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Free Simple Homeschool Planning Pack

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This set of simple homeschooling resources is intended to help you simplify your goal setting, curriculum shopping and daily schedule.  Today, we are offering this small collection FREE for all of our newsletter subscribers.

Print Simple Homeschool Planning Pack Here

Homeschool Goals:  Sometime before you start your curriculum planning we suggest sitting down and writing out your goals for each student.  This doesn’t have to be detailed, it can be as simple as, “Get through 5th grade math.”  However, there may be subjects that you have more detailed answers for, “Develop empathy and self control.”  Doing this for each student is a great way to customize their education.

 

Homeschool Curriculum:  Print one page for each student and use this sheet to keep track of what products, resources and classes you’ll be using during the year to cover each subject.  Take this sheet with you to homeschool conventions and curriculum sales so you can always update and keep organized.

 

Homeschool Schedule:  This sheet is intended to be an independent planner for your students.  Print and add in your daily subjects and a photo of your student.  Laminate or store in a page protector then provide your student with a dry erase marker to keep track of their daily tasks. Encourage students to mark off the boxes as they complete each task.

 

Print our Free Homeschool Planning Pack Here

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Free Homeschool Planning Printables

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HomeschoolPlanningPin

Well, I’ve done it again.

I’ve waited until the last two weeks before really coming up with a solid Homeschool Plan.

Sure I’ve been collecting various eBooks and curriculum resources over the Summer, but it’s been more like a Homeschool Curriculum feeding frenzy instead of an organized and thoughful process.

It’s time to load everything on the table and see what I’m working with here folks

Classroom.

That is not even this years photo.

I’m so far behind, I haven’t even made the obligatory mess of dining room table yet.

It’s going to be a busy week folks.

So to keep myself invested in this process I decided to update our Independent Weekly Homeschool Calendar, as well as our Goals and Planing sheets.  You can still print the older versions here and here if you like them, but this year I needed a little Color Pop to get my act in gear.  If you’re struggling to wrap your head around how to schedule your curriculum, try this simple tip for each subject.  How to make a list of Goals, Resources, and Action Plan

SimplePlanner

Download the updated Homeschool Planning Printables Here

I’ll be using these with my younger children this year for sure!  My older children are going to try Lesson Trek, mostly because I thought Middle School would be a great time to learn how to keep an online calendar as well.  We’re always looking for real life scenarios to add in that Technology requirement!

If you’re still curriculum shopping like me be sure to check out our Curriculum Reviews and our Homeschool eBooks!

ACNBooksTransparentSmall

I’ve just finished our Letter of the Week Preschool Curriulum, and it’s very low-prep, so grab that if you need a quick fix for your kiddo too.

Homeschool Curriculum Planning

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CurricuulumPlan

When it comes to curriculum planning I like to keep things organized.
But sometimes I get bogged down by the actual organization process.

This is pretty much how it goes every year:

I print up my planner.
I sharpen my pencil.
I heat up my tea.
I clean my desk.
I organize the drawers.
I check my email.
I look at all the curriculum I’ve flagged
I spend HOURS pouring over detailed reviews.
I hunt down the best prices for each title.
I load my carts
But before I EVER purchase anything,
I step back and make a list.

I list out ALL of the curriculum titles that I’m 90% sure that I will use.
Then I take the lists with me to each every homeschool book sale, and convention
in hopes that I’ll find each specific curriculum at a bargain price.

This also helps me deter away from impulse buys.

I usually write out this list by hand,
but this year I decided to make a printable Curriculum Planning List

CurriculumPlanPi2

Download: Homeschool Curriculum Planning Sheet

Isn’t it cute?
It’s not rocket science,
but it sure makes my lists look a whole lot more organized.

Plus you can print one up for each child,
staple them together and take them with you to your Summer sales

When you’ve got a zillion kids it tow,
it’s nice to have something that fits in your back pocket and frees up your hands.

I think it goes perfectly with the simple Homeschool Budget sheet I posted last year.
Be sure you read all the rules suggestions for implementing this budget sheet.

HomeschoolBudget2nig

So there you go, 6 years of homeschooling and I’ve managed two planning sheets.
At this rate, I should have a full printable planner by the time my children graduate :)

Siggy

How to Encourage Independent Learning

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Independent Learning in your Homeschool

Homeschooling is hard work. You may be feeling overwhelmed by how much work it is, especially if you have a few children. There is only one of you versus a mountain of lessons, housework, activity schedules, and laundry. However, just because you are homeschooling, doesn’t mean you have to be teaching every lesson. Wait…what?? That’s right, it’s a myth that homeschooling moms need to teach everything. The ultimate goal of homeschooling is actually to foster independent learning. So, here’s a quick guide to how you can start teaching independent learners in your homeschool.

Helping Students Become Independent Learners

One of the first, and best ways, to help students become independent learns is through outsourcing some education. This could mean a co-op, however, it also could mean a math program that teaches itself or a science book that is on CD. You see, having the children work through classes that aren’t taught by you actually increases their independence. Also, outsourcing a subject or two can be completely affordable when done this way. Students will be required to complete the lesson and keep track of what they have done. You will need to check their work, but that is quicker than doing the lessons and will take the pressure off of you. Building independent learners can be as easy as buying a curriculum resource that somehow provides lessons so you don’t have to.

Start a Homeschool Student Portfolio Today

How to Encourage Children to Learn through Their Passions

The best way to encourage self-education and independent learners are to encourage their passions. When children want to learn, they love to learn. So, if you focus on what they love, you won’t have to teach that subject. This works great for history and science. Let students dive deep into their passions. They can read, write, graph, research, and do projects of all types. Teaching independent learners is simple when learners want to learn independently. Notebooking and journaling are fantastic homeschool methods that will encourage your young learners to seek out answers on their own.

Family Learning together Builds Independent Learning

We think that everyone has to have their own curriculum for every subject, however, several subjects lend themselves to learning as a family. This can be done as read alouds, group projects, or field trips. In addition, siblings can learn together without mom or dad. Independent doesn’t have to mean all alone. Team up siblings, let friends put together a study club, or have older kids tutor younger ones.

Building Independent Learners through Problem Solving

Independent learners need to be able to problem-solve. This isn’t just solving math problems, but being able to push through difficulty or confusion. Learning is a process, and not always a straight line. When children self educate, they need to be able to come up with solutions, theories, and test what they are considering. So, by teaching children how to solve problems independently you are in turn build independent learners. Take the time to build these skills in your children, remember the age-old adage, “Teach a man to fish….”

Dedicate a specific time in your week to simply teaching your children HOW to find the answers they seek. In today’s day and age with the world at our fingertips, you can easily setup a safe and effective method for your kiddos to use when ever they are stumped on a problem or activitiy. You might even create a small checklist to hang in the classroom for them to refer too when Mom or Dad are busy.

What does Teaching Responsibility and Self Sufficiency do for Your Homeschool

In addition to problem-solving, responsibility is an essential skill for independent learning. Independent learning requires personal responsibility to stay on track. They need to be self-motivated to keep going. On the other hand, self-sufficiency also encourages independent learners. Teach children life skills, handy crafts, and study skills. All of these foster self-sufficiency which gives children the confidence to pursue their own studies. It also fosters independence and the desire to do things unassisted.

A Year of Free Unit Studies to Explore

Easy to Use Organization System for Homeschoolers

There is a sure way to set your children up for success, create an easy to use organization system. Organization is important to a smooth-running homeschool. Creating an organization system for resources, books, tools, and materials will help your children learn independently more readily. They will be able to find and return whatever they need to study and grow. This takes the pressure off of you and puts the responsibility onto the children to get their supplies and clean up after lessons are finished.

Free Homeschool Planning Pack

In addition, organize lessons and have clear goals. When everyone is heading in the same direction and knows where the finish line is, it gives them the freedom to reach that goal independently. This Free Homeschool Planning Pack will help you get your independent learners off to the right start!

