Fast Parenting? Yes, Please!

There is nothing quick about parenting; growing child to adulthood. Though we often try or prefer to make parenting instantaneous through quick sound bites instead of face-to-face conversation and interaction, what’s instantly gratifying isn’t necessarily the most productive. For me, there were days when I wanted fast answers with practical tips and positive results, right now! They would have been highly convenient, but not necessarily helpful to our long-term vision for our family.

I admit, fast, immediate, no-fail solutions resonate with me, especially on full days with lots of commitments and needs. Hence, there were days when I searched and searched, scrolled Pinterest boards and read blogs. Surely someone had encountered my debacle and WON?

• The day dear daughter cut off all her bangs to the root and tried to tape them back on, only to find it would take months and months to grow out. I had no hair tonic to promote growth, though I wish I had. Life lessons noted.

• The morning 30 pounds of laundry powder poured atop three loads of dirty laundry sapped my energy and made me wonder if the entire day would offer similar treats.

• The day dear child asked questions about how to prepare for marriage and I knew the answer would be more than a pat answer or five-minute conversation. Instead, the conversations were many, over years, and eventually led to a beautiful marriage. Definitely not a one-and-done parenting recipe. Instead, the conversations were unique to the situation, nothing I could have borrowed from anyone else. I’m thankful for the times we sat and listened. It mattered.

• The evening, when after months of waiting and visiting, great-grandma passed away and there were a slew of questions. I didn't have the immediate answers we all would have prefered. Conversations and hugs healed hearts as together we remembered Grammy’s impact on our lives; years of togetherness and with-ness.

• The morning our van started on fire in the driveway and our children were concerned we wouldn't have a big enough vehicle to transport us all. I didn't have an immediate answer or a delivery service to provide another vehicle. The process of waiting grew our faith and provided just what we needed.

Fast forward some years with now grown adult children. It has become apparent that the best solutions had no easy answers. There are no quick, fast shortcuts in parenting. My adult children didn't become adults overnight (though at times I wonder where the years went) and the path, the journey, was a process. Their journey to adulthood and my adventure as a mom wasn't picked up at a drive-thru window.

The journey was an aged, slow-cooked process. 

Paint a Fall Tree Using Pointillism

Want to beat afternoon boredom, toss up something different in a slow moving week, or calm things down when the schedule has run extra fast?

George Seurat became known as the Father of Pointillism. This style—small dots placed close together to allow the visual blending of color—was popular in the late 1800s after the Impressionist era. Some of the most famous masterpieces created with this style were

Georges Seurat’s Alfalfa

Henri Martin’s Green Valley with a Stream

Paul Signac’s Le Clippe

Introduction to art media and techniques can ignite the natural creativity of young learners and keep ingeniousness alive in olders. This fall painting activity delighted our learners, Kindergarten to late elementary. Each young artist employed her unique thinking to the process to create a different work of art. Your children can, too!

Prepare.

Look at masterpieces using this distinctive style. Offer children an appreciation for how artists used this style to create very distinctive art. Point out similarities and differences in color tones and values, light, and line. Consider what elements differentiate the works.

Gather materials.

• 8 x 12 white construction paper

• brown construction paper (optional)

• tempera paints—particularly red, orange, yellow and brown

• paint palette or plastic lid/tray or egg carton (makes for easier clean up)

• cotton swabs

You’re ready!

• Look at pictures of fall leaves or landscapes of fall trees. This is especially helpful for children who live in places where leaves don’t change colors.

• Talk about fall colors. Place small amounts of said tempera paints in a palette. Place a cotton swab in each puddle of paint.

• Try mixing paints to create new fall colors—like red and yellow to make orange or red and orange to make red-orange.

• Give each child a piece of white paper.

• Make a tree trunk. Some children may choose to paint a trunk, others may want to cut one out of brown construction paper or use small torn pieces of brown paper to make create a torn paper collage look. This is part of what will make each painting unique.

• Add the fall leaves!

Give pointillism a try!

Little learners LOVE this activity'; dabbing dots while strengthening and refining small motor skills. Bigger kiddos will enjoy expressing their unique ideas.

Keep learning alive and moving forward.

Extend this art activity into other content areas.

Science

• If leaves are changing color in your area, take a walk and enjoy the beauty.

• Collect fallen leaves (and a few acorns). Bring them home and observe under a magnifying glass or Magiscope.

• Point out the midrib, margin, and veins.

• Notice the similarities and differences in the leaf shape and type.

• Use a field guide or online resource to identify.

• Make a leaf collection book or leaf nature journal (this is art, too!)

• Discuss how cooler temperatures and shorter days affect the leaves food making process, changing the leaves color. Read Why Leaves Change Color by Betsy Maestro.

• Read (this is language arts, too!)

  Red Leaf, Yellow Leaf by Lois Ehlert

  We’re Going on a Leaf Hunt by Steve Metzger

Math

• Sort leaves by type or color.

• Count leaves.

• Use leaves to make sets of specific numbers—sets of three, sets of five.

• Add sets of leaves.

• Make math statements—three oak and two maple make five leaves in total.

More Art

• Read Leaf Man by Lois Ehlert and make leaf people with the leaves collected.

How to Teach Money Concepts

We don’t need a curriculum for everything. Some skills are learned naturally, organically. In fact, sometimes the learning happens amid our days and we miss it.

Some concepts are best taught and retained from experience with real-life objects.

Money is one of those topics.

The best way to understand money is to use it—take if off the page, get your hands on it, and practice the skills.

For children, preschool through elementary, learning money concepts will look like

Coin recognition - My husband’s spare change hangs out on the counter or in the console of the car. Most of our children have found it, eventually, inquiring, “May I have this?” There’s interest and engagement—a perfect combination for retention. A simple explanation—”This is a penny. This is a dime. This is a nickel. This is a quarter.”— while placing the coin in the child’s hand will effectively teach coin identification. Next time the coins are laying around, review the concept. If the child has a piggy bank or other collection container, empty the contents, sort the coins, and review the coin names. Coin recognition can be that simple, and it will stick.

Coin value - Maybe your child already knows the coin names and is ready to associate values— “A penny is one cent. This is a dime, it’s worth ten pennies. It’s ten cents.” This concept will take some time and practice to master, but again, with real coins and a piggy bank, there’s an undercurrent of interest.

Coin addition - Once the child recognizes the coin and it’s value, there’s almost an automatic need to be able to “find out home much I have”. Here begins the understanding of adding money—combining two groups. To move with the interest, place two or three coins in your learner’s hand. Add one from your hand and add the total of the two coins. Write the corresponding addition equation on a piece of paper so the child can associate the actual coins, their value, and the symbols of the equation. Start with pennies for the youngest learners and move to greater values, hence addition of two digits.

Calculated change - Once the concept of coin addition has been mastered, it’s time to tackle the concept of change—what will be given back after a purchase. The difference. We found this concept was easy to learn while playing store or working with oral problems. For example, “I have three quarters and want to buy this pencil for $0.65. What change will I receive back from the cashier?” Of course, the youngest learners will be best served using pennies and then moving to larger amounts.

Saving and Spending Real-Life Practice

Aside from playing store and counting money in a piggy bank, we give a few coins (maybe two dimes, a quarter, four nickels) every once and awhile, random amounts--could be a quarter or two dimes, whatever. We tell the child the money is his or hers and they can do with it what they choose. They quickly figure out if they save it, it adds up. The process naturally brings questions, everything from savings to buying houses to investing. Real money is a motivator. We do this for an entire school year because the lessons are so valuable. They are real world lessons of being faithful with little and being given much. The process also gives us the ability to see which of your children have a tendency to spend, give and save. It’s a window into their minds and hearts. They’ve all been different.

Playing Games

Games have offered opportunity to learn and practice money skills with larger amounts. Among the favorites are

• Allowance

• Monopoly

• Monopoly Jr.

• Life

This is just a sampling of ways real money aids in cementing important math skills and financial concepts, beginning with the youngest learners.

Those coins on your counter or in your console? Wonder and learning await. In fact, learning is likely happening and it’s waiting to be fostered.

Keep learning intentional and real and it will be remembered.

15 Ways to Make Letter and Numeral Writing Fun

What if a little learner—a preschooler or Kindergartener—doesn’t want to use a paper and pencil to write?

Bring on the unique and intriguing.

• Writing in sand or mud with a stick

• Forming letters and numerals in the sand with a small car (we call them letter tracks—smooth and “write” another track)

• Writing in shaving cream applied to a tile wall or shower door

• Using a bucket of water and paintbrush to paint water letters on a garage door or outdoor wall

• Writing with sidewalk chalk on the driveway or sidewalk

• Forming letters and numerals with objects (acorns, shells, and rocks for the win!)

