Curriculum is defined as:
1. courses offered by an educational institution,
2. a list of all the courses of study offered by a school or college,
3. a program or plan of activities.
Your "homeschool curriculum" probably matches definition #3, above. New homeschoolers often become confused over "which curriculum to use" or "where to buy a curriculum."
But a homeschool curriculum is simply a "plan of activities" that you use in your homeschool. It need not be an expensive curriculum, nor does it need to incorporate textbooks or workbooks.
Your children will learn more readily and more fully when you and they homeschool in a manner that best complements their unique learning styles.
Observe your child's preferred style of learning -- such as hands-on learning through touch (tactile), or through moving and doing (kinesthetic), or seeing/visualizing (visual), or hearing/verbal (auditory), or a combination of these.
For help determining your child's learning style, check out some of these books:
* 8 Great Smarts for Homeschoolers, by Tina Hollenbeck
* Discover Your Child’s Learning Style, by Mariaemma Willis
* How Children Learn, by John Holt
* Learning All the Time, by John Holt
* The Way They Learn, by Cynthia Tobias
Remember: Homeschooling is not a "school at home." Don’t confuse yourself, or your children, thinking that it should be. You’ll only make it harder on yourself.
As John Holt warned: “To parents I say, above all else, don’t let your home become some terrible miniature copy of the school. Live together, as well as you can; enjoy life together, as much as you can. Ask questions to find out something about the world itself, not to find out whether or not someone knows it.”
Remind yourself each day that your duty is to guide your children, not force instruction upon them. Your role is to help them learn how to learn and to encourage them to seek answers to questions, find materials and information that will help them learn, explore the things that interest them, and allow them the freedom to learn in the style that works best for them.
This, then, will become the curriculum -- the "plan of activities" -- that best suits your children and your family!
For more help creating your own homeschool curriculum, using homeschooling or unschooling activities, or hundreds of educational ideas for weekly homeschool lessons, see our Home page at EverythingHomeschooling.com.
For a pastel painting demo, see "Summer Fields" at MistyGlowStudio.com or on my YouTube channel here: Misty Glow Studio.
Happy homeschooling!
Showing posts with label creative learning. Show all posts
Showing posts with label creative learning. Show all posts
Monday, August 18, 2025
Friday, February 28, 2025
Changing Seasons + Nature Studies
As Winter slides into Spring, we see remarkable changes all around us. Winter snows and chilly temperatures are behind us, and warmer weather and sunny skies are ahead of us.
The same is true for our homeschool experiences. We can open ourselves to remarkable changes, to sunnier times, easier days, and spectacular studies and learning.
We need only look to nature to inspire us. Everything around us looks brighter, cheerier, more colorful. Follow Mother Nature's lead and live in the excitement of spring, of flowers blossoming, birds singing merrily, and beautiful new changes outside our windows almost daily.
From our observations of these things, we find peace and hope. From our interactions with nature -- up close and personal -- we learn new information, acquire vast knowledge, and keep these wonderful experiences in our memories indefinitely.
This week, I spent time reviewing my experiences painting nature scenes, mainly winter scenes, and recalling the falling snow -- probably the last snowfall of the season. And I treasured those experiences. I've shared them through a video here on YouTube -- Nature Inspired Art -- from my art studio, Misty Glow Studio.
Take time to paint your experiences from this past winter, or sketch or draw or create your memories in some way. And plan ahead for the spring months to come. When you can take your learning experiences outdoors, into nature, a park, a playground, or a forest, the learning becomes much more real and profound.
Here are just a few inspiring books to read for the spring months ahead:
* Goodbye Winter, Hello Spring
* The Hidden Rainbow: A Springtime Book For Kids
* My Forest Is Green
* Make Art with Nature: Find Inspiration and Materials From Nature
* Backpack Explorer: On the Nature Trail
* Big Book of Nature Art
* Science in the Wild: Explore, Discover, and Learn from Nature
Happy homeschooling!
Tuesday, December 31, 2024
New Year + New Interests = New Learning
It’s another New Year with New Opportunities for New Interests and New Learning! Take time to enjoy the things that truly interest you this year, as a family and individually. We learn the most when we enjoy what we're doing, regardless of age. So, rather than focusing on the things we "should" be doing, let's focus on the things we "could" be doing!
Here’s a few thoughts to keep in mind as you begin your New Year:
1. “Imagination is more important than knowledge,” said Albert Einstein. He felt that imagination opened up an entire world of possibilities. He believed that imagination was a major factor in scientific research. How do you use your imagination? You can imagine a make-believe world, imagine a new world, imagine a new story, new song, new artwork, new adventures, new ideas. It’s all possible, because you have imagination! Imagine and create new things this year!
2. “Creativity is intelligence having fun,” Albert Einstein said. When you are having fun creating things, you are using your intelligence. Create clay objects, create wire sculptures, create twirling mobiles, create with construction kits, create a building, create a model, create art, create whatever interests you. As a result, you’ll be using your intelligence, creating, learning, and having fun!
3. “The mind is not a vessel to be filled but a fire to be kindled,” said Plutarch, a Greek philosopher. By kindling a fire or sparking an idea in your mind, you are filled with excitement, curiosity, new interests, and new learning! When an idea excites or interests you, learning naturally occurs. This is because you are inspired and motivated to learn all you can about it. Be excited and curious, and you'll naturally learn more!
