Do you have a budding chef or a flourishing foodie at home, always at your elbow in the kitchen and wanting to mix, roll, bake, or glaze? Check out these gifts for kids who love to cook and find something for every skill level. You’ll enjoy what they whip up for you almost as much…
Do your children love history or do you hit walls every time you try to teach it? I hated history as a child, mostly because the textbooks were horribly boring, the teachers were dry as a crust of day-old bread, and those long lists of dates were entirely frustrating. Given the opportunity to teach homeschool…
One of my goals in homeschooling creatively has always been to help kids love writing. Whether students believe it or not, writing is an essential skill that finds its way into real life quite often. Teaching writing with real-life methods is a great way to convince kids of its importance. Not to mention, anytime an…
If you’ve been around here much, you know the importance I place on nature study. The real-life science lessons that offer a consistent “lab” experience are unmatched compared to simply studying the same topics from a textbook. But, just as important, nature study reaches so naturally into other academic areas that it’s priceless for gently integrated learning….
We’ve talked a lot about brain training for cognitive skills here at Our Journey Westward. Closely related to cognitive skills are social skills. This article focuses on some easy ways to improve social skills in the homeschool. Don’t get “social skills” confused with “socialization”. One of the biggest thorns in the side of any homeschooler…
It’s so easy to start your homeschool journey as an idealist. Beautifully-lit Instagram photos and Pinterest-worthy homeschool rooms are exciting to look at, and passionate, seasoned speakers have hundreds of podcasts for you to excitedly devour. Before you know it, you’ve ordered vintage chalkboards, antique schoolroom desks, and picked up a natural wood abacus. Visions…
Science and creativity seem mutually exclusive, don’t they? It makes sense that the two fields are so opposite of one another that they can’t possibly compliment one another, right? I mean, the idea of a creative and scientific study for children does sound almost comical when you consider the limitless range of creativity and the…
You will love these top picks for upper elementary homeschool curriculum! Third through fifth grades are some of my favorite years to teach. During this period, children are usually pretty good readers – making it more fun to dive deeper into other subjects. And, they still have a zestful spirit about learning which means we get to…
During my workshops about creative homeschooling and living math, I often talk about incorporating games into the school schedule. If your family has an established game night, you probably already know how educational many board and card games really are. Math, language, history, science, logic and so much more can be practiced without your kiddos…
On Fridays, I attempt to plan a simple object lesson to go along with Bible study. Since we have been studying knights of the Middle Ages lately, I thought a lesson on the Armor of God made a nice tie-in. The lesson is quick, but powerful. Armor of God Object Lesson Materials: two oranges a…
We are having an amazing time in the No Sweat Nature Study LIVE membership! If you haven’t joined us there yet, it’s never too late! What is No Sweat Nature Study LIVE? Twice a month, your 1st-8th graders can take part in fun, interactive, LIVE science lessons with a nature study twist. Within each 30-45…
Games are wonderful additions to any homeschool. In fact, we typically play at least one game a day – sometimes even gameschooling for an entire day! Not only do games bring joy and lightheartedness to the school day, they can help teach new concepts and practice old ones. One of the most important reasons I…