It’s true my struggling reader barely picked up a book during 3rd grade. My son, my old soul who was closer to 35 than he was to 10. My son who at four years old was begging me to read the next chapters in Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island and discussing the intricacies of the story […]
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Adventure Books for Boys
Boys seek adventure. It’s a longing that lives deep inside them. For my boy his heart is constantly calling for a mountain to climb, a forest to explore, and a challenge to meet. And, a great book can do that for those sweet boy hearts. Below I’ve listed adventure books for boys that we have […]
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The Outdoor Boy Book List
Do you have a boy who would rather be climbing a tree, hiking in the woods, hunting with his dog, fishing, or making his own DIY survival kit than almost anything else? Then this outdoor boy booklist is for you! And, your outdoor boy;) The outdoor boy booklist is a compilation of books for the […]
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Flexible Homeschool Planning for Real Life
I have a notoriously type A personality. Oodles of self-motivation and drive, but also perfectionist tendencies and anxiety. Basically, I can really stress myself out sometimes. And, my desire to create the perfect schedule and plan for my homeschool has made my past homeschool planning anything but flexible. Over the years I’ve calmed down quite a […]
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Homeschool Planning – Tips, Advice, Ideas
Ask any homeschool mom and she’ll tell you that it took her a while to find her groove when it came to homeschool planning. It takes time to figure out how your family’s individual needs translate into a schedule. And, what works best for you probably isn’t what’s going to work for me or the other […]
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Getting Started Homeschooling in Virginia
Our family has been educating at home for the past five years, starting our journey of homeschooling in Virginia. It has been a wild ride, but I wouldn’t trade these days with my kiddos for anything. Not even for hot coffee, a clean house, or a few uninterrupted moments to myself. Well… maybe that last […]
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Giant List of 100+ Frugal STEM Materials
Setting time aside for STEM, and offering varied STEM materials to create with, is one of the best things I’ve done for our homeschool. This time for investigation gets their imaginations working. It ignites problem-solving skills. It is a time to play, to create, to invent. To see themselves as makers. The biggest hurdle for […]
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6 Ways to Teach with a Number Line
Using a number line to teach math concepts is a simple and interactive way to help children gain concrete practice and increase number sense. They give kids a “cheat sheet” as they are learning how numbers relate to each other and forming a mental picture of those relationships in their minds. They are able to […]
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DIY Abacus
My daughter and I decided to make a DIY abacus this week. I love the hands-on aspect of using an abacus for math. It’s a great concrete tool for counting activities. We used to have a store-bought one, actually we used to have two, but they have been lost to our purging and roadschooling. So, […]
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Counting and Cardinality
Counting and Cardinality are two fundamental math skills in early childhood. And, they are something you and I use every day. From balancing the checkbook (well let’s face it I don’t do that very often;) to grabbing the right amount of silverware for the dinner table every night. Sometime during preschool or kindergarten children stop just repeating […]
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