4. “Curiosity is the wick in the candle of learning,” observed writer William Arthur Ward. Imagine this: Without a wick, a candle can’t burn very well. Without curiosity, one can’t learn very well. Find ways to spark your own curiosity by asking questions like: “What if? How? Why? Who? When? Where?” Regardless of the topics you might currently be studying, be curious about them. Ask more questions! Go further! Learn more!
5. “Ask questions and you will gain new knowledge,” many have observed. If the tower you built collapsed, ask why and how you can keep it from collapsing the next time. If the clay sculpture you created didn’t turn out as expected, ask how you might improve it next time. If the story you wrote isn’t as exciting as you’d hoped, ask what characters or situations could liven it up. If this week’s history lesson, or math lesson, or science experiment is confusing or dull, ask what activities could make the lessons more exciting, more real, more fun, more clear. When you ask yourself, or others, you will find answers, every day and every week!
Remember to Explore! Experiment! Imagine! Create! Read! Write! Play! Build! Ask! Seek! Research! Be Curious! Be Innovative! Be Adventurous!
Resolve to make your New Year an exciting one filled with fun, imaginative, creative learning!
If interested in seeing my Nature-Inspired Paintings, please visit:
My Website: MistyGlowStudio.com
My Etsy shop: Etsy.com/Shop/MistyGlowStudio
My YouTube channel: YouTube.com/MistyGlowStudio
Happy homeschooling every week of this New Year!
Here’s a few thoughts to keep in mind as you begin your New Year:
1. “Imagination is more important than knowledge,” said Albert Einstein. He felt that imagination opened up an entire world of possibilities. He believed that imagination was a major factor in scientific research. How do you use your imagination? You can imagine a make-believe world, imagine a new world, imagine a new story, new song, new artwork, new adventures, new ideas. It’s all possible, because you have imagination! Imagine and create new things this year!
2. “Creativity is intelligence having fun,” Albert Einstein said. When you are having fun creating things, you are using your intelligence. Create clay objects, create wire sculptures, create twirling mobiles, create with construction kits, create a building, create a model, create art, create whatever interests you. As a result, you’ll be using your intelligence, creating, learning, and having fun!
3. “The mind is not a vessel to be filled but a fire to be kindled,” said Plutarch, a Greek philosopher. By kindling a fire or sparking an idea in your mind, you are filled with excitement, curiosity, new interests, and new learning! When an idea excites or interests you, learning naturally occurs. This is because you are inspired and motivated to learn all you can about it. Be excited and curious, and you'll naturally learn more!
4. “Curiosity is the wick in the candle of learning,” observed writer William Arthur Ward. Imagine this: Without a wick, a candle can’t burn very well. Without curiosity, one can’t learn very well. Find ways to spark your own curiosity by asking questions like: “What if? How? Why? Who? When? Where?” Regardless of the topics you might currently be studying, be curious about them. Ask more questions! Go further! Learn more!
5. “Ask questions and you will gain new knowledge,” many have observed. If the tower you built collapsed, ask why and how you can keep it from collapsing the next time. If the clay sculpture you created didn’t turn out as expected, ask how you might improve it next time. If the story you wrote isn’t as exciting as you’d hoped, ask what characters or situations could liven it up. If this week’s history lesson, or math lesson, or science experiment is confusing or dull, ask what activities could make the lessons more exciting, more real, more fun, more clear. When you ask yourself, or others, you will find answers, every day and every week!
Remember to Explore! Experiment! Imagine! Create! Read! Write! Play! Build! Ask! Seek! Research! Be Curious! Be Innovative! Be Adventurous!
Resolve to make your New Year an exciting one filled with fun, imaginative, creative learning!
If interested in seeing my Nature-Inspired Paintings, please visit:
My Website: MistyGlowStudio.com
My Etsy shop: Etsy.com/Shop/MistyGlowStudio
My YouTube channel: YouTube.com/MistyGlowStudio
Happy homeschooling every week of this New Year!
Monday, October 9, 2023
Monday Homeschool + Weekly Learning Ideas
What do we do on Monday when our weeks become overly busy or we face unexpected difficulties?
Some weeks, everything flows smoothly. Other weeks, things are more challenging.
Life doesn’t always go smoothly. This, in itself, is a good homeschool lesson. Having the ability to cope, to be flexible, to change directions, to adjust, to laugh at life’s lemons and to smile at simple joys – these are skills that make life and homeschool easier.
Yet, we still have to Do Something on Monday when facing a busy week. What do we do when we haven’t had time to think of activities or lesson plans?
What Do I Do Monday? is a book by John Holt, who has provided momentous ideas on education and learning. Mr. Holt was a homeschool pioneer, whose thoughts, beliefs, and writings on homeschooling and unschooling were ahead of his times.
Prior to writing numerous books on how children learn (and how they fail), John was a school teacher. But as a teacher, his focus was primarily on observing learning processes in children, rather than forcing a curriculum on them. As a result, his views often conflicted with those of school administrators.
So John turned his attention to helping parents and teachers. He shared first-hand experiences, insight, and details on children actively engaged in learning. He spent years with students and with families, closely observing how children learned best, then documenting and sharing his findings.
Some of John’s books include How Children Fail, How Children Learn, the previously mentioned What Do I Do Monday?, Freedom and Beyond, and others. His books can be found in libraries or online, and are especially inspirational to homeschooling and unschooling families.