• Finger painting

• Making letters or numerals with a dauber bottle inker (Bingo blotter bottle)

• Shaping letters or numerals with yarn

• Forming playdough letters with rolled “snakes”

• Painting tempera or watercolor letters with a cotton swab

• Forming letters and numbers with spaghetti noodles

• Writing on a dry erase board

• Making homemade soft pretzel letters or numerals

• Using people to make letters (laying on a floor)

Keep minds curious and they will ingeniously think of other ideas, ideas you and I would never imagine.

When Learning Doesn't Have a Paper Trail

Learning is often measured in paper. Thirty-problem speed drills. Handwriting practice sheets. Chapter tests. Lab reports. Paragraph summaries. In and of themselves, these items aren't terrible or wrong. They have their place. However, valuable learning also takes place when there are no visible, tangible traces, especially when teaching young children.

Last spring, we had one of those weeks where significant educational progress was made but not all our activities could not be measured in paper. Our experiences were stellar and our children talked about them with joy and amazing recall. They were life-impacting and applicable. Learning took place, but we didn't have sheets and sheets of paper to prove our efforts. Here’s a glimpse into some of the learning fun we had during the course of the week.

• reviewed number recognition, numbers 1-75, while playing BINGO with great-grandma

• sorted, counted, and rolled coins (collected in the family change jar for our anticipated family night out)

• played the Pizza Fraction Fun game several times and then the younger children cared the pieces off to play “restaurant”

• weighed potatoes and onions on a kitchen scale and compared the weights

• made figures with tangrams (geometry)

• played Scrabble with older learners for spelling

• wrote letters (olders wrote their spelling words) on the driveway with sidewalk chalk

• retold a story we heard someone else tell and then discussed how point of view and experiences determine potential bias

• read three picture books: Blueberries for Sal, Caps for Sale, and The Raft

• read a recipe, followed directions, and measured ingredients

• listened to Jim Weiss stories on CD

• spelled three- and four-letter short vowel words on a whiteboard

• listened to The Tale of Two Cities and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (audio books enjoyed by older learners)

• reviewed state abbreviations while driving to grandma's house

• watched bees pollinate flowers

• assembled a floor puzzle of the United States

• listened to me read Meet the Pilgrim Fathers by Elizabeth Payne to the youngest learners

• learned body systems and their functions while listening to Lyrical life Science: Human Body

• discussed the nutritional content of three types of cereal by comparing labels; discussion of fats, sugar, and minerals

• cared for the neighbor's dogs and evenly distributed the money earned with the children who participated

Children were engaged. Learning occurred. There was not a traditional paper trail for these activities. Much of the evidence resided in the minds of my children.

How did we document our learning?

We kept a resource list of books we read, recorded the activities on our log, and took pictures of the whiteboard, tangram creations, games, and completed puzzle.

What I loved most about our week was that we learned together. We were relaxed and enjoyed our conversations. As I read, the children asked questions and we added to our vocabulary. When we needed to be outside, we went. There was joy.

Our learning was

Intentional. Real. and Relational.

And, it mattered.

Teaching Math with Picture Books

What a delightful day!

Our day unfolded much differently than I had thought. That’s never happens for you, right? Ha!

A little learner presented a borrowed library book, one of my childhood favorites, No Roses for Harry by Gene Zion. A fun read about curious, adventurous Harry, a black-spotted terrier. Children relate to Harry, his personified adventures, and feelings because they resemble those young children face.

In this read, Harry receives a rose-adorned sweater from grandma. He is not enthused. How often do children receive gifts, perhaps something they don't like or didn't expect? What do they do with those feelings? What discussions come out of those feelings? As this plot unfolds, the narrator tells of Harry's experience. In our home, conversations followed. Thoughts were shared and lessons learned in a non-threatening manner, because, of course, they began with a playful friend with whom my children could relate.

Oh, the discussions we had!

Our little learners wanted to continue learning with Harry.

A counting book! Thinking it would be fun to learn counting while making spots on Harry, I drew an outline sketch of Harry and littles began stamping circles of paint (with the end of a dowel rod, but a carrot dipped in paint would work, too) on this body—first one spot, then two, then three and so on to ten.

With ten Harry prints spread out to dry on the kitchen floor, I cut the end off a celery bunch and we printed "roses" on green paper. This printing project became our cover.

We practiced counting to ten, forward and backward. To extend our learning, we put chocolate sandwich cookies (spots) in sets. For this activity, I called out a number and each learner would count out a set of corresponding cookies. Then I would have the child write the number on paper. This activity reinforced the ability to convert auditory information into a visual and symbolic representation, the ability to count objects to ten, to visually remember a specific set of objects, and to write the symbolic representation (the numeral).

My children loved the learning time. They loved doing and learning. We loved the time together.

When all the pages were dry, we bound our Counting with No Roses for Harry with pieces of scrap fabric.

Our counting book is now "read" as much as No Roses for Harry. It’s a personal favorite. Priceless.

There's a learning moment in every story.

If you are looking for concept picture books that teach math, check out this post.

How to Create Your Own Timeline

I remember one season of our home education journey when everyone—preschool to high school—studied American History. I intentionally planned for the year, knowing our days with five learners our would be full and there would be lots of excitement buzzing about the home. Having everyone study American history on his or her level helped simplify our home learning.

“Timelines help children place people and events in history. They are a concrete visual of often abstract concepts. ”

In one particular part of that year, we were all digging into the American Revolution. Some enjoyed learning about George Washington while others wanted to act out the Boston Tea Party. The resulting conversations became engaging as siblings shared what was being read in biographies, heard on Liberty Kids, or gained from audio materials like Drive Through History. In addition, every learner had a different angle or perspective on the men, women, and events of the time. To tie everyone’s study together, we created a family timeline; an activity that could involve everyone.

“We’ve made several timelines over our 26 years of home education. Every one was unique, every one different based on our study of the time. ”

Our hallway timeline. When I want our timeline to be accessible, in sight and readily available at any given time—like a world map or globe—it extends the length of our hallway at a child’s eye level. To create this timeline, I pulled a stack of sentence strips from my supplies. Had I not had them leftover from a sentence-building exercise, I would have used four-inch strips of card stock or poster board. I taped the strips down one side of the hall and up the other; end-to-end the length of the hallway. Once hung, I used a permanent marker to write dates in fifty year increments, beginning with 1200 (1200, 1250, 1300, 1350 and so on). If you choose to this DIY project, you can easily adjust the dates for the length of your hallway, with the extent of your study in mind.

With several children adding to the timeline, there’s been times when all eyes were on the hall wall, times when siblings were interested in what others were placing on the wall. Our children are curious about the people or events they were studying but also interested in what they siblings were learning. Questions were asked. Siblings answered. Sometimes they enlisted my help. I love watching the process, observing their thinking and problem solving, their summations of what had been learned.

Our file folder timeline. One year I wasn’t quite ready to add tape to the freshly painted hall wall. I had to come up with another option. An abundance of file folders from cleaning out our old metal file cabinets provided us with instant cardstock. I cut the folders in half and glued them together so they would folded, accordian-style. Once folded, the timeline could be stored on a bookshelf. When a learner wanted to add a picture, he or she pulled out the timeline. This version saved my walls, but it didn’t create the same buzz as having the timeline out, front and center, to stop in front of and ponder.

Adding Pictures

The fun part of creating a timeline is adding the pictures. Children love to cut and paste. For the pictures, we use the index of old textbooks (discarded by my history teaching hubby) to locate needed pictures. For example, if a learner is searching for a picture of Alexander Graham Bell, I teach (or review with) him or her to use the index, which requires alphabetization (as study skill). We head to the “B’s” and the move to the “BE” words, and so on. Once we locate the page where Alexander Graham Bell is featured, we cut out any pictures. We follow the same procedure for any person or event studied. Cut out pictures are added to the timeline. If we can’t find a picture, we find a picture on the internet and print it.

Learning is fueled by excitement and engagement. Our timelines add to the engagement, especially the hallway timeline. And, I love that it was accessible. Anytime children walk down the hallway, they’re re-engaged and make observations (“Wow, so many things happened in 1776!”). Timelines offer constant review and consistent reinforcement. And, in those seasons when I have had to repaint the hallway, I smiled as I remembered the discussions which had taken place in that space. We learned history, but we also learned together.

Every. Moment. Matters.

Wright Brothers Mini Unit Study (and an Intentional Mom)

Looking for a new read-aloud, we headed to our home library.

Majority vote determined The Wright Brothers (from the Landmark series) by Quentin Reynolds would be our next read.