Free Homeschool Student Planner

Fall Leaf Craft

When we think of fall, we typically think of leaves, right? We can’t get through this beautiful cool season without the kids creating a masterful project of leaves! Our next creative activity is our Fall Leaf Craft in a Collage style. It’s for everyone at any age, yet, little kids will absolutely adore this one as it includes beautiful array of colors and a variety of leaves.

Running out of ideas for fun crafts with preschoolers or any age? We are filled with Fun Fall Leaf Craft ideas for displaying, gift giving, and showcasing. This autumn leaf craft includes very few materials with just a few fresh leaves.

FALL LEAF PROJECT SUPPLIES

Here is a list of what to collect for this fall art proejct:

AUTUMN LEAF CRAFT INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Collect 4 or 5 different types of fresh, healthy leaves.

2. With your paintbrush, select the color red and paint the front part of the leaf as shown above. Don’t worry at all about the colors mixing, this will yield wonderful results with your leaf prints. I used the same brush for dipping into all the colors so that all these beautiful blends would come through.

3. Flip your leaf over carefully and press gently to “stamp” the leaf print. Leave it in position to dry.

4. Choose another leaf from a different tree perhaps, and continue the process as before. Look for other colors you can use to bring excitement to your leaf prints. I’m using purple with yellow and a little blue.

5. Continue adding remaining leaves using the same process, using 2 or 3 varieties of colors. The different leaf shapes and the variety of colors with help your final project pop with unique qualities. Remember, not all leaves change to orange and red. Some change to yellow, brown, and even sometimes dark purple.

6. Be sure you are visually planning out the use of your white space as well. You’ll need more room for the larger leaves, and you’ll want your leaves facing different directions. It will look too “uniform” to have then all standing straight up or pointing the same way, so try for some variety in your print-making as well.

7. When you’ve filled your paper with beautiful fall leaves, you’ll want to pull them off BEFORE they dry. Personally, I like the texture pattern of lines that are made by pulling the leaves off while the paint is still wet. Additionally, you might find that your leaf dries into the paint and ends up stuck, so be sure to pull them off before that happens!

Once removed you’ll see the leaf outlines the veings and sometimes any unique cracks or tears in your leaf. The end result is a stunning, one-of-a-kind fall leaf artwork your kiddos will be proud to hang on the classroom walls!

Find More Free Fall Art Projects for Kids Here

For more Fall Art Craft Ideas with Leaves, try our Fall Art Project, Four Seasons Leaf Craft and Fall Leaf Spraying Art Craft.

Trick or Treat Alternatives

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After so many months of life being different, you may be looking for ways to bring some normalcy into your life. A hallmark of Fall is trick or treating with family and friends. However, as with most of 2020, this year Halloween will look a bit unusual. So what can you do to make this a fun time if you can’t do what you usually do? Here are 7 trick or treat alternatives for celebrating Halloween without the Trick or Treating part!

Cinnamon Sugar Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Host a Small Get Together

If you are able and willing, bring the celebrating to you. Get together a small group of your closest friends or family. Host your party outdoors or in, either way it will be a treat. Here are some ways that you can make a small get-together into big fun:

  • Have a movie night with popcorn and movie-style candy boxes
  • Serve crazy, Halloween themed drinks. Check out these ideas!
  • Munch on fun Fall food like popcorn balls, caramel apples, or funnel cakes.
  • Play Fall themed games like these.

Create an Escape Room in Your Home

Want to make your party a total experience? Why not try creating an escape room in your home. It’s an exciting alternative to trick or treating. Escape rooms are action packed, family entertainment that will keep your mind active. Transport your family to a riveting adventure without leaving home. Here are some resources for planning your own escape room party at home.

Virtual Escape Rooms

Perhaps you really want to play with family and friends. However, getting together is just not possible. Virtual escape rooms let anyone and everyone join in, restrictions or not! These games can be hosted over Zoom and offer exciting entertainment that makes you work together, even when you have to be apart. Here’s some of the best options for family online escape rooms:

Hold a Virtual Costume Contest with Family and Friends

All dressed up and no where to go? Don’t let that fabulous costume go to waste. Host a virtual costume contest with family and friends. Have everyone dress up in their favorite costume, then create categories and prizes. Prizes can be mailed or a simple, printable certificate that can be sent over email. Next set a time to gather online and show off what you have. If full blown costumes are just too much, simplify but keep the fun. Some ideas for simplified contests are face painting contests, make-up contest, crazy hat contest, or best mask contest. This is the Best Facepaint kit, especially if you have sensitive skin.

Have a Candy Hunt Alternative to Trick or Treating

Trick or Treating is so much fun. The thrill of what each house is handing out. The excitement of counting and sorting your bounty. Oh, and let’s not forget about trading for your favorites. Just because you can’t go trick or treating, doesn’t mean you need to miss out on that annual fun! Have a candy hunt in your home or backyard. You could even set one up at a local park with a handful of friends.

This works the same way as an Easter egg hunt. Hide candy around the yard or house. You can hide individually wrapped candy or fill these adorable pumpkins with treats, pennies, or candy and hide where you want.

DIY Pumpkin Window Decorations

Host a Harvest Festival in Your Backyard

Make your backyard into a festival wonderland. A harvest festival doesn’t have to be overly elaborate or expensive. Set up stations that are easy to do without a lot of oversight. This is a fantastic alternative to trick or treating around the neighborhood. Here’s some station ideas:

  • Halloween or Fall temporary tattoos
  • Paint a mini pumpkin
  • Knockdown the cans
  • Plastic duck pond
  • Fall scavenger hunt
  • Craft station
  • Bob for apples
  • Cider and donuts
  • Backyard games center (think Bocce, volleyball, or crochet)
  • Decorate a candy bag
  • Pin the tail on the donkey
  • Egg and spoon races
  • Make your own mask
  • DIY games
Fall Art Projects for Kids

Compete in a Pumpkin Carving Contest at Home or Virtually

Put some skin in the game with a pumpkin carving contest. Like the costume contest, set a time and pick categories to compete in. These could be age-based or themes. Then have everyone make their pumpkin. Gather round in person at home or online to show off your masterpiece. Have an impartial judge participate to choose a winner. Take a picture, or screenshot, of each pumpkin and send it to all participants and add them to a PDF. Send it to participants as a keepsake of this unusual but exciting Halloween season.

Got a kid who loves building with bricks? Try our creative Building Bricks Fall Activity for hours of fun!

Practical Homeschooling Projects

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Many people think that homeschoolers just lock themselves in their homes and never see another soul. However, homeschooling is full of opportunities to get out, stay busy, and make new friends. That was until recently. Recent shutdowns have affected the homeschooling community just as much as everyone else. However, you want to keep your kids engaged and learning even when you can’t go to co-op, clubs, field trips, and more. So, here are some practical homeschool projects to keep your young learners learning and growing right at home.

4-H and Small Scale Farming Projects for Homeschoolers

It’s rewarding and challenging to work with animals. Even if you just have a small amount of space, your children participate in a rabbit or chicken project with 4-H. If you have a larger property, you could consider sheep, goats, pigs, or even cows. These will teach children responsibility, organization, and along with endless lessons in biology. However, if raising an animal outside is completely out of the question, you could consider fostering a cat or dog. This will give a waiting animal a loving home until he can be adopted. Also, your child will get the experience of raising animals without long-term commitment or farm animals. To join 4-H contact your state extension office (which is usually at a state university). However, to foster cats and dogs, you will need to find a shelter or charity that arranges that.

The Benefits of Children Learning to Garden

Garden are ripe with learning opportunities. Aside from personal responsibility and understanding botany, gardens provide bushels of hands-on learning fun that is practical and highly educational. So, set up some raised beds or places a few containers on your porch, and get gardening. Here are some skills that can be learned from any sized garden.

