For most homeschool families, summer is a time to relax, take a vacation, or enjoy a couple "get-away weekends." This doesn't mean that learning has to be suspended for two or three months, though!
Vacations or day-trips can provide plenty of learning opportunities. It's usually easy to include geography, history, and science themes during most trips. Include math concepts, too, by figuring distances, speeds, miles per gallon, costs for attractions, lodging, meals, and the total cost for the entire vacation.
Even if you don't leave home, there's plenty of activities to keep children learning all summer long. Join your library's Summer Reading Program. Books can open doors to new worlds, new experiences, and new knowledge -- a wonderful way to gain an education!
Become involved in 4H or summer programs at the local Parks & Recreation Department. Try new hobbies. Try old hobbies! Take art classes, music classes, woodworking or weaving classes.
Visit local museums, nature centers, zoos, state parks, and other areas of interest. Then create crafts and activities based on the places you visited and the things you saw there.
Make a list of all the new things children want to learn, then learn them together. Jot down fun learning ideas on paper, cut them into strips, then place the strips into a jar. Draw a "learning idea" strip from the jar each day, then create fun ways to learn about the topic.
Use books, such as 365 Simple Science Experiments or The Everything Kids' Science Experiments Book for educational science projects. Check into the Summer Smarts Activities or the Summer Bridge Activities books, too.
Our EverythingHomeschooling.com site provides dozens of learning ideas! And new summer learning ideas are added all the time!
Happy Homeschooling!
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Friday, May 1, 2009
Homeschool Activities + Homeschool Lessons + Unschooling
Homeschooling begins to wind down for many families in May and June. However, your children can continue learning with fun, educational projects all Spring and Summer at EverythingHomeschooling.com.
It's a great time to try the "unschooling" method of homeschooling, too. Our site provides a section just for unschoolers or for those of you who would like to incorporate some of the unschooling strategies into your homeschools.
You might be so impressed with how much your children learn through "unschooling" over the Spring and Summer, you'll continue unschooling year-round! If so, come visit us often at EverythingHomeschooling.com, and watch for our expanded "Unschooling" section debuting soon on our Everything Homeschooling website.
Happy homeschooling!
It's a great time to try the "unschooling" method of homeschooling, too. Our site provides a section just for unschoolers or for those of you who would like to incorporate some of the unschooling strategies into your homeschools.
You might be so impressed with how much your children learn through "unschooling" over the Spring and Summer, you'll continue unschooling year-round! If so, come visit us often at EverythingHomeschooling.com, and watch for our expanded "Unschooling" section debuting soon on our Everything Homeschooling website.
Happy homeschooling!
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Successful Homeschool Activities
Successful homeschool experiences are most often the result of "student-driven interest" and the willingness to be flexible and adaptable to the learning opportunities that present themselves each day.
We hear from many parents who are thinking about homeschooling their children. Some of their most-pressing questions revolve around "grading" and "testing" their children. However, grading and testing are tools that are used for judging a large mass, when you, otherwise, do not have the time nor opportunity to determine a child's true knowledge, skills, and abilities, one-on-one.
Most tests simply show how well children do in taking tests. They are an indication of test performance, and little more.
When considering homeschooling or a homeschool curriculum, try not to become overly concerned about "grading" and "testing." "Grading" is done through discussing each day's learning experiences with your children. "Testing" is achieved through observing their strengths and weaknesses in the subjects and topics you've been covering.
Yes, tests can be "interesting" and quizzes can be "fun" when they are kept in perspective. But for determining your child's learning successes, you can focus more on discussions and observations to see, first-hand, how well your child is progressing or where he or she might need extra help.
For more insight, see EverythingHomeschooling.com.
Happy homeschooling!
We hear from many parents who are thinking about homeschooling their children. Some of their most-pressing questions revolve around "grading" and "testing" their children. However, grading and testing are tools that are used for judging a large mass, when you, otherwise, do not have the time nor opportunity to determine a child's true knowledge, skills, and abilities, one-on-one.
Most tests simply show how well children do in taking tests. They are an indication of test performance, and little more.
