How to Avoid these Five Homeschooling Mistakes

How to Avoid these Five Homeschooling Mistakes

  

Reading Time: 5 min 22 sec

Are you a new to homeschooling or in the thick of figuring out how to start? Are you dreaming of newly sharpened pencils, child prodigies, and Von Trapp family adventures?  We are going to come alongside you on your journey and talk about the five common mistakes first-time homeschoolers make and how YOU can avoid them (and save hundreds of dollars).  

 

I have spoken with a lot of new homeschool parents over the years who are overwhelmed, frustrated, burned out and about five minutes away from shipping their kids off to boarding school in Switzerland. They start to wonder about their ability, sanity, and if homeschooling is really doable for the average mom.

 

Homeschooling is very possible but sometimes we can unintentionally shoot ourselves in the foot by making decisions out of a lack of experience.  We need people to come alongside us and help us through the minefields of those early days so that we can go back to enjoying those amazing family moments.  

 

We are going to be addressing these 5 common homeschooling mistakes today:

 

 1.Homeschooling without Direction

2. Duplicating School at Home

 

3. Bowing to a Teaching Philosophy

 

 4.Requiring Too Much Too Soon

 

5.A Boxed Curriculum is the Answer 

 

1. Homeschooling without Direction

We have an endless supply of amazing resources for homeschooling mamas and their students. It can get very easy to get caught up running to the latest teaching philosophy, schedule, curriculum, or activity hoping that it will solve all of your learning woes. Now I am all for exploring new teaching resources (We love you, Life of Fred) but it can get very exhausting and can give your kids whiplash if you don’t have a roadmap in place to help you figure out if that latest thing fits your family.

 

You need to know what your vision and values are because they influence the goals and atmosphere of your homeschool.  You can’t set or accomplish your goals if you have no idea what you are aiming at.  

 

 For instance, does your vision for the future include children who grow up to be lifelong learners, self-starters, out of the box thinkers and mighty followers of Jesus?  Does one of your values include forming quality family relationships?  

 

If so, the decisions you make, your teaching style, activities, schedule, curriculum choices, and atmosphere all should flow out of your vision and values.  They are a roadmap to a successful homeschool and when used properly, can help prevent burnout. Do not move forward without taking the time to talk over your vision, values, and goals with your spouse or a friend. 

 

When things get challenging, instead of completely changing direction, and giving into fear and self-doubt, you can rest in the knowledge that you have an overall plan in place. By establishing your vision, values, goals, and atmosphere ahead of time it allows you to not have to make big decisions in a time of crisis.

 

2. Duplicating School at Home

You have just decided that you are going to homeschool and you are scared but also super excited. You rearrange your home, choose a homeschooling room, and rush out and buy (borrow or steal) desks, chalkboards, and inspirational posters for the walls.  Three days into your homeschool adventure you realize that no one wants to sit at cold, hard desks when they can be snuggling on the couch reading books with mom. 

Homeschooling is not public school at home.  Homeschooling is a way of life.  If your only exposure to education has been in a corporate setting, it might be helpful for you to think of homeschooling as private tutoring (with a lot of snuggles, family adventures and laughter thrown in).  

Homeschooling is not just when you open your “school books” but all throughout the day, at the grocery store, gardening, listening to audiobooks in the car, while doing the budget, and fixing the sink, you are giving your children the benefit of real-world experience.  

 

Save yourself tons of money, homeschool regrets (and your children a lot of frustration) by taking advantage of the benefits of teaching your children at home; one on one time together, comfy couches, and real-life learning to find out and own what works for you and your family.

 

3. Bowing to a Teaching Philosophy 

As you start to research homeschooling it can feel like there are HUNDREDS of teaching methodologies out there. You are told that time in nature, memorizing information, giving them time to play, structure, no structure, textbooks, only living books, experience, and facts are crucial to your child’s success in life.

 

The options can not only feel overwhelming but restricting to a new homeschool parent.  You get sold on a teaching philosophy and jump in 100% only to find out that it doesn’t quite fit your family.  I have seen moms ignore the downsides (every philosophy can have negatives) and keep pressing on only to feel miserable because it is not a perfect fit.