  • Planning/plotting the garden
  • Companion gardening
  • Cultivation
  • Harvesting
  • Record keeping
  • Propagating new plants
  • Pressing flowers
  • Canning food
  • Pest control (especially organic pest control)
  • Effects of weather and climate
  • Beneficial organisms
  • Selling surplus
  • Discovering new recipes for bumper crops

Why You Should Add Sewing and Handiwork to Your Homeschool

The domestic arts are becoming lost skills. Although sewing and handiwork are not considered academics, they are chock full of learning potential. In fact, sewing, knitting, needlepoint, crochet, etc are mini math lessons in disguise. So pull out some yarn and craft the perfect project for your homeschool. Here are some other ideas:

  • Knitting
  • Sewing
  • Quilting
  • Interior decorating
  • Small crafts
  • Crafts or sewing projects for charity:
    • Quilts for NICU babies
    • Knit hats for babies in need
    • Crochet hats for cancer patients
  • Learn to repair home goods and clothing
  • Tailoring
  • Scrapbooking
  • Floral arranging

Survival Skills for Homeschooling

Learning survival skills can be fun and challenging. Best of all, you don’t have to travel far to practice your new skills. Your backyard, a state park, or the local walking/biking path all offer opportunities to practice surviving in the wild. Also, these skills are incredibly practical. Here are some skills to tackle:

  • Tree identification
  • Orienteering
  • Foraging and plant identification
  • Emergency preparedness
  • Fire building
  • First Aid
  • Tracking and identifiying animals
  • Knot tying
  • Swimming
  • Building emergency shelter
  • Fishing
  • Map reading

Practical Homeschool Projects to Try this Fall

Here are some additional ideas of practical projects and skills you could add to your homeschool day. So, you can have amazing adventures even if you can’t leave home!

  • Carpentry
  • Car repair
  • Home repair
  • Building and woodworking
  • Household maintenance
  • Run a food drive
  • Send cards to those in hospitals or nursing homes
  • Walk-a-thon or jump-a-thon
  • Build a community garden for beneficial insects
  • Start a home-based business
  • Help younger siblings
  • Tutor neighbors or friends over Zoom
  • Lawn care
  • Landscaping
Looking for Homeschool Field Trip Ideas? This this list 100 fun filled field trips your Homeschool children will love!

Homeschool Burnout: Why You Should Plan to Fail

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You have been planning for weeks, maybe months. The pencils are all sharpened, the textbooks are nice and shiny, and you have your schedule all laid out. What could do wrong? The truth is anything! Just as in life, things can and will go wrong. Does that mean you have failed? Not really. Every homeschooling mom faces challenges and failures. So the key is to prepare for them before it happens. Difficulties can easily lead to burnout unless you plan to fail! Here are the many ways you can plan to fail, so you can pull through and succeed.

Schedule Fails

On paper, your schedule looks perfect. You envision the day running smoothly from one subject to another, then enjoying an afternoon with the kids or tackling your own work while the happily play. However, even the best designed schedule can fail. Maybe starting at 8 AM is never going to work. Perhaps, by the time you get to history or science the kids are spent. Or what happens when language arts takes 45 mins instead of the 20 you plan? Instead of beating yourself up that you can’t stick to the schedule, make the schedule stick to your homeschool. A schedule is a tool, be willing to revise and adapt. Use the first couple of weeks to get a feel for how your homeschool works and then set a schedule, remember to be flexible, though. Scheduling failures will happen, re-evaluate your plan periodically to adjust for seasonal and family changes.

SIMPLE Homeschool Planner

Curriculum Fails

So, you spent 24,578 hours researching curriculum. You consulted all the experts, and checked out what your favorite influencers on Instagram are using. You know this is THE BEST curriculum for your family and homeschooling is going to be amazing. That is until it isn’t. What happens when the textbook or course that “everyone” is raving about becomes what you dread every morning as you open your eyes? The truth is that there are no bad curriculum choices, only bad choices for your family. That top rated math program or celebrated history book could be great but if it doesn’t work for you family, it really doesn’t matter. Give yourself grace and be willing to walk away. The frustration from trying to make curriculum work can easily spill into overall overwhelm with homeschooling. Then, the burnout will begin. Instead, be willing to make a change, sell the curriculum or shelve it for later. Either way, look at this as a new possibility and learning experience.

Life Fails

Life happens! Right? So don’t be surprised when life happens in your homeschool. The sink may get clogged or the dog get loose. You could easily fall behind on the laundry or lose power because of a storm. Then there are the unexpected interruptions. Remember, life isn’t perfect and it’s the challenges and surprises that keep it interesting. So, plan on the best-laid plans often going astray. Leave some wiggle room in your planning so you have built-in catch up time and aren’t scrambling at the end or a quarter or end of the year to fit everything in.

How to Fail At Homeschool (And What You Can Do Instead)

Behavior Fails

Sometimes the moon is full, the sugar levels are high, or kids just are being silly. All of these can make getting through a lesson really difficult. You may begin to question if you have what it takes to homeschool. How can you really make it work if you can’t get Johnny to just finish his math work without you reminding him a million times? Kids will be kids and sometimes they just won’t love doing homeschool work. Other times, there may be growing pains or personal struggles to deal with. Be patient, work it out, and take a deep breath. You can do this, just take a step back instead of going down the rabbit hole of overwhelm and exasperation. That is the surest way to burnout.

Mom Fails

Ok, mom, even you are going to have bad days. There are going to be times when you just don’t feel like doing school. There may be times when you feel lonely, or maybe you are tired or sick. That’s okay. Just as with life, challenges will come. Some days, mom just need a day off, too! So, consider taking a snow day, rain day, or even a sun day! Pick an educational movie, pop some popcorn, and veg out with the kids on the couch. Also, realize that homeschool moms need support, you can’t do this alone. Find another homeschool mom to connect with so you can give each other pep talks when needed.

Homeschooling Without a Classroom

Classroom Fails

In a high-tech classroom, failure is inevitable. As great as technology is, it is prone to problems. You never really know when the computer will decide to do a 2-hour update or the Internet will go out. Does that mean you shouldn’t use technology to make your school day run more smoothly? No, just plan for things to go wrong. If most of your lessons are online, have a set of off-line activities and books to use when you can’t get online. The key is to be flexible and realize that the minor setback does not have to derail your entire year.

Some other Ways to Prepare to Fail:

  • Join a co-op so you don’t have to teach every class and have activities all in one place
  • Build a community for social activities, fun, and support
  • Have a back up plan for days that don’t go as planned
  • Take a step back and make decisions objectively instead of with high emotions
  • Realize that no decision has to last forever
  • Remember even experienced homeschoolers have failures during the year, the trick is planning to fail before it happens.
Homeschool Failure Meme

Simple First Day of Homeschool Traditions

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You’ve spent hours planning and days shopping for curriculum supplies. Now, the first day of homeschool is right around the corner! So, how are you feeling? Excited? Nervous? Back to school is a special time for everyone, including homeschool families. Make your first day memorable and exciting for your family this year. Whether this is your first year or your tenth, that first day of homeschool is something to celebrate. Here are ten ideas for your first day of homeschooling.

Free Editable Back to Homeschool Photo Signs

First Day of Homeschool Photos

First day of school photos are an iconic tradition. So, why not continue it in your home. Establish a tradition of when, how, and where you take your photos. They can be individual pictures of each child or a group shot in your schoolroom. Either way, these will be precious keepsakes for years to come. Try these free, editable Back to School Photo Signs!

Also, you can use this time to do a one-on-one interview with each child. Record the answers on a sign and include it in the photo or add it to a scrapbook with the photos. However you choose to memorialize these precious moment, it is sure to be treasured for decades to come. Some ideas for interview questions include:

  • What’s your favorite subject?
  • What do you hope to learn this year?
  • What are you most looking forward to?
  • What’s your favorite color?
  • What is your favorite food?
  • What was the best memory from summer vacation?
  • What do you want to be when you grow up?
  • What’s the best book you read this summer?

