Using movies in your homeschool might seem like a cop out, but it's not at all when you use them for some fun learning. Project-based learning is the best. My kids have not only been more excited and engaged during a project vs. plain old textbook learning, they have absorbed SO much more information. Their interest is fed each day as we add a new element, a new perspective, or a new layer to ... Read More
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70 of the Best Character Building Picture Books For Kids
Any time is a good time to read a fantastic picture book, but when that book serves double duty as an educational tool it's truly a "keeper". The character building picture books listed below are definitely keepers. We know that good character is best taught through example, right? The saying goes that way more is caught than taught when it comes to building virtues in our children. In other ... Read More
Organizing Tips for the Unorganized Homeschool Mom
You know that homeschool one mom - the one who is always calm, whose kids are always clean and polite? The mom who somehow manages to arrive everywhere early, impeccably dressed, with makeup, hair, and snacks? There seems to be one in every co-op. A mom who makes it all look effortless and easy. Her home always seems to be ready for company, her lesson plans always look pristine, and there are ... Read More
20 Must Read Winter Books for Kids
Winter is the perfect time for snuggling up with books - and lots of them! Over the years, we've gone back to certain books time after time during the winter season. I thought I'd share our winter book list with you and give you an idea of some of the book extension activities we've done to turn the books into great lessons. We don't always do extension lessons when reading, but the long days of ... Read More
2021 Nature Study Book List to Supplement No Sweat Nature Study LIVE Lessons
We are having so much fun learning science in the No Sweat Nature Study LIVE membership! If you haven't joined us there yet, it's never too late. Live classes take place twice a month and previously recorded lessons are waiting for you right now! What is No Sweat Nature Study LIVE? Twice a month, 1st-8th graders can take part in fun, interactive, LIVE science lessons with a nature ... Read More
The Best Critical Thinking Games for Your Homeschool
Critical thinking games are the perfect way to teach and practice important thinking and decision making skills in your home. I've been using games as part of my plan of attack for years and it's been such a fun and challenging way to strengthen my children's ability to think and reason. Critical thinking is extremely important for everyone because it's the process by which we analyze and ... Read More
Nature Study is a Good Fit for Gifted Kids
There are definitely stereotypes when it comes to gifted kids. For instance, people might might picture an awkward boy or girl with glasses who plays chess and cello and snorts when he or she laughs. Parts of that may be true for some gifted kids, but they're often not at all like people expect them to be. Some have glasses, some play instruments, some are more interested in video games than ... Read More
15 of the Best Group Games for Families
These group games for families are perfect for any special gathering! Games have always been the go-to activity when family or friends get together because they are so much fun and keep everyone actively involved in the party. We don't have a giant extended family, but every holiday or birthday celebration will find the 10 of us gathered around the living room for at least a couple of ... Read More
A Homeschool Resume Can Help You Value Yourself as a Teacher
Please enjoy this guest post from Courtney Day about the encouragement you can find by writing a homeschool resume. It's such a great idea to help you realize your worth and see your successes as a homeschool teacher! “Congratulations, you’ve got the job! You’re hired!” “Huh? I didn’t... I’m sorry, what job?” I was trying to make sense of the words. He had woken me up to have this ... Read More
40+ Art and Handicraft Gifts That Kids Will Love
Time and again, research and anecdotal evidence have proven that creativity is as vital a trait as resilience or wit. Often creativity can be considered a skill, but it's such a broad concept that it is difficult to explain just how to practice such a skill. This list of art and handicraft gifts will help! Creativity can be applied to problem solving, writing, play, the creation of something ... Read More
24 of the Best Nature Study Gifts for Kids
Nature study has long been a cornerstone of our homeschool. It's an interactive and exciting mainstay that has come to be as much a part of our lives as our learning. We don't just notice nature when it's for science credit, we enjoy and appreciate it in our daily lives! Because nature study is so ingrained in our lifestyle, it's not uncommon for our family to give or receive gifts that relate ... Read More
Great Gifts for Horse Lovers
Horses are a lifelong love for my daughter. She has always gasped at the sight of horses grazing in a pasture, cleared the local library's shelves of all the horse-related books, and covered her walls with posters of wild stallions and prancing ponies. Gift giving occasions have never been great mysteries for anyone who knows her - anything with a horse, about a horse, or shaped like a horse is ... Read More
