Top 10+ of the Best Subscription Box Picks by Moms like You 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, brew 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? đź’› Excitementđź’› Curiosityđź’› Fine motor Developmentđź’› FUN How is this possible? I polled hundred of 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 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! Related: NEW to Homeschooling? Here’s a Quick Guide 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 »
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’, 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. I know. You’re devouring all the information you can find about homeschooling all over the internet because it’s a daunting task. But that’s where the Homeschooling Quick Start Page comes in handy. If you’re a visual learner, like me, you’re gonna love it. Let me give you a sneak peak. Begin with the CORE of Homeschool. My husband and I call it the holy trinity of homeschool: heart, attitude, and character. (20 Minute video) My Book: Homeschooling from the Inside Out is available on Amazon starting at $7.99. Set your MASTER Homeschool Goals 17 minutes that will give you confidence that you CAN homeschool. I CAN Teach my child Benchmarks for K-5th pdf printable $25 Everything you need to give yourself a SOLID foundation is inside: Making it through Homeschool Planning Season with your walletPlanning Your Homeschool Year is Like Eating an ElephantHow to find your Golden Thread to tie together your homeschool yearMapping out your year with Big Bite PlanningLet’s Talk Planners!What If I MESS Up My Kids? (Yes, we all think that.)Overcoming the hurdle of Homeschool ExpectationsHow to Use Doodles for FUN, teaching, and LearningMath. Don’t get hung up hereThe 3 Know-Knows of Writing. You NEED this one!And so much more IMPORTANT!! You can find the complete (and growing) Quick Guide here Before you start looking around, 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!!
24+ Fun Verb Crafts and Activities for Teaching Verbs INSIDE: 24 Fun and Easy Verb Activities for teaching verb tenses I was browsing Pinterest this morning over a cup of coffee looking for a creative way to explore verbs and their three main tenses. I know, not your typical read-over-coffee topic. With three different ages and stages of grammar going this year, I thought a hands-on verb craft would be more engaging than a fill in the blank worksheet. …Read More »
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. About 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 56. Build a terrarium 57. Start a compost bin 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 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. Butterfly Project: A Unit on Butterflies 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. Enjoy your own Ant Farm 74. Visit your nearest Bug Museum 75. Visit your nearest Nursery 76. Visit your nearest Zoo 77. Visit the nearest children’s park and play 78. Make a sun catcher 79. Paint rainbows with sidewalk chalk 80. Wheelbarrow Races Related: Nasa has some really amazing images to dazzle their imagination. 81. Set up recycling stations at home 82. Play hopscotch 83. Create a rock Tic Tac Toe game 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!
Math Picture Books Breath Life into Arithmetic! 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
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! Related: Grab your Math Roadmap Printable Pickin’ Cute!!! 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. 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? With all the other lessons, chores and activities you want your child to experience today, would it really be “so bad” if they just skipped over handwriting practice? Related: What to do if your kids have terrible hand writing No. And Yes. At the core of excellent hand-writing is a bigger, more neglected area in our current world. Fine Motor Development. You know, those fine-tuned muscle movements that help our kids: zip zippers button buttons tie shoes thread needles write beautifully hold pencils without cramping beating someone at tidily-winks putting on make-up painting nails Does Your Child have Fine Motor Delay? Not to worry, there’s a SIMPLE and Fun way to Improve those fine motor skills, develop neater handwriting, and build deeper connections with your child all in 2 minute chunks at a time! Recently, 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. SIMPLE and Fun way to Improve Your Child’s Fine Motor Skills (and their Handwriting