Math picture books were an important aspect of our homeschool math studies throughout elementary and middle homeschool. Picture books are an engaging, unpressured way to share the joy of math with my children. I never wanted these books to feel like "assignments," so I purposely did NOT emphasize that these were math books. Instead, we just read and enjoyed the books together. Top 25 Math Picture Books Math Biographies Blockhead: The Life of Fibonacci by Joseph D'Agnese Py

Finding a Better Way We started homeschool kindergarten in 2011 using the typical math education methods such as textbooks, workbooks, and flash cards. By halfway through 1st grade, my daughter was dreading math. How could my only-6-year-old daughter be starting to hate math?This led me to an epiphany about the fact that my schooling methods were detrimental to teaching my daughter to love learning. It was time to overhaul what we were doing and find a better way. After try

Parents, are you struggling with screen time issues with your kids? We were, too, but here's what worked for us! Harms From Too Much Screen Time Overuse of screens and screen addiction are harming kids. Too much screen time has been linked to: Behavior problems, delayed developmental milestones, and worse vocabulary skills in preschool children Lower reading and math scores in elementary kids Obesity and depression in children and young people Anxiety, behavior issues, depre

This time of year, many are tiring of school and homeschool. Throw away the worksheets and busywork; instead embrace Life Schooling and have fun learning together! Here are 40 ideas for exploration alongside your kids. Read-aloud in the morning and at bedtime (here are 10 Tips for Read Aloud Success ) Go for a daily walk or scooter rides (sunshine = Vitamin D for boosting the immune system) Play board games and card games for the fun of it (and let the math happen naturally

Homeschoolers often think that if they can just find the *right* curriculum, their homeschooling woes will go away. I had this misunderstanding, too, in the early years of our homeschool. Over time and painful experience, though, I learned that the homeschool environment is more important than the curriculum for long term success, joy, and sustainability. Here's a video for you that talks about this in more-depth. This 23-minute video covers: Why curriculum is less importa

Teaching kids to become independent learners is one of the foundations of our homeschool philosophy . For my two high schoolers, this means that, in addition to our 3x/week all-together schooling time , they also pursue their own studies independently . Here's a snapshot of independent study plans for 18yo Alina's last semester of high school and 15yo Ian's spring semester of his sophomore year. Scholar Contracts for My Teens Each semester, I meet with the kids to develop t

Here's a peek into what is and isn't working well in homeschooling my 18yo and 15yo, plus our new curriculum and areas of focus for the coming semester. Although I do the bulk of our homeschool planning in July , by January it is time for a mid-year review. The intent of our mid-year review is to look at the following with regards to our home school: What has been working well? What needs to be improved? What needs to be removed from our curriculum? Is there anything new to

Homeschool Physics doesn't have to be intimidating or complicated. Here are resources for a middle grades Physics unit that is engaging and easy-to-do at home. This unit focuses on: Exploring the World of Physics book Engaging videos and books for physics concepts Simple hands-on physics experiments and demonstrations We use a 4-year science rotation in our homeschool, so we have completed two Physics units, first when my kids were 11yo and 14yo and again when my kids were

As you roll into the new year, it's an opportune time to take stock of how things are going in your homeschool. Don't let yourself feel locked in to your original plan for the year; if something isn't working, change it! Maybe there is a specific curriculum or resource that *sounded* great but isn't really working out, or one of your kids has gotten into a new interest, or there is a new circumstance that needs to be taken into account. Mid-year planning helps make sure you

" My kid thinks he knows everything! " " My parents don't understand me. " " Why won't my teen listen to me? " The adolescent and teen years often come with lots of frustration for both kids and parents. Communications can become strained, attitudes can become negative, and relationships can become damaged. My kids are 18yo and 15yo right now. I'm by no means an expert on this, but I've learned much over the last few years and want to share it with you. Hopefully, this will

Reading is a subject that stresses out many homeschoolers, but it doesn't have to. Here is some encouragement to let go of the stress...

My kids and I have completed several unit studies on Astronomy ( 4 years apart ). My kids and I have a lot of fun with this unit,...

Homeschool Chemistry doesn't have to be intimidating or complicated. Here are resources for a Chemistry unit that is engaging, fun, and...

Science is one of the subjects that fills many homeschool parents with worry, but it doesn't have to! Homeschool science really can be fun and engaging for both the parents and the kids. In this post, I'll share what has worked well for us over the last 13+ years of homeschooling through elementary, middle school, and now high school. You can use this as a jumping off point in finding your own best homeschool science groove. You've got this! Driven by Delight and Curiosity

Teaching kids to become independent learners is one of the foundations of our homeschool philosophy . For my two high schoolers, this...

This will be my daughter Alina's senior year and my son Ian's sophomore year! Alongside our all-together schooling a few mornings weekly,...

If you're considering camping with your kids, here's some encouragement to make it happen! I've been camping with my kids 1-2x yearly...

If you're like me, you may have found that the graphic novel section at the library can be a minefield. Some of the graphic novels are...

Here are classic books I feel should never be neglected in a young child’s reading repertoire. Though I don’t have the space to mention...

Do you homeschool and/or supplement your child's education in the summer? Here are some ideas for fun learning explorations over the...