 

You can save yourself time, energy, frustration, and money by realizing that you will need to adapt any philosophy to your family not your family to the philosophy. This is where knowing your vision, values, goals is crucial to setting the tone of your homeschool. Listen to your mom instincts, and don’t feel pressured to teach in a certain way if it doesn’t fit the needs of your family.

 

4. Requiring Too Much Too Soon 

 

You are excited to get started on your homeschooling adventure. You sit down with your five-year-old and dive into your new stack of curriculum.  The first couple of days are wonderful, and things are moving along brilliantly until suddenly they aren’t.

 

Your child whines when you get out the books, you find yourself constantly encouraging him to do one last problem or activity. You just find yourself working harder than they are to complete your list of studies for the day. You feel frustrated, demoralized, and you wonder if this homeschooling really works in real life.

Save yourself (and your child) frustration, by focusing on your values (strong family relationships, fostering a love for learning, character development etc.)  instead of focusing on checking “educational” boxes.  

When you have a ten-thousand-foot view of the future, you won’t get hung up on whether or not you completed the allotted math problems for the day.

 

Enjoy these early years, they won’t last forever. Encourage your child’s curiosity and rest in the knowledge that they are constantly learning by living life with you at the perfect pace for them.    

 

6. A Boxed Curriculum is the Answer 

You spend hours researching a comprehensive curriculum, you want to make sure that every base is covered, and that your kid won’t end up going to college, not knowing how to do long division. You find a curriculum that you think will be a good fit, shell out a couple hundred dollars, only to find to out that you love the math, are “ehh” about the social studies, and absolutely hate the language arts program.  

 

It is rare (and I mean RARE) that a boxed curriculum will meet all of your needs. You know your child, you know their strengths and weaknesses, you know the vision and values of your homeschool, and you are the best person to hand select curriculum.  Save yourself hundreds of dollars (do you see a theme here) by choosing the best resources for your child.

 

When you handpick curriculum, not only is it a smaller monetary investment but if it doesn’t work, you aren’t stuck with it (trying to get your money’s worth) or desperately scrambling to replace an entire curriculum midway through the school year.

 

Are you wondering HOW do you actually find a great curriculum for each subject? I created a How to Find Excellent Curriculum checklist (grab it below)  to help you on your journey.

You Got this Mom!

 

What about you? What is your number one frustration when it comes to figuring out this homeschooling adventure?  Leave a comment, and don’t forget to follow Most Important Work on Pinterest!

How to Stop the Tears with 50 Out of the Box Math Resources

How to Stop the Tears with 50 Out of the Box Math Resources

Reading Time: 4 min 40 sec

 

I hated math after second grade. Math in K through 2nd-grade was full of fun pictures, simple problems, and little challenges that grabbed my interest.  3rd-grade hit and so did purely text-based learning, and my joy of problem-solving DIED! 

 

If your child is anything like me, math can feel overwhelming, and it can be a struggle to draw connections between solving difficult math problems and how that info will be used in real life. It’s frustrating to teach a child who obviously would rather be doing anything else (even visiting the dentist) than spend time learning math.

 

My overriding goal is for my kids to fall in love with learning. No matter their strengths and weaknesses I want to encourage them to wrestle with all aspects of education. I do that by not sticking to one way (a math textbook) of communicating concepts but by taking a multi-tool approach.  Imagine teaching your child math concepts through playing a game, reading a story, listening to music, beating levels on an app, mastering brain teasers, or by solving a problem in a real life application?

 

There is a self-motivation that arises when kids make direct connections between what I am learning today, and if it can be applied directly to my life. Who doesn’t want to practice logical thinking, if they know it can be used to win at a game or to make purchases with their money?

 

Creating an atmosphere of fun, family relationships and multi-tool approaches allow you, as the parent to foster a love of learning at home.

In this article, we will be talking about:

 

  1. How to Make Math Fun

  2. How to Make Math Practical

  3. How to Make Math a Treat

  4. How to Make Math Unforgettable

  5. How to Make Math an Adventure

Make Math Fun 

 

Forget math drills and grab a board game. As your child practices their math skills, your family builds lifelong memories, and connections are drawn between math and FUN! I have seen a significant improvement in my children’s math skills and abilities to think logically after playing these board games!Here are a couple of math board game suggestions to get you started:

 

Quoridor(pronounced like Corridor) blew me away, with its modern, well made, wooden set. You want to leave this game out as a decorative piece, it’s that impressive. This game is a little on the higher end of the price tag, but WELL WORTH IT (I have already bought it to give away as gifts)! It takes anywhere from ten-twenty minutes to play the game so it is easy to use when you only have a short window of available time.  I have seen a significant improvement in my children’s ability to think logically after playing this game!