From the very first page, we were captivated—science, geography, life application. My mom heart also received needed encouragement. BONUS.

Susan Wright encouraged her boys to ask questions, to remain curious, to love learning. This thread wove through the book. Pages four through six impacted me greatly; in fact, I often quote from this passage when I speak to parents on the topic of little learners.

Susan Wright inspired her children with her ability to encourage questions and cultivate wonder. She gave them time to explore and discover. Her efforts changed history.

Susan Wright changed history with her intentionally.

I want to be an intentional mom. I’ve learned doing so can be hard. It takes courage to be different, to do things in ways that meet the needs of my children and fosters their development—their bodies, minds, and hearts.

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“    What makes a bird fly, Mother?” Wilbur asked.

     “Their wings, Will,” she said. “You notice they move their wings and that makes them go faster.”

     “But Mother, “ Will said, not quite satisfied, “that bird that just swooped down didn’t even move his wings. He swooped down and grabbed a fish, and then went right up again. He never moved his wings at all.”

      “The wind doesn’t just blow toward you or away from you,” she said. “It blows up and down too. When a current of air blows up, it takes the bird up. This wings support him in the air.”

— The Wright Brothers, Quentin Reynolds

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The story continues as the brothers ask their mother questions about what they were observing. Wilbur insists he could fly if he had wings; if he could make wings. The narrator invites the reader into the conclusion of the chapter.

---

“She knew that even an eleven-year-old boy can have ideas of his own, and just because they happened to come from an eleven-year-old head—well, that didn’t make them foolish. She never treated her children as if they were babies, and perhaps that’s why they liked to go fishing with her or on picnics with her. And that’s why they kept asking her questions.”

— The Wright Brothers, Quentin Reynolds

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We finished the book and our children wanted to learn more about the Wright Brothers and flight (thanks to the engaging plot). My children dug in and their interests led to asking the local butcher for Styrofoam meat trays from which we cut glider wings. Gliders led to creating a Science Fair project which hypothesized the effect of paper weight on the flight of paper airplanes. We folded, flew, measured, and compared. What a journey!

It all started with a trip to our home library.

I hadn’t planned on this mini unit study, it blossomed from a read-aloud. It was a welcomed treat, one fueled by the learner’s next question or idea. One thing led to another.

You may experience something similar, an interest that takes off. Ride the wave and embrace the moments. You will be surprised where the interests and questions lead.

It may be better than you could have imagined.

Let’s get started…

Books

Who Were the Wright Brothers, James Buckley, Jr.

Charles Lindbergh: Hero Pilot, David R. Collins

A is for Aviation: The ABCs of Airplanes, Spaceships, Rockets, and More!, J. H. Heitsch

The Wright Brothers by Elizabeth MacLeod

To Fly: The Story of the Wright Brothers by Wendie C. Old

The Airplane Alphabet Book, Jerry Pallotta

The Jet Alphabet Book, Jerry Pallotta

The Glorious Flight: Across the Channel with Louis Bleriot, Alice Provensen

The Story of Flight, Mary Lee Settle

First Flight: The Story of Tom Tate and the Wright Brothers by George Shea

The Story of the Wright Brothers: A Biography Book for New Readers, Annette Whipple

Learning Resources

Wright Brothers unit study (includes instructions for making gliders

Another tutorial for making gliders

Smithsonian: The Wright Brothers and the Aerial Age

Parts of a plane

National Park Service Wright Brothers curriculum

Scholastic teacher activity guide

Search for online video clips about the Wright Brothers, the history of flight, or men and women who changed flight

Keep in mind, this study may launch interests to birds, rockets, engineering and more!

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Have a high school learner interested in flight? Check out David McCullough’s excellent, The Wright Brothers, published in 2016.

Kindergarten at Home: What Little Learners Need

The Kindergarten year lays the educational foundation for life and learning.

In fact, it is during the Kindergarten year that little learners get their “first taste” of “school”. What they think about “school” and who they are as a learner is developed from their experiences in this first year. That’s weighty to me, but also freeing—so you are not alone if that hits you hard. Keep reading, there’s help and freedom in this decision.

There’s freedom in choosing what’s best for your family from the buffet of choices.

Kindergarteners  master foundational skills which serve as a knowledge base for the years and skills to come. Included in that foundation are the attitudes toward learning.  If the days and the education in those days are rushed—pushed—learning becomes burdensome, uninteresting, and often irrelevant. When learning flows naturally from that which is real and relational—interesting and personal—joy and wonder fuel their unending curiosity.

A love of learning is nurtured and begins with the items and people little learners love most.

I reminisce over the years we’ve spent with our Kinders. There’s been eight of them. I also taught K4s prior to coming home with my own. For my first-hand experience, I know these years can be fun, soul-nurturing, and satisfying. Here’s a peek into how we’ve done Kindergarten.

Nurture Curiosity. We purpose to give our children the gifts of investigation, experimentation, and discovery. In our home, Kindergarten science is hands-on. At different points during the year we

• observe caterpillars change to butterflies (you can order them online or plant a small portion of milkweed in a bed outside your home.

• purchase an ant farm (again online)

• dig holes outside and allow use of water, PVC pipe, small rocks, and anything needed to build dams, lakes, and pretend sinkholes

• plant seeds and grow beans

• watch bird behavior—building nests, flight patterns, listen and identify bird calls

• go hang out by the lake to feed ducks and fish, catch and release minnows

• go to the beach and find treasures and critters,collect and identify shells

• find tadpoles and watch them change to frogs

• build forts

• play in puddles

• observe different spider webs

• use magnifying glasses and our Magiscope

We check out books from the library on whatever topics we’re learning about (this doesn’t stop at Kindergarten). We also purchase resources and build our home library. The books fuel the curiosity. In our home, Kindergarten science is relaxed, real, engaging, and open-ended—meaning we dig in as deep as we want into any interest. In the end, science concepts well beyond Kindergarten are learned and retained. This has served all abilities well—learning challenged to gifted—and works well when teaching multiple-age children.

Nurture the Mind. This is closely related to and interweaves with nurturing curiosity. One of the reasons we decided to homeschool centered around how individual I knew learning could be and how that individualization could foster thinking, not matter what the age or ability of the child. Nurturing the mind can happen while playing (PLAY is super important in the early years), while engaged in conversation (littles NEED us to listen to their ideas and feelings), or while pondering open-ended questions (questions which cannot be answered with yes or no). Little learners are natural questioners. They wonder what will happen next, how things happen, and when things will happen. It is in this inquisitiveness that they learn how life and people work, interact, and interrelate. Questioning is one of the most important life skills parents can foster and nurture. Mike and I foster inquisitiveness with commentaries and questions which invite our children to do the same. 

• I wonder how the (insert animal) stays warm.

• What comes next in the sequence?  

• I wonder if (insert item) will work better with this or that.

• What do you think will happen next?

• I wonder where that trail leads.

• Let's watch the (insert animal). I wonder what it will do next. 

• How long do you think it will take to ...?

Nurture Physical Development. The park was our friend. Children need to run, skip, pump swings, climb rock walls. They need to move. Their bodies are still growing and developing essential muscle ability. Because the body develops from the center to the limb, a strong core is vital. I reminded myself when my children wanted to learn to spell their names, that core development influenced their ability to do so.

Part of why we decided to homeschool rested on the knowledge that I could give my children whatever they needed concept wise and not rob them of time to play. We use a solid math curriculum and we keep moving forward, meaning we sometimes need the first grade level. We don’t spend more than 20 mins at the table at at a time and provide interesting "math tools" to investigate, experiment with, and learn to use.

• kitchen scale

• tape measure

• ruler

• yardstick

• outside thermometer

• measuring cups and spoons

• a funnel

• bathroom scale (weights more than people, smile!)

• shape stencils

• protractors

In addition, the child’s piggy bank provides a great meaningful (children want to know how much money they have) resource to learn coin recognition; counting by ones, fives, and tens; and adding. We add engaging math-based picture books where we are able.

Outside of math, we

Read aloud. Reading aloud has been one of the most rewarding activities we've done in our more than years of teaching and parenting littles—picture books, biographies, non-fiction wonders. Each title opens opportunities for setting a template for the English language, building vocabulary, bolstering listening skills, understanding parts of a story, retelling events, the list goes on. Interestingly, there have been times when our little learners are seemingly off in their own world—playing, stacking blocks, coloring—while I read and yet, hours later, they remember EVERY word. So, as you embark on the read aloud journey, I encourage you to read, even when you think your learners are not engaged or paying attention. They are listening. Your reading matters!

