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The trees burst with color and seed, sprinkling down red, yellow, and pinecone confetti. All things pumpkin fill the senses. Plastic bag ghosts and pipe cleaner spiders decorate our home. A green witch on a bamboo stick cackles in the garden. Mums replace sunflowers. Whether fall is almost here or has already arrived, the world […]
Summer means it’s time for camp. Have your kids taken a creative writing camp? Creative writing makes writing a lot more fun, and my creative writing summer camps are a wonderful way to play, learn, and practice writing. I love the flexibility of summer and having very few plans. It’s why I purposely keep my […]
My teenager loves to create. There’s rarely a day when she’s not making digital art, clay figurines, or doodling. When she’s in her art zone, life is good! When she’s not, boredom often sets in, and there is nothing to do becomes her mantra. Yesterday was one of these days. My daughter’s muse was on […]
One of the best places to learn is outside. Whether kids are doing homework, exploring, or just taking it all in, decent weather and a good place to sit are all you need to create a perfect classroom. Our family heads outside whenever we can. We play games, relax and spend time as a family. […]
Spring is one of our favorite times to pull out the craft bins. Plants and critters inspire us, and to be perfectly honest, I like messy things to happen outside as much as possible. The woods and yard also offer all sorts of free materials. There are no directions or rules. Nature crafts invite us […]
Do your kids like poetry? Are you a fan? Poetry games are a wonderful way to learn about poetry, no matter your feelings on the genre. You’re not alone if you or one of your kids loathe it. Of all the writing genres, I think poetry gets the worst rap. Why? Poetry isn’t straightforward. Poems […]
One of the things I love about leading creative writing circles and classes actually happens before class when I create the agenda we’ll follow to inspire reflection, truth-telling, and storytelling. My classes always include writing prompts. These prompts, usually created around a theme, author, or genre, may emerge thanks to a poem or a specific […]
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 […]
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 […]
I love to give FUN gifts to children, but I don’t want them just to be entertaining. I try to choose gifts that spark creativity or help kids learn a new skill. I love gifts that get kids interested in STEAM or learning about the world. I want the gifts I give to engage children […]
Hello, summer or a break from school. Hello, unstructured free time. Are your kids a friend or a foe regarding less structure? For some of us, schedule-free days are the best. For others, a feeling of unease quickly sets in when we don’t know what to do with ourselves and feel the B-word, BORED! When […]
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 […]
No matter if it’s a classroom, a shelf in the living room, or a bin in the kitchen, creating a space to learn and play helps encourage both! When I originally wrote this post, it was bittersweet for me to write. We were about to move from our home of eleven years. This was the […]