          

    1. Quoridor                              Logic
    2. Math Dice Jr.                       Math
    3. Rush Hour                            Logic
    4. Brain Builders                      Logic
    5. Sum Swamp                         Addition
    6. Money Bags                         Money
    7. Sequence                            Logic
    8. Clumsy Thief                       Addition-Money

                           

Make Math Practical

What seems to be the biggest hang-up with Math curriculum is the question, “How does this apply in real life?”  This issue seems to grow throughout upper elementary years and beyond. Here are some amazing alternatives to traditional textbooks. What I appreciate is that children get to see immediately a direct correlation between math concepts and real-life application.

 

9. Life of Fred Series

Is an amazing alternative to a traditional math book. Written in story form, it follows the adventures of a 5-year-old prodigy named Fred who shows children how math applies to real life. At the end of every chapter, there are several math questions that pertain to the lesson for your child to answer. My children love this series and beg for more “Fred, please”!   There is an elementary, middle school, high school series, and college.

 

10. Bedtime Math Series

Bedtime math is a three-part book series aimed at Pre-K- 2nd-grade students. This book is full of funny questions designed to make math fun for kids.  I love that each question only takes about 5 minutes to answer so it’s easy to add to any part of your day. The genius of this series is that it offers three difficulty levels for each problem so the whole family can participate together.  

 

 

11. Logic Lollipop Series

I started Logic Lollipop in 1st grade and Pre-K for my kids, and they fell in love with the books. What makes Logic Lollipop unique is that it is picture based book instead of text-based. This makes this series perfect for pre/beginning readers. I appreciated the program because it helped my children develop their critical thinking skills at young ages. There are three books in the series and are targeted to K-2 grade students.  Love it!

 

12. Logic Safari Series

Is the next series following Logic Lollipop. It is text-based and builds upon the skills in the Logic Lollipop series. I would read aloud the problem aloud and have my children give a verbal response.   There are three books in the series and they are targeted to 2-6 grade students. It is definitely challenging but my children have enjoyed working their way through the problems. These books teach kids to look at life logically and have helped my children understand math in a whole new way.

 

13. Math Skills Workbooks

If you worry that your child isn’t getting enough “real” practice, grab a workbook. These workbooks are affordable and they offer a great overview of the math skills per grade without a lot of unnecessary busy work.  

 

Make Math A Treat

Math Seeds is by far our favorite math app. It is so engaging and fun that my kids beg to play “just one more game”.  Math Seeds has really transformed my children’s math aptitude. Using challenges, games, songs, and tests, it teaches core math skills to kids ages 3-9.

We bought the program for my oldest, but my youngest who was in Pre-K at the time, got a hold of it, and after playing for several months ended up skipping K and most of 1st-grade math due to using this program.

Love it! What’s also great is that you can use it for two weeks for free and find out if it’s a good fit for your family!  Win!

14. Math Seeds

Make Math Unforgettable

You know when a song gets stuck in your head and you just CAN’T GET IT OUT?! We have found these CDs to be a great way to memorize the multiplication tables. They are so much so that our kindergartener couldn’t help memorize them without even realizing it (she will thank me later).  Each cd has a fun beat and perfect for taking advantage of time spent running errands in the car (we all have had those last-minute milk runs).

 

15. Multiplication “rock”

16. Multiplication Songs  

 

Make Math an Adventure

Who knew math could be so fun? What I love about the power of picture books is that kids connect the warm feelings of snuggling on the couch, experiencing the magic of adventure with math!  These are some of our favorite math picture books.  Bon Voyage! 

