This week, in honor of the first episode of the Homeschool Sanity Show on the Ultimate Homeschool Radio Network, I thought I would feature encouraging posts from some of the other hosts. I figured October’s about right for some encouragement! Note that some shows may not begin until later this fall or next year, but it’s a great time to bookmark or subscribe for later!
Hal and Melanie Young host the Making Biblical Family Life Practical podcast. Most homeschooling parents have times like these and the Youngs have some encouragement.
Carlie Kercheval provides encouragement and tips for dealing with a fact of life for most homeschool moms. I would have loved this article when I had babies who weren’t sleeping through the night. She and her husband Michael are the hosts of Learning to Speak Life.
Katie Horner, expectant mother and host of a Spanish homeschooling podcast, has put together a fantastic list of posts on homeschooling through every baby stage, including sleeplessness.
I love Kendra Fletcher’s premise here. There is a certain kind of book that can drive us crazy. Kendra and her husband, Andy, host Homeschooling in Real Life.
Jen Reyneri, host of Destination: Inspiration, shares her perspective on scheduling and a review of a program that has helped her and her children mange their day.
This week, as we settle into our homeschool year, I thought you might like a little inspiration from a homeschool mom of many. I know I appreciated it!
I told my curriculum connection about these fabulous ideas and she asked me if I’d ever heard of Visualize World Geography. Of course, I hadn’t! She explained that while it was an expensive curriculum, she found that it quickly and easily taught her kids the names of countries that most adults don’t know. I found the best deal (and reviews) of it at Homeschool Buyers Co-op. If you purchase used, make sure you are getting the DVDs as these are apparently the best aspect of the program.
More and more homeschooling parents are looking for online curriculum that allows their older students to be independent. Barbie of My Freshly Brewed Life shares a review of Uzinggo–a curriculum I’d never heard of, that works for her middle school daughter.
I had preschoolers in the house for ten years of homeschooling. I had to keep them busy before blogs and Pinterest were a help. Now I enjoy looking for activities that I know would have worked for me. If you’re beyond the preschool (or kindergarten years), share this post with someone who could use it. Really make their day and offer to watch the kids for an afternoon!
I remember too well how hard the early years were–mostly because I took everything too seriously. I wish I had written this fabulous and funny article from The House of Hendrix.
The two’s have to be one of the toughest ages to keep occupied when you’re homeschooling. It can also be hard to figure out what activities to enjoy together. Kids Activities Blog to the rescue!
Teaching young children fire safety isn’t just educational, but can be life-saving. This fantastic list of activities and free printables will engage your preschoolers almost as much as a firehouse field trip.
I loved studying a letter a week with my preschoolers and these crafts are the perfect complement. No special craft materials required. Thank you, Mommas Fun World!
I write a monthly round-up post where I share what’s going on in our homeschool, recipe reviews, crafts I’ve made and more. Here’s the link to last month’s post.
It finally feels like fall around here. That’s probably why I’m in the mood to share some fall activities. I’m even willing to think about art projects, which I’m not a huge fan of. Hope you find something to get pumpkinned up about. (Sorry.)
Hands On As We Grow offers us this impressive list of things to do with the pumpkins that ARE ALREADY FOR SALE. I’m not ready for that, but I AM ready to try something new with the kids.
That’s a fancy way of saying leaf print. This pin shares a paint-free way of getting your art in. I love it. Just be careful with the hammer. I always associate them with ER visits.
This pin leads to a free printable of faces for kids to complete. Judging by my children’s penchant for creating similar funny faces in the kids’ church bulletins when they’re supposed to be listening, I think most kids will enjoy these.
If you have kids who are a little beyond the making-funny-faces stage (but who ever outgrows that?), you might be interested in these excellent materials from Kathy’s Cluttered Mind for teaching art history and appreciation. There is a wide variety here including lessons, biographies, and lapbooking materials.
If you want to be ready for the homeschool doldrums (you know they’re coming), download this free detectives lapbook from Homeschool Share. Who says learning can’t be fun? I might have my kids look for a missing $20 bill. I haven’t lost one that I know of, but wouldn’t it be fun if they found one?
I’m still depressed about having to do a report on North Dakota when I was in the fifth grade. Not only did I live in South Dakota, but North Dakota just didn’t have much of a claim to fame. I think that’s changed now, but if I had had these great printables to help me make my report, I probably would have had a ball–even writing about North Dakota. (Note: if you are from North Dakota, understand that I really don’t have anything against your state besides the bitter cold winds and the lack of anything exciting to do. Also note: I am kidding. Love you guys!) 123 Homeschool 4 Me has some incredible resources for doing a state study.
Now that the school year is in full gear for most of us, we may begin to wonder if we can hold it all together until summer. These excellent posts will help.
With so many demands on our time, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. Heidi St. John offers up three ways to cut through the chaos and focus on what’s important.
The Aussie Pumpkin Patch’s school room is a wonder to behold. There are so many ideas for putting things in order here, you’ll turn to it again and again for inspiration.
More homeschoolers read Psychowith6 because of my review of Classical Conversations than any other post. And now wonder! It’s an amazing addition to any curriculum. Now Not Consumed shares these creative tips for keeping it all organized and part of the school day.
I don’t think there’s any activity I ran harder from when I was pregnant and homeschooling than science experiments. Raising Lifelong Learners gives us this great advice about making science a part of life rather than a time suck.
I’m going to be honest and say that keeping reading logs for the various freebies homeschoolers can get drives me crazy. The papers tend to get lost around here. Free Homeschool Deals to the rescue with bookmarks that serve as reading logs. Genius!
Are you homeschooling an only child? Know someone who is or is considering it? You won’t want to miss this encouraging article that not only says it can be done, but maybe it should be.
For more hot homeschooling helps, be sure to like Motivated Homeschooler on Facebook, the homeschooling-only page of Psychowith6.
I continue to be amazed by the talents God has blessed homeschoolers with. It’s a pleasure to look through these wonderful resources each week. Hope you enjoy them!
Learn Math Fast’s big math bookmark was a huge hit, so this week the site has another freebie for us. Quickly and easily determine what grade level your child is working at in math.
Last week I had to make an important decision and my friend, Barb, directed me to her decision-making post for the second time. It was SO helpful that I realized it could help us homeschool moms decide on curriculum and other schooling issues as well. Pin it so you’ll have it when you need it.
It’s been a while since I’ve taken the kids to the library (my husband took them this summer), so I love No Twiddle Twaddle’s idea of sending them on a scavenger hunt. I think they will, too.
Can I ever use these ideas! I have a tweenager who is incredibly creative in imagining reasons he should be allowed to have more game time. Fortunately, Frugal Fun 4 Boys is just as creative in giving us these game-free activities.
I was SO excited when I saw this idea because I was thinking like a psychologist. These homemade room dividers are not only attractive, but they are just the thing for a child who is easily distracted. Thank you, Organizing Made Fun!
I have five boys and none of them have had the motor skills that my daughter had. Fine motor skills are what enable a child to dress himself, tie his shoes, write, and draw. Hands on as We Grow has a wonderful list of fun ideas for developing fine motor skills that work for all ages.
More Hot Stuff!
This week I have a bonus tip that I shared on my Facebook Page that is for homeschoolers only. Be sure to visit the Ultimate Homeschool Radio Network page and “Like” it to hear about the launch of these podcasts. You just might recognize one of the hosts. More later!
I’m a Christian psychologist turned homeschooling mother of six. My life can be a little crazy, so I look for sanity-saving ideas to use and share. I hope you’ll read my About page to learn more.