Here are some learning ideas and quotes, courtesy of John Holt:
* “I believe that we learn best when we, not others, are deciding what we are going to try to learn, and when, and how, and for what reasons or purposes.” – John Holt
* Ask your children: “What would YOU like to do Monday?” If they can’t think of anything, try a 10-minute brainstorming session on what could be interesting, new, different, fun, etc. Then allow them to decide what they'd like to learn, and when and how, and give them the freedom to pursue those ideas this week.
* Make lists of favorite things during the day, the weeks, and in the months to come. Keep a running list in a notebook or journal. Encourage everyone in the family to keep his or her own list. Then review your lists for learning ideas each week.
* Examples: Here are some examples of "favorite things" from John Holt.
1. Places you like. These can be big places, or they can be little places, and you can like them for different reasons. Put them on your list, as many as you can think of, then learn more about those places.
2. People you’d like to know. Jot down the names of people who interest you, then learn more about them. They can be people from the past, people in the news today, people in your community, or even ancestors in your family.
3. Books you’d like to read. One favorite book can lead to another. Keep a list of books you’d like to read online or check out from the library. Write down favorite authors, too, and read other books they’ve written.
4. Paintings, sculptures, or other artwork. Keep a running list of art projects or techniques you want to try. Learn about different art movements or styles, such as Cubism, Pointillism, Futurism, Pop Art, etc., and try your hand at them.
5. Things you like to do. These can be trivial (simple) or not so trivial (more complex). Ideas could include cutting-and-pasting paper shapes, making castles from boxes, building structures with construction kits, writing skits or plays to perform, learning to play an instrument, making doll clothes, building a bookshelf, creating a computer program, etc.
In just these 5 ideas listed above, there could be weeks of learning ideas, hands-on activities, and new knowledge and skills gained through them.
Tip: An “Idea Jar” is an alternative, or a complement, to list-making. Have kids jot ideas on paper, then cut them apart, fold them up, and drop them into the Idea Jar. Each Monday, have them draw a few ideas from the jar, and there’s your learning ideas for the week!
Continue adding to the jar or to your lists as often as possible. Then you'll always have learning ideas at your fingertips each Monday!
Happy homeschooling!
Some weeks, everything flows smoothly. Other weeks, things are more challenging.
Life doesn’t always go smoothly. This, in itself, is a good homeschool lesson. Having the ability to cope, to be flexible, to change directions, to adjust, to laugh at life’s lemons and to smile at simple joys – these are skills that make life and homeschool easier.
Yet, we still have to Do Something on Monday when facing a busy week. What do we do when we haven’t had time to think of activities or lesson plans?
What Do I Do Monday? is a book by John Holt, who has provided momentous ideas on education and learning. Mr. Holt was a homeschool pioneer, whose thoughts, beliefs, and writings on homeschooling and unschooling were ahead of his times.
Prior to writing numerous books on how children learn (and how they fail), John was a school teacher. But as a teacher, his focus was primarily on observing learning processes in children, rather than forcing a curriculum on them. As a result, his views often conflicted with those of school administrators.
So John turned his attention to helping parents and teachers. He shared first-hand experiences, insight, and details on children actively engaged in learning. He spent years with students and with families, closely observing how children learned best, then documenting and sharing his findings.
Some of John’s books include How Children Fail, How Children Learn, the previously mentioned What Do I Do Monday?, Freedom and Beyond, and others. His books can be found in libraries or online, and are especially inspirational to homeschooling and unschooling families.
Here are some learning ideas and quotes, courtesy of John Holt:
* “I believe that we learn best when we, not others, are deciding what we are going to try to learn, and when, and how, and for what reasons or purposes.” – John Holt
* Ask your children: “What would YOU like to do Monday?” If they can’t think of anything, try a 10-minute brainstorming session on what could be interesting, new, different, fun, etc. Then allow them to decide what they'd like to learn, and when and how, and give them the freedom to pursue those ideas this week.
* Make lists of favorite things during the day, the weeks, and in the months to come. Keep a running list in a notebook or journal. Encourage everyone in the family to keep his or her own list. Then review your lists for learning ideas each week.
* Examples: Here are some examples of "favorite things" from John Holt.
1. Places you like. These can be big places, or they can be little places, and you can like them for different reasons. Put them on your list, as many as you can think of, then learn more about those places.
2. People you’d like to know. Jot down the names of people who interest you, then learn more about them. They can be people from the past, people in the news today, people in your community, or even ancestors in your family.
3. Books you’d like to read. One favorite book can lead to another. Keep a list of books you’d like to read online or check out from the library. Write down favorite authors, too, and read other books they’ve written.
4. Paintings, sculptures, or other artwork. Keep a running list of art projects or techniques you want to try. Learn about different art movements or styles, such as Cubism, Pointillism, Futurism, Pop Art, etc., and try your hand at them.
5. Things you like to do. These can be trivial (simple) or not so trivial (more complex). Ideas could include cutting-and-pasting paper shapes, making castles from boxes, building structures with construction kits, writing skits or plays to perform, learning to play an instrument, making doll clothes, building a bookshelf, creating a computer program, etc.
In just these 5 ideas listed above, there could be weeks of learning ideas, hands-on activities, and new knowledge and skills gained through them.
Tip: An “Idea Jar” is an alternative, or a complement, to list-making. Have kids jot ideas on paper, then cut them apart, fold them up, and drop them into the Idea Jar. Each Monday, have them draw a few ideas from the jar, and there’s your learning ideas for the week!