 

Math Books by Cindy Neuschwander 

17. Sir Cumference series

18. Amanda Bean Amazing Dream   

 

General & Logic Math Books

19. A Math Book You Can Count On – Dan Green                                                                                                                                                                                                                20. The Rabbit Problem – Emily Gravett                                                                                                                                               21. Math-terpieces the Art of Problem Solving – Greg Tang                                                                                                                                                                                                22. The King’ Chessboard  – David Birch

 

Famous People in Math

23. Counting on Katherine                               Helaine Becker

24. The Boy Who Loved Math                           Deborah Erdos

 

Addition

25. The Grapes of Math                                       Greg Tang

26. If you Were a Plus Sign                                  Trisha Speed Shaskan

27. The Doorbell Rang                                         Pat Hutchins

28. Each Orange Has Eight Slices                          Paul Giganti Jr.

29. Mission Addition                                             Loreen Leedy

30. How Much is a Million?                                    David M. Schwartz

31. Beyond a Million-An Amazing Math Journey      David M. Schwartz

32. Infinity and Me                                                Kate Hosford

33. Place Value                                                     David A. Alder

34. Two of Everything                                            Lily Toy Hong

35.Six Dinner Sid                                                   Igna Moore

 

Subtraction

36. Subtraction Action                                            Loreen Leady

37. If You Were a Minus Sign                                   Trisha Speed Shaskan

 

Telling Time

38. The Clock Struck One- A Time Telling Tale         Trudy Harris

39.Bats Around the Clock                                       Kathi Appeit

40. A Second is a Hiccup-A Childs book of Time       Hazel Hutchins

41. Telling Time                                                    Jules Older

 

Measuring and Shapes

42. Measuring Penny                                             Loreen Leedy

43. The Greedy Triangle                                       Marilyn Burns

44. If You Were a Quadrilateral                             Molly Blaisdell

 

Multiplying and Dividing

45. Minnie’s Diner- A Multiplying Menu                   Dayle Ann Dodds

46. Divide and Ride                                               Stuart J. Murphy

47. One Hundred Hungry Ants                                Elinor J. Pinczes

 

Fractions

48. Lions Share                                                      Matthew McElligott

49.Full House: An Invitation to Fractions                Dayle Ann Dodds

50. Apple Fractions                                                Donna Townsend

 

 

 What about you? What are your favorite ways to foster a love of math at home?                      Please feel free to leave me a Comment and don’t forget to follow Most Important Work on Pinterest!

 

Want to Dive in Deeper? Check out these 2 Bonus Resources:

 

  1. Give Your Child the World Jamie C. Martin
  2. Read A-Loud Family Sarah Mackenzie

10 Library Hacks to the Hidden World of Free Curriculum

10 Library Hacks to the Hidden World of Free Curriculum

  

Reading Time: 4 min 55 sec

Are you interested in Homeschooling but not sure how to get started?  Are you tired of spending money on expensive curriculum, that you will use only once? Me too! I balk at the very thought of buying expensive curriculum not knowing if we will love or hate it. Do you want to take finally take advantage of those hard-earned tax dollars and try out a new curriculum for free? 

 

We know the library has a lot to offer, but due to the lack of time or our full schedules, we settle for either checking out books or attending a toddler story time, without uncovering its vast resources. So, let’s discover the hidden gems of your library system. *

We will be talking about:

  • WorldCat

  • Elearning

  • Homework Help

  • Events

  • EAudiobooks

  • EMusic

  • EMagazines

  • Streaming Video

  • ENewspapers
  • Research Tools

 

* This article is to serve as an example of what things could be offered at your local branch. You will need to access your local library’s website for a full listing of the amenities they offer.  For all of these services, you will need a valid library card and you might need to download an app for your mobile device.

 

1. WorldCat

WorldCat allows you to borrow materials from participating libraries all across the United States.  I LOVE this feature, I have used it to for hard to find books, textbooks, and audiobooks.  The 5-10 minutes it takes to submit a request can save you literally hundreds of dollars!  You can typically find this feature under either the WorldCat tab or the library information tab.

To submit a request, you will need your library card number, the author, title, year and ISBN number (I grab that info from Amazon).  After you submit your request, the screen will populate with either the name of the book (and its location in the US) or an error message that lets you know the book is not available in the interlibrary loan system.

You can choose where you submit your book request (typically a library closest to your location) by clicking on the Libraries Worldwide that Own Item button, located under the Availability tab.

 Or you can just click the button Borrow this item from another library, (also found in the availability section), fill out your personal information and click submit.