The goal was to read aloud, everyday: one picture book, one science-related book (generally from what they were interested in or what we were observing and studying), and one biography or history-related book.

I made sure I left time for pretend play.

Pretend play. Littles learn by imagining and doing, by role playing and creating dialogue in relaxed and uninterrupted environments. Pretend play utilizes the senses and engages the mind, building language and thinking skills. Beginning in the toddler years, littles can be found feeding baby dolls, talking on pretend telephones, playing store, and mixing marvelous meals in a play kitchen. This continues through Kindergarten. What's needed? Props! Some of our favorite pretend play items have been:

• calculators, adding machines, and toy cash registers

• dress up clothes and hats, backpacks and purses

• fabric pieces, scarves, or old costumes

• aprons, chef hats, pretend food, and dishes

• stuffed animals and dolls

• receipt books, stickers, and play money

• old telephones, computer keyboards, and monitors

• puppets and make-shift card table theaters 

When the afternoon boredom sets in, I allow my children to utilize our art supplies or play games. You can read about how we built and organized our art supplies. Our favorite learning games are listed here. While creating art or playing games, littles practice turn taking with supplies, deferment to another person, waiting for others to make decisions or complete a turn, as well as a multitude of cognitive skills.

We want our Kindergarteners to know they matter—their thoughts, their ideas, their feelings, their development.

One of the best things about homeschooling is we get to do life together.

Do life together. One of the things I love about parenting Kindergarteners is watching their faces light up—indoors and outdoors, around the home, and on vacation.

• Getting the mail might lead to a conversation about stamps, addresses, states, or modes of transportation.

• Setting the table teaches one-to-one correspondence.

• Folding laundry offers opportunities to make fractional parts by folding in half and in half again.

• Matching shoes and sorting toys provides real-life situations for identifying similarities and differences.

• Making together, kitchen experiences: measuring, comparing, weighing (math skills) as well as muscle skills, scrubbing potatoes, stirring, and kneading together. Doing life together allows preschoolers to learn alongside. 

Every moment is a marvel, especially when Kindergarten learners are engaged in doing life with those they love.

Kinders are relational. They want to engage in face-to-face conversation and hand-in-hand exploration. When we talk to our children, listen to their questions, concerns, and ideas, we model interpersonal skills and they learn how to process information, feelings, and emotions. These skills are some of the most valuable nuggets our little learners will internalize in their early years. 

We purpose Kindergarten to be natural, engaging, and personal. We don’t spend extended time sitting at tables or face-to-face with workpages and fill-in the blanks. We want learning to be meaningful and relaxed, an extension of life, not segmented or overly scheduled.

Kindergarten may not look the same for you or your family. It’s part of the freedom you have to do what you feel is best needed for your children. Read and learn what’s out there, but spend most of your time observing, learning about, and enjoying nurturing your child. You will be surprised at the gains—cognitively, socially, emotionally, and physically.

Kindergarten is a gift.

Best to you as you unwrap that gift.

25 Games to Teach Elementary Skills

Games are a daily occurance in our home. They’re fun. They’re engaging. They’re relational and they’re educational. Games are a WIN WIN and a welcomed rescue to table time. Here’s a few we’ve loved, preschool through elementary.

• BINGO (number recognition 1-75)

• Matching/Concentration (similarities and differences, short-term memory, working memory)

• War - with a deck of cards (matching quantity, more than, less than)

• Dominoes (matching similarities, quantity recognition 1-6, counting 1-6)

• Scrabble Junior (letter recognition, introductory phonics, initial consonant sounds, spelling)

• Uncle Wiggly (number recognition 1-100, counting)

• Guess Who? (critical thinking, problem solving)

• Rush Hour Traffic Jam Logic Game (thinking skills by ThinkFun)

• Hi-Ho Cherry-O (early counting, addition and subtraction concepts)

• Barrel of Monkeys (GREAT for motor skills!)

• Busy Bee (thinking skills, addition, an oldie but goodie introduced to us by great-grandma)

• Rivers, Roads, and Rails (thinking skills, another oldie by goodie)

• World and US map floor puzzles (geography)

• Scrabble Sentence Game for Juniors (sentence structure, spelling)

• Scrabble Sentence Cube Game (sentence structure, spelling)

• Learning Resources Pizza Fraction Fun (fractions)

• Oreo Matching Middles (shape matching)

• Hopscotch (great for motor skills)

• Simon Says (listening and following directions)

• Checkers (thinking skills)

• Hail to the Chief (history)

• RACK-O (counting 1-60, more than, less than)

• Yahtzee (quantity recognition, addition, multiplication)

• Even Steven’s Odd (counting, sequencing, number patterns, addition, and multiplication)

• Somebody Game (human body game)

Seven Things Preschoolers Need

Preschool education forms the foundation for life and learning. In fact, it is during the preschool years that little learners master foundational skills which serve as a knowledge base for the years and skills to come. Included in that foundation are the attitudes toward learning.  If the days and the education in those days are rushed—pushed—learning becomes burdensome, uninteresting, and often irrelevant. When learning flows naturally from that which is real and relational—interesting and personal—joy and wonder fuel their unending curiosity.

A love of learning is nurtured and begins with the items and people little learners love most.

How is a love of learning fostered, nurtured, and cultivated?

Go outside. Bikes. Bird nests. Sand. Water. Rock wall. Littles are on the move and interested in things that move! Movement is part of their physical and cognitive development. Littles are not made to be at tables and desks for extended periods of time. Instead, they need to be involved, moving and engaged. Outdoors—at the playground, on a nature trail, in the park, along a shoreline, at the beach—provides a natural classroom with endless possibilities for learning.

Read aloud. Reading aloud has been one of the most rewarding activities we've done in our more than years of teaching and parenting littles—picture books, biographies, non-fiction wonders. Each title opens opportunities for setting a template for the English language, building vocabulary, bolstering listening skills, understanding parts of a story, retelling events, the list goes on. Interestingly, there have been times when our little learners are seemingly off in their own world—playing, stacking blocks, coloring—while I read and yet, hours later, they remember EVERY word. So, as you embark on the read aloud journey, I encourage you to read, even when you think your learners are not engaged or paying attention. They are listening. Your reading matters!

Pretend play. Preschoolers learn by imagining and doing, by role playing and creating dialogue in relaxed and uninterrupted environments. Pretend play utilizes the senses and engages the mind, building language and thinking skills. Beginning in the toddler years, littles can be found feeding baby dolls, talking on pretend telephones, playing store, and mixing marvelous meals in a play kitchen. What's needed? Props! Some of our favorite pretend play items have been:

• measuring cups and spoons

• calculators, adding machines, and toy cash registers

• dress up clothes and hats, backpacks and purses

• fabric pieces, scarves, or old costumes

• magnifying glasses, binoculars. or a Brock Magiscope

• rulers, tape measures, protractors, and shape stencils

• aprons, chef hats, pretend food, and dishes

• stuffed animals and dolls

• receipt books, stickers, and play money

• old telephones, computer keyboards, and monitors

• puppets and make-shift card table theaters 

Games. Playing games allow children to learn important life skills, naturally, in a relax environment. While playing, littles practice turn taking, deferment to another person, waiting for others to make decisions or complete a turn, as well as a multitude of cognitive skills. Our favorite preschool learning games include:

• BINGO (number recognition 1-75)

• Matching cards (similarities and differences)

• Dominoes (matching similarities, quantity recognition 1-6, counting 1-6)

• Scrabble Junior (letter recognition, introductory phonics, initial consonant sounds)

• Uncle Wiggly (number recognition 1-100, counting)

• Guess Who? (critical thinking)

• Hi-Ho Cherry-O (early counting, addition and subtraction concepts)

• Barrel of Monkeys (GREAT for motor skills!)

• Busy Bee (an oldie but goodie introduced to us by great-grandma)

• Rivers, Roads, and Rails (another oldie by goodie)

• Hopscotch (great for motor skills)

• Simon Says (listening and following directions)

• Checkers (critical thinking skills)

Do life together. One of the things I love about parenting preschoolers is watching their faces light up—indoors and outdoors, around the home, and on vacation.

• Getting the mail might lead to a conversation about stamps, addresses, states, or modes of transportation.

• Setting the table teaches one-to-one correspondence.

• Folding laundry offers opportunities to make fractional parts by folding in half and in half again.

• Matching shoes and sorting toys provides real-life situations for identifying similarities and differences.

• Making together, kitchen experiences: measuring, comparing, weighing (math skills) as well as muscle skills, scrubbing potatoes, stirring, and kneading together. Doing life together allows preschoolers to learn alongside. 

Every moment is a marvel, especially when preschoolers are engaged in doing life with those they love.