Have a Special Breakfast

They say that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. So, the first breakfast of the homeschool year must be the most important breakfast of the year! Gather the family and jump start your home education year with a special and delicious breakfast. Pick favorite foods, or establish a food tradition for First Day Breakfast. Also, take your time at breakfast. Connect with each other, chat and laugh. Let this meal set the tone for the rest of the year.

Go on a Field Trip

The beauty of homeschooling is that school happens wherever you are! Mark the start of the homeschool year with a field trip. Local field trips or a special “not back to school” long weekend are both possibilities. Also, you could do something educational or something that is just plain fun. This is another way to build memories and family bonds. So, get a little creative and get out of the classroom!

Take Your School on the Road—or to the Backyard

Maybe a field trip just isn’t practical for the first day. That doesn’t mean you have to stay inside all day! Take your school somewhere fun. Do your lessons in the backyard or maybe on the beach. Pack up your books, and let your children complete their work at the playground. The possibilities are endless. So, make your first day back a school day to remember.

Celebrate with Friends

Life is better with friends. So, everyone is always asking homeschool families about socialization. Why not take the matter into your own hands and make your first day of homeschooling a socialization celebration. Invite friends over for a picnic lunch and games, or plan a field trip together. Whether you are hard at work with STEM projects, or just burning off energy on a bike ride, connect with loved ones to mark the day.

Thrill them with Surprises

Who doesn’t love surprises? So, plan a special surprise for your children on the first day of homeschool. Pick a small gift or surprise them with special snacks. Also, you could create a little homeschool survival kit with snacks, school supplies, small quiet toys, and a new book. The surprises do not have to be big and expensive. In fact, just having a little surprise waiting for them in the morning will make the day memorable.

Show Some School Spirit

Do you have a school name, colors, and/or mascot? If you do, make a sign, purchase school spirit t-shirt, or decorate your school room with your colors and mascot. Maybe, get each child an eraser with the mascot or decorate their notebooks with printouts showing your homeschool pride.

If you don’t have any of these, now is a perfect time to start. Decide together on a school name, choose your homeschool spirit colors, and pick a mascot. Then you can create a special sign for your school room door.

Have an Opening Prayer Ceremony

Offer your year to God. Start the year off right by praying as a family. You could even invite your pastor over for a special blessing together. Pray over your books and materials, ask God to bless your school space. Offer up all your efforts for His Glory and remember than He is the ultimate teacher. Then, read about learning and wisdom in the Bible. Perhaps, you could even pick a verse for the year to memorize. Establish your homeschooling year in faith and hope, then watch the fruit begin to grow!

Rolling Start

So, just because it is the first day of homeschooling, doesn’t mean it has to be the first day of everything. Gently ease into school work. Pick a couple of subjects to begin, and gradually add in the rest. Create an atmosphere of restful learning by dipping in your toes instead of diving head long into all the lessons. There will be plenty of time to get it done, enjoy this transition time together.

Family Fun Night

After a busy day of lessons and exploration, come back together as a family. Take the time to remember why you are homeschooling, to begin with. Have fun as a family and close out the first day with laughter and love. You can play some games, have a family movie night, or anything your family enjoys. Family is the backbone of homeschooling, nurture it.

Preschool Assessment

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Preschool has become an important part of early childhood. We want our children to have the best start. Preschool offers a fun way to introduce the concept of school while teaching foundational skills. How do you know if you are doing enough though? What should a preschooler know, anyway? Also, how can you measure progress in preschool? All of these are great questions, and the answer is a Preschool Assessment!

Why Do a Preschool Assessment?

Before you start planning for timed tests and sharpening pencils, let’s chat about what a preschool assessment is! First of all, an assessment is not necessarily a test. It also does not have to be a standardized format. Preschool assessments are simply a way to gauge how a child is doing. It shows the teacher how much he knows, what he still is working on, and concepts that are too difficult at this point. Doing a simple assessment will help you decide what your preschooler needs to learn, this will lead to a more productive and enjoyable homeschool experience.

When Should I Do a Preschool Assessment

Assessments are planning tool and also allow you to see progress. They are not graded, so do not see them as a final exam. You can give a preschool assessment at any time, however here are some best uses for one:

  • Administer the same assessment at the beginning of the year and toward the end.
  • Give an end of year assessment to decide what curriculum to choose for next year.
  • Let the assessment be a baseline for your homeschool, see where you child is before you start anything for the year.
  • Wait until mid-year to give the first assessment. Use the results to drive your spring learning plans and then again at the end of the year to see the improvement.

What Should a Preschooler Know?

Young children have a wide variety of abilities and timetables for learning. There is no set schedule for what to learn when. However, there are some core skills that are age-appropriate. Each of these topics is what the core subjects of school are built upon. A preschool assessment will focus on reading/phonics skills, math and counting skills, and pen control. Also, it is important to assess social and emotional skills for preschoolers.

Reading Preparedness Skills to Assess

Reading is a fundamental skill that is the building block of all learning. It is an essential skill for school and future learning. That is why it usually the main focus of preschool and early elementary lessons. That said, children develop at different rates and reading is dependent more on readiness than age. So, these skills will give you an idea of how ready your child is for reading, but are in no way an indication of future performance.

  • Letter recognition
  • Sight words
  • Phonics/letter sounds
  • Basic word writing and sentence formation

Math Topics to Assess

Math is the other key building block to learning. Gaining confidence in math will drive your child’s ability. At this young age, math concepts are very basic. Recognition is the most important skill. Recognizing shapes and numbers is crucial. Again, children develop at different rates. Here is a list of skill to assess:

  • Shape Recognition
  • Color Recognition
  • Seasons
  • Months
  • Days of the Week
  • Number Recognition
  • Counting
  • Sequencing
  • Patterns
  • Writing numbers
  • Addition with +1
  • Subtraction with -1

Other Skills to Assess:

  • Right and Wrong
  • Feelings
  • Good vs Bad
Have a Kindergartener? Try our Kindergarten Assessment Test!

How to Camp the Homeschool Way

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A group of small school children with teacher on field trip in nature.

Are you looking to getaway? Want to just unplug, relax, and get back to nature? However, you are worried about falling behind in your homeschool! Right? Now is the perfect time to plan an educational vacation. Camping is not only affordable but bursting with learning opportunities. Leave the books and gadgets behind, so you can learn how to camp the homeschool way.

Learning on a Hike

What is camping without a hike? Hiking is great exercise for your body and your mind. It brings you close to the learning and gives you the chance to explore the great outdoors. So, find a trail or forge your own and see what learning opportunities come across your path. However, be prepared! Make sure to carry water, a compass, first aid supplies, and a map. Going off the beaten path is exciting, but be sure you can find your way back. Once everyone has proper clothing, bug protection and basic necessities, it is time for the learning to begin. Take the opportunity to learn about the following on your homeschool hiking expedition:

Fishing for Learning Opportunities

Now that you have worked up a sweat and an appetite, it’s time to cool off by the water. Fishing is fun and educational. You can choose to catch and release or fish for your supper. Either way, you will be catching multitudes of lessons along the way. Be sure to check local fishing regulations and licensing restrictions. Cast your line into learning with these fishy lessons:

  • Learn to identify fish
  • Learn about the fish habitats
  • Identify other creatures in the lake ecosystem and how they relate to the fish you want to catch
  • Experiment with lures, baits, and different methods of fishing
  • Create fish art prints as a souvenir.
  • Learn how to clean the fish and prepare them for a meal.
100 Fun Filled Field Trips for Homeschooling Families

Set Your Homeschool Learning on Fire

At the end of a camping day, everyone loves to sit around the campfire. This is a chance to tell stories, recap your day, and just relax. Campfires are a quintessential camping experience. However, they are also an amazing classroom for more learning. Now, always check local fire warnings and requirements before setting up a campfire. However, sitting around the fire is a perfect place to have family learning. This will ignite the fire of learning in your homeschool and create memories that last a lifetime. Here are some lessons to incorporate into your camping fire experience:

  • Fire safety
  • How to start a fire
  • Cooking on a fire—it’s really different than the stove at home!
  • The art of storytelling
  • Campfire songs and folk songs
  • The anatomy of a flame—what do the colors mean and how do fires burn?

