey through creation–for little readers who love science and wonder. The laundry drama continued… Holding the flat stone with his right hand and moving his hand in a stone skipping motion, he gleamed. “I thought I could beat Sam in our rock skipping contest with this beauty.” His shoulders sagged just a little. “But I wasn’t throwing great, so I saved it for round two!” I smiled. “And this one?” I held up the bumpy rock. “That is proof I beat Sam in a race!” I may have rolled my eyes. Not sure how a random rock proves a victory, but the look on his face made me stifle my laugh. “What about this boring rock?” I smirked. He simultaneously hugged me as grabbed the rock. “I just like it.” And he ran off… Let’s swirl some Shaving Creme Crafts into the day! Again, the great outdoors is calling you to take these ideas outside. Thank her! 6. Shaving Cream Earth Painting. “We love a good paper plate craft but for Earth Day we’re taking it to the next level with this shaving cream painting craft!” by the Simple Parent. 7. Shaving Creme Earth CAKE made with food coloring and marbles! Fun brought to you by Crafty Morning. If you have kids who can’t resist tasting… use whipping creme instead! Earth Day Activities Let’s Dig into MORE Cute, Easy, and FUN Earth Day Crafts for Kids! 8. This coffee filter planet Earth craft from Angela with About a Mom is great for Earth Day or a planets unit study. 9. DIY Newspaper Pots! Give your new seedlings a great start with these biodegradable starter pots! 10. Balloon Art! Grab some paint, balloons, paper plates, and paper and head outside with your kids to enjoy this simple but colorful EARTH PAINTING craft by I Heart Arts n Crafts! 11. Craft and exploration Crates to unlock your child’s creativity and problem solving skills! Using these skills, who knows what they will do to help our planet! 12. Fingerprint FUN!: Explore FUN ways to create with fingerprints! Each day’s activity emphasize how your child is uniquely and wonderfully made! “There is only one you, just like there is only one EARTH.” 13. EARTH Day Tic Tac Toe Game to explore our little planet in the Milky Way. FREE Earth Day Printable Activities inside the mini Printable Bundle 14. I Love Earth Wristbands: Color, cut and wear yours! 15. Earth Day Memory Game Printable 16. I LOVE Earth board game printable 17. Sort the Recyclables 18. TEN things I can’t recycle 19. Label that recyclable Activity 20. Renewable Energy Mini-booklet “The clearest way into the Universe is through a forest wilderness.”― John Muir If the weather is too harsh for you to take your kids outside to explore, rest, and play pop some popcorn and enjoy some AMAZING documentaries, shows, and movies about our planet. 21. High Sierra – A Journey on the John Muir Trail 22. One Year on Earth – Seen From 1 Million Miles 23. What is Biodiversity? 24. How to Save Our Planet 25. How We Can Keep Plastics Out of Our Ocean | National Geographic 26. NASA | Show Me the Water 27. The March of the Penguins 28. ((Insert your favorite movie about the Earth, Water, Oceans, Plants, or Animals here)) 29. Earth Day Scavenger Hunt as you walk through the neighborhood, park, or trail with your kids. 30. Doodle and Draw together as you talk, share, and learn about the earth. No prior drawing skills required! Let me teach you and your kids to draw in short 2-minute bursts at a time! 31. Fingerprint Earth Day Craft for Preschoolers by Crafts on Sea! Simply doodle a quick earth and your kids will do the rest! Songs that are interactive and include movement work best for aiding recall. So if you have a concept that your class needs to memorize, then turning the key facts into lyrics and actions may be the most effective way of making the lesson stick. –The Inspired Classroom 32. Get your kids singing in short EASY bursts! Children’s Songs and Action Rhymes by Holiday Zone 33. E-A-R-T-H(to the tune of “B-I-N-G-O”) 34. Happy Earth Day(to the tune of “Happy Birthday”) 35. I Live Here on Planet Earth(ESL/EFL Action Rhyme) 36. The Earth Is Ours(to the tune of “This Old Man”) 37. The Earth is a Ball(Action Rhyme) 38. Three Big Words(to the tune of “Three Blind Mice”) 39. We Live Here on Planet Earth(to the tune of “The Battle Hymn of the Republic”) 40. We’ve Got the Future in Our Hands(to the tune of “He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands”) 41. Learn Environmental Song Earth, Earth, Earth using ASL by We Play Along Simple Earth Day FUN with Seeds Why try to explain miracles to kids, when you can just let them grow a garden? – Robert Brault 42. Wildflower Seed Bombs for Kids with dirt 43. DIY Seed Bombs for Kids with clay 44. Basic Seed Bomb Recipe : A great place to start 45. Seed Sorting: Give your child an assortment of seeds and beans. Have them sort the different kinds of seeds into an ice tray or an egg carton. 46. Seed Germinating! Growing seeds in a jar. By How We Learn. 