 

It can take anywhere from 2 weeks to a couple of months to process your request. The library also has the option of denying your request, (typically when it is a popular book) if that happens you will receive an e-mail letting you know that your request was denied.  You can then submit another loan request to another library.

 

  1. Elearning 

I don’t know about you but I was over the moon excited when I found out that our local library offered the Rosetta Stone language program through the library system. I saved $200 with this life hack! 

 

The e-learning programs are not limited to just language, but also math, economics, computer skills, practice tests, songwriting, instrument lessons, universal classes (500 classes -babysitting, yoga, to accounting) to name a few.

 

You can find these tools typically under the ELibrary or the Research and Learning tab. You might need to download the app for a number of online programs.  

 

3. Homework Help Coaches

There are some subjects (Calculus, I’m talking about you!) that once you hit high school, I’m lost. The library offers an amazing resource in their one on one tutoring either in person or online,  FOR FREE, PEOPLE!

Typically, the tutors are available on a first come first serve basis. They are set up to help with a specific homework assignment. The program is usually available from late afternoon to early evening, during the school year.

 

4. Events

We are all well aware of the toddler story time events, but are you aware they also offer a plethora of other activities?  I remember being surprised to witness a concert, by a local musician, in the kids’ section of the library!   

Library events can include, preschool & family story time, book clubs, concerts, board game nights, science classes, crafters and needlers, edible discussions, ESL classes, etc.

 You can find a listing of upcoming events at the library or on the Events tab on the library website.

 

5. EAudiobooks 

 

I don’t know about you but I like to maximize car travel by listening to quality audiobooks. This is a great resource for not only saving major money but accessing popular and classic fiction and nonfiction audiobooks.

 

You can find digital audiobooks typically under the Elibrary or Go Digital tab on the website.  You will have to download an app to access this resource.  You can check out a list of my favorite educational music and audiobooks here!

 

6. EMusic

 

Stream various genres of music such as Popular, Jazz, Classical, American, Historical, and Contemporary World Music straight to your laptop.  I found the American music playlist fascinating because it contains songs written by pioneers, immigrants, and miners, etc..  

 

They have over 8,400 albums separated by genre in this online collection.  You can find this resource typically under the go digital, emusic tabs on the library’s website.

 

6. EMagazines

Who else doesn’t like spending $6 on a magazine that you will read only once?  The library does offer hard copies of magazines, however sitting down to read a magazine might be a luxury when you have munchkins trying to pull all the books off the shelves.  

 

The library (probably in self-preservation) offers up to 250 Popular Magazines through the RB digital app with no limits and no due dates.

 

 Some libraries also offer full access to Consumer Reports, and National Geographic for Kids; in addition to the library’s subscriptions to online magazines, journals, and Newspapers. You can typically find these resources under the E-learning or Go Digital Tab on the website.

 

So, curl up with your favorite magazine in the comfort of your home, ideally with a big bowl of chocolate ice cream and in your favorite fuzzy PJs.

 

 

8. Streaming Video

 

Stream FREE movies, classical music performances, opera, ballet, live concerts, and documentaries straight to your computer! You can also stream to your tv using Roku, Apple TV, Xbox, Chromecast, or Amazong Fire tv.

 

You can find this resource typically under the go digital/emovies/streaming video tabs on the library’s website.

 

9. ENewspapers

 

Here is another great research tool for older students! You can receive access to local and regional digital newspapers in addition to publications like the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal and World Newspapers.  You can find this resource typically under the elibrary or go digital tab on the library’s website.

 

10. Research Tools

 

This resource is great not only middle school and high school students but for anyone interested in amazing research databases. Topics include genealogy, ancient and medieval history, diaries, and local and world history etc. You can typically find this resource under the research and learning tabs.

 

What about you? What are your Favorite Free Resources?   

Please feel free to leave me a comment and don’t forget to follow Most Important Work on Pinterest!

 

Want More? Check out these Resources:

  1. Give Your Child the World    Jamie C. Martin
  2. Read A-Loud Family            Sarah Mackenzie

 

! Leave a comment, and d

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How to Spark a Love of the Arts in Your Preschooler

How to Spark a Love of the Arts in Your Preschooler

              

Reading Time: 4 min 48 sec

When you talk about visiting a local museum, with a preschooler in tow, the only thought that flashes through most parents’ minds is the horrific image of their little King Kong toppling some priceless sculpture, and wreaking havoc on the entire floor of Egyptian art. “Visiting a museum with a preschooler, ” parents say with a shake of their head, ” is asking for premature gray hair and a heart attack.” 

