When my older son was learning letters, he had a hard time really getting them. To help him get the shape of each letter in his mind, I came up with a few tactile activities! Pipe cleaner letters- I made each letter out of pipe cleaners and glued them onto a note card. He traced them with his finger when we learned each letter. Sand letters- Similar to pipe cleaner … [Read more...] about Tactile Activities for Learning Letters
Address Your Homeschooling Fears
This past year our daughter was in Pre-K at a local private school. We had recently made the decision to homeschool and I was excited but I had my doubts. I jotted down my thoughts one day while waiting in the carpool line: "I doubt I'll miss this carpool line next year. I'm sure we will have plenty of challenges, but waiting for 20 minutes in this long line won't be one of … [Read more...] about Address Your Homeschooling Fears
I’ll Read When I’m Good and Ready!
(photo credit) Our oldest son is 11 years old. And, telling the end before the beginning, he is now a reading champ; but it wasn't always this way. The hardest part for me was seeing other children around him reading, even our younger son (who read at three), and yet he wasn't. To say that I was concerned is an understatement. By the time he was six I felt the weight of … [Read more...] about I’ll Read When I’m Good and Ready!
Let Them Explore
I love to do science in the summer. Did you notice, ambulance I said “do” and not “teach”? Teaching is fine for the school year when there are facts to memorize, dosage but at our house summer is when those facts are brought to practical use. Summer science at our house is all about exploration. Whether we are doing experiments from a book or exploring the creek, we are … [Read more...] about Let Them Explore
Summer School or Not?
I've been seeing a big issue recently in the homeschool world that has been generating much discussion. D0 you homeschool through the summer, or do you take the summer off? I should qualify that schooling here is meaning official book and curriculum schooling. Not the ever day, life learning we should be teaching/doing continually as parents. In one camp, schedules … [Read more...] about Summer School or Not?