47. Seeds in a Bag: Science Experiment for Kids 48. Preschool: Earth Day resource by Mrs Plemons Kindergarten has everything you need for a week packed full of Earth Day themed learning and fun. 49. My Earth Day Workbook: 30 Colorful pages of earth day fun! Food is a POWERFUL teaching tool! 50. Dirt Cups Recipe by Jessica with Mothering with Creativity 51. Make a SANDWICH Tree! Gina is a magician with simple foods that bring earth to our kids’ mouths! 52. Ladybugs and ants! You’re not gonna believe how fast the kids eat their veggies! More Earth Day Activities, Crafts, and ideas 53. Plant a tree! 54. Build a Birdhouse 55. Build a Bug Hotel: If you are an organic gardener like me, then you will want to be sure that there is a place in your garden for beneficial insects to lodge for the winter. 56. Build a terrarium: 12 Tips to help you make it AMAZING Related: Want activities to make use of all those rocks and sticks your kids bring home for a nature collection? Look no farther, we’ve got a bunch! 57. Start a compost bin: Here are 35 Cheap and Easy Ideas! 58. Go on a treasure collection walk! Fill a brown paper bag with leaves, feathers, rocks, sticks, and wonders. 59. Create a nature collage with your treasures. 60. Leaf Rubbing 61. Make Fairy/Butterfly Wings with Contact paper 62. Press flowers: These are gorgeous! 63. Make Paper Mache Light-Up Globes “Paper Mache is so easy and really cheap. Which makes it a prefect medium for crafting in large groups. We love creating simple Earth Day Crafts, and quickly feel in love with these simple paper mache globes that glow.” -Housing a Forest 64. Make a Paper Mache Globe: The project involves making your own paper mache paste, coating newspaper strips with the paste, and molding them around a balloon to create the globe. 65. Yarn Earth for Kids: All you need is some yarn, glue, scissors, wax paper and the instructions from Made with Happy. 66. Paper Plate Earth Day Craft with Yarn More Preschool Goodies 67. Grow your own terrarium Kit Explore the wonder of nature and science with the Grow ‘N Glow Terrarium Kit! This indoor activity for kids allows you to craft, plant, water and grow your own mini ecosystem. Just add water for a unique science experience! 68. Grow your own terrarium Kit 69. Grow your own Butterfly Garden 70. Release your own Butterflies into the wild 71. Printable Bugs: All About Bees 72. Printable Bugs: Units Study of Ants 73. Learn all about ANTS! ((Take this up a notch by starting your own Ant Farm 74. Visit a virtual Bug Museum with classrooms around the world! 75. Visit your nearest Nursery 76. Visit your nearest Zoo! Yes, virtual zoos are fun too! 77. Visit the nearest children’s park and play 78. Make a sun catcher 79. Experiment with rainbows 80. Have a good old fashion Wheelbarrow Race to enjoy fun outside! Related: Nasa has some really amazing images to dazzle their imagination. 81. Set up recycling stations at home 82. Play hopscotch with leave and sticks and stones as markers 83. Create an outdoor Tic Tac Toe game with paint and rocks! 84. Make a Fairy Garden! Here are 23 to inspire you! 85. Make a Fun, Colorful Miniature Garden with DIY Pond! There really are countless ways to help our kids fall in love with our planet. 86. Talk about ways to save water Go on a quest with NASA 87. Enjoy Earth NOW! 88. Learn about Drinking water as an astronaut. 89. Earth Day Coloring Pages 90. Going Deeper into Earth Science for older Kids MEGA BUNDLE 91. Print your own Earth Day Stickers! 92. Renewable Energy Foldable is inside the Geology and Renewable Energy BUNDLE 93. 112 Pages of fun, easy to use activities to learn about Geology and Renewable Energy 94. Make paper bead jewelry out of recycled magazines 95. Explore Waterfalls! 96. Learn all about SNOW! 97. Create your own life cycle of a SUNFLOWER paper craft booklet 98. Enjoy STUNNING photographs of mushrooms taken by a 14-year old who discovered these amazing life forms while studying fungi. 99. Learn about something wonderful in nature. Like Creepy, crawling SPIDERS! 100. Enjoy this classic Reading Rainbow Short: How Trash Is Recycled with LeVar Burton 101. Looking for MORE than a 100 ways to fall in love with our planet with your kids? Here is another jumbo list of 100 Ideas to Celebrate Earth Day for you to choose your level of greatness! As I called my son back, “Hey you forgot something!” He grabbed the pile of folded laundry. “Not that, silly” I pointed. “You forgot the sand.” Download Your Free cheat sheet of the Earth Crafts and Activities for kids! Use this cheat sheet of to help you whip up creative and inspiring activities and memories – even when life is busy. Download the free cheat sheet. Join my weekly-ish newsletter and as a bonus, you’ll get the printable! Just click here to download and subscribe. Print. Any paper will do the trick, but card stock would be ideal. ENJOY making memories: even if they involve getting sand in the dryer! Here’s a SNEAK PEEK at your printable Cheatsheet Your Turn What are your favorite EARTH activities and Crafts? Share in a comment below!