Talk and listen. Preschoolers are relational. They want to engage in face-to-face conversation and hand-in-hand exploration. When we talk to our children, listen to their questions, concerns, and ideas, we model interpersonal skills and they learn how to process information, feelings, and emotions. These skills are some of the most valuable nuggets our little learners will internalize in their early years. 

Ask questions. It is no secret that little learners are natural questioners. They wonder what will happen next, how things happen, and when things will happen. It is in this inquisitiveness that they learn how life and people work, interact, and interrelate. Questioning is one of the most important life skills parents can foster and nurture. Mike and I foster inquisitiveness with commentaries and questions which invite our children to do the same. 

• I wonder how the (insert animal) stays warm.

• What comes next in the sequence?  

• I wonder if (insert item) will work better with this or that.

• What do you think will happen next?

• I wonder where that trail leads.

• Let's watch the (insert animal). I wonder what it will do next. 

• How long do you think it will take to ...?

Looking for a guide, a resource to encourage you through learning in the preschool years? One of my favorite resources for understanding the needs of little learners was Home Grown Kids by Raymond and Dorothy Moore. Once our children entered first grade The Three R's by Ruth Beechick became a go-to resource.

The preschool years are the wonder years, full of life and discovery, ripe with curiosity.

When learning flows naturally from that which is real and relational--interesting and personal--retention follows closely behind.

Teaching Counting Skills with Picture Books

Counting books cycle in our home—about every four years over the past three decades as little learners grow and start their quest to conquer the concepts and skills involved in counting. 

Noticing some of our favorites are disappearing from the library shelves, I am purposefully adding some of our quickly disappearing favorites to our home library. We LOVE them that much! I think you may, too.

1. How Many Snails? Rich, bold vibrant colors invite little learners to jump in, use observation skills, and count! Though counting is the main skill reinforced, attributes, following directions, and processing fair well, too. One of our favorites! Author: Paul Giganti, Jr.

2. M&M Counting Book. The familiar candies on the front draw readers to scoop up the content. Once opened, this book teaches counting through 12, counting sets, and beginning addition and subtraction. Author: Barbara Barbieri McGrath

3. Counting is for the Birds. The rhyming text makes this brilliantly-illustrated counting-to-twenty book an all-time favorite of ours. Author: Frank Mazzola, Jr.

4. Cardinal Numbers: An Ohio Counting Book. Counting 1 - 14 with beautiful illustrations and real-world word problems on the last pages, this book is one of many in the Sleeping Bear Press numbers series. We found this a favorite for our older children, too, as side bars on each page offer additional learning opportunities for curious learners. Author: Marcia Schonberg

5. Great Estimations. An intriguing look at estimating as an advanced counting technique. Great photography, fun examples, and helpful hints for counting objects in large numbers. Great for older learners, too! Author: Bruce Goldstone.

6. The Coin Counting Book. Counting takes a journey into the world of coin recognition and value. Great for beginning coin counters with piggy bank of coins waiting to be counted.  Another of our favorites due to the natural interest most kids have in money. Author: Rozanne Lanczank Williams.

7. Eating Pairs: Counting Fruits and Vegetables by Two. What about odds and evens? This unique counting book is one we love for teaching the concept of odd and even. We love that the numbers are written down the side bar of each page, begging for us to count along...again! Author: Sarah L. Schuette.

8. The Crayon Counting Book. While on the subject of odds and evens, we love this one, too! Again, the big bold numbers on each page help connect objects and symbols—and important part of math development. Check this one out and don’t be surprised if you are coloring at the close of the book. Authors: Pam Munoz Ryan and Jerry Pallotta.

9. 10 Little Rubber Ducks. Fictionalized counting story of a real-life event presented alongside the classic Eric Carle collage art. Bright illustrations and a intriguing story line. Great addition to the home library, for sure! Author: Eric Carle.

10. Even Steven and Odd Todd. Another odd and even favorite, this one hails from the Hello Math Reader series. This is a great counting read for a little learner who has an interest in learning to read. It’s larger font is particularly inviting. My littles often choose this book for our before-bed reading. Author: Kathryn Cristaldi

Counting is fun and it’s remembered, especially when it’s off the page, engaging, and off the page. These books will you have fun while learning.

60 Nature Study Resources to Foster Curiosity in Your Children

YOU can teach science!

When I began homeschooling twenty-six years ago, one of the topics I felt least prepared to teach was science. What if I couldn’t teach my children what they were supposed to learn? What if I missed something important? 

Then came a realization.

Children LOVE being outdoors and they LOVE to ask questions—two factors providing a great foundation from which to work.

Maybe I could teach science?

Years later, I know I can. It’s not about me coming up with great plans and fancy curriculum.

It’s about me fostering the curiosity and providing engaging resources; being available to listen to ideas and help process information.

The same is true today as I embark on another year with a handful of learners, preschool through high school.  

Perhaps you face the same doubts and similar questions.  

You are not alone.

Your learners may be at different ages and stages. You may live in the city.

Again, you are not alone.

YOU can teach science!

This post provides over 60 resources you can use today!

But FIRST, here are some important starting points.

Starting Points for Successful Study

• Find out what your children want to learn, what interests them. Start there.

• If there are no hints, start with animals. Most children love animals, of some type.

• Add real experiences.  Many can be found around your home or community.

• Provide a field guide or two for found treasures.

• Gather a pile of inviting non-fiction and picture books.

Now for the resources

Nature-Related Picture Books

A Nest is Noisy, Dianna Hutts Aston

Miss Rumphius, Barbara Cooney

One Morning in Maine, Robert McCloskey

Owl Moon, Jane Yolen

Roxaboxen, Alice McLerran

Snowflake Bentley, Jacqueline Briggs Martin

The Raft, Jim LaMarche

Nature-Related Non-Fiction Books

Blooms and Plants

From Seed to Plant, Gail Gibbons

How a Seed Grows, Helene J. Jordan

Planting a Rainbow, Lois Ehlert

Stems and Roots, David M. Schwartz

The Carrot Seed, Ruth Krauss

The Tiny Seed, Eric Carle

Tops and Bottoms, Janet Stevens

Insects and Crawlies

About Arachnids: A Guide for Children, Cathyrn Sill

About Insects: A Guide for Children, Cathryn Sill

Ant Cities, Arthur Dorros

Are You A Grasshopper? Judy Allen

Bugs Are Insects, Anne Rockwell

The Ant and the Grasshopper, Amy Lowry Poole

The Honey Makers, Gail Gibbons

Tadpoles and Frogs

About Amphibians: A Guide for Children, Cathryn Sill

Frogs, Gail Gibbons

Frogs and Polliwogs, Dorothy Childs Hogner

From Tadpole to Frog, Wendy Pfeffer

Beaches

About Crustaceans: A Guide for Children, Cathryn Sill

A House for Hermit Crab, Eric Carle

Gulls, Gulls, Gulls, Gail Gibbons

Sea Shells, Crabs, and Sea Stars, Christiane Kump Tibbitts

What Lives in A Shell?, Kathleen Weidner Zoehfeld

Fins

About Fish: A Guide for Children, Cathryn Sill

Feathered Friends

All About Birds, Cathryn Sill

About Hummingbirds: A Guide for Children, Cathryn Sill

Counting is for the Birds, Frank Mazzola, Jr.

Furry Critters

All About Mammals, Cathryn Sill

Field Guides and Resources

A Handbook of Nature Study, Anna Botsford Comstock

Florida’s Fabulous Series

                Florida’s Fabulous Waterbirds: Their Stories, Winston Williams

                Florida’s Fabulous Land Birds: Their Stories, Winston Williams

Florida’s Fabulous Reptiles and Amphibians: Snakes, Lizards, Alligators, Frogs and Turtles, Winston Williams

Take-Along Guides

                Caterpillars, Bugs, and Butterflies, Mel Boring

                Birds, Nests, and Eggs, Mel Boring

                Trees, Leaves, and Bark, Diane Burns

Peterson Field Guides  http://www.houghtonmifflinbooks.com/peterson/

Peterson Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of Eastern and Central North America, Fourth Edition, Powell, Conant, and Collins

Nature-Related Drawing Books for Sketchers and Creatives

Draw 50 Birds: The Step-by-Step Way to Draw Chickadees, Peacocks, Toucans, Mallards, and Many More of Our Feathered Friends, Lee J. Ames

Draw 50 Flowers, Trees, and Other Plants: The Step-by-Step Way to Draw Orchids, Weeping Willows, Prickly Pears, Pineapples, and Many More..., Lee J. Ames

How to Draw Flowers (Dover How to Draw), Barbara Soloff Levy

Supplies and Materials

Brock Magiscope https://www.cherylbastian.com/blog/2016/4/22/owl-pellets-and-a-magiscope-simple-discovery-science

Carolina Biological Supply Company  https://www.carolina.com/ (owl pellets)

Educational Innovators https://www.teachersource.com/ (dolomite samples and owl pellets)

 Nature Gift Store https://www.nature-gifts.com/  (ant farms and live ants, butterflies)

Celebrate Simple Blog Posts

Blog post: Vintage Science Books for the WIN!

