Homeschooling can develop some fantastic kids but as a parent, I need to develop characteristics in my child to build an amazing adult. As a boy, he needs healthy risk: to test his limits and safe adventure. He should be trustworthy, to be responsible, should expect respect, and know how to show respect. He needs …
Science projects are so much fun. They are one of Aiden’s favorites. We love hands-on science. Aiden got a microscope for Christmas along with a bunch of prepared slides. There’s so much you can see. Whether you’re learning about an inventor and building your own invention or sticking your fingers in something gross and gooey, …
Repeating is the key to memory. If you repeat, you will remember. Practice the times tables every day for a month and multiplication gets a lot easier. Run through a list of dates and your historic facts are in there. Practice every day and pretty soon there isn’t much you can’t do. By the way, …
Quiet is a skill. I know I need to cultivate it in my son. Either his legs are moving or his mouth is running a mile a minute. His goal is to be the loudest all the time. He’s never realized that quiet is a good thing. Knowing what benefits come with quiet play or …
Play is learning. Pretend play gets a bad rap with us parents. Doing what you ask when you ask is often not without play. Play is soothing, it helps work out tough subjects, and it can be used in role-play in real life. Turn a chore into a game and it will get done, fast. …
Open-ended days offer time for spontaneity. Is it a bad day for focus? Let’s take a trip to the park—or museum or pool. Want to get some of the wiggles out? Hit that hike you’ve been thinking about – go berry or apple picking. The point is to get outside of the regular school day. …
Getting outside should be an everyday thing. Go out for a nature walk and explore. Know the basics of edible plants that are local to your area. Learn about the insects and animals you might run into. Learn about the bees, rocks, and water on your path. Explore. Enjoy the outside. By the way, this …
Magnets are a fun and cheap science tool every homeschooling family should have. You can get magnets for free or cheap. And you can do all kinds of projects with them. Create a train. See what sticks and doesn’t stick. Play with them. Learn about the scientific concept and play. By the way, this post …
Legos are by far my favorite of my son’s toys. The things you can build are endless. You can letter on them and make words, make flags for geography, and build bridges, cars, and boats for science experiments. Legos can be used in almost every subject. And they’re just plain fun to play with. By …
When learning a new concept or a new language there are key phrases to remember. These key phrases should be repeated, written down, or both. Ideally, they become a learned concept that is fully committed to memory. Like the numbers in Pi or formulas or rules of language, bible verses, simple facts, and dates. In …