Homeschooling while Camping

Camping does not mean homeschooling needs to end. In fact, it could be the best way to keep you learning the rest of the year. Sometimes you need to get out of the classroom and invest time learning as a family. While you are camping, you can explore other topics as well. Bring along nature guides and basic tools, like a magnifying glass, tweezers, collection bags, and a camera. Be prepared to learn and to be safe. First aid is a life skill that is great to practice before you need it. Take the time to meet with a park ranger and discuss local wildlife, habitats, and how you can help protect the natural wonders you are enjoying. Most importantly, let the learning come. You will be surprised how much a little time in nature can teach you, even when you leave the lesson planning book at home!

Free Distance Learning Programs

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Learning from home is on the rise. However, being home doesn’t mean your educational resources are limited. In fact, this is the best time to try distance learning. The Internet opens a world of possibilities. Better yet, there are masses of free resources to be used for everything from lesson planning and instruction, to supplemental resources and practice. If you are just beginning with distance learning for kids, here is a comprehensive guide with many subjects included to get you started with free distance learning programs.

What is Distance Learning?

While distance learning or distance education seems to coincide with online education, the official definition is a method of studying using live broadcast or classes through correspondence online, without the student requiring to attend a school or college.

Free Educational Websites & Subscriptions

The Internet is teeming with distance learning options. Some are actual online schools or curriculum suppliers. Beyond the curriculum, though, many websites provide educational games, interactive instruction, and incremental learning. There is something for everyone from early learning, to continuing education.

Here is a list of the most popular distance learning websites that are free or offering a free trial. (Note: these were free at the time of posting 5/13/2020, some offers may have changed or expired.)

Free Online Math Resources

If you are looking for awesome math resources online, here are some popular virtual math education portals and cool online math games. You’ll find several videos, articles, and lessons for free for many age ranges and levels.

Popular Reading Programs

There are a ton of free reading programs for preschool and elementary age kids on the internet. Keep in mind, you’ll find some subscription-based programs with trials while considering what’s best for your emerging reader.

Online Games for Kids

Kids love games and its a perfect way to teach strategic thinking, problem-solving, and focused learning. You’ll find these amazing websites a great tool to get your kids excited about their education!

Free Preschool Games

While preschoolers have a hard time sitting still, you may have an easier time keeping them focused on the tasks at hand using these interactive and free websites! You’ll find a ton of free preschool games along with sit down work such as worksheets, coloring pages, and more.

Free All in One Homeschool Curriculum

If you are looking for an all-inclusive learning site, these free online all-in-one resources are some of the most popular in the online world. As you can see, there are some great options. Please note that some may have a free trial for a limited period of time before expiring.

Virtual Extracurricular Activities

Looking for other subjects besides the 3 R’s? There are a ton of online curriculum homeschool based, but maybe you are looking for extra curriculum activities outside of these core subjects? Here are some websites and apps that teach everything from foreign languages, learning code, music appreciation, and learning to play instruments. These options will help round out your curriculum and serve your child’s unique needs.

Science Websites and History for Kids using Webcams

Sometimes, you need to close the books (or educational websites) and take an adventure. However, travel can be difficult or impossible for you right now. That’s when you have the adventure come to you! Here’s a collection of interactive experiences to keep your children’s interest piqued.

Science and history often go hand in hand as you take a tour around the world. You’ll discover virtual trips to see exotic animals, amazing space stations, and a broad range of sea creatures!

Science Websites for Kids

History for Kids

Geography for kids

Geography may sound a bit dull and boring, but you’ll be pleasantly surprised how fun this subject is with a visual experience! Try these fantastic and free websites to go around the world in a flash, plus you’ll fun some interactive games!

Online Art Classes for Kids

Museums are a wonderful way to experience the subject of art first hand. Even if you don’t live near a major museum, several offer virtual tours, interactive exhibits, and educational experiences. Below is a list of museums and other points of interest around the world that offer virtual experiences for art distance learning.

Free Organization Platforms for Teachers

Now that you have plenty of resources, it’s time to organize your lessons. This could be overwhelming. Thankfully, there are many online tools for teachers to plan lessons for school. These are also wonderful resources for at-home teachers. Therefore, we have a list of free online lesson planning programs, below.

Free Online Meeting Platforms

Distance learning at home can get lonely. Or perhaps you want to host a virtual activity or club. The Internet makes it possible to connect with other distance learners. Therefore, video conferencing software and apps are important tools for distance education. The following are popular online meeting platforms for students, clubs, and one-on-one instruction.

Continuing Education Teens & Adults

Parents and Teens, we’ve got awesome online courses and lessons for you too! Discover a new world of learning code, earn a degree, or expand your business skill sets with these continuing ed websites.

Free Editable Diplomas from Kindergarten Mom

Free Printable Education Resources

Online resources make distance learning easier than ever. However, distance learning does not have to happen online. Printable resources are a great no-tech option. Likewise, printables are ready immediately. You don’t want to wait for the mail to finally show up. Simply click and print. So, fire up your printer and check out these printable packets for your homeschool. You’ll find a ton of worksheets for multiple subjects including science, spelling, reading, writing, math, and more!

Homeschool Year-End Assessment Guide

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The end of the year is coming and it’s time to wrap up homeschooling. Before you rush off to your much-deserved summer break, take some time to assess your homeschool. Here is a homeschool year-end assessment guide to help you can finish out the year strong.

Setting and Meeting Homeschool Goals

Did you start the year with lofty goals? Goals are part of planning. Now is the time to take out that list of goals, again. How many have you met? Are there any goals that were unrealistic? Did one of your children blow your goals out of the water? Could you set a bigger goal next year?

Assessing your goals will help you plan better for next year. In addition, you can see how far you have come. Sometimes, we all have difficult homeschooling years. However, every year has its own successes. Yet, it’s difficult to see progress in the every day. So, look at your goals, celebrate the ones you met, and re-evaluate those that you didn’t.

Prepare Homeschool Portfolios for Evaluation

Portfolios are an important part of homeschooling for many families. If your state requires a portfolio, this is a vital step in concluding your year. Here are some simple steps to prepare your portfolios for submission:

  • Gather any required documents and ensure that they are filled out completely
  • Finalize grade sheets
  • Tally hours/days completed
  • Update field trip and book lists
  • Collect any certificates or outside documentation for courses
  • Go through sample work and make final decision on what to include
  • Double check that all subjects are represented
  • Organize all the contents and submit

Assessment of Your Curriculum Choices

Curriculum choices are big decisions. We all invest abundant effort, time, and energy into finding what our family needs. Sometimes those choices are perfect fits. However, sometimes our choices don’t live up to our expectations. So, how did you choices work this year? What did you love? On the other hand, what was a struggle for you or the kids? First, make a list of what worked well. Next, make a list of what didn’t work and why. Now, make notes of anything you would do differently with the curriculum you liked. This will help you plan an even better year for the fall.

Free Kindergarten Assessment Pack

Review Student Progress in Each Subject

Student assessments are essential for reviewing your year. In fact, it should be your central focus.

  • What progress did each child make?
  • What new skills were mastered?
  • Where did they each struggle?
  • What surprised you about their progress?
  • How do your children feel about their school year?

How do I Preform a Homeschool Assessment?

There are many ways to assess your children. In general, standardized tests and final exams are the most common end of year assessments. However, there are endless means for evaluating student progress. Here are some suggestions:

  • End of year narration (Students retell everything that they learned over the year.)
  • Comparison of samples of work throughout the year.
  • Student self-evaluations
    • Score based evaluation
    • Written narrative
    • One on one interview
  • Cumulative project for each subject
  • Administer the same skills test at the beginning and end of year
  • Grade appropriate checklist
Free Homeschool Planning Pack

Review of Homeschool Schedule and Systems

Before you finalize your year, take a moment to review how your homeschool is run. Firstly, how is your homeschool schedule working for you? Consider start times, end times, length of the day, extracurricular activities, and online courses/meetings. Next, consider where you have been homeschooling. Is that space still adequate? What can you change? Do you need a new organization system? Conversely, do you need to re-locate your school area? Lastly, review your habits and systems. What worked and what didn’t?