When considering homeschooling or a homeschool curriculum, try not to become overly concerned about "grading" and "testing." "Grading" is done through discussing each day's learning experiences with your children. "Testing" is achieved through observing their strengths and weaknesses in the subjects and topics you've been covering.
Yes, tests can be "interesting" and quizzes can be "fun" when they are kept in perspective. But for determining your child's learning successes, you can focus more on discussions and observations to see, first-hand, how well your child is progressing or where he or she might need extra help.
For more insight, see EverythingHomeschooling.com.
Happy homeschooling!
Thursday, February 12, 2009
How to Start Homeschooling
We've had some questions lately from parents who'd like to know where to start homeschooling.
When starting to homeschool your children -- the best place to start is WITH your children. Discuss what THEY want to learn, what they want to do, regardless of their age.
Remember that "homeschooling" is not "school at home." Rather, it is a natural part of living and learning each day. When families try to "school-at-home," both parents and children often end up disappointed, confused, or frustrated. That's why we are here for you.
Flexibility, variety, and fun ways of learning ARE the KEYS to successful home education.
If you're just starting out, it's helpful to check your state's homeschool regulations and see what they require. The state laws often sound intimidating, but generally they're quite simple to comply with. If you have questions about your state laws, please e-mail us.
In many cases, homeschool families keep a homeschool portfolio, which can include homeschool records. Our "Homeschool Forms" page includes printable Weekly Planner Sheets, Reading Logs, and other forms for our subscribers. For "Homeschool Forms" see EverythingHomeschooling.com. You may use the Forms if you are unschooling, deschooling, homeschooling, or eclectic-schooling.
To use our Weekly Lessons, see our Home page.
Go as far as your children would like to go with the activities -- and, most importantly, let them branch off into any other directions. That's the beauty of homeschooling -- pursuing amazing paths and new adventures sparked by one small idea.
Do the Weekly Challenges, the Hands-On Activities, the Daily Activities, Daily Writing Prompts, Field Trips, Unit Studies -- described on our Home page and designed to provide ideas and inspiration that are interesting, enjoyable, and educational. Write down the activities your children do on the Weekly Planner Sheets from our "Homeschool Forms" page. (Older children can write down the activities they do each day or each week, to save you time.)
The main goal of our site is "Click and Do." It's simple for working parents, single parents, stay-at-home parents. We provide hundreds of educational activities throughout each year.
Simply "Click and Do" the activities, and allow your children to learn, to explore, and to pursue the activities and special interests, or follow new ideas, as well. Help guide them along the exciting paths that inspire or enthuse them.
Feel free to e-mail us with your questions. Our contact information is on our Home page.
Happy Homeschooling!
When starting to homeschool your children -- the best place to start is WITH your children. Discuss what THEY want to learn, what they want to do, regardless of their age.
Remember that "homeschooling" is not "school at home." Rather, it is a natural part of living and learning each day. When families try to "school-at-home," both parents and children often end up disappointed, confused, or frustrated. That's why we are here for you.
Flexibility, variety, and fun ways of learning ARE the KEYS to successful home education.
If you're just starting out, it's helpful to check your state's homeschool regulations and see what they require. The state laws often sound intimidating, but generally they're quite simple to comply with. If you have questions about your state laws, please e-mail us.
In many cases, homeschool families keep a homeschool portfolio, which can include homeschool records. Our "Homeschool Forms" page includes printable Weekly Planner Sheets, Reading Logs, and other forms for our subscribers. For "Homeschool Forms" see EverythingHomeschooling.com. You may use the Forms if you are unschooling, deschooling, homeschooling, or eclectic-schooling.
To use our Weekly Lessons, see our Home page.
Go as far as your children would like to go with the activities -- and, most importantly, let them branch off into any other directions. That's the beauty of homeschooling -- pursuing amazing paths and new adventures sparked by one small idea.
Do the Weekly Challenges, the Hands-On Activities, the Daily Activities, Daily Writing Prompts, Field Trips, Unit Studies -- described on our Home page and designed to provide ideas and inspiration that are interesting, enjoyable, and educational. Write down the activities your children do on the Weekly Planner Sheets from our "Homeschool Forms" page. (Older children can write down the activities they do each day or each week, to save you time.)