I know the feeling, I agonized about when would be the right time to expose my children to the arts. I did not want to wait until they were older because dragging middle or high school students to the ballet kicking and screaming was/is not my idea of a good time.  

I wanted to introduce my kids at a young age to the best music, art, dance, drama, etc. that the world, or at least what my tiny part of the country had to offer.

So, is it even possible to take your squirmy, loud, run but never walk preschooler to a symphony?  Yes, it is and here are my tips and tricks to not only surviving but thriving among 18th-century paintings.

 

  • Set the Stage and Build Anticipation
  • Set Your Child Up for Success 
  • Make it an Event

 

  1. Set the Stage and Build Anticipation 

I definitely don’t recommend walking into a museum cold turkey (but if that’s your thing, I applaud you) but start preparing your kids by setting the stage and building anticipation. 

 

You can do that by reading a lot of books about famous ballerinas, paintings, and composers; you can find out about their lives, how many kids they had, what they liked to eat, and what inspired their art.  Read picture books that are written to spark curiosity, not fill your kid full of dates and data.  You want to introduce them to the stories behind the art.

 

The Goal of Experiencing the Arts with your Child is Introduction, not Mastery.

 

Some of my favorite art picture books for children were written by amazing storytellers James Mayhew (Katie & Ella Bella Ballerina series) and Laurence Anholt. These men do a phenomenal job of introducing artists, paintings, history, and classical ballets in story form with beautiful illustrations.

 

Listen throughout the day to various genres of music. We intentionally listened to everything from classical, jazz, big band, blues, instrumental, world, etc. There are also a number of wonderful resources that introduce your child to classical music. An example is the Classical Kids series, which weaves a story about the composer into the music. The Beethoven’s Wig series is another suggestion that sets hilarious words to classical music. 

 

Once or twice a week, gather the kids together and watch a small part of a classical ballet. We sometimes turn on ballet and then go about our day. The kids were mesmerized by the sets, costumes, music, and dance.  Check out YouTube or the library to watch ballets such as Cinderella, Swan Lake, and Sleeping Beauty.

 

Practice different forms of art at home. We read about pointillism and impressionism and then tried it out. We painted inside, and outside, we used watercolors, acrylics (don’t recommend), poster paint, colored pencils, and crayons.  Our reading sparked curiosity which fed the types of things we did at home.

 

 Finally, we built anticipation, by immersing ourselves in art and developing a healthy respect and admiration for the discipline. We talked excitedly about the fact that our local museum had this piece and that we were going to get to go see it. When we visited the gallery, ballet, symphony etc. it felt like a privilege.

 

2. Set Your Child Up for Success

 

We want to set our child up for success. In order to do that we need to set down some basic expectations for our child and for us as parents.  Talk with your child about walking slowly, keeping our hands to ourselves, and talking quietly so everyone can enjoy the beautiful art etc. The key is taking the time to set a clear (and short) list of expectations for your child.  

 

It is also helpful to remind yourself what your goal is for this trip/event.  You want your child to have a positive experience.  That means that you won’t see everything in the museum today.

 

You will spend more time getting ready and traveling to the event; then you will spend at the actual event, and that’s OKAY!

 

One day, you will get to see the entire symphony, ballet or museum, and you will look back fondly over these early years.

 

 Also, make sure if things go south (and they will occasionally) to have an exit plan in place. I always pick seats next to a door at an event. I bring cough drops, tissues, and quiet candy or snacks to the events. I take every opportunity to take my children to the bathroom (beginning, intermission, end) and stretch their legs.  If I know that the experience will be longer than an hour, I will plan to attend two parts and walk with them outside for the rest of the event.  Remember accomplishing your goals is more important than attending the entire affair.

 

  1. Make it An Event 

 Dress Up! Wearing a nice outfit can add to the experience and it makes for GREAT pictures!    Or allow your child to wear a costume. If your child loves art, let him visit the museum dressed as a painter (the museum staff will love it).

 

You can make this an event, to remember, by creating a plan with your child, days in advance. There is nothing better than talking about the logistics, such as what will you wear, do we eat ahead of time, what do we want to see while we are there etc.   