Make a list of what changes you want to make. In addition, record any items you need to replace, replenish, or would like to try next year. Now, take a deep breath, pay yourself on the back, close your “homeschool door.” and enjoy your summer break with your children.

Do you have the itch to plan out your Summer? Try our Free Homeschool Field Trip Guide!

Homeschool Conventions by State

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You have made it through the dead of winter and are eagerly looking forward to spring. You are probably also starting to think about next year. Homeschool conferences offer the opportunity to meet other homeschool families, hear inspiring speakers, and browse through curriculum. It is important to fuel your homeschooling “tank” regularly. Homeschool conventions give you the motivation and information to keep going and solve any struggles you may be having. So, what are the best homeschool conventions 2020?

Free Homeschool Planning Pack from The Crafty Classroom

Glad you asked! Here is a list I compiled of homeschool conferences 2020 by state. This way you can determine the best ‘homeschool conventions near me’. Whether you’re looking for the great homeschool convention nearest you or by state, we’ve got you covered!

If you know of any others, I would love to hear about them! Which homeschool conference will you attend this year?

Homeschool Conventions near Me in 2020

Alabama

Birmingham Homeschool Convention and Fair  Birmingham, AL   March 20 

Mobile Teach Them Diligently Homeschool Convention    Mobile, AL    May 7-9

Alaska

APHEA 2020 Convention  Anchorage, AK   March 27-28 

IDEA 22nd Annual Curriculum Fair  Soldotna, AK   April 29

Anchorage, AK   April 30-May 1

Fairbanks, AK   May 4-5

Juneau, AK   May 7

Arizona

AFGE Convention Phoenix, AZ  July 10-11

Free to Be 2020 Unschooling Conference Phoenix, AZ September 3-6

Arkansas

Teach Them Diligently Arkansas Rogers, AR  March 6-8

California

California Homeschool Network Family Expo Garden Grove, CA  May 7-10

SCOPE Homeschool Conference and Curriculum Fair Rockland, CA  June 7-8

HSC Conference San Jose, CA   August 6-9

Colorado

Teach Them Diligently Colorado Homeschool Convention  Aurora, CO May 21-23

Rocky Mountain Homeschool Conference Denver, CO  June 25-27

Connecticut

CT Home Educators Capitol Day   Hartford, CT March 25

TEACH CT Used Curriculum Sale Plainville, CT  May 4

Florida

FPEA Wild Florida Homeschool Convention Orlando, FL May 21-23

Great Homeschool Convention Florida Jacksonville, FL June 25-27 

FACCS Christia Educators Convention Orlando, FL   October 8-9 

Georgia

Teach Them Diligently Georgia Homeschool Convention Athens, GA June 11-13  

Southeast HomeschoolExpo Atlanta, GA July 23-25 

Idaho

Homeschool Idaho Nampa, ID  June 4-5 

Illinois

APACHE Homeschool Convention Edwards, IL  March 27-28

ICHE Family Conference Bourbonnais, IL May 28-31

Indiana

IAHE Conference Indianapolis, IN  March 27-28 

Iowa

Homeschool Iowa Conference West Des Moines, IA  June 12-13 

Kansas

2020 Kansas Homeschool Expo Wichita, KS May 15-16 

Kentucky

East Kentucky Homeschool Convention Pikeville, KY  June 27   

Memoria Press Conference Louisville, KY  July 6-7 

Louisiana

LAgniappe Conference New Orleans, LA  June 3-5

Maine

30th Annual “Lead the Way Home” 2020 Convention Rockport, ME  March 19-21

Central Maine Homeschool Expo Bangor, ME  April 21 

Massachusetts

MassHope 2020 Convention Sturbridge, MA  May 8-9 

Northeast Unschooling Conference Wakefield, MA  August 13-16 

Michigan

2020 INCH Conference Lansing, MI May 15-16 

Minnesota

Minnesota Catholic Home Educators Conference St Paul, MN  May 29-30 

Missouri

Midwest Parent Educator Homeschool Conference Kansas City, MO  April 3-4

Great Homeschool Convention St Charles, MO March 26-28

Nebraska

NCHEA Lincoln, NE  March 7-8

New Jersey

Refresh North Jersey Homeschool Conference Knowlton, NJ   March 7 

IHM New York Mahwah, NJ    July 18

New Mexico

CAPE NM Albuquerque, NM June 19-20

New York

New York Homeschool Convention Rodchester, NY  July 30- August 1

North Carolina

Thrive! The NCHE Annual Conference Winston-Salem, NC  May 28-30

North Dakota

NDHSA Home Educators Association Jamestown, ND  March 7-8

 

Ohio

Great Homeschool Convention Ohio Cincinnati, OH   April 16-18

Teach Them Diligently Columbus, OH  May 28-30

Oklahoma

Tulsa Homeschool Expo Tulsa, OK February 28-29

HSOK Celebration 2020 Oklahoma City, OK  April 30-May 2

Oregon 

Oregon Christian Home Educator Conference Albany, OR   June 19-20

Pennsylvania

CHAP Conference Lancaster, PA  June 12-13 

South Carolina

Great Homeschool Conventions South Carolina Greenville, SC   March 19-21

South Dakota

Christian Homeschool Conference of South Dakota Sioux Falls, SD  May 7-8

Tennessee

Teach Them Diligently Nashville, TN  February 27-29 

CSTHEA Curriculum Fair   Chattanooga, TN July 17-18

Texas

Texas Unschooler Conference 2020    Waller, TX   April 16-20

Called to Teach Allen, TX   April 30-May 2

The Woodlands, TX  May 28-30

South Texas Homeschool Conference Corpus Christi, TX  May 29-30

Texas Home Educators Conference The Woodlands, TX  August 7-8

Utah

  LDSHE Home Education Conference West Ogden, UT             May 27-29

Virginia

LDSHE Home Education Conference East Virginia Beach, VA  May 6-8

HEAV Virginia Homeschool Convention Richmond, VA   June 11-13

IHM National Catholic Homeschool Conference Fredericksburg, VA  June 19-20

Washington

Life is Good Unschooling Conference Vancouver, WA  May 21-24 

2020 WHO Conference Tacoma, WA   June 26-27

West Virginia

CHEWV Homeschooling 101 Hurricane, WV  March 21

Wisconsin

Wisconsin Parents Association Conference Stevens Point, WI May 8-9 

Wyoming

Homeschoolers of WY 2020 Convention Cheyenne, WY  May 14-16

Online Summits:

Sometimes, attending a homeschool convention isn’t possible. Perhaps you live too far away from the nearest conference. Or it could be that you are going through a season of life that doesn’t allow you to attend. Either way, online summits are a perfect way to bridge the gap between you and the homeschool convention you can’t attend. 

Online conferences come to you. You often get lifetime access, so you can watch when it is convenient for you. Also, they usually have some type of vendor fair. Now, it isn’t the same as holding a book in your hand. However, online homeschool vendor halls still give you the chance to explore new curriculum and resource options. Here are some suggestions if there are no homeschool conventions near you in 2020

Homegrown Generation https://homegrowngeneration.com/

The Homeschool Teaching Online Summit 2.0 https://homeschoolsummits.com/

Homeschool 2.0 Global Summit https://hgsummit.com/

Homeschool Mom Conference https://mailchi.mp/d1e895905925/homeschool-mom-conference

Are you going to a homeschool convention this year? If so, which one are you attending, and is it in person or online?