The main goal of our site is "Click and Do." It's simple for working parents, single parents, stay-at-home parents. We provide hundreds of educational activities throughout each year.
Simply "Click and Do" the activities, and allow your children to learn, to explore, and to pursue the activities and special interests, or follow new ideas, as well. Help guide them along the exciting paths that inspire or enthuse them.
Feel free to e-mail us with your questions. Our contact information is on our Home page.
Happy Homeschooling!
Friday, January 9, 2009
Homeschool Curriculum & Homeschool Lessons
Do you provide a Homeschool Curriculum?
This is one of the questions we're often asked at Everything Homeschooling.
Yes, we do!
However, different people have different concepts of what a curriculum is. By definition, a curriculum is "a course of study" or "a set of courses."
The Weekly Homeschool Lessons and Homeschool Activities at EverythingHomeschooling.com follow, or complement, the "Typical Course of Study" that most educational institutes follow across the nation.
Yet, even those educational curriculums will vary, depending on the regions or districts where the curriculum is being used.
What one probably means when asking if Everything Homeschooling provides a curriculum is: Do we provide a "packaged curriculum"?
A "packaged curriculum" is not the best educational resource for homeschooling your children.
Why not? Because every child is unique, every child has his or her own learning styles, and every child learns at his or her own pace. A "packaged curriculum," on the other hand, is not designed specifically for your individual child's learning style, pace, or interests.
At EverythingHomeschooling.com, we help YOU help your children learn, by providing Weekly Homeschool Lessons and Homeschool Activities that interest YOUR CHILDREN. Plus, this Homeschool Curriculum can be adapted to YOUR CHILD's individual learning styles and abilities, at any time.
The best Homeschool Curriculum is the one that captures your children's interests, keeps them wanting to learn more, and helps them retain what they've learned. This occurs when the homeschool lessons are fun, interesting, and hands-on. And also because the homeschool curriculum is adaptable, flexible, and varied -- to work for YOUR child!
This is the type of homeschool curriculum we offer at EverythingHomeschooling.com. It's easy to use, very affordable, and, above all, it helps to make your homeschool successful, interesting, and enjoyable, as well as educational for your child.
Happy homeschooling!
This is one of the questions we're often asked at Everything Homeschooling.
Yes, we do!
However, different people have different concepts of what a curriculum is. By definition, a curriculum is "a course of study" or "a set of courses."
The Weekly Homeschool Lessons and Homeschool Activities at EverythingHomeschooling.com follow, or complement, the "Typical Course of Study" that most educational institutes follow across the nation.
Yet, even those educational curriculums will vary, depending on the regions or districts where the curriculum is being used.
What one probably means when asking if Everything Homeschooling provides a curriculum is: Do we provide a "packaged curriculum"?
A "packaged curriculum" is not the best educational resource for homeschooling your children.
Why not? Because every child is unique, every child has his or her own learning styles, and every child learns at his or her own pace. A "packaged curriculum," on the other hand, is not designed specifically for your individual child's learning style, pace, or interests.
At EverythingHomeschooling.com, we help YOU help your children learn, by providing Weekly Homeschool Lessons and Homeschool Activities that interest YOUR CHILDREN. Plus, this Homeschool Curriculum can be adapted to YOUR CHILD's individual learning styles and abilities, at any time.
The best Homeschool Curriculum is the one that captures your children's interests, keeps them wanting to learn more, and helps them retain what they've learned. This occurs when the homeschool lessons are fun, interesting, and hands-on. And also because the homeschool curriculum is adaptable, flexible, and varied -- to work for YOUR child!
This is the type of homeschool curriculum we offer at EverythingHomeschooling.com. It's easy to use, very affordable, and, above all, it helps to make your homeschool successful, interesting, and enjoyable, as well as educational for your child.
Happy homeschooling!
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Avoid Homeschool Burnout
Your family can avoid homeschool burnout by discussing what is still enjoyable each day and what is not.
Try these tips to reduce the chance of burnout in your homeschool:
- Discuss what is working and what is not. Ask for suggestions and ideas to inspire and motivate learning.