 

Check out your local art website for preschool classes/events. My children loved attending a Petite Performance at our local performing arts center where they were able to sit on the stage and hear the musicians and then touch the instruments after the performance. 

 

Encourage your child’s interests; if they are really interested in tubas then go to a Tuba performance, or jazz, then go to a jazz class. Be prepared to dive down rabbit holes, and explore off the wall interests (within reason), that can be where the most formative learning takes place.

Finishing your excursion with ice cream and food is always a good idea! Especially when they are young, the rest of the event could have been a disaster, but there is something about eating yummy ice cream, that makes memories, and adds a rose-colored glow to the entire occasion.

It might seem like a lot of effort to introduce your child to the finer things of life, but I promise you, it’s worth it.  If you take baby steps, adjust your expectations, and have FUN, you will create not only lifelong family memories, but you will foster a love of art. 

You can do it!

 

What about you? What are your favorite ways encourage a love of the arts in your kids? 

 

If you try any of these activities, let us know! Leave a comment, and don’t forget to follow us on Pinterest. about you? What are your favorite ways to increase your child’s awareness of God? 

 If you try any of these activities, let us know! Leave a comment, and don’t forget to fol

How To Teach Your Preschooler at Home

How To Teach Your Preschooler at Home

Reading Time: 5 min 25 sec

 

It’s that time of year, when massive bins of pencils, crayons, and markers start appearing when swim paraphernalia is on massive discount, and Starbucks is threatening the upcoming arrival of their pumpkin lattes, that you know…. school… is…. coming!

You start to panic, because though you have made the scary decision to homeschool, and you have NO IDEA what you are doing!  Your adorable three-year-old is counting on you to make sure that she gets into the college of her dreams and you CAN’T MESS THIS UP! 

I was at the same place you are and now after homeschooling two children through preschool myself, I promise you, YOU CAN DO IT!

Everything a child learns in preschool can be learned through living life with you at home. So how do you do it?

  • Stare at Bugs

  • Build Forts

  • Explore Hidden Worlds

  • Listen to Fairy Tales

  • Play Hopscotch

  • Splash in Puddles

  • Go on Adventures

  • Dance Parties

  • Get Messy

  • Help Mommy

Seriously, kids are naturally curious. Who hasn’t sat beside a three or four-year-old without experiencing the endless assault of questions about everything from ducks to socks to spaghetti? As a homeschooling mom of a preschooler, all you have to do is to continue to encourage their love of learning at home!

So how do you do that? How to do you foster an environment of lifelong learning?  

 

1. Stare at Bugs-Be Curious! 

Kids are natural observers. They want to know how everything works. Be intentional about slowing down and answering their questions.   Of course, you can’t stop and answer their endless questions, every… single… time, however, you can be intentional about encouraging their love of learning.   It’s even better if you don’t know the answer to some super random question because then you and your child can go to the library and find a book on that topic. 

                               

“I have no special talent. I am only passionately curious.” Albert Einstein

 

2. Build Forts-Use Your Imagination!

We have all this misconception that in order to learn we need to be sitting at a table doing busy work. There is study after study that says that play is not only important but crucial to the overall development of your child.

Through play, your child develops a myriad of skills not the least of which is imagination, that equips them to understand how the world works.  So let them pile up the couch cushions and sail for unchartered waters.

  “Play is the highest form of research.”        Albert Einstein

 

3. Explore Hidden Worlds-Read A Lot! 

Can you imagine a better childhood memory than snuggled up to your mom, covered in a blanket, listening to the stories of faraway places? The world is at your child’s fingertips and they come to understand that anything they want to know about can be found in the pages of a book. Through reading your child develops their vocabulary, critical thinking, imagination, and language skills.

 

Suggestion: Ella Bella Ballerina or Katie Series by James Mayhew

 

“Children are made readers in the laps of their parents.”-Emilie Buchwald

 

  1. Listen to Fairy Tales

Avoid sibling squabbles and the endless “are we there yet?” questions by pulling out an audiobook as an alternative to the iPad for those days of errands or long road trips. Audiobooks not only save your voice (woohoo!) and allow you to read longer chapter books but they also develop imagination, listening, creativity and vocabulary skills. 

