Charlotte Mason homeschooling encompasses everything that is wonderful about homeschooling. Gentle lessons in a literature-rich environment, short lessons that focus on real-life with plenty of opportunity to explore the world indoors and out. And, these are just a few of the reasons I love this style of homeschooling! In these articles, my goal is to share the wonder, joy and creativity of the Charlotte Mason style, while giving you plenty of ideas and practical advice for implementing it in your own home. Enjoy!
A garden pest is any insect, animal, or other organism that can cause damage to plants and gardens. They can be harmful to both ornamental plants and crops, and can negatively impact the health and productivity of the garden. Common garden pests include insects like aphids, caterpillars, and beetles, as well as animals like rodents,…
Did you know March is National Reading Month? Because living books are so very good, every month is all about reading in our house! But in honor of this annual celebration of reading, I thought I’d take some time to share some of my best tips for raising readers. 11 Tips for Raising Readers Not only…
Bees are insects that belong to the same family as ants and wasps. Yes, they are related to ants! Additionally, there are over 20,000 different species of bees in the world. As you can already see, bee nature study is fascinating and I’m excited for you to learn alongside me! One of the best things…
Do you have a child who began reading well at three or four years old? A child who reads far above grade level? Early readers who soak in more books in a year than you’ve read in your entire life? Do you wonder what to do with all that advanced ability? Just how do you…
When you think about swans what comes to mind? Do you picture graceful birds floating on a pond or scrawny babies that don’t look graceful at all? In the living books about swans that I am sharing with you today, you’ll meet bird characters that are graceful, some that are not, and everything in between….
Our family’s favorite picture book authors earn “forever spots” on our bookshelves. Those spots don’t just go to any old books. Nope. To earn a coveted spot on our shelves, a book has to be pretty special. While bunches and bunches of authors have found a space or two on our shelves, there are only a…
When exploring nature, we often use our eyes to see things and our hands to touch things. We might even use our ears to listen. But have you ever thought about going on a nature walk with your nose? Concentrating on fragrant and malodorous things during smelly nature study can be lots of fun! Many…
One of the wonderful things about the approach of warm weather are all of the yummy things that are in season and maybe even growing in your own garden or backyard! One of those special seasonal treats is strawberries! Strawberry nature study has to be one of the yummies things you can study in the…
What is a friend? Webster’s 1828 Dictionary of the English language defines a friend as, “One who is attached to another by affection; one who entertains for another sentiments of esteem, respect, and affection, which lead him to desire his company.” I can easily apply that definition as I make friends with books and I…
What do you think about the possibility of completing a thunderstorm nature study? Whether you love the idea or not, we will definitely stay VERY safe from harm’s way this week. You see, thunderstorms can be dangerous severe weather events because of the electrifying lightning. But first, how do you feel about thunderstorms? Are they…
No parent has ever made it through the great journey of child-rearing without hearing two very frustrating words – “I’m bored!” Whether it’s sitting in a church service, a lazy day at home, or even partaking in the wonders of nature, kids everywhere are just a few breaths or activities away from finding themselves simply…
Salamanders are elusive creatures that can make salamander nature study both difficult and exciting. The two times I’ve come upon them in the wild were certainly exciting and quite memorable for me. In this podcast episode, you’ll hear about those two experiences! Salamanders are amphibians, which puts them in the same class as frogs and…