Use what is available in the backyard, at the park or beach front, on the porch or pond’s edge—wherever you happen to be.

Porch Science  https://www.cherylbastian.com/blog/2017/5/31/porch-science

Citizen Science https://www.cherylbastian.com/blog/2017/10/22/citizen-science-get-real-with-learning

Puddle Fun https://www.cherylbastian.com/blog/2016/10/4/children-learn-from-puddles

MORE…

We live in a suburban area. Though we have a backyard and a neighborhood to explore, we have to plan and be intentional about visiting state parks, ponds and streams, or the beach. When we travel we look for opportunities which are not typical or available in our area.

We’ve enjoyed

• Bird sanctuaries

• Rainforest exhibits

• Arboretums

• Nature preserves

• State and national parks

• Factories and manufacturing plants

• Museums and displays

• State and county fairs

YOU can teach science!

And, in doing so, you will not only keep your child’s natural curiosity alive, but you will open doors for other discipline areas like math and writing.

Maybe you are thinking. “There could have a WHOLE podcast on nature-related study.” In fact, there is! Check out this conversation I had with Jenni and Jody over at From Cradle to Calling.

When in doubt, remember to remind yourself to look for what interests your child. Start there!

YOU can teach science!

50 Picture Books Children Love

Picture books invite readers into the story, into the lives of the characters. While reading, listeners develop empathy and understanding of others' feelings and circumstances, almost without knowing the transformation is taking place. For this reason, picture books become a child's first experience with the power of story. Together as a family, we've jumped into the plots of Make Way for Ducklings by Robert McCloskey, Tops and Bottoms by Janet Stevens, and Caps for Sale by Esphyr Slobodkina.

• Ackerman, Karen, Song and Dance Man

• Brett, Jan, Town Mouse and Country Mouse

• Brown, Marcia, Stone Soup

• Burton, Virginia Lee, Katy and the Big Snow

• Burton, Virginia Lee, Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel

• Burton, Virginia Lee, The Little House

• Carle, Eric, A House for Hermit Crab

• Carle, Eric, The Grouchy Ladybug

• Cooney, Barbara, Miss Rumphius

• Eastman, P. D. , Are You My Mother?

• Ehlert, Lois, Pie in the Sky

• Estes, Eleanor, The Hundred Dresses

• Freeman, Don, Corduroy

• Fleming, Denise, Barnyard Banter

• Galdone, Paul, The Gingerbread Boy

• Gramatky, Hardie, Little Toot

• Hall, Donald, Ox-Cart Man

• Hoban, Russell and Lillian, Bread and Jam for Frances

• Hoff, Syd, Sammy the Seal

• Johnson, Crockett, Harold and the Purple Crayon

• Keats, Ezra Jack, Peter’s Chair

• Keats, Ezra Jack, The Snowy Day

• Keats, Ezra Jack, Whistle for Willie

• Krauss, Ruth, The Carrot Seed

• LaMarche, Jim, The Raft

• Laroche, Giles, If You Lived Here: Houses of the World

• Lindbergh, Reeve, Johnny Appleseed

• McCloskey, Robert, Blueberries for Sal

• McCloskey, Robert, Lentil

• McCloskey, Robert, One Morning in Maine

• Newberry, Clare Turlay, Barkis

• Perkins, Al, The Digging-est Dog

• Piper, Watty, The Little Engine that Could

• Stevens, Janet. Tops and Bottoms

• Swift, Hildegarde, The Little Red Lighthouse and the Great Gray Bridge

• Ward, Helen, Unwitting Wisdom: An Anthology of Aesop’s Fables

• Ward, Lynd, The Biggest Bear

• Wood, Audrey, The Napping House

• Yolan, Jane, Owl Moon

Younger listens learn concepts as we read.

Children ages 2-8 enjoy learning concepts through topics of interest, for example, cowboys, insects, or construction vehicles. Concept picture books make this possible and do so through relaxing moments with resources which foster both early learning and literacy.

• Alakija, Polly, Counting Chickens

• Carle, Eric, 10 Rubber Ducks

• Carle, Eric, Rooster’s Off to See the World

• Demarest, Chris, The Cowboy ABC

• Demarest, Chris, Firefighter A to Z

• Emberley, Barbara, Drummer Hoff

• Krull, Kathleen, M is for Music

• Laroche, Giles, If You Lived Here: Houses of the World

• McCurdy, Michael (illustrator), The Sailor’s Alphabet

• McGrath, Barbara, M&M Brand Chocolate Candies Counting Book

• McMillan, Bruce, Jelly Beans for Sale

• Pallotta, Jerry, The Icky Bug Alphabet Book

• Schnur, Steven, Spring: An Alphabet Acrostic

• Wadsworth, Olive A., Over in the Meadow: A Counting Rhyme

Older children learn about people who changed the world.

Biographical picture books. Our older picture book readers (which includes mom!) enjoy reading about real people who solve real problems. With biographical picture books, young readers don't have to wait until they can read chapter books to read about and meet some of the world's most significant history changers. Our favorites have included

• Dooling, Michael, Young Thomas Edison

• Moses, Will, Mary and Her Little Lamb

• Martin, Jacqueline Briggs, Snowflake Bentley

• Provensen, Alice and Martin, The Glorious Flight

A picture book invites readers into learning and into the stories of others, gently, peacefully, and purposefully. There will be pondering. There will be wonder. There will heart-changing impact, sometimes so subtly it will go unnoticed for a bit of time. 

Some of our most treasured family read-aloud moments and discussions have come from the pages we've turned together. 

With each book selected, read, placed on our shelves, and the read again, a legacy formed. That legacy is sweet, precious, unique to our family, as it will be yours. That story legacy is a gift, a gift which will continue to span generations. It is just one benefit of keeping learning real and relational. 

Distance Learning and Homeschooling

“Is the quarantine, distance learning like homeschooling? I mean, the kids are home, learning, so how is it different?”

This question. I’ve been asked it in many forms over the past weeks, but the underlying inquiry is the same.

Short answer. Not the same...SOMETIMES.

Sometimes?

We’re a homeschooling family of 26 years with four graduates. My husband is a 32-year veteran public school teacher currently instructing students via distance learning platforms. We’ve also been home education evaluators for 25 years.

We’ve sat around tables over the years; talking and looking through work samples produced by learners of all ages, walking with families from Kindergarten through graduation. We’ve seen the results of engaging a learning style and observed learners utilizing a great spectrum of learning philosophies. There’s been creative use of life opportunities and a collage of amazing educational creativity.

There are many types of home-based learning. It's a vast spectrum of possibilities. We’ve seen the results as we worked with families. Each family decides what works best for their family and begins to implement. There’s tweaking and adjusting to find good fits for learner. It’s not formulaic or set in stone. Some choose online learning exclusively, similiar to what my husband is doing with his public school students. The learners sit at the computer—read material, watch videos, take quizzes and tests—completing what the instructor assigns for all or most of their courses. That's one end of the spectrum. On the other end of the continuum, there's home education where a family uses everything they have at their fingertips and every part of life to promote thinking and learning—primary sources, museums, online courses, field trips, audio materials, cultural opportunities, civic events, library materials, entrepreneurial adventures, experiential activities, internships, mentorships, volunteer work, and even apprenticeships—to foster interests and cultivate the unique gifting of the learner. Families land all along this spectrum and some use different venues and resources for each child in the family. Learning doesn’t need to look the same for every child and although some home-based learning is like the distance learning many children and teens are experiencing in this season—where a teacher hands out all the work to be done and learners complete work virtually— there's also a plethora of other valuable options.