 

Suggestion: Start with short books, such as Madeline and move on to exploring longer chapter books like the Paddington Bear series.

“There are many little ways to enlarge your child’s world.  Love of books is the best of all.” Jacqueline Kennedy

 

5. Play Hopscotch-All about Games 

Wow, the power of games cannot be underestimated! At one point,  I really wanted to develop my child’s math skills. I bought a couple of math board games and we have had so much fun playing together as a family.  Their math skills improved immeasurably and now math is one of their favorite subjects.

 What I love about using games is not only is it FUN but it serves as a mental hook; where later when that subject is studied more in depth, they have amazing memories to connect  with the new information.

 We now use games for every subject in homeschooling.

 Suggestion: Curious George Matching Game, Candy Land, and Magnetic Tiles.  

 

 “If a child can’t learn the way we teach, maybe we should teach the way they learn.” Ignacio Estrada

 

6. Splash in Puddles- Get Outside

Do you remember how fun it was to walk in the rain and splash in every big puddle? I love reading about how nature preschools spend the morning outdoors in all types of weather (except dangerous).

 Playing outside in nature helps children be active, develop their imaginations, and their confidence,  learn about their planet, and respect living things. 

 

Suggestion: Visit parks, hike trails, pull up weeds, put on raincoats, and splash in streams!

 

“A child, more than anyone else, is a spontaneous observer of nature” -Maria Montessori 

 

7. Go on Adventures- Field Trips

It seems like the general assumption is that museums and four-year old’s do not go together.

 

I beg to differ.  It’s how you do it and knowing your child’s (and your own) limits.  With my preschool children, I would aim for a thirty-minute walk around the art museum.  You can either cover the entire museum or like we did spend your time in one or two rooms, just find what works for your family.

 

   Exposing kids to a wide variety of experiences helps to foster a love of art, literature, music, science etc. from a young age.

When they sit down to learn about math or art later in life, they come with an expectation of enjoyment, as they attach the wonderful memories they had as a young child exploring something new. 

Suggestion: Check out the events available at children’s museums, art and history museums, nature centers, zoos, dairy farms, libraries, ballet, and symphonies. 

 “Kid’s don’t need more toys -they need more adventures!” -Sarah Mueller

 

  1. Dance Parties-Listen to the Beat

By exploring a wide variety of music, your child will develop their creativity, language, and motor skills. 

Your child will be exposed to pop culture throughout their lives, so be intentional about developing their palate for music.  You might not necessarily listen to jazz, country or the blues, but your child sure will enjoy dancing to the different rhythms!

 There are several ways to listen to a variety of music at home, you just have to find out what works best for your family. One idea is that you could choose to listen to a different style of music every week or every month.

 

 Suggestion: One of our favorites is the Beethoven’s Wig and the Classical Kids audio series. 

  “Music can change the world.” Beethoven

 

9. Get Messy- Experience Art!

It is amazing what kids can create when you provide them with markers, crayons, colored pencils, and finger paint and let them go crazy.  Not only are children developing their creativity, but also their fine motor skills. 

If you don’t want to deal with the mess have your children paint while sitting on the back porch. Or I would have them pick up something on our nature walk (pinecone, rock, leaf) and bring it back to draw. 

 Suggestion:  Check out local museums for  art programs. These programs are specifically designed for preschoolers and most often are free!

                                                           

      “Every child is an artist” -Picasso

 

  1. Help Mommy-Chores

Last but not least, teach your child to help you with the chores around the house. Yes, this is easier said than done but learning to clean up after themselves is just as important of a life skill as phonics.

 As your child participates in chores, it helps them to develop responsibility, a strong work ethic and gives them a sense of accomplishment. It also lets them know that they are an important part of your family.

 Start by teaching them how to do small tasks, such as pick up their toys, put away the silverware, fold socks, etc. 

 Suggestion:  To avoid your child feeling overwhelmed (at this age), stay in the room and offer to help them put away their toys.

             

  “Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard” Tim Notke

 

What about you? What are your favorite ways to foster a love of learning at home?

 

If you try any of these activities, let us know! Leave a comment and don’t forget to follow us on Pinterest. about you? What are your favorite ways to increase your child’s awareness of God? 

 If you try any of these activities, let us know! Leave a comment, and don’t forge

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