Monthly Preschool Themes & Topics

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Preschoolers are naturally curious and excited to learn. You may be wondering what to teach your preschooler and when. A new year is here with 12 months of learning opportunities. One of the easiest ways to structure your schooling and still have plenty of room for fun is with preschool learning themes by month. Each learning theme gives you a topic to springboard off of. Add in crafts, stories to read, activities or experiments, and maybe even a field trip. 

Using Preschool Learning Themes by Month

 You may be wondering where to start with preschool curriculum planning. It can be overwhelming to fill a whole year with lessons that are engaging, fun, and  educational. This is where themes come in. By planning your month around a few or even one topic, you can be more direct in your lessons and not be looking for inspiration every day or week. 

This style of teaching helps tie lessons together in a memorable way. Preschoolers can easily relate to these learning themes. They will be eager to learn more and participate in lessons. Best of all, it will be easier to incorporate play, imagination, and practical skills into your preschool day.

January:

Kick off the year by choosing from the following themes:

  1. The Calendar
  2. Snow and Ice
  3. Martin Luther King
  4. Hibernation
  5. Nursery Rhymes

February:

Stay warm this February with these sweet learning ideas:

  1. Love and Friendship
  2. Presidents
  3. Groundhog Day
  4. Your Heart
  5. Baking

March:

Comes in like a lion, goes out like a lamb, but you will have tons of fun in between with these:

  1. Ireland
  2. Opposites
  3. Weather
  4. Rainbow of colors
  5. Fairy Tales

April:

Spring has sprung, so dive into these learning themes with your preschooler.

  1. Seasons
  2. Flowers
  3. Easter
  4. Pond Life
  5. Counting

May:

May is full of flowers and fun, now it can be full of learning, too:

  1. Family
  2. Memorial Day
  3. Bugs and Insects
  4. Clothing
  5. Camping

June:

It’s getting sunny and warm, with long summer days. Keep your learning going with these preschool themes:

  1. All About Me
  2. The Sun
  3. Gardens
  4. Sidewalk Chalk Games
  5. The Five Senses

July:

Liberty, life, and days at the beach. July is hot, hot, hot for preschool learning.

  1. Liberty
  2. The Beach
  3. Sea Life
  4. Vacation
  5. Water

August:

Summer fun is winding down, but your preschooler will still be learning strong.

  1. Farm Animals
  2. Watermelon
  3. Hurricanes and Tornadoes
  4. Transportation
  5. Community Helpers

September:

School is heading back and Fall is blowing in, how about you try some of these:

  1. Apples
  2. Caterpillars and Butterflies
  3. Pets
  4. Harvest Time
  5. Books

October:

Leaves are falling and pumpkins are getting round, here’s some themes to keep you growing, too.

  1. Trees
  2. Woodland Animals
  3. Pumpkins
  4. Feelings
  5. Costumes

November:

It’s time to start gathering as a family and give thanks for all we have.

  1. Thanksgiving
  2. Pies
  3. Food Groups
  4. Family Tree
  5. Ships

December:

The end of the year is here and the magical holiday season has begun these learning topics will make the season that much more special.

  1. Christmas
  2. Stars
  3. Pajamas
  4. Manners
  5. Winter Animals

Looking for more learning fun? Check out the preschool printables at Preschool Mom. 

The Best Homeschool Planners and Homeschool Resources for Free

Did you know that one of the key to homeschool success is having the right planner at your fingertips? Having a homeschool plan has so many benefits: it starts the day off right, keeps your focus and direction on important subjects, and gives you a stress free outcome throughout the day. Do you have a homeschool planner? If not, I’ll share with you incredible and valuable free homeschool resources to get you started.

The wonderful thing about homeschool organization is that you can start anytime! There have been many times where we had to adjust our homeschool plan. We’ve even had to make major changes in our curriculum and having a homeschool plan makes my job and their lives so much easier.

Don’t ever think that you have to wait until the beginning of a new school year or new year, any time of the year is perfect! Let’s do this — we need our daily lives to have purpose and meaning, so let’s do all things in decency and in order. Now is the time, busy moms and teachers!

Free Homeschool Planner

There are so many homeschool resources, but where do you begin? Let’s start with a free homeschool planner printable! It’s simple, yet, very effective and gives your day a well planned strategy. With this free simple homeschool planner, you’ll set homeschool goals for each subject, write a student plan with a list of curriculum, then create your weekly homeschool lesson planner.

The homeschool lesson planner will include a weekly dashboard of subjects and expectations for each student. You’ll include page #s, page count, and days of week.

Next, a homeschool calendar will give you a year at a glance or snapshot of monthly events including field trips, tests, special events, etc. This quick at-a-glance layout is available in two different formats; the first starting in January and the second starting in September.  However, use it whatever month works best.

Free Homeschool Portfolio

Homeschool record keeping is a necessary part of a successful homeschool, plus many states require it. While there are many systems and homeschool available, a popular choice is a homeschool portfolio.

What is a homeschool portfolio? A homeschool portfolio is simply a method to record assessments, grades, abilities, experiences or anything you deem important for future review. Remember, this document will grow and change over time, but it’s important to begin with the basics.

In addition, homeschool record keeping programs eliminate the stress of writing an end of year assessment using only your memory. Plus, it reminds you of the wonderful progress your child has made while revealing areas of for improvement. And, I love how it shows each students creativity and personalization that is not reflected in tests or exams.

Free Homeschool Resources

Now that you’ve got a concrete homeschool plan, your record keeping system is in place, it’s time to utilize more free homeschool resources to make your homeschool day easier. If you have a child that enjoys hands on learning, unit studies are a great solution!

We have developed a series of homeschool unit study helps that are designed to give you ideas that are creative, fascinating, and exciting for your homeschool students. For example, our year of free unit studies is a great start to get those creative juices going and flowing freely.

You’ll love the topics and your ikds will discover so much about the world and their surroundings, one subject at a time. Why are unit studies so effective? Unit studies provide flexibility, save time, and increase learning capacity. Unit students allow students to understand the framework of a topic by including several subjects.

If you are not creative or don’t have time and would like prepackaged unit studies, try our handful of fun and free homeschool unit studies! We’ve included these free unit studies in our year of unit studies resource.

Homeschool Assessment: Inventory Tips

Now that we’ve got our homeschool planning, homeschool portfolio, and homeschool resources available at our disposable, let’s discuss how we can best review whether our homeschool planning has been a success. While these homeschool assessment tips were designed for January, these would be a great homeschool resource to use after planning has been executed.

Try a mid-year or even a month review of your homeschool environment. It’s time to assess your progress, make changes, and even set new goals for the rest of the year. This Homeschool Checklist is a great way to review your homeschool day. And, if you are finding it’s all work and no play, add some more educational field trips. Remove curriculum that takes the fun out of learning, and replace it with your family’s learning styles.

Homeschool Organization

Now that we’ve taken care of homeschool paperwork, let’s take care of our organization homeschool operation. Do you find your homeschool classroom needs decluttered? Here are 5 quick tips on getting your homeschool organized and tidy so you have less mess and less stress!

Homeschool organizing doesn’t have to be frustrating and stressful. Instead, follow these 5 quick homeschool organizing tips to tackle the clutter.

  • Write a list of curriculum you are using
  • Remove unwanted homeschool curriculum
  • Remove broken homeschool materials
  • Resell your unused homeschool curriculum
  • Find permanent storage solutions to keep materials tidy

You can find all of these 5 homeschool organizing tips with more details as you conquer the homeschool clutter. Don’t forget, it’s a marathon, not a sprint, and a constantly changing process. Not one curriculum works best for everyone, and not one procedure works for every student. Find out what works best for you and your family, and just stick with it! Great job, Mom, you made it this far, that means you’re ready to make it a successful homeschool day!

Homeschool Planning Pack

This homeschool planning pack will keep you on track with goals, curriculum, orders, and teach your student to maintain an independent weekly calendar.

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Student Portfolio Pack

Grab this student organizing pack to help you keep track on meeting state homeschooling requirements and your own homeschool goals for the year.