Continue adding to the jar or to your lists as often as possible. Then you'll always have learning ideas at your fingertips each Monday!
Happy homeschooling!
Sunday, September 10, 2023
September Learning Ideas
September has 30 days, and that’s 30 new things to learn about this month.
Here’s some tips and ideas to get you started:
* Fall begins this month – find out when and why.
* Track the time of sunrises and sunsets this September. Compare the differences between the times in early September and the times in late September. How does this affect your daily activities?
* Record the high and low temperatures in early September and in late September. How much do they vary? Why might it be cooler in late September, compared to early September?
* Start creating fall crafts on the 1st day of September and continue each day of the month. By the end of the month, you’ll have armloads of decorations to make your room and your home “fall festive” and “fall welcoming.”
* National Hummingbird Day occurs in September. Provide extra nectar for them, or make sugar-water. That will give them energy for their flight south in a few weeks. Where do they go each fall? Research this and create a report on hummingbirds, complete with maps and illustrations.
* National Wildlife Day is September 4. Read books on wildlife, such as Rewilding: Bringing Wildlife Back Where It Belongs; Wildlife Ranger Action Guide; Animal Habitats; Homes in the Wild; and similar books to enjoy and discuss.
* Cheese Pizza Day is September 5. Make your own cheese pizza – and add any toppings you like!
* Read-a-Book Day is September 6. Start a reading log and try to read a book a day. At the end of this year, add up the total number of books you’ve read!
* Share Your Care Day is September 9. Do you remember Care Bears, or do you still have one? You don’t need one, though, to show you care about someone. Think of all the ways you can show others you care about them.
* National Grandparents Day is September 10. This is an excellent day to show your grandparents how much you care about them, too!
* Ants on a Log Day is September 12. Have you ever made Ants on a Log? If not, this is the day to do it! See how creative you can be, making delicious treats like this. Or create new treats and give them a new name.
* Kids Take Over the Kitchen Day is September 13. See recipes for kids at this link (https://cookingwithkids.org/recipes/) or check out some library books on kid cooks, such as Kids Can Cook Anything; The Big, Fun Kids Cookbook; The Recipe-a-Day Kids Cookbook; and others.
* National Parents Day Off is September 14. When kids take over the kitchen on the 13th, have them prepare a meal for the 14th, when parents “have the day off.” Since this day is also National Live Creative Day, have kids plan creative learning activities for today, the 14th, while parents take the day off!
* As Fall approaches, paint or sketch the trees and scenery outside your window. Then, in a few weeks, paint or sketch the same scene again. Have the leaves begun to change colors? Why is this? Paint the scene again in October or December. How is it different, and why?
* Take a September Field Trip to your local library and see the books they’ve displayed there this month. Try books, such as Heroes: September 11, 2001; Goodbye, Summer, Hello, Autumn; Apple Pies and Hayrides; Why Do Leaves Change Colors; and more.
See the September calendar here for more ideas this month:
https://nationaldaycalendar.com/september/
For more September activities, see these:
https://www.whereimaginationgrows.com/kids-activities-for-september/
You’ll see ideas for working parents, families, stepfamilies, pets, dogs, autumn equinox, fall crafts, gymnastics, outdoor activities, pirates, hobbits, creating diaries, creating comic books, magic, apples, orchards, apple math, apple drop, fall foliage, fall tree art, fall wreaths, and more!
Turn the ideas into fun learning adventures!
Happy homeschooling!
Here’s some tips and ideas to get you started:
* Fall begins this month – find out when and why.
* Track the time of sunrises and sunsets this September. Compare the differences between the times in early September and the times in late September. How does this affect your daily activities?
* Record the high and low temperatures in early September and in late September. How much do they vary? Why might it be cooler in late September, compared to early September?
* Start creating fall crafts on the 1st day of September and continue each day of the month. By the end of the month, you’ll have armloads of decorations to make your room and your home “fall festive” and “fall welcoming.”
* National Hummingbird Day occurs in September. Provide extra nectar for them, or make sugar-water. That will give them energy for their flight south in a few weeks. Where do they go each fall? Research this and create a report on hummingbirds, complete with maps and illustrations.
* National Wildlife Day is September 4. Read books on wildlife, such as Rewilding: Bringing Wildlife Back Where It Belongs; Wildlife Ranger Action Guide; Animal Habitats; Homes in the Wild; and similar books to enjoy and discuss.
* Cheese Pizza Day is September 5. Make your own cheese pizza – and add any toppings you like!
* Read-a-Book Day is September 6. Start a reading log and try to read a book a day. At the end of this year, add up the total number of books you’ve read!
* Share Your Care Day is September 9. Do you remember Care Bears, or do you still have one? You don’t need one, though, to show you care about someone. Think of all the ways you can show others you care about them.
* National Grandparents Day is September 10. This is an excellent day to show your grandparents how much you care about them, too!
* Ants on a Log Day is September 12. Have you ever made Ants on a Log? If not, this is the day to do it! See how creative you can be, making delicious treats like this. Or create new treats and give them a new name.
* Kids Take Over the Kitchen Day is September 13. See recipes for kids at this link (https://cookingwithkids.org/recipes/) or check out some library books on kid cooks, such as Kids Can Cook Anything; The Big, Fun Kids Cookbook; The Recipe-a-Day Kids Cookbook; and others.