Home education is not bringing school home; duplicating what happens in a classroom. Yes, there are lessons, but they don’t all happen on paper or even on the computer. It is a tutorial method of education, an adjustment in teaching mode or method to the needs and developmental time table of the child. Sometimes that adjustment means not doing all the problems in a lesson because the material has been mastered. The time spent doing needless problems can be put toward learning another skill or free time to dig into an interest. At other times, home education allows for adjustments in schedule. An example would be taking a brain break after 10 minutes to refill a water bottle or do a few jumping jacks, maybe even ride a bicycle before heading back to a lesson. This is difficult to do in a group setting where jumping jacks might be considered a distraction to another student. With a limited number of learners it is easier to individualize schedules to optimize instruction. Home education also offers the opportunity to take learning off the page as much as necessary. This may take the form of observing life cycles, like caterpillars changing to butterflies or collecting tadpoles, instead of reading about the processes in a book. Experiential learning at the middle and high school level is possible, even preferable in many cases. In our years of coaching parents and young adults, we’ve encountered business start-ups and growth, video production projects, event planning, propagation of banana plants and engagement in sustainable gardening, award winning musicians, hopeful future Olympians, even the completion of the AA in conjunction with high school graduation. The possibilities are as vast as the learners who engage in this type of home education.

Side note #1. I am giving a shout out to the many educators I know who intentionally make experiential learning a priority because they know its value. I admire these educators—who often have to overcome obstacles to bring their students what they need because they know it’s best. Students are fortunate to have such opportunities. If that’s YOU, YOU matter and deserve KUDOS for the ingeniousness ways you make learning come alive in the classroom.

Side note #2. What many families are doing currently is crisis schooling—schooling with social distancing while sheltering at home under uncertain circumstances. Those who found themselves orchestrating distance learning did so with short notice while also navigating other life situations including job transitions. Most of us who chose to home educate didn’t have these obstacles to navigate. If you find yourself in the midst of circumstances you didn’t choose, my hat’s off to you. YOU can do this.

For those wondering if home education has changed, it’s a bit different, even for those of us who’ve been doing this awhile. Families are limited in comparison to what they normally have access. However, there is also possibility! The time is ripe for thinking, problem solving, and trying something different; with learning, that’s what people do—look for possibilities. Problem solve. Ask questions. Adjust. Ask more questions. Adjust and try again.

How is this season different, even for home education families?

With change, there’s opportunity to learn differently (hopefully a short season).

• Libraries are closed. Families must rely on their home libraries or online audio resources. We’ve personally enjoyed more Kindle and Audible. But, it’s still not quite the same—we love our home library but long for the ability to, once again, reserve resources online and have them dropped at our doorstep.

• Museums are closed. This rich cultural option is a missing component of art education, however we’ve discovered great online options—San Juan Museum of Art, The Vatican, and these—for now.

• Theaters are closed. Don’t let this temporary inconvenience stop the love of theater. Our family has enjoyed the free showings at the Globe Theater. You can, too.

• Contact with people, in-person outside our family, not an option. We love learning from other people. In fact, we discovered we can gain nuggets of information from almost every interaction—produce manager, postmaster, auto mechanic, neighbor, waiter. Though we can learn from online tutorials and videos, there’s no substitution for real people, real interactions. These interactions are missed, for sure.

What are the possibilities?

• There is time for digging deep into subjects of interest (assuming there is time built into the day to do so). When we plan time and offer resources to investigate (microscopes, magnifying glasses, water, sand, art supplies, fabric, and on and on), learners begin to understand they can wonder and discover and not have to wait for someone to tell them what to do and how to use resources. They learn to solve problems and find solutions. There’s even often an awareness that they can manage their time; time management is a life skill and comes with practice. These discoveries are freeing and nurture curiosity and a love of learning.

• There is time for family interaction. People crave relationship. We want to be in conversation, to know someone is available to listen and help process. One-on-one time, talking about what’s being discovered and learned. And, there are memory making moments: enjoying a game, eating a meal together, navigating conflict resolution, solving a puzzle, the possibilities for memorable time together are endless. Relationships matter, but they take time. With home education, we’ve got time.

Is distance learning like homeschooling?

Sometimes it is, other times it isn’t.

How to Use What You Have: Counting

We’ve adopted a phrase.

Use what we have to boost what we know.

Could mean one of two things.

Use the resources and items we have to learn something new.

Or

Use the resources and items we have to deepen or reinforce knowledge we learned previously.

Today, my mind is on counting!

Everywhere I look in my home there’s numbers—groups and sets. That’s how I want my children to understand numbers, counting—as part of every day. Last week I recorded a workshop - Math Never Tasted So Good—for the Keep Calm & Homeschool On Conference. I love encouraging families to help their children see math in the world. I reflected on the portion of the workshop which focused on counting.

Counting with little learners.

Counting crackers, rocks, trains, or whatever exists in the learner’s environment today leads to understanding of set notation, number operations, and more in the years to come.

How can I use what I have to foster or reinforce this skill?

Use Real. A vested interest sweetens the learning pot. If you think about it, this is true for adults as well. When you want to learn something or have something to gain, the motivation raises the need to master the skill. Where there is an interest or gain, there’s reason to learn. Find out what matters to your children and start there. Think cars, crackers, acorns, crayons, whatever can be counted or made into groups.

Skills

• Count to five by one.

  • Write those numbers in order.

• Make piles (sets or groups) of one, two, three, four, and five.

• Count to ten by one.

  • Write those numbers in order.

• Make piles (sets or groups) of ten.

• Count to twenty by one.

  • Write those numbers in order.

• Count by two to twenty.

  • Write those numbers in order.

• Make piles (sets or groups) of ten and use those groups to count by tens.

• Use dimes to count by ten.

• Count by ten to one hundred.

  • Write those numbers in order.

• Use nickels to count by five.

• Count by five to one hundred.

  • Write those numbers in order.

• Count by 100.

Keep it Real Activities

• Count the oranges in the two pound bag.

• Count the bananas in a bunch.

• Count a specific number of carrots to clean and cook for a meal.

• Count cars as they are put away for the day.

• Set the table - practice one-to-correspondence and counting table guests.

• Count the slices in a pizza.

• Count the tiles across the kitchen floor.

• Use snack crackers to make piles of two. Count by two.

• Make a number scavenger hunt.

• Play hopscotch - write the numbers and then count while hopping.

Counting and Reading Aloud. Counting books have cycled in and out of our home in our learning seasons with littles. Decades as little learners intentional about conquering counting concepts have helped to grow our list of favorites. Noticing some of our favorites are disappearing from the library shelves, I have intentionality purchased copies to add to our home library so we don't lose our loves. 

• How Many Snails? Rich, bold vibrant colors invite little learners to jump in and count! Though counting is the main skill reinforced, attributes, following directions, and processing fair well, too. One of our favorites! Author: Paul Giganti, Jr. 

• The M&M Counting Book. The familiar candies on the front draw readers to the content. Once opened, this book teaches counting through 12, counting sets, and beginning addition and subtraction. Author: Barbara Barbieri McGrath

• Counting is for the Birds. The rhyming text makes this brilliantly illustrated counting-to-twenty book an all-time favorite of ours. Author: Frank Mazzola, Jr.

• Cardinal Numbers: An Ohio Counting Book. Counting 1-14 with beautiful illustrations and real-world word problems on the last pages, this book is one of many in the Sleeping Bear Press series. A favorite for older children, too, as side bars on each page offer additional opportunities for curious learners. Author: Marcia Schonberg

• Great Estimations. An intriguing look at estimating as an advanced counting technique. Great photography, fun examples, and helpful hints for counting objects in large numbers. Great for older learners, too! Author: Bruce Goldstone.

• The Coin Counting Book. Counting takes another journey into the world of coin recognition and value. Great for beginner coin counters who have a piggy bank of coins waiting to be counted.  Another of our favorites due to the interest most kids have in money. Author: Rozanne Lanczank Williams.

• Eating Pairs: Counting Fruits and Vegetables by Two. Reading and learning odds and evens go hand-in-hand with this unique counting book. We love that the numbers are written down the side bar of each page, begging for us to count along...again! Author: Sarah L. Schuette.

• 10 Little Rubber Ducks. Fictionalized counting story of a real-life event presented alongside the classic Eric Carle collage art. Bright illustrations and a intriguing story line. Great addition to the home library, for sure! Author: Eric Carle.

Make a Counting Book. Grab an old magazine, weekly grocery ad, or catalog, cut out groups of objects and make a counting book.

Opportunities for learning and practicing counting skills abound in our days. How can we be intentional, real, and relational about those moments?

How to Use What You Have: Geometry

We’ve adopted a phrase.

Use what we have to boost what we know.

Could mean one of two things.

Use the resources and items we have to learn something new.

Or

Use the resources and items we have to deepen or reinforce knowledge we learned previously.

Today, my mind is on geometry for little learners.

I opened my pantry to select some items and remembered back a few years when my children used all the cans (cylinders) to built a fort for stuffed animals. In the process, they noticed some cans were taller than others and some had larger ends (circumferences). Using the moment of excitement, I gave my children two new words—cylinder and circumference—and they remembered them! They were interested and engaged. Retention spiked.