Doodling is more than scribbling little swirls on paper when a teacher is boring your child out of their mind. Doodling is the ability to create a visual image that empowers your child’s brain to remember, recall and connect what they are learning in a POWERFUL way. And, it simultaneously causes them to exercise those fine motor skills necessary for excellent handwriting. What if there was a way to tap into your child’s POWERFUL and CREATIVE mind in less than 2-minutes a day? What of your child discovered they have INSTANT MASTERY over learning a new skill? What if you and your child could spend time together a few minutes a day learning a new skill together and are able to build closer relationships? Doodle Clubhouse for Kids I accidentally created something MAGICAL when I launched the Doodle Clubhouse for Kids. I knew I loved the doodle drawings and I thought your kids would too, but I was unprepared for the incredible response from kids and parents as they delight in doodling together! “Magical!!!” Each day, I open my email and devoured their excitement. It truly is magical Bekki!!! My son who hates the use of writing instruments showed an interest in drawing and engineering when it suits him and I have been trying to find creative ways to get a pen in his hand and to the paper more often and guess what? DOODLE Clubhouse for Kids does that!!!! He is having fun.Marlene We are on a different schedule than you all, but my son just drew this alien, and another major accomplishment was that he wrote his name, with only minor stabilization help from me! Proud mama moment!!Melissa My daughter informed me that some of her drawings are “a lot better” than mine cause she’s “really good at this” (she’s 5)Keicia I have to share what happened tonight.I kept hearing giggles from the kid’s room late afternoon. When I called the kids to dinner, they showed up with a handful of papers. It turns out they were drawing each other with tremendous details. I have never seen these kids do this before. Even my highly special needs daughter had details like individual hairs on her brother’s head. Until now a 5-7 piece body drawing including eyes and a mouth was a success. This picture had many facial features, lots of individual hairs, eyes and a mouth with expression and even body parts. I can’t thank you enough for letting her be successful too. Brandy It’s your turn to discover how EASY it is to help your child tap into their creativity. Just don’t tell them their handwriting will get better. That’s our little secret! The Doodle Clubhouse Begins with 6 weeks of Theme based Lessons Space + surprise coloring sheetFlowers + surprise coloring sheetSweets + surprise coloring sheetGalactic Unicorns + surprise coloring sheetHouses + surprise coloring sheetCars + surprise coloring sheet This is so much fun! And all for just a few dollars! The Clubhouse opens with a space theme, because many boys smirk and roll their eyes when you begin to show them how to draw flowers the first time you place a pencil in their hand. THIS first lesson begins with mistake creatures, space crafts, and happy little aliens. See for yourself! Not sure if your squirrley, energetic kids will spot that handwriting improving lesson hidden within the the short and sweet video lessons as fast as my son spotted the carrot in the cake? Do an experiment. Kendall Age 5 Place some blank paper on the table, or print a few of the doodle worksheets FREE Doodle worksheetDownload Grab some pens and markers and place them on the table.When your kids ask what you’re doing, say you were gonna learn how to draw space ships and aliens. (don’t worry, they’re happy aliens!Open this page: https://a-better-way-to-homeschool.teachable.com/courses/doodle-clubhouse-for-kids/Open September 10: Space Ships and Aliens and click play If you’re kids are excited as the other kids inside the Doodle Clubhouse, hop in and watch their excitement grow each week as we tap into those Powerful and Creative minds 2 Minutes at a time! No carrots required! As an ambassador with the DOODLE Institute, I am blessed to bring Doodle Camp and DOODLE club House to life for you and your children! The Doodle Clubhouse lessons are released each week here. Kids (and adults like you and me, follow along and practice, and then come and share their creations inside our private Facebook Group. Yes! We’d love for you to join us too!! Before you begin doodling, 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 I’ll send you a digital copy immediately!!
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!!
