Recently, my daughter and I embarked upon the ultimate social studies field trip. It wasn’t supposed to be one. In fact, since she’s often bored at meetings, I try to limit her exposure to them somewhat. After all, I am involved in many community organizations and go to a lot of meetings! We’re in Canada, where we have city, provincial, and federal elected officials. That morning, I was on my way to talk with our provincial official about several health and environmental issues. This particular person is quite approachable, and I’ve spoken with her several times. It was funny, though. … Continue reading →

There’s no history more interesting than that of your own family, and to small children, very few people are as interesting as the person that they are getting to know best: themselves. Whether you’re working in a homeschool co-op, a guiding group, or simply with your own young children, creating art and stories that reflect young children’s understanding of their own lives can be fascinating. It can also be a good introduction to exploring the lives of other children around the world. My daughter loves to create books. Each year, we make a book together that reflects her experiences of … Continue reading →

Young children are a study in differences. Some preschoolers have advanced large motor skills, while some kindergarten students struggle with large motor control. Other children have excellent spatial skills, and still others have the ability to understand emotions in a way that is beyond their years. However, even if they may be at different stages of social and emotional development, all young children can benefit from activities that explore emotions and increase social skills. How can you encourage your young homelearners to explore their emotions? One of the simplest ways to study emotions is through discussion of a picture book. … Continue reading →

Teaching your child how to be an ethical being in the world is something that every parent wants to do. As they get older, we also want children who know how to seek quiet comfort when they are in need and find joy and wonder in everyday things. The spiritual side of parenting and homeschooling is important, yet those of us who are secular in nature often neglect to discuss it. How can you encourage your child to develop a sense of herself as a spiritual being in the world? Practice ethics with your child. Whether it’s adopting rescue animals … Continue reading →

My daughter and I have traveled a lot together over her few short years, and we plan to do more traveling in the coming year. We’re hoping to go away to Costa Rica for at least a few weeks to learn about the cloud forest and enjoy the very different scenery. I visited Costa Rica in my early twenties and would love to return. To prepare, I’ve purchased a children’s book about the place we will visit and we’re reading about the rainforest. Five-year-olds have a hard time conceiving of the distance between countries on a map, but we’re beginning … Continue reading →

If you’re not familiar with Webkinz, you’ve been living under a rock and you need to come out. Seriously. Basically, it’s a stuffed animal that you buy that comes with a code. The code gives you access to a really great website. . .a virtual world just for Webkinz. Lauri Griffin in the Fun blog, has written a great article about how her family uses them to keep up with each other over long distances. After all, Webkinz World would not be complete without a way for webkinz to stay in touch with each other. My three oldest children have … Continue reading →

Here are resources for studying Johnny Appleseed. I find that we revisit this story frequently in the fall as we’re getting ready to go apple picking. The story of Johnny Appleseed and its various legends is a beloved story for my children. Afterall, who doesn’t love a good adventure story? Use this to start your own unit study, or simply as a mini lesson into the life of this exciting pioneer. Background Johnny Appleseed, who was born as John Chapman (September 26, 1774–March 18, 1845), was an American pioneer who became known for his generous and kind ways. He introduced … Continue reading →

Yesterday, In my post about the cost of summer homeschooling, I referenced Myra Turners blog on Summer College for Kids and compared it to a lesson I learned in a book by Paula Penn-Nabrit. Another Lesson I learned from Morning by Morning, How We Home_Schooled Our African American Sons to the Ivy League, is the importance of having daily conversations with your child. It is great to talk about things on your children’s mind and to have conversations that will uplift your children and their self-esteem. It is also important to talk about things going on in the world around … Continue reading →