Your pantry is brimming with learning. What’s in there, you ask?

Circles, Spheres, and Cylinders

• Introduce the circle, sphere, and cylinder. Find examples of each in the pantry. Take a shape walk finding examples of each: buttons (circles), paper plates (circle), globes and oranges (spheres), cans and oatmeal containers (cylinders), bicycles (wheels), balls (spheres), and garbage cans (cylinders). Older children may enjoy drawing and shading spheres and cylinders.

• Trace the circumference of different size cans. Compare sizes.

• Paint or draw circles. Use crayons, watercolors, or whatever supplies you have. Kinesthetic moving learners may prefer sidewalk chalk outside.

• Make a circle collage. Circle punch cutter to the rescue! Use whatever paper you have available. Introduce fractional parts by cutting your circles in half or quarters.

• Introduce the concept of circumference as the distance around the circle. Use a string or measuring tape to measure and compare the circumferences of cans in your pantry. Write the measurements on paper (to make a connection from visual to symbolic) and compare.

• Ride a bike, run, hop, or skip in a circle.

• Scoop spheres with a melon scoop.

• Make a drum out of a clean, empty oatmeal container.

• Notice coins are circles. Identify each coin and the corresponding value. Play store.

Squares, Cubes, and Rectangular Prisms

• Identify the differences between squares, rectangles, cubes, and prisms. Look for examples of each in the pantry.

• Draw a square. Notice the sides are parallel. Draw more sets of parallel lines. Practice writing letters with parallel lines: E, H, N, and I.

• Find examples of parallel lines inside the pantry, inside the home, and outside around the yard.

• Draw several large quadrilaterals (four-sided figures) on the driveway. Measure the sides and determine the perimeter (distance around the shape). Write the perimeter in the center of the shape.

• Draw quadrilaterals on graph paper and determine the number of squares inside the shape.

Triangles, Cones, and Triangular Prisms

• Define triangle as a three-sided shape. Identify triangles in the home. Are there any in the pantry? Discuss why products are not as likely to made in the shape of a triangle.

• Draw triangles of different sizes. Count by threes.

• Use a ruler to make triangles. Use pretzel sticks, toothpicks, or craft sticks to make triangles. Identify sides and corners. Define angle.

• Make a paper cone. If you have ice cream cones on hand, enjoy a cool treat!

• Experiment and make shape designs with pattern blocks or tangrams. We carry Puzzles for Pattern Blocks: Pattern Animals in our store. We’ve loved this resource through reprints and new editions for over 20 years! Great for thinking and problem solving.

• Cut triangles from several types and colors of paper. Make a triangle collage.

• Identify the corners (vertexes) or the triangles. Find examples in the home.

• Pitch a tent in the backyard. Camp overnight.

• Make a sandwich. Cut into triangles.

• Make a batch of pan cookies. Press and bake dough in a jelly roll pan. When cool, cut into squares, then triangles. Serve.

These activities are included in my Month of Math: Geometry. This resource provides parents and learners with multi-sensory, experiential opportunities with everyday items, real objects which make children curious. It also introduces children to math vocabulary in context, allowing for retention, understanding, and application.

Cleaning, Learning, and Helping to Write the Chapters in Their Story

I needed to clean the bathroom. My preschooler wanted to hang out with me and needed my attention.

Shaving cream to the rescue.

With four squirts of fluffy goodness on the shower door, my eager little went to work writing letters. I began to scrub the floor. We engaged in conversation and I gave her some letters to practice. When she needed instruction on letter formation, I showed her the progression. She’d go back to writing, smooth over previously written letters, and write some more.

I continued cleaning.

About three-quarters through the scrubbing, my daughter cheerfully exclaimed,

“Mom, this is a great idea! We are such a great team at cleaning the bathroom. When I get to be a parent I am going to give my kids shaving cream and do the same thing.”

I thought she would simply be occupied while I cleaned. Silly me!

At that moment, I was reminded

• children want to be with people of significance, people who care about them

• children catch more than we imagine we teaching them

• parents play an important role in helping to write the chapters of children’s stories—and the stories for generations to come

What I did mattered today. Actually, what I do every day matters in the life of my children.

What you do matters, too.

Every. Moment. Matters.

Laundry Tip for Teamwork

A big weekend for us caused an eruption of laundry mountain on our couch.

Laundry mountains can be intimidating for parents and children with this task on their “to-do” list.

No one really wanted to tackle the pile alone.

Teamwork to the rescue!

Seeing the size of the pile brought immediate discouragement. It was larger than usual. I decided to brave the task and take the initiative (though I didn’t really want to). Pushing clean clothes aside, I sat down and began folding towels.

Starting with the bath towels—the biggest items in the mound—the large pile began to shrink, noticeably, faster.

Five bath towels later, progress became evident. Suddenly, the pile seemed amazingly smaller, doable. At that point, I knew I could ask a few helpers to join me and they wouldn’t be quite as overwhelmed.

I encouraged the smaller team members to find the socks and washcloths—something manageable for them. And, I started a conversation with the oldest helper, a subject that mattered to her. Within 10-15 minutes we had mastered the task and began to deliver piles to their destination. Task accomplished, we shared a few high fives and words of encouragement.

Teamwork had conquered the chore and helpers felt empowered by their contribution.

To the dishes…after a snack and some math.

Our Eric Carle Unit Study

(An elementary level, week-long, study with Eric Carle’s beloved picture books.)

Eric Carle, a talented author/illustrator, inspires young readers with his bold illustrations and teachable content. Our youngest children (preschool to fifth grade) enjoyed a week-long study of Eric Carle’s works. By the end of the week, each child proudly displayed her book of Eric Carle art which was bound with a strip of fabric.

On the first day we re-read The Very Hungry Caterpillar, discussed the life cycle of a butterfly and created our own tissue paper collage caterpillar. We ordered planted plants which attract butterflies and watched a biographical video entitled Eric Carle, Picture Writer. Our children loved learning about the man and story behind the stories. 

On the second day we read The Very Busy Spider and discussed the benefits of hard work. Our preschooler made the sounds of the animals in the book and our elementary children discussed the differences between spiders and insects. We all marveled at the raised web on each page of this engaging picture book. At the suggestion of one of learners, we headed outside to look for webs and spiders. While walking, I remembered I had plastic spider counters. We made and added sets. The older learners made arrays—rows and columns (enter multiplication concept). When it came time to make our own spider art, the fifth grader remembered we had silver glitter glue in the art cabinet, which in her opinion, would make the perfect web. The younger children agreed and soon four very busy spiders were created.

On the third day we read The Grouchy Ladybug. We discussed good and bad attitudes, friendship, manners and the power of the spoken word. Our first grader had a quick review of telling time to the hour, with the help of the clock on each page of Eric Carle's book. Older children found the life cycle of the ladybug fascinating. We Googled ladybugs and watched a few informative video clips. Finally, we made our own ladybugs with wings which opened (thanks to a brass fastener) to reveal the words "thank you".  Google eyes brought life to the ladybug.

On the fourth day we read Papa, Please Get the Moon for Me.  We talked about the phases of the moon and were determined to watch the moon for a whole month to observe the phases. For the young ones, we discussed the difference between fiction and non-fiction. We concluded that the book was fiction because a ladder would never reach the moon. We then compared the illustrations of the books Eric Carle created designed our own fold-out ladder page for our book. Later that evening we read Mister Seahorse, discussed the sea life featured in the book and the important role parents play in the lives of their children. We marveled at the way the male seahorse cares for his young. One learner wanted to make tissue paper seahorses like the ones in the book. A great idea! We used scraps of tissue paper from the previous days to create very colorful and unique tissue paper seahorse.

On the fifth day we wrote a title on the book cover of our art masterpieces (hello copy work, spelling and an explanation of capitalization in titles) and bound our book by weaving a scrap of fabric through three paper-punched holes. The littlest learners enjoyed making paper plate jellyfish to hang from the doorway and hearing me read A House for Hermit Crab.

Our week didn’t end there! Learning continued. After analyzing and comparing the art of Eric Carle to the work of other artists, we headed back to the library where our youngest ones selected more Eric Carle titles. Our four year old warmly stated, "Eric Carle is my favorite illustrator." Several weeks later, while on yet another visit to the library, I received another welcomed surprise. I mentioned I needed Mister Seahorse for a workshop I was presenting to moms in our homeschooling community. When the library volunteer asked, "Who is the author?" our six year old chimed in, "Eric Carle." YES!

Just what I had hoped...and more!  In addition to the academics we learned and retained, the curiosity and creativity of our four budding artists was fostered.

Our week had been productive, and FUN!