Don’t Homeschool Your Kids Before you start looking around, 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!! 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 »
How to Doodle for FUN, Teaching, and Learning Before you start looking around, 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!! I’ve become Obsessed with doodles and I’m inviting you along!! I am excited to announce that Diane is kicking off her 21 Doodle Days Challenge in Spetmeber! One a whim this summer, I signed up for these Doodle Classes, thinking it might be a way for me to destress a little during all this COVID drama. I completely underestimated the power of embracing Doodling! Not only did I find a stress outlet, but amazing things opened up for my, my kids, and my entire online community! You can see what I mean by scrolling though my last dozen or so YouTube videos. WOW! I’m inviting you along for the ride:). I’m so thankful for the Doodle Institute! Related: Benefits of Doodling According to Harvard. Doodling isn’t just what 3-year olds do on the paper placemats at the restaurant. Doodling: Improves memoryRelieves stressImproves focus What if you can’t draw? If you can draw a dot, you can doodle. Let me introduce you to Diane with the Doodle Institute. I met Diane by accident. I LOVE that! One of my facebook coaches, Rachel Miller, was interviewing her and I got drawn in the second she added the Welcome page with the really cute flowers. I leaned closer to the screen. I NEED to know how to draw those! By the end of the interview, I was looking a page of doodles I created and I ran to get my wallet. I bought Diane’s 21 Days of Doodles, Sketchbook Basics, and You Can Doodle 200 Icons. Oh, It’s amazing how happy a cute little flower, or house makes your heart! As a teacher, coach, and homeschool mom I have to say, doodling is secret sauce. It captivates you kids, holds your audience, and makes thoughts and lessons come to life. Doodling is for all ages and people of all walks of life. What art supplies do I need? All you need to get started is something to write with and something to write on. Use the supplies you have add fun things if and when you can. Pro tips: Take on class at a time, or binge watch them like mePractice a little everydayTake messy note and ideas and begin turning them into doodles and visual picturesPractice, practice, practice. Drawing with pencil, pen, or brush on paper isn’t just for artists. For anyone who actively exercises the brain, doodling and drawing are ideal for making ideas tangible.Steven Heller Join the Doodle Institute and see what all the fuss and fun is all about. I bet you and you kids will fall in love with doodling. Researchers have discovered that doodling can actually inspire creativity, engage students academically, and help hold their attention.Learning Liftoff Doodling Keeps the Brain ActiveImproves Memory RecallEncourages CreativityRecruits Additional Senses Tools for Doodling Paper and pencil, right? Sure! But if you really want to give your kids a true taste of the magic, you can hand them some inexpensive HIGH quality tools. Spiral Bound Drawing pads that can also be used with watercolors Artist Markers. Quality makes a difference! Doodle Classes!! I didn’t know Diane had an affiliate program when I first began telling everyone about how awesome she is. Anyone who sees how good her classes and teaching is will understand why I signed up immediately! Do you doodle? Do your kids doodle? Don’t let fear, frustration, or doubt creep in. Truly you can draw as well as Diane with practice! Practice! Even if it’s just for 5 minutes and it doesn’t need to be a perfect final piece. Every single time you’re drawing and sketching, you’re improving not only your lines but also your confidence! This is good for the soul…
22 Simple Manners Every Kids Should Know By High School Before you start looking around, 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!! On his big day, our son sat in a pile of gifts. He had that, “Oh my goodness look at all the gifts for me” daze. BAD MOMMY. I hadn’t learned the lesson of prepping kids ahead of time for situations like this. I hadn’t given him the skills to succeed. He didn’t even know he was set to fail and worse, let down a good friend… It makes the blood drain from my face as I remember Jay. …Read More »
Building Trust with Your Child Before you start looking around, 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!! When your child trusts you with their heart… My youngest son is 14.If you want to see his gorgeous face, just look up the phrase “ball of energy” in the dictionary. That’s his picture. This boy spent his life surrounded by his four older brothers, but this year caught him off guard. All 3 of the other brothers at home leave the house each day to go to school at the local college. This shocked him like a stun gun the first day as he looked around a the VERY silent house and whispered, “I’m gonna die of boredom this year.” I saw it clearly too. ” Buddy, we have a very unique gift from the Lord this year. It’s just you and me all day. Yes, academics are important, but we’re going to do school differently this year. We’re going to enjoy our time together and strengthen our relationship. Especially since you’re 14, and mom is weird.” Then I stripped back school to the bear minimum. We do math every day, but not very long.He