New Novel Studies for Kids & Teens Learn More
Here’s a question I often ask students- Have you ever started to read, flipped page after page, tracked each word, maybe even spoken the words out loud, only to realize at the end of a passage or chapter you have no idea what you just read? You might be surprised how many students nod their […]
When my children were little, we celebrated Christmas much like my husband and I did when we were growing up. Presents, food, travel, and (limited) time together were the focus. While we definitely have some special memories, what I remember most about those early years is feeling overwhelmed. We didn’t have a lot of extra […]
Writing can give our brains a workout; there’s a lot to learn and remember. It’s why whenever I teach writing, I encourage my kids and students to focus on their interests. It is also why I love using creative writing activities. Not only does creative writing make writing more fun, but it also gets kids […]
Looking for a homeschool curriculum for preschool? When I first started homeschooling, I was too. They are out there. I found a lot of preschool resources and spent a good deal of money. Looking back, I wish I’d trusted my intuition instead of my fear. I worked at a preschool through college. A lab school […]
Do you use a homeschool curriculum? Do you use textbooks and follow the same track as the schools? What do your homeschoolers do all day? My answers- Sometimes, No, A Lot! If you’ve homeschooled for a while, I bet you’ve been asked these questions. If you’re new to homeschooling or are considering diving in, I’m […]
How do we help kids learn, love to learn, build connections, work as a team, and practice critical thinking? Play! Play! Play! Play fosters a love of learning. (Do you know this already? Looking for games my homeschoolers love? Just keep scrolling!) Full disclosure, before I had kids, I wasn’t someone who played or enjoyed […]
“How do you (insert something I have no idea how to do)?” If you’re a parent or are around children, you are going to be asked a lot of questions, and I can pretty much guarantee you won’t always know how to do _______. We can only know so much. Our lack of knowledge doesn’t […]
Looking for adventure, time in nature, a cool poncho? Look no further. Niagara Falls has it all. This summer (2022), my family and I traveled up to Niagara Falls for a quick, fun two-day trip. What follows are some of the things we loved and a few helpful tips for those who might be looking […]
Do you like taking a peek into the lives of homeschoolers? I do! I love how each family makes homeschooling their own. Here is how we homeschool, have homeschooled, and what it looks like to let your kid’s interests lead. How We Homeschool My youngest is going into middle school. It feels so bizarre to […]
When we started homeschooling, science was one of the subjects I was worried about helping my kiddos learn, but I have grown to love creating science unit studies so much. I always learn a lot too! Over the years, we’ve used several different types of resources for science. We’ve loved BookShark, Think Outside, and Kiwi Co crates. We’ve […]
I haven’t counted, but it would be fair to say that 1 in 2 people who find out I homeschool tell me they could never homeschool and be with their kids all day long because they don’t have enough patience. I am a patient person, sometimes, and I’d guess you are too. Sometimes, I am […]
Your student has finished a novel. Now what? It’s time to put all that awesome reading to work and dig a little deeper; that’s what! There are many, many ways to explore the themes and characters in a book post-reading. What’s important with a post-reading activity is not to squelch the interest the book brought […]
When it comes to writing, imagery is an important literary device for kids to understand and use. Imagery brings a writer’s ideas to life. It helps them paint a picture with words. I love helping young writers create imagery and watch their writing bloom. They see the difference a good descriptive word adds and are […]
One of my daughters and my favorite ways to learn and connect with one another is through games. I especially love games we can play anywhere we are and games that don’t require a lot of setup or supplies. Sometimes we have time to kill, need a break from a complicated lesson, or we just […]
Homeschoolers, I am so excited to share all the things about uHandy mobile microscopes with you! uHandy mobile microscopes are the homeschooling tools I’ve needed for our science units but didn’t know existed. Turns out, not only are they do these amazing tools exist, they are super easy to use, affordable, and uHandy’s mobile microscope […]