- Determine the ways your children learn best and use those learning methods.
- Add more flexibility to your homeschool days, and take advantage of spontaneous learning opportunities.
- Avoid over-scheduling your days. You need a good balance of quiet activities with the busy activities.
- Add more fun and laughter to your homeschool lessons and homeschool activities.
- Set aside homeschool curriculum packages or programs that are not interesting to your children. (If your children aren't interested, they won't learn as well.)
- Switch from "busy-work" -- such as worksheets, writing assignments, or dull reading assignments -- to fun, hands-on learning projects and science experiments.
- Try unit studies or "unschooling" for a while, rather than traditional subjects. Remember that "homeschool" is not "school at home." Experiment with different learning methods.
- Ask children what they would like to learn this week, this month, this year. Encourage them to find and share fun ways to learn those things.
- Take field trips to the library and allow children to check out books that appeal to them. Also guide them in selecting informative books that look interesting. Use those books as the backbone of your daily learning, and discuss the books you read.
- Use arts and crafts as an excellent way to reinforce learning and to complement the topics you read, study, or explore.
- Find online homeschool activities that promote family learning projects. Many interesting projects and activities are available at EverythingHomeschooling.com.
- Reduce stress by lowering your expectations. Try not to do so much each day. Get support and help from others.
- Have children record their daily lessons in their homeschool logs, organize their homeschool books and supplies, and clean up after homeschool experiments or learning projects.
- Ask family members to help with daily chores around the home and to be responsible for specific aspects of the homeschool day.
- Take time for yourself to relax and unwind. Spend at least an hour each day on something you especially enjoy, such as reading, painting, knitting, or sitting in the sunshine.
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Start Homeschooling + Homeschool Activities + Unschooling Ideas
During the Christmas break, many families once again consider homeschooling. Here's a few things to keep in mind:
One of the first things you'll want to do is give your children some "down time" to decompress and to relax, after being in the school environment. There's no need to jump right into lessons today, or this week, or even next week. Just relax and enjoy being together.
Have lots of interesting discussions with your children, find out what their current interests are, and basically reconnect with who they are today. Ask for their ideas on things they'd like to learn, hobbies they'd like to try, things they'd like to build or create, etc.
Many children have lost the ability to think for themselves, after being in school. So allow them the freedom to relax for a while, to think for themselves, and to consider all the possibilities and opportunities now open to them, as a result of homeschooling.
Always keep in mind that homeschooling is not "school at home." Homeschooling is simply living and learning each day, in ways that are interesting for your child and fit your child's individual learning styles and goals. Yes, there will need to be some structure and organization to your days eventually, but focus on the above, first.
Other things, such as cursive writing and multiplication tables, can and will be learned in time. But, first, redeveloping a real interest and joy in learning is important for the child who has been in a school environment.
For lots of homeschool activities, homeschool lessons, unschooling ideas, and homeschool information, please visit us at EverythingHomeschooling.com.
Happy homeschooling!
One of the first things you'll want to do is give your children some "down time" to decompress and to relax, after being in the school environment. There's no need to jump right into lessons today, or this week, or even next week. Just relax and enjoy being together.
Have lots of interesting discussions with your children, find out what their current interests are, and basically reconnect with who they are today. Ask for their ideas on things they'd like to learn, hobbies they'd like to try, things they'd like to build or create, etc.
Many children have lost the ability to think for themselves, after being in school. So allow them the freedom to relax for a while, to think for themselves, and to consider all the possibilities and opportunities now open to them, as a result of homeschooling.
Always keep in mind that homeschooling is not "school at home." Homeschooling is simply living and learning each day, in ways that are interesting for your child and fit your child's individual learning styles and goals. Yes, there will need to be some structure and organization to your days eventually, but focus on the above, first.
Other things, such as cursive writing and multiplication tables, can and will be learned in time. But, first, redeveloping a real interest and joy in learning is important for the child who has been in a school environment.
For lots of homeschool activities, homeschool lessons, unschooling ideas, and homeschool information, please visit us at EverythingHomeschooling.com.
Happy homeschooling!
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