is writing a handful of gut wrenching stories/ so I give him time to write most days.Then he alternates between: history 2 days and science 2 days. For history, I designed a power point/slide outline with my son to be his year long project. If you’ve seen me share, he’s transformed a black and white list into a beautiful presentation. I think he’s made it from Mesopotamia to Rome. Science. We were doing health until the day he trusted me with his heart in the rain. I think it was in January that I really saw myself in the mirror and realize I need to lose about 30 pounds. My body is beginning to hurt and I know if I don’t get back into shape I will fall apart. So I declared, “rain or shine, I need to you help me walk every day. Our first goal will be 2 miles a day for a week, then 3, then 4. But I need to get to 5.” He said, “OK.” Yes, we’ve been soaked a few times…I even had to challenge his “man-hood” by requiring an umbrella twice. lol. Phew! He’s LOVED the time together. The infamous, “I think I want to be a cardio thoracic surgeon” walk, happened after a few WEEKS of getting closer to the 4 mile mark. We had spent hours and hours each day, walking, picking up “treasures” on our beach (gemstones, pretty rocks, shells and sand dollars and just chatting about stuff. I began weaving in some academic discussions while we adventured.We’d pick a road and talk about academic things for the duration of that path: grammar things, history, health. And out of that time together… he trusted me with his dream. We were at least 3 miles into a walk when he said, “Please don’t laugh. I think I really know what I want to be when I grow up…” đź’žMy heart skipped.He was trusting me with something.I could feel it. This didn’t just happen.This was the fruit of all that time in the street, in the rain, on our walks chatting that unlocked his heart. When I show people the level of work he’s put into his DIY heart unit, their mouth drops open.This is a labor of love project for sure.It looks like he’s an academic genius, absolutely. What it really is? Evidence that he feels loved and “seen”. It all began because I decided to create a Huckleberry Finn style year of wandering,I saw I was over weight and we just hung out and talked without distraction. 👩‍🦰Mama, give yourself permission to push traditional academics aside. Walk beside your kids and sing in the rain, skip stones, catch butterflies, or go fishing at the pond at the far end of your property. Dedicate a little bit of that time to chat about some “topic for learning” and simply enjoy their company. Who knows.Maybe, just maybe… like my son, your kids will trust you with their dream.
Solution for “My Child Hates School” In our Facebook group, Our Lives as Homeschool Moms, she hesitantly asked, “How long do you go without a child doing his (homeschool) work before you just enroll him in public school?” My favorite answers from other homeschool moms: …Read More »
Homeschool Super Heroes Week! It’s BAAACK!!! It’s finally time to announce our super fun Back to School event. What if you could sit in the home of an experienced homeschooler, askingany question you have about homeschooling? The answer is “OF COURSE”!.If you have just 1 minute, I’ll show you the next best thing. . . A private invitation to listen to our this year’s Homeschool Super Heroes forFREE. Kerry Beck is bringing back her ever-popular event to helphomeschoolers like you get ready for the best year ever. And she’s letting me share a private invitation to grab a Free Basic Pass.Her Basic Pass allows you to watch all 60+ workshops for free, as long asyou watch them within the first 24 hours they are released. If you miss one,you can always get the All-Access Pass which gives you lifetime access toall video workshops, handouts, audio interviews and more. Click here to get all the details and your Basic Pass. Why is Kerry doing this . . . and why am I involved? We know what it’s like to be in the trenches as a homeschool mom.Sometimes you need a little encouragement or a few fun tricks fromexperienced homeschoolers. Real homeschool parents who have realexperience balancing school & family with cooking, cleaning &chauffeuring. Or even working outside the home. Plus, Kerry has a heart of GOLD! Thank you for bringing together such wonderful speakers! I am a first year homeschool mom and these have been such an inspiration to me. Jennifer During our Homeschool Super Heroes Week, you’ll get answers toquestions you have on your mind. How to overcome the overwhelm andhomeschool with confidence. FULL list of Speakers!! What topics will they cover? You probably don’t want/need to use all of these. Choose the ones youraudience will identify with.â—Ź How to include the 4 essentials to an awesome school yearâ—Ź How to use the holy trinity of homeschooling (my workshop!)â—Ź How to motivate your child to greatnessâ—Ź How to teach specific subjectsâ—Ź How to homeschool autistic childrenâ—Ź How to simplify your homeschoolâ—Ź How to coach your child, instead of dictateâ—Ź How to include Music in your homeschoolâ—Ź How to include Life Skills in your homeschoolâ—Ź Lots and lots and lots of homeschool encouragement My workshops August 25 (Day 2): The Holy Trinity of Homeschooling: Heart, Attitude, and Character August 27 (Day 4): Math- Embrace the Vocabulary and the 3 Know-Knows of Writing And so much more! I really appreciate that each interview includes the question “What would you have done differently?”