* National Parents Day Off is September 14. When kids take over the kitchen on the 13th, have them prepare a meal for the 14th, when parents “have the day off.” Since this day is also National Live Creative Day, have kids plan creative learning activities for today, the 14th, while parents take the day off!
* As Fall approaches, paint or sketch the trees and scenery outside your window. Then, in a few weeks, paint or sketch the same scene again. Have the leaves begun to change colors? Why is this? Paint the scene again in October or December. How is it different, and why?
* Take a September Field Trip to your local library and see the books they’ve displayed there this month. Try books, such as Heroes: September 11, 2001; Goodbye, Summer, Hello, Autumn; Apple Pies and Hayrides; Why Do Leaves Change Colors; and more.
See the September calendar here for more ideas this month:
https://nationaldaycalendar.com/september/
For more September activities, see these:
https://www.whereimaginationgrows.com/kids-activities-for-september/
You’ll see ideas for working parents, families, stepfamilies, pets, dogs, autumn equinox, fall crafts, gymnastics, outdoor activities, pirates, hobbits, creating diaries, creating comic books, magic, apples, orchards, apple math, apple drop, fall foliage, fall tree art, fall wreaths, and more!
Turn the ideas into fun learning adventures!
Happy homeschooling!
Wednesday, August 9, 2023
Love of Learning + Months (Years) of Activities!
What’s more important than education and learning? The LOVE of learning!
How do children develop a love of learning?
By immersing themselves in things they enjoy, things that interest them, and things they wonder about.
Below, we’ll include many “love of learning” ideas for your children to do, to experiment with, to research, to learn more about. These will cover Science, Math, Technology, Life Skills, Social Studies, Reading, Writing, Literature, Art, Music, and more.
Any topics that interest your children, or that they wonder about, will be learned and retained more thoroughly when topics or ideas captivate and fascinate them.
The brain has a huge capacity for constantly learning, for continuously absorbing new information, and for storing and recalling this knowledge. This occurs more rapidly when thoughts and ideas are truly interesting to your children.
Provide the freedom and flexibility for your children to wonder, ponder, peruse, and use the vast amount of knowledge and wisdom that’s literally at their fingertips.
Allow children time to experiment, create, try new things, and simply play throughout their day.
How do children “learn how to learn”?
Simple, really: “Children learn as they play. Most importantly, in play children learn how to learn.” – O. Fred Donaldson, Author and Play Specialist
Ask your children what they want to learn more about today. Then do that again tomorrow and each day that follows.
Here are some activities and ideas to help them start thinking about and developing a “love of learning”.
When doing the activities ask them:
1. Which is their favorite?
2. Why is it their favorite?
3. What more would they like to do or learn about?
4. How could they expand upon the experiments or activities?
Here are Activity Ideas for a Month of Learning or YEARS of Learning!
Remember to discuss each activity and ideas inspired by these:
1. Build with Legos, K’Nex, Magnetic Tiles, Marble Runs (math, technology)
2. Create clay figures, animals, jewelry, vases, mugs (science, life skills, art)
3. Draw family members, your backyard, your room (social studies, math, art)
4. Sketch urban areas, architecture, your city’s projects (social studies, math, art)
5. Paint landscapes, mountains, streams, oceans, habitats (science, art)
6. Paste shapes, tissue paper, stickers to create collages of landmarks (geography, social studies, art)
7. Design new games, board games, video games, fun games (technology, science, math)
8. Bake cupcakes, pastries, experiment with new food creations (math, science, life skills)
9. Experiment with creating slime, volcanoes, tornados, kitchen science reactions (science, math)
10. Glue junk items, gears, cogs, nuts, bolts to create sculptures (technology, science, art)
11. Make clocks, thermometers, rain gauges, anemometers (math, science, life skills)
12. Create dioramas of dinosaur eras, animal habitats, cityscapes (social studies, science)
13. Draw famous people, places, animals, insects, events (history, social studies, art)
14. Design maps of towns, cities, neighborhoods, states, regions, world (geography, art)
15. Construct stages for puppet shows, dramas, theater performances (math, science, art)
16. Make musical instruments, play music, perform concerts (music, art)
17. Write/Animate stories, plays, scripts, games, comic books (writing, reading, art)
18. Read stories aloud, using character voices or rewriting endings (reading, literature)
19. Draw favorite scenes from books, video games, or movies (reading, literature, art)
20. Compose music inspired by songs, musicals, video games (music, art)
21. Create scripts inspired by favorite movies, plays, video games (reading, literature)
22. Program code for games, apps, electronics, robotics (technology, science, math)
23. Hike through parks, take nature walks, photograph scenery (science, art)
24. Devise outdoor fun, games, scavenger hunts, forts, play items (science, math)
25. Create new styles of sports, basketball, baseball, football, soccer (research, reading)
26. Build bridges, architecture, sculptures with straws, toothpicks, marshmallows (technology, science)
27. Design solar system models or ecosystems, using new ideas, new materials (science, math, art)
28. Construct models of human body, dinosaurs, dragons, cars, planes, ships (math, science)
29. Build robots, transformers, solar-powered or battery-powered items, electrical circuits, snap circuits (science, math)
30. Design and create journals, sketchbooks, notebooks to record your experiments, activities, and paintings (math, science, life skills, art)
31. Construct and create boxes to display or hold your creations, by deconstructing other boxes and reconstructing new boxes to showcase your projects (math, life skills, science, art)
Encourage your children to take these ideas and run with them! To have fun with them, to be as creative as they want, to put their own unique spin on them. The “love of learning” that will occur can last a lifetime!
