Author: Liesl - Homeschool Den
There are many different approaches to homeschooling. “Unschooling” goes by many different names child led learning, natural learning, interest-led learning, self-directed learning or organic learning. This approach allows the child to learn through play, natural learning and self-directed activities. There are no textbooks, no test, no formal education for unschoolers. Unschoolers step away from traditional curriculums and embrace a different approach to learning and education. Coming up on June 10th...
My friend recommended a movie called the Queen of Versailles to me. It’s the true story/documentary film of a wealthy American family who are building the largest and most extravagant family home in the world. I watched it and can’t wait to have a coffee and long chat with my friend! I don’t want to spoil it for those who might watch it (it’s on Netflix)… but I came away...
A few years ago, I heard about a fossil collecting trip that another homeschooling family had gone on (I came across it on a blog somewhere). It sounded so terrific, I tucked in the back of my mind and kept an eye on the trips offered by Cathy at Fossil and Nature Trips. She organizes fossil collecting trips up and down the east coast. I had my eye on one...
I’m a runner and for those of you who enjoy running, you can participate in national running day tomorrow, June 5th and log your miles over at Run Now. Run with a partner, a team or on your own. I’ll be participating. Hope you do too!
I saw this question somewhere on the internet while I was on holiday a week or so ago and it really got me to thinking… what has taken me most by surprise in our homeschooling adventure? I knew “from the start” that we would homeschool. It was on our radar because my sister’s family homeschools their kids and my cousin homeschooled her three kids. It sounded like a good fit...
How well does your child know Dad? Their cute answers will really make Father’s Day special. I asked the kids these questions when they were 3 and 5… and this year we are going to do it again. I’ll tuck in their answers from four years ago in as well since Hubby hasn’t seen this in years! Here are a few sample questions: 4. How does your Dad make you...
One year for Father’s Day, I sat the kids down, shined a bright light at them and made silhouette cameos of them for Hubby. He loved them and the kids were proud of them (even if I did most of the work). Getting ED to sit still for that (she was 19 months at the time) was a HUGE challenge, but it’s sure nice having a memento like that! Tomorrow I’ll share another...
The weather feels like summer and we had a week away, but we actually haven’t quite brought our school year to a close. We have a couple of weeks left partly because we haven’t done our end-of-year testing yet. As part of the requirements for our state, the kids have to take a national exam (there are several to choose from). The tests are graded elsewhere, we receive the results...
Yesterday someone asked me how the tune to the 7 Continents song goes that we use in geography. We decided to try our hand making a video to help. ED sang the song by herself the first time through… then all the kids joined in the other two times. When they were first learning the seven continents they pointed (at first with my help) to each continent. When they were...
As you probably gather from yesterday’s post 10 Reasons Why Time Off is Important, our family was on holiday last week at the beach. There are so many things to do at the Outer Banks (Southern Shores/Kitty Hawk/Nags Head area), I thought I would share some of the things our family has done there. I know it’s a popular family destination. Here are some things your family might enjoy in...
1. It allows you to open your eyes to the beauty around you 2. It puts the focus on love, family and being together 3. It lets you try new things The kids went kayaking for the first time last week. 4. It’s soothing, relaxing and you can switch off. 5. It allows you to experience someone else’s passions Hubby and LD played endless rounds of card games...
A few years ago, my kids really liked Nutrigrain bars. I hunted for a recipe that would approximate the store-bought bars, but that I could guarantee weren’t full of preservatives. I make these about once every 6 weeks or so and they get eaten very quickly in our household! In a mixing bowl mix well: 1 cup butter (softened for 30 seconds in microwave) 1 cup brown sugar 1 cup...
…just the cute ones win out! Do you do little crafts with your kids? I’m just as guilty as the next blogger in only sharing the cute-craft successes. This post was originally just a shout out to ED’s little lion project. Cute stuff, but really that doesn’t demonstrate the creativity and imagination of the poor, “ugly” crafts that get made at the Homeschool Den. Most of those don’t even get...
…just the cute ones win out! Do you do little crafts with your kids? I’m just as guilty as the next blogger in only sharing the cute-craft successes. This post was originally just a shout out to ED’s little lion project. Cute stuff, but really that doesn’t demonstrate the creativity and imagination of the poor, “ugly” crafts that get made at the Homeschool Den. Most of those don’t even get...