. I think the recurring theme is “relax”. Last year, just starting out with a 5 year old and a 2 year old, I quickly had to keep school fairly relaxed in order for all of us to stay sane. But sometimes I’ve worried that I’m not doing enough. It’s nice to get the encouragement that it will be O.K. from those who have many years of experience and perspective. Charlene Our Homeschool Super Heroes have a combined 290+years of homeschooling experience. Find out who they are AND grab yourpass here. BONUS!! Kerry and her daughter, Gentry, will release 1 or 2 Secret Super HeroInterviews each day. Gentry is a homeschool graduate and now a mom.She will ask the hard questions, others avoid asking. With the Basic Pass,you can listen to these short, spontaneous interviews, just like theworkshops. Click here to get your Basic Pass now. I have a Special Bonus for everyone who upgrades to the {ADD LINK: All Access Pass with my link! To get your I CAN Teach My CHILD ($25 Value) completely FREE . . . {Add Link!}Click here to get your All-Access Pass at the Early Bird Special PriceEmail me a screenshot or copy of your receipt with your order number, so I can verify you clicked my link to buy the bag.We will email the FREEBIE to you. Please allow 24-48 hours to process your request. What past attendees have said about this amazing week. My AHA moment was when you talked about teaching the kids to plan out their own week. I’ve been doing almost all the planning for my kids. But I know they need to learn time management for themselves. Plus if they have a hand in it, they will own what they’re doing better. Brilliant – thank you! Cynthia It has been great to sit back and relax as I take in so many wonderful tips from homeschoolers who have gained so much over the years. There is always something new to learn. Kelly It’s just always fantastic to get some perspective on parenting and homeschooling, and so timely, at the beginning of the year 🙂 Kimberly This is very encouraging in accomplishing my day to day duties of many roles. Thank you for this!!!! Michelle S YES!! There’s an ALL Access Pass!!
What does my Child Need to Learn? Before you start looking around, 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!! Surrounded by a mountain of textbooks, teachers manuals, post it notes, worksheets, tests, art kits, glue, scissors, math manipulatives and crayons I panicked. How am I going to teach my kids all this? Do they really NEED to do all these lessons? What if I mess up their education and destroy their future if we DON’T do all these lessons. I’m not the only homeschool mom that panics when she looks at teaching materials, and yet there’s a better way. If we can step away form the mountain of lessons and find the core list of things our kids should learn, we can then look at that mountain and clearly identify lessons that we can use, lessons we can skip, or even develop our own lessons to teach the same idea/concept. What we need is a list of what our kids should learn. A Master goal sheet if you will. As homeschoolers, we focus on character, attitude, and heart first. Then we layer on the academics. In the traditional school system, they talk a lot about state standards and common core. Don’t worry. You really can design your own path for your children without them, but I have always used them as a guide. If you are looking for “what should I teach my children”, these are your GOLDEN resources. They are a blend of what kids typically learn in a given grade in school and ideas to help you implement those skills/lesson. Kindergarten I Can Teach kindergarten math I can Teach Kindergarten Reading and Writing Save when you grab the BUNDLE K-5 BUNDLE is here!!!
Perfect Moms Don’t Exist! Celebrate the journey of being a loving, caring, attentive, less-than-perfect mom! “I breast fed, made my own baby food, and read aloud to my kids for hours. Before I knew it, they were eating off the car floor and I was like, ‘thanks for cleaning.'” Get one for you and your bestie! PRINT THIS FREE HOMESCHOOL MOM REMINDER. …Read More »
For the win! Homeschooling from the Inside Out He came running up to me. “Mom!!!” The gleam in his eyes elbowed my heart to focus. I had to walk faster than normal to keep up with him as he skipped stairs. He could hardly contain his excitement. Our talented brickmaster just solved the problem of the century with a handful of Legos. “How does a 16-year old get a foot pedal for his drum when he doesn’t want to spend his hard earned money?” Build it with Legos! Maybe it’s not the problem of the century to your neighbor, but this was a big issue for my son. … Read More »
Paper Craft for Kids: Space House! This is my favorite kind of craft: Easy, adorable, and compact! My kids have always been fascinated with pop-ups. Yours too? This space house craft is going to send your kids over the moon! Recipe for Success Print (cardstock is best for the cover and playing cards)Take time coloring together. Serve something fun to eat or drink while you color this kit together.Cut the pages cardPre-fold the pagesGlue to assemble (photo instructions)Let dryLaminate playing cards. (I use Peel and stick self-laminate) The simply unfold, clip open and PLAY! There are no rules. Just have fun and let your child’s imagination take over! Get yours here.
