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Let’s talk flexibility. Imagine if you will your perfect homeschool day. Everyone’s will look different, but maybe for you, it looks like having found a new curriculum you’re excited about or having all the materials laid out on the kitchen table or maybe you’ve planned a field trip to meet friends, hike and learn about […]
Do your homeschool days feel like a race that’s never-ending? Do you worry you’re not doing enough? I’ve felt both the rat race and worry I’m dropping a ball. What I’ve found is the need to simplify my homeschool day. Simplifying your homeschool day doesn’t mean cutting out all the fun or letting go of […]
Habits, the things we do on autopilot, can lead people to success, productivity, and better health. There are countless books on how to create good habits. From spending to studying, eating to time management, researchers have found the things we do over and over make a difference in the way we live. As homeschoolers, this […]
Every January my kids and I spend time reflecting on the past year and setting goals. We think about what we want to learn, create, and my favorite, what we want to read. Reading goals help us make sure reading and reading for pleasure is a priority. Our best reads of 2019 speak volumes to […]
Research on naps, meditation, nature walks and the habits of exceptional artists and athletes reveals how mental breaks increase productivity, replenish attention, solidify memories and encourage creativity. Why Your Brain Needs More Downtime, Scientific American When I had my first child, I ignored the advice to rest when he napped or played quietly. I believed […]
Is there anything better than the smell of a campfire, a hike in the woods, creek stomping or star gazing? My answer- Nothing better! I love the smell of burning wood, the crunch of acorns under our shoes, the hundreds of times my children have yelled out, “Mom, you have to see this!” Much of […]
Play is one of the best ways to teach and encourage writing. It takes away the pressure and fear writing can sometimes offer. Games and creative writing activities encourage kids to experiment with language, storytelling, organization, and ideas. Through play, writers learn spelling, vocabulary, how to create imagery, develop a plot, and even revise. Play […]
For a kid who loves writing, a new pen and a notebook, the possibilities of a blank page might be all they need for inspiration. For other writers (reluctant, new, or feeling stuck), those same tools can feel overwhelming, and no matter the writing prompts or encouragement, the page is going to remain blank. Thankfully, […]
The first time learning math facts came into my life I was the student, and I was not a fan. The second time my oldest followed in his mother’s footsteps and also refused to memorize them. I got him learning wrap-ups (which I still think are more fun and useful that the flashcards I had […]
An alarm on our Google dot rings; it is five o’clock, time to transition into the last part of the day. While the alarm can be a tad annoying, we need a gentle push in the evening. We are tired, and if we don’t intentionally choose how we spend our time, it’s easy to fall […]
In 2008 our little family of three packed up and moved from the mountains of Virginia to the mid-west. Heading in the opposite direction of family and friends, we moved to Bloomington, Indiana so my husband could study Lakota and earn his masters and Ph.D. We figured we’d call Bloomington home for seven years, max. […]
My daughter’s goal is to read the Wings of Fire AND the Harry Potter series. She’s eight and started reading fluently about six months ago. It’s a big goal. She wants to read them out loud together and to be perfectly honest, I have no clue how we’ll find time to read that much. (Keep […]
Shopping for the holidays used to stress me out! Over the years I’ve found ways to keep holiday giving simple, and it’s actually become a lot of fun. I love making many of our gifts and focusing on a few things makes the season a lot less stressful. I try to keep these things in […]
Every year I wrap up books and journals and fill stockings with fun pens and pencils. This year will be no exception. I’m on the lookout for fun ways to encourage reading and writing. Below are some of the best writing-related gifts I’ve found to help grow young writers. Gifts to Encourage Writing “If you […]
One day I’d love to travel around the world with my girl. We have big one-day plans. Alaska, Austrailia, Germany, France, so many adventures make up our bucket list. Until that one day comes, we are content to travel together in story. Candlewick Press books never fail to provide stories we want to adventure into […]
