The About Me Book: A Favorite Back to School Tradition
I want my kids to have a play-back of memories and emotions from their childhood. The play back is a glimpse into who they were as children. It’s a non-tech snapshot of a moment in time - it might be the only one, since many kids do not keep diaries anymore. So, I make sure my kids have an About Me book to complete every year during the first week of school.
Dear Corona Schooling Parents...We See You
Dear Emergency Corona Schooling Moms and Dads,
We see you. We feel you. This is hard and it’s different. It sometimes feel like a gift of time and togetherness, and sometimes it feels incredibly lonely and disconnected. Take heart, know that you are not alone. Find ways to homeschool that work for you.
Minimal PrepTip 5 - Capturing the Now with a Time Capsule
If I had a time capsule when I was a kid, it would have contained roller skates, Chuck-e-Cheese tokens, my Swatch Watch, my New Kids on the Block t-shirt, a mixed tape of Whitney Houston’s greatest hits, and a scrunchie...and I’m super bummed I don’t have one to open. But my kids can, and so can yours!
Minimal Prep Tip 4 - The Delightful Dose of the Dailies
Dailies are the things your kids love to do to start off their day that is not the major curriculum. It can be songs you sing together, questions you discuss, or a specific journal they complete and share with you. It’s a time to grow together...a time to nurture character development...a time to laugh together. It’s a time to discuss big topics about life. It’s a time to remember that life is short and relationships are to be treasured.
Minimal Prep Tip 3 - Give them the Gift of Board Games
What was your favorite game as a kid? Mine was Mastermind and Speed. And, Uno, Connect Four, Operation, Chutes and Ladders, Candyland, oh, I could go on. Give the gift of games to your kids and to your homeschool.
Minimal Prep Time Tip 2 - Egg Hunt, Scavenger Hunt, Treasure Hunt
Call it whatever you want – it’s awesome any which way and my kids played it today, twice – fun cooperative learning, satisfaction in conquering the challenge, and of course, gummy, yummy treats.
Minimal Prep Time Tip 1 - The Magic of the Read Aloud
With little kids you are used to reading aloud picture books and Dr. Suess, but once our kids learn how to read well, many of us parents end up giving up that cuddly past-time in favor of our kids reading on their own. There is magic in the read-aloud, so, don’t give it up! Grow it, increase the time you spend doing it as your children get older.
Independent Activities Tip 5 - Lego Table
Hey, lego my Lego! We’ve never been a Lego family...but now we are! It’s finally happened. My kids will spend up to 1-2 hours some days just creating their “Google Town.” Of course I felt like the winning parent when my 7-year-old daughter was so excited about her first creative non-kit build...A Beer Shop! WHAT?
Independent Activities Tip 4 - Virtual Playdates
Rainy day? No problem. Sick? No problem. Out of town? No problem. Your kids can still have fun play dates with their friends through a virtual meeting space.
Independent Activities Tip 3 - Mr. DeMaio
Sometimes online educational videos are a must in homeschool, especially for working parents! Normally I will not use the LOL acronym. I just won’t. I won’t because I just don’t laugh out loud, almost never...but when we watch Mr. DeMaio, my kids and I totally LOL. My husband describes him with one word: “Hilarious.”
Independent Activities Tip 2 - The Home Art Studio
This is my favorite independent homeschooling tip. Go beyond the worksheet with creativity, invention, engineering, and story-telling by providing The Art Studio. You will get a window into your child’s heart that you’ve never seen before. After your Art Studio is set-up and you’ve laid some ground rules, this too does not require any of your time.
Independent Activities Tip 1 - Going Solo in the Morning
So, how do I get to sleep until 8am or 9am every single day as a homeschool mom? I have taught and trained my kids to work independently first thing in the morning. I call it “Solo” time.