Homeschool Wishes Granted Do you wish you could: 🧚‍♀️Have a strong understanding of who Charlotte Mason was and what her philosophy is – which this method of teaching follows. 🧚‍♀️Create connections and relationships with other Charlotte Mason families for support and guidance along your journey. 🧚‍♀️Feel confident in your ability to shift your child’s learning method in a way that will work for you and your family. 🧚‍♀️Have real world examples from real experts experienced in using the Charlotte Mason Philosophy to give you an edge to developing your own rhythm. Your wishes: GRANTED  My eyes were opened to the wonder of educating the child from the inside out AGAIN. Even though this is how my husband and I have always educated our kids, I had gotten numb to the simplicity and brilliance of focusing on character, attitude and… the WHOLE child. Well, I was bitten by the Charlotte Mason bug during my interview with Ana Willis last year. I love hanging out with people who are zealous about what they do… It’s so contagious! Holy Moly!! I am so excited I’m shaking. Educating the WHOLE childFocusing one character, attentiveness, obedience, kindness and more During this 5-day event we will cover topics such as: Getting Started with Charlotte MasonNature Study Charlotte Mason Curriculum for All AgesPlanning, Scheduling and Morning TimeLiving Literature, and Fine ArtsHabit Training Recitation and Narration And so much more! So, why wait when you could be planning ahead, learning, and taking that weight off your shoulders? You only need ONE golden nugget to make this entire conference worth it’s weight in chocolate, coffee, or gold. Take your pick. Last year, it was the first workshop I attended that made me feel like that gal from the old Ikea commercial. Related: We all know a girl who needs to know the PEACE of teaching her kids from the inside out. Share this with her so she can join us! This event is your SAVING GRACE! I’m not sure which speaker or topic will resonate with you. Homeschooling an only childCharlotte Mason for NewbiesTeaching Reading with ConfidenceEngaging HistoryNature Journals for Normal peopleLoving, Laughing and Learningor… something specially designed for you. (You know how the Lord does that) If I could rewind the tape 25 years to when I began homeschooling our five sons, I would whisper in my ear… This is the kind of homeschooler you will grow to be. You don’t need to know you’ll be a Charlotte Mason girl, you just need to follow your heart. Details… You will get access to everything you need to successfully homeschool your child. Here’s WHY: – You will get to take part in 30+ live workshops. Workshops will help you to foster a love for learning for the rest of your child’s life. Plus, you get lifetime access to and can revisit them at any time. – You will join an exclusive community of homeschool parents and on the same path as you so you can feel supported in your journey to give your child the best learning experience. It can be hard to go at this alone. There are so many options, learning styles, and resources out there. – You will get access to life-changing advice from veteran parents following the Charlotte Mason philosophy of education. Each day, 5 speakers discuss Charlotte Mason’s principles and offer helpful guidance. This conference will transform your family’s homeschool experience. It’s the perfect guide for setting yourself and your child up for success! [Yes! Give Me My Ticket!] The 2020 Charlotte Mason Inspired Online Homeschool Conference begins on June 22nd, so don’t miss out! You might be wondering why you should attend the 2020 Charlotte Mason Inspired Online Homeschool Conference. Here is what makes the Charlotte Mason Inspired Online Homeschool Conference different. – All the content is Charlotte Mason inspired. It features exactly what you need so you can fully benefit from it. – You can access the workshops for life. You can go back to them at any time. – You will connect with like-minded parents. So, you will be inspired, equipped, and encouraged to succeed in your homeschool journey. Ready to instill in your child the love of learning and bring joy and peace to your homeschool days? YOU CAN have a strong understanding of who Charlotte Mason was and what her philosophy is – which this method of teaching follows. YOU CAN create connections and relationships with other Charlotte Mason families for support and guidance along your journey. YOU CAN feel confident in your ability to shift your child’s learning method in a way that will work for you and your family. YOU CAN have real world examples from real experts experienced in using the Charlotte Mason Philosophy to give you an edge to developing your own rhythm. Wait? You can make actual money making and selling printables?!?!