Happy homeschooling!
How do children develop a love of learning?
By immersing themselves in things they enjoy, things that interest them, and things they wonder about.
Below, we’ll include many “love of learning” ideas for your children to do, to experiment with, to research, to learn more about. These will cover Science, Math, Technology, Life Skills, Social Studies, Reading, Writing, Literature, Art, Music, and more.
Any topics that interest your children, or that they wonder about, will be learned and retained more thoroughly when topics or ideas captivate and fascinate them.
The brain has a huge capacity for constantly learning, for continuously absorbing new information, and for storing and recalling this knowledge. This occurs more rapidly when thoughts and ideas are truly interesting to your children.
Provide the freedom and flexibility for your children to wonder, ponder, peruse, and use the vast amount of knowledge and wisdom that’s literally at their fingertips.
Allow children time to experiment, create, try new things, and simply play throughout their day.
How do children “learn how to learn”?
Simple, really: “Children learn as they play. Most importantly, in play children learn how to learn.” – O. Fred Donaldson, Author and Play Specialist
Ask your children what they want to learn more about today. Then do that again tomorrow and each day that follows.
Here are some activities and ideas to help them start thinking about and developing a “love of learning”.
When doing the activities ask them:
1. Which is their favorite?
2. Why is it their favorite?
3. What more would they like to do or learn about?
4. How could they expand upon the experiments or activities?
Here are Activity Ideas for a Month of Learning or YEARS of Learning!
Remember to discuss each activity and ideas inspired by these:
1. Build with Legos, K’Nex, Magnetic Tiles, Marble Runs (math, technology)
2. Create clay figures, animals, jewelry, vases, mugs (science, life skills, art)
3. Draw family members, your backyard, your room (social studies, math, art)
4. Sketch urban areas, architecture, your city’s projects (social studies, math, art)
5. Paint landscapes, mountains, streams, oceans, habitats (science, art)
6. Paste shapes, tissue paper, stickers to create collages of landmarks (geography, social studies, art)
7. Design new games, board games, video games, fun games (technology, science, math)
8. Bake cupcakes, pastries, experiment with new food creations (math, science, life skills)
9. Experiment with creating slime, volcanoes, tornados, kitchen science reactions (science, math)
10. Glue junk items, gears, cogs, nuts, bolts to create sculptures (technology, science, art)
11. Make clocks, thermometers, rain gauges, anemometers (math, science, life skills)
12. Create dioramas of dinosaur eras, animal habitats, cityscapes (social studies, science)
13. Draw famous people, places, animals, insects, events (history, social studies, art)
14. Design maps of towns, cities, neighborhoods, states, regions, world (geography, art)
15. Construct stages for puppet shows, dramas, theater performances (math, science, art)
16. Make musical instruments, play music, perform concerts (music, art)
17. Write/Animate stories, plays, scripts, games, comic books (writing, reading, art)
18. Read stories aloud, using character voices or rewriting endings (reading, literature)
19. Draw favorite scenes from books, video games, or movies (reading, literature, art)
20. Compose music inspired by songs, musicals, video games (music, art)
21. Create scripts inspired by favorite movies, plays, video games (reading, literature)
22. Program code for games, apps, electronics, robotics (technology, science, math)
23. Hike through parks, take nature walks, photograph scenery (science, art)
24. Devise outdoor fun, games, scavenger hunts, forts, play items (science, math)
25. Create new styles of sports, basketball, baseball, football, soccer (research, reading)
26. Build bridges, architecture, sculptures with straws, toothpicks, marshmallows (technology, science)
27. Design solar system models or ecosystems, using new ideas, new materials (science, math, art)
28. Construct models of human body, dinosaurs, dragons, cars, planes, ships (math, science)
29. Build robots, transformers, solar-powered or battery-powered items, electrical circuits, snap circuits (science, math)
30. Design and create journals, sketchbooks, notebooks to record your experiments, activities, and paintings (math, science, life skills, art)
31. Construct and create boxes to display or hold your creations, by deconstructing other boxes and reconstructing new boxes to showcase your projects (math, life skills, science, art)
Encourage your children to take these ideas and run with them! To have fun with them, to be as creative as they want, to put their own unique spin on them. The “love of learning” that will occur can last a lifetime!
Happy homeschooling!
Monday, July 24, 2023
School and Summertime Lessons
As stores and the media start promoting “back to school” sales, remember that we’re still only one month into summer! The first day of summer was June 21. The last day of summer is still two months away! Summer doesn’t officially end until September 23. That’s 8 more weeks of lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer!
Yes, many traditional schools begin their school year in the middle of summer, or the last week of July, or the first week or two of August. But that doesn’t mean your family has to follow suit. After all, one of the top reasons families enjoy homeschooling is the freedom and flexibility that goes along with it.
So let your children enjoy these precious summer days a bit longer. Disregard the back-to-school hype. Focus on having fun and making great memories with your family. Allow your children to be carefree and happy as they savor these super summer days.
Each summer that passes means that your children grow closer and closer to adulthood. Then these carefree, childhood days of summer will become a thing of the past.
Help your children appreciate and treasure these days. That’s one of the best lessons you can teach them! Create keepsakes, craft mementos, compile photo memories of this summer, then make a “treasure box” to keep them in.