97+ Amazing Ways to Make Math Fun for All Inside: A master list of simple, inexpensive, and fun ways to teach all the basic math principles your kids need to thrive. PLUS- Free Math Roadmap Most homeschoolers overcomplicate math with fancy curriculum, worksheets, quizzes, stop-watches and tests. We choose to be different! Stripping math back to its basic foundational core, we can set our kids up for success in life by giving them a solid foundation with allows them to add, subtract, multiply, divide, count, measure, weigh, and estimate. Pickin’ Cute!!! Most kids are not mathematicians hiding inside little bodies. They are dancers, chefs, architects, designers, farmers, mechanics, bankers, writers or yet-to-be-decideds. …Read More »
Pincer Grasp Activities for Fine Motor Development Your son is using all of his fingers to rake small items into his palm rather than pinching them together with his thumb and index finger. Your daughter is choking her crayons rather than carefully holding them between her fingers. Maybe your kids need some help strengthening their pincher grasp The development of this fined tuned grasp is influenced by a child’s growing interest in objects and desire to hold them. Kind of curiosity’s way of helping our kids. We all need great pincher grasps to: zip zippersbutton buttonstie shoesthread needleswrite beautifullyhold pencils without crampingbeating someone at tidily-winksputting on make-uppainting nailsand so much more! 8 Hands-on Toys to Help Kids Develop Pincher Muscles Sewing Buttons!! Buy on TpT Related: Fine Motor Activity from Hands On As We Grow Super easy!! More Pincher Grasp Activities! Simple Activities to Improve Pincher Grasp and Help Your child Hold a Pencil Peel Duct Tape: Place strips of duct tape onto surfaces like the sidewalk, garage walls, or the floor. Your child simply peels the tape!Squishy Sponge: Give your child a sponge and bucket of water. Have them water plants by squeezing the water out from the sponge!Tongs and tweezers: Give your child a pair of tongs, and egg carton, and a bin of small things (pom poms, beads, pasta, etc). Have them fish out objects with tweezers and sort them into the egg carton. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07RZNG5PW/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=abett06-20&camp=1789&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=B07RZNG5PW&linkId=c20a374356badff2b7b81f0fe672daf8 Classic Games are the perfect way to sneak in Pincher Grasp Development Don’t Spill the Beans Ants in the Pants Kerplunk Jenga Hi-Ho Cherrio Perfection Medical schools are noticing a decline in students’ dexterity, possibly from spending time swiping screens rather than developing fine motor skills through woodworking and sewing.The New York Times The great news is Pincher Grasp Development is easy to weave into your child’s day. A Little less swiping of screens and a little more of old fashion fun and these intricate hand muscles can get a good work out! For Older Kids Crocheting and knitting Embroidery Tin Foil Art Using a sock to improve pencil grip (Brilliant) Print this free homeschool mom reminder. This post comes with a free printable reminder list to help keep your heart focused on the heart of homeschooling. I always have the hardest staying focused. This printable simplifies it! Here is a sneak preview… Download Your Free Printable Download the checklist. You’ll get the printable, plus join 9,000+ homeschool moms who receive my weekly parenting tips and ideas!Print. Any paper will do the trick, but card stock would be ideal.Place it on your refrigerator as a helpful reminder.
Yes, Your Child’s Mind is POWERFUL and Creative ! Do you try to make handwriting sound a whole lot more fun than we both know it is to your kids? Yeah, my kids saw through that plan too. Kind of like the time I tried to hide carrots into a cake, but neglected to make the bits small enough to get by my little veggie detector. I know, you worry that your child’s only prospect for future employment is in the medical field. Surely, you are staring at at a doctor’s handwriting page. Right? …Read More »