I’ve talked a lot about using picture books to help teach character here at Our Journey Westward. For that matter, I've talked a lot about using picture books to teach, well, everything. In this post, Bill Peet character lessons are the picture book focus. There's something special about a living picture book. The story, the characters, the message. Without intimidation, children are drawn in ... Read More
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70+ Summer Strewing Ideas for Your Homeschool
Strewing can be a great way to keep your kids busy this summer - or during any break from homeschooling. This post is packed full of summer strewing ideas for you! Strewing is kind of a strange word, isn't it? The act of strewing is quite simple though, you basically scattering educational things about for your children to discover and do. I used to call this practice in our homeschool "summer ... Read More
8 Tips for Homeschooling a Child with Dyscalculia
Homeschooling a child with dyscalculia can seem daunting, but it's entirely doable. In fact, it can be one of the best decisions you make to help your child succeed! What is dyscalculia? Dyscalculia is a learning disability in math and can make math incredibly hard if children are not given the right support. Dyscalculia goes beyond kids just struggling a little with math and finding it ... Read More
Why I Take a Summer Break from Homeschooling (and How Learning Seems to Happen Anyway)
In case you haven't noticed by now, I really love homeschooling. While not every day has been easy, and some seasons have been more challenging than others, I have always felt both humbled and privileged to be such an integral part of my children's education. But just because you love something doesn't mean you want to do it all the time. That's one reason I always take a summer break from ... Read More
Uncomfortable Middle School Topics We Need to Get Comfortable With
The subject you have dreaded to discuss is at hand. It's time to talk about those uncomfortable middle school topics with your children, isn't it? I'll make it a little easier by getting the hard stuff out in the open for you to find the bravery you need to face those sweet children of yours. Middle school is just awkward. Hormones are raging, voices are squeaking, cliques are forming. Everyone ... Read More
54 of the Best Picture Books for Geometry
Is geometry a scary word in your homeschool? It doesn't have to be! These living books for geometry help to introduce basic concepts to your children in a fun way. Stories can often help simplify math concepts in a way that kids can easily understand. The whole family is bound to enjoy these living books, especially the math adventure books towards the end of this post! Whether you're ... Read More
Why Middle Schoolers Make Awesome Homeschool Students
Middle schoolers get a bad rap a lot of the time, but the middle school homeschool has such amazing potential! Puberty has wreaked havoc on their awkward bodies and hormones have their moods swinging back and forth. This new rush towards adulthood has them convinced of their own wisdom yet their inexperience reveals them as still incredibly immature. They are caught between children and ... Read More
Paper Airplane Math
Graphing comes to life with this fun paper airplane math activity! Create, fly, collect data, and use technology for serious learning that will motivate your elementary and middle school children to love learning. Paper Airplane Graphs Grab some colorful paper and let your children have fun designing paper airplanes to test their awesomeness. After collecting data, your children will learn ... Read More
68 of the Best Math Operations Picture Books
I love using living books to help children "see" math. These math operations picture books specifically focus on addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division to help build understanding and connect math to the real world. Books are powerful in helping children relate to abstract mathematical concepts! They can be used as pre-reading before introducing something new or after a concept is ... Read More
How To Incorporate Anxiety Skills Into Your Homeschool
This guest post, written by my friend Jen Vail, is a treasure to help you deal with homeschool anxiety skills. Be sure to bookmark it or pin it to come back time and time again for ideas and reassurance. When I was much younger and not so dependent upon ibuprofen, I had a lot of plans. Fame and fortune, obviously, the admiration of Prince William, and all of the Rocky Mountain jeans I could ... Read More
25 Creative Candy Math Activities To Make Learning Fun
I don't know too many children who aren't motivated by candy math activities. In fact, most of them beg for math when candy is involved. How many times do you remember your kiddos begging for math otherwise? Ha! When those regular math lessons begin to make everyone weary, take a break and add in a little candy math! Besides bringing a few smiles to your homeschool, you might be surprised ... Read More
3 Unique Ways to Homeschool Active Children
How do you homeschool active children? You know, those sweet children who need to move and tend to make you a nervous wreck as they bounce off the walls. Yeah, them. You may not know this, but research has shown time and time again that children with ADHD and other energetic types are actually focusing their hardest when they're fidgeting and jumping. Being forced to sit still in a ... Read More