Every day provides an opportunity for learning, regardless of the season and regardless of the setting. Learning doesn’t require a specific school room, school day, or school year. Learning takes place in the mind – not in a specific building nor a specific timeframe.
We’ll begin providing learning ideas here again soon. And you can begin planning for your learning adventures, too. Sign up for our newsletter to receive learning activities and lesson ideas throughout the coming year. (See the subscribe space in the right-hand column.)
Meanwhile, enjoy the summer!
Happy homeschooling!
Yes, many traditional schools begin their school year in the middle of summer, or the last week of July, or the first week or two of August. But that doesn’t mean your family has to follow suit. After all, one of the top reasons families enjoy homeschooling is the freedom and flexibility that goes along with it.
So let your children enjoy these precious summer days a bit longer. Disregard the back-to-school hype. Focus on having fun and making great memories with your family. Allow your children to be carefree and happy as they savor these super summer days.
Each summer that passes means that your children grow closer and closer to adulthood. Then these carefree, childhood days of summer will become a thing of the past.
Help your children appreciate and treasure these days. That’s one of the best lessons you can teach them! Create keepsakes, craft mementos, compile photo memories of this summer, then make a “treasure box” to keep them in.
Every day provides an opportunity for learning, regardless of the season and regardless of the setting. Learning doesn’t require a specific school room, school day, or school year. Learning takes place in the mind – not in a specific building nor a specific timeframe.
We’ll begin providing learning ideas here again soon. And you can begin planning for your learning adventures, too. Sign up for our newsletter to receive learning activities and lesson ideas throughout the coming year. (See the subscribe space in the right-hand column.)
Meanwhile, enjoy the summer!
Happy homeschooling!
Tuesday, January 3, 2023
New Year, New Ideas, New Interests, New Learning!
It’s a New Year and Time for New Ideas, New Interests, New Learning! You can try to learn something new every day, but if that’s not always feasible, definitely try to learn at least 52 new things this year. That’s 1 new thing you can learn each week of the year.
Here’s a few to get you started:
1. “Imagination is more important than knowledge,” said Albert Einstein. What do you think he meant by this? He felt that imagination opened up an entire world of possibilities. And he felt that imagination was a major factor in scientific research. How do you use your imagination? You can imagine a make-believe world, imagine a new world, imagine a new story, new song, new artwork, new adventures, new ideas. It’s all possible, because you have imagination! Imagine and create new things this week!
2. “Creativity is intelligence having fun,” Albert Einstein said. When you are having fun creating things, you are using your intelligence! Create clay objects, create a wire sculpture, create twirling mobiles, create with construction kits, create a building, create a model, create art, create whatever interests you. And you’ll know you’re using your intelligence, creating, learning, and having fun this week!
3. “The mind is not a vessel to be filled but a fire to be kindled,” said Plutarch, a Greek philosopher. By kindling a fire or sparking an idea in your mind, you are filled with excitement, curiosity, new interests, and new learning! When an idea excites or interests you, learning naturally occurs. This is because you are excited about it and want to learn all you can about it. Be excited and curious, and learn more this week!
4. “Curiosity is the wick in the candle of learning,” observed writer William Arthur Ward. Imagine this: Without a wick, a candle can’t burn very well. Without curiosity, one can’t learn very well. Find ways to spark your own curiosity this week by asking questions like: “What if? How? Why? Who? When? Where?” Regardless of the subjects you might be studying this week, be curious about them. Ask more questions! Go further! Be curious! Learn more!
5. “Ask questions and you will gain new knowledge,” many have observed. If the tower you built collapsed, ask why and how you can keep it from collapsing the next time. If the clay sculpture you created didn’t turn out as expected, ask how you might improve it next time. If the story you wrote isn’t as exciting as you’d hoped, ask what characters or situations could liven it up. If this week’s history lesson, or math lesson, or science experiment is confusing or dull, ask what activities could make the lessons more exciting, more real, more fun, more clear. When you ask yourself, or others, you will find answers, every day and every week!
Explore! Experiment! Imagine! Create! Read! Write! Play! Build! Ask! Seek! Research! Be Curious! Be Innovative! Be Adventurous!
Resolve to make this new year an exciting one filled with fun, imaginative, creative learning!
Happy homeschooling every week of this new year!
Here’s a few to get you started:
1. “Imagination is more important than knowledge,” said Albert Einstein. What do you think he meant by this? He felt that imagination opened up an entire world of possibilities. And he felt that imagination was a major factor in scientific research. How do you use your imagination? You can imagine a make-believe world, imagine a new world, imagine a new story, new song, new artwork, new adventures, new ideas. It’s all possible, because you have imagination! Imagine and create new things this week!
2. “Creativity is intelligence having fun,” Albert Einstein said. When you are having fun creating things, you are using your intelligence! Create clay objects, create a wire sculpture, create twirling mobiles, create with construction kits, create a building, create a model, create art, create whatever interests you. And you’ll know you’re using your intelligence, creating, learning, and having fun this week!
3. “The mind is not a vessel to be filled but a fire to be kindled,” said Plutarch, a Greek philosopher. By kindling a fire or sparking an idea in your mind, you are filled with excitement, curiosity, new interests, and new learning! When an idea excites or interests you, learning naturally occurs. This is because you are excited about it and want to learn all you can about it. Be excited and curious, and learn more this week!
