Simple Advent Activities that Add Holiday Spirit to Teaching Inside: Christmas and Winter Wrapped into Learning Activities Snow begs to be played in, candy canes plead to be enjoyed, and kids refuse to focus… Crazy Snowman Photo by Matteo Paganelli Sounds like the holidays to me. If you thought is was hard to get your kid’s attention during Thanksgiving, wait until you try during Christmas! I always switch to holiday themed activities during the holidays. Beginning today, let’s snuggle with our kids and slow down. In the flurry of decorations, shopping, and potential holiday madness we need to take the time to share “what really matters” with our kids. … Read More »
15 Advent and Christmas Math and Reading Activities 15 Advent and Christmas Activities Math and Reading 3rd-5th Grade I just finished my first advent/Christmas Activity pack. I had a hard time finding graphics that I loved, but I am really excited about this pack. … Read More »
Advent Activities 15 Advent and Christmas Activities Math and Reading 3rd-5th Grade Are You ready for Advent? 5 Advent readings for you to use in your weekly Christmas activities, or as your family advent devotionals. 3 language activities using vocabulary from the history of Jesus’ birth. 4 fun math activities that are Jesus/Christmas focused. I made this pack specifically for my fourth grader, but the older kids are already begging to do some of the activities. I have included an advent calendar and a Countdown to Christmas Chain. We always write “prayer requests” and “thanksgiving to God” on our chains. Each day as we tear off a link, we thank god for a specific blessing or lift up family and friends in prayer. The kids love this!! Hope you enjoy this activity pack! 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.
Homeschooling Through the Holidays Inside: Five Secrets to Homeschooling During the Holidays. My boys will be thrilled that I am reminding you that there are only 26 days until Christmas. But there aren’t. There are actually almost 12.75 days until Christmas. But who’s counting? … Read More »
6 Advent Countdown Ideas: Start Now! I love the holidays! I love our Lord Jesus with all my heart and it simply makes my heart skip a beat that, at this time of year, I can celebrate His coming in creative and unique ways. As a homeschooler, I have to confess that I have an incredibly difficult time focusing on traditional studies during the holidays. I’m simply too distracted by HIM to get too wrapped up in anything else! While we will “do school” we will absolutely spend too much time doing other things… And that is just the way it is:). While I will incorporate “school” ideas soon enough, I want to let you know that if you are like me, distracted by the blinking lights and nativities… It’s OK! Actually, it fantastic. … Read More »
Daily Advent Readings: Where Do You Begin? Inside: What Bible Verses should you read with your kids during Advent? Here are Daily Bible Readings for every day during Advent. It’s as simple as: Download, Print, and Begin. Download your FREE “Advent Reading Freebie HERE” {Printable} Starting Late? No Worries. Jump in at any time! Related: When the Holidays Mess with your Homeschooling Mojo Looking for More Advent Goodies? Advent Calendar Ornaments 17 of the Best Advent for Kids Activities for your Family 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 PrintableDownload 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.
Why I Decorate for Christmas BEFORE Thanksgiving Yes, I am one of those people. I absolutely love the Christmas Season. But I hate the business, bustle, and hassle. Christmas is the time of year when we get to focus fully on the birth of our Lord and Savior, and I always became frantic right after Thanksgiving while I was scurrying to get everything set for our family traditions. A few years ago I was reflecting on a friend’s tradition of decorating before Thanksgiving. Like you, I thought she was crazy… so I asked her about it. … Read More »
13 Last Minute Educational Gifts Your Kids will Actually Love Inside: Ammunition to help you win the Holiday Gift Giving Battle with Kids. Keep your camera ready.Unfortunately for her, the ugliest facial expression my mother ever used was captured on film. Oh, I wish I could find a copy of the picture. Just the thought of it makes me snort. This is not the “Red Shirt Face”. Photo by Veronika Balasyuk … Read More »
Dozens of Simple Activities for Kids to Do During the Holidays Inside: 5 Steps to Homeschool through the Holidays plus dozens of learning activities wrapped in turkeys and trees.The day after Halloween is like the trash compactor scene from Star Wars. The Christmas fairies have completed their magical decoration party. Every square inch of retail space is covered with tinsel and eggnog. Commercials promise Christmas joy and the Holiday toy of the year lures your child every time they watch a show. The Holidays beg us to slow down, sip cocoa, and find a new gadget to make gift wrapping less stressful. Photo by Luis Llerna But we are homeschoolers. … Read More »
Math is Just Like Christmas! Math is Just Like Christmas! is a post from Bekki @ A Better Way to Homeschool where we learn to train our children to become lifelong learners. If you have enjoyed this post, be sure to follow Bekki on YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, and Google+! I introduced the boys to their manipulative math bin today. It was like Christmas Morning! This little guy was so excited that I never could get a picture in focus! I gave them no agenda, just “Explore”. They had a ball handling all the fun things: base 10 blocks, practice clocks, counter markers, math mats, and rubber stamps. The older boys had fun “making things” out of the different sets. Squishy created a unique game while Giggles built with the blocks like they were Legos. The most surprising discovery was the set of rubber stamps. These have become, not only a fun activity, but a necessary component of every lesson. My kids no longer want a 100% written on their work, they want a 100 block stamp instead (the older kids want the 1000 block stamp). A really simple, yet surprisingly challenging activity is to write numbers onto a blank piece of paper and then to have the kids stamp the correct block representation of each number. I was surprised that it was as challenging as it was for the younger boys and we have incorporated it into our weekly math activity schedule. What’s in our math manipulative bin? Base 10 stamps Base 10 Starter Kit Learning Clock Geometric Patterns Teddy bear counters …and more… Preview of the Heart of Homeschooling God’s Way Master Class. We need to STOP measuring success by grades, achievements, awards, and worksheets.