4. “Curiosity is the wick in the candle of learning,” observed writer William Arthur Ward. Imagine this: Without a wick, a candle can’t burn very well. Without curiosity, one can’t learn very well. Find ways to spark your own curiosity this week by asking questions like: “What if? How? Why? Who? When? Where?” Regardless of the subjects you might be studying this week, be curious about them. Ask more questions! Go further! Be curious! Learn more!
5. “Ask questions and you will gain new knowledge,” many have observed. If the tower you built collapsed, ask why and how you can keep it from collapsing the next time. If the clay sculpture you created didn’t turn out as expected, ask how you might improve it next time. If the story you wrote isn’t as exciting as you’d hoped, ask what characters or situations could liven it up. If this week’s history lesson, or math lesson, or science experiment is confusing or dull, ask what activities could make the lessons more exciting, more real, more fun, more clear. When you ask yourself, or others, you will find answers, every day and every week!
Explore! Experiment! Imagine! Create! Read! Write! Play! Build! Ask! Seek! Research! Be Curious! Be Innovative! Be Adventurous!
Resolve to make this new year an exciting one filled with fun, imaginative, creative learning!
Happy homeschooling every week of this new year!
Tuesday, March 1, 2016
Adages and Sayings for Bits of Wisdom
We have a list of over 50 adages that help children learn about messages, morals, or ideas conveyed through sayings. These are often heard throughout life or referenced in literature, publications, and media.
Discuss these 50+ adages with your children and see if they have others they'd like to add to the list. Or maybe they'd like to invent their own adages or sayings.
Encourage your children to select their favorite sayings and draw "story pictures" depicting their favorites. Allow them to be as imaginative and creative as they'd like with this activity.
As your children draw, remind them of this saying: "A picture is worth a thousand words!"
Happy homeschooling from EverythingHomeschooling.com.
Sunday, November 2, 2014
Children's Learning Styles and Learning Environments
Learning Styles:
Visual learners. Children who prefer to spend time pouring over pictures and graphics, and respond to bright colors and visual stimulation. They tend to learn best through visual presentations.
Auditory learners. Children who enjoy listening to music, audio tapes, and people reading aloud or talking. They can learn best through discussions and verbal information.
Tactile-Kinesthetic learners. Children who like to move around, touch things, and talk, plus they have a difficult time sitting still. They learn best through an active, hands-on approach.
Some children do best with a combination of these styles. Try these styles, or a combination of them, and observe which best captures your child’s interests and enthusiasm. Interested, enthusiastic learners grasp concepts quicker and retain knowledge longer!
"Active Learning" Benefits:
Swiss educational theorist, Jean Piaget, found that quality learning took place when children were actively involved in their own learning process. Through exploration and discovery, children turned their experiences into learning patterns that provided foundations for further explorations and subsequent learning.
Piaget found that children’s cognitive skills, or the way they process information, were enhanced through physical experiences and perceptions. He believed in active learning environments where children could discover, absorb, and build on new experiences and information.
Learning Environment Ideas:
* Keep hands-on projects and manipulatives within easy reach of children.
* Display educational charts, posters, maps, illustrations, pictorials, and mobiles where children see them frequently.
* Designate an arts and crafts area with paints, clays, markers, arts and crafts supplies.
* Create a musical space for instruments, sound effects, musical equipment, and dancing.
* Design a theatrical area for dramatic plays to bring social studies and literature to life.
* Incorporate games, construction sets, Geo-Boards, and Cuisenaire rods into lessons.
* Use lab or kitchen equipment for experiments and for reinforcing science and math concepts.
* Browse learning center supplies, or photos of learning centers, to gain additional ideas for your own learning environment.
Your children will be thrilled to have fun, learning materials at their fingertips throughout the day, every day!
For more Homeschool Activities, see our Home page at EverythingHomeschooling.com and have fun learning!
Happy homeschooling!
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
Creative Learning and the Importance of Creativity
For children, the creative process is always more important than the end result or product. The benefits lie within the creative activity itself: the enjoyment, the freedom, the exploration, the hands-on learning.
Much has been said about problem-solving skills, which are certainly important. But expecting children to solve a problem, or to come up with solutions, without having ample opportunities to be creative and inventive, can limit their abilities to solve problems.
Therefore, creative-thinking skills are as important as critical-thinking skills. To help foster creativity in children, we can avoid focusing on perfectionism, or on making comparisons or judgments, which only add pressure, stress, and anxiety.
Respect and support for creative endeavors, experiments, and projects is much more helpful. If a project doesn't turn out the way a child anticipated, we can encourage him to try again or to consider a different approach the next time. We want to refrain from taking over the project and telling him how we would do it.
Here are a few ideas on encouraging creativity in your children:
1. Allow plenty of free time for working on creative projects.
2. Create space for projects, so children can easily revisit them and work on projects between other activities.
3. Provide plenty of craft and creative materials: papers, card stock, colored pencils, markers, crayons, paints, paste, glue, tape, safety scissors, clay, craft sticks, chenille stems, beads, sequins, glitter, felt, yarn, buttons, gears, dials, nuts, bolts, spindles, construction pieces, small motor parts or solar parts, etc.
4. Encourage discussions about projects and activities, including "what-if" questions, alternative ideas, and unique visions.
5. Allow quiet time and solitude for contemplation and creation.
6. Be a creative role model, participate in creative projects, and encourage brainstorming sessions and collaboration on projects.
For Free Homeschool Activities, plus Weekly Homeschool Lessons for Grades K-12, see our Home page at:
EverythingHomeschooling.com
Happy homeschooling!
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