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Homeschool Checklist {mid-year evaluation}

Grab these 9 tips on a mid-year review to evaluate how your homeschool is running, and how your children are learning. Plus, track your homeschool goals with these 7 essential tips.

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Classroom Organizing Tips

Grab these tips to make your homeschool or classroom tidy and neat every day of the week.

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Monthly Unit Studies {for entire year}

Grab these wonderful unit study ideas for topic-based lessons that include several subjects like math, history, science, and more! You'll discover solar system studies, literature studies, Marie Curie biography studies and SO much more!

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Mushroom Unit Study

Head out on a nature walk and look for different types of mushrooms or other fungi with this mushroom unit study as your child gets practice with spelling, nature, journaling, and more!

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Parts of a Pine Cone Unit Study

Parts of a Pine Cone unit study includes valuable worksheets, charts and a notebooking Page.

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Trees Unit Study

Learn all about trees with this fantastic trees unit study --you'll find coloring worksheets, cut and paste, labeling, notebooking, and more!

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Pumpkin Unit Study

Grab this pumpkin unit study for kids that includes handy hands-on activities like worksheets, notebooking pages, and more.

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January Homeschool Checklist: Taking Inventory

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The new year is here, and even though it isn’t a new homeschool year, there is some housekeeping to be done! January is the perfect time to do a mid-year review of your homeschool, assess your progress, and set goals for the rest of the year. This ultimate January homeschool checklist will get your homeschool organizing and thriving.

Tasks to Focus on in January

  1. Mid-year review of your homeschool
  2. Portfolio organization and planning
  3. Student assessments
  4. Homeschool goal setting and evaluation
  5. Organization systems for your homeschool

How to Do a Mid-Year Homeschool Review

Do you remember the excitement when you finished plans for the year and the new books arrived? How are you feeling about your choices, now? Sometimes, we have the “best” plans but they just are not the best for our family. Or, we realize that there are gaps that need to be filled. A mid-year review gives you the opportunity to evaluate how your homeschool is running, and how your children are learning. This is not a time to be overly critical. If aspects of your homeschool need to be changed, feel empowered that you can change for the better. Do not worry about the “should have” or “could have” ideas. The best homeschool are ones that grow and change with family needs.

Mid-Year Homeschool Review Steps:

  1. Evaluate how you feel about each book or curriculum resource. Is the beautiful language arts book dull and dry? Are you pleasantly surprised by the last minute science choice? Do you wish you had never bought that geography curriculum? Be honest with yourself and make a list of what you would like to change in your homeschool.
  2. Ask the children about how they feel. Child input is essential to a healthy homeschool. Ask them to recount how they feel about their progress and resources.
  3. Track your goals and set new ones. Have you met your goals for first semester? Are there topics you still haven’t addressed? Where do you want to be in June?
  4. Organize and evaluate your portfolios. 
  5. Assess your students and look for gaps and growth. See if anyone is ready to skip ahead, or needs some extra support to keep going. Where have they blossomed? Where are they struggling?
  6. Look at organization systems in your homeschool. Where do you need more organization? Are the systems you have working or do they need a little tweak?
  7. Consider your homeschooling schedule. Is your general plan for the day still working? Are there unexpected difficulties that you need to address? Are you spending enough time on schooling? Are you spending too much?
  8. Formulate a plan to fix what is broken. Decide which areas need the most attention. Choose how you will address these concerns. 
  9. Revise your plans for the year and proceed with confidence.

Tracking Goals

Tracking your homeschool goals is essential to meeting them. It also helps you form better goals in the future. Look at what you planned to do before the year began. How are you doing with that plan? Are you meeting your goals? Have you surpassed them? 

  1. Take out your homeschool checklist of goals for the year
  2. Check off the ones that have been met
  3. Circle those that you have not gotten around to
  4. Evaluate if your original goals are realistic
  5. Decide which goals were easy to meet.
  6. Rework goals that are unrealistic
  7. Rewrite your goals list for the rest of the year

Portfolio Planning and Maintenance

Portfolios are the perfect way to track progress and evaluate your children. They also provide ongoing records of what you learned for state evaluations. However, building a portfolio from scratch in June is a daunting task. Take the time to plan what you will be including and do some maintenance work on your portfolios, now. This will make the rest of the year easier and mean that you have a completed portfolio at the end of the year.

  1. Make a list of what must be included or take out the list you already made
  2. Make a note of any items missing from the first part of the year
  3. Ask your child to do a self assessment on their portfolio. How does he or she feel about the work included? What would he or she change?
  4. Set up a routine for updating portfolio contents
  5. Update record keeping logs
  6. Celebrate what you have already accomplished this school year

How to Assess Students with a Homeschool Checklist

We often think of student assessment as tests or stressful requirements. An assessment is simply evaluating where a child is and where he needs to be. It does not have to be a written test and can be completed fairly quickly. A thorough assessment of a student’s abilities, needs, and accomplishments will help you build a better educational experience. 

  1. Where has your child done very well?
  2. What new skills has he mastered?
  3. Can he demonstrate his learning in each of the core subjects?
  4. Where is he struggling?
  5. Is there a gap that needs to be filled?
  6. How is his learning style affecting his progress? 
  7. Is he investing enough time and effort into his studies?
  8. Is there something that would make his learning easier?
  9. Are there environmental factors? Work space? Noise levels? Dietary needs? How can you provide a better environment?
  10. Is there something your child really wants to learn in the new year?

Tips for Homeschooling in January

It is important to not be overly hard on yourself in January. A new year is a new beginning. You have 365 opportunities ahead of you. Focus more on what you have accomplished and less on what you didn’t. Also, do not take too long doing a mid-year assessment. Work through the January homeschool checklist and move on. There is still plenty of year left for homeschooling. 

  • Go gentle on yourself and your children
  • Take the time to work through the checklist and evaluations, but don’t spend too long.
  • Approach the next half of the school year with optimism
  • Make sure your children know what they are doing well, and where they can improve
  • Be willing to let go of resources, goals, or preconceptions that don’t serve your family
  • Celebrate how far you have come

Winter Field Trip Ideas to Beat the Cold Weather Blues

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It’s cold and snowy outside. The kids are restless and spring is months away. Winter can make homeschool difficult. You feel trapped. (Possibly going crazy) Homeschool cold-weather blues are common. Don’t let them get you down. Escape your schoolroom and find these winter field trip ideas.

Winter can be the best time to take a field trip. Everyone needs a chance to get out, stretch their legs, and have a change of scenery.  Here are four ideas for homeschool winter field trips.

Aquarium Exploration

Too cold for the beach? Have the ocean come to you!  Aquariums are fun and fascinating for the whole family. You can take a trip around the world in an aquarium. There may be penguins from the antarctic and hippos from the hot jungle. An aquarium trip can be educational and recreational. Take some time to relax and just watch the fish swim. Or dive deep into learning with educational programs and informational brochures. The perfect way to beat those homeschool winter blues.

A Trip to the Mine

What, really? A field trip to the mine is not your typical excursion. However, caves, caverns, and mines stay at a constant temperature. So no matter how cold it is this winter, they will be tolerable. In fact, you will welcome the relative warmth underground. 

Make sure to find a mine or cavern that is set up for tourists to visit. Exploring caves can be dangerous. However, across the country, there are mine, cavern, and caves that are managed and safe. Take a tour with a knowledgeable tour guide. It’s amazing what you can learn in a couple of hours underground!

Field Trip into the Cold

Sometimes, you just need to embrace the cold. Winter provides plenty of opportunities for fun. What says winter more than ice skating? It’s great exercise and so much fun. Ice skating is also a phenomenal brain-building activity. Skating requires balance and cross-body actions, both of which activate the language centers of the brain. Plus you will be building pathways between the two hemispheres of the brain. This is essential for children to develop their math and reading skills, without even trying. So, head to your local skating rink or a thoroughly frozen pond, and exercise your brain and body. Oh, don’t forget about snow tubing, skiing, and snowshoeing. Bundle up and have some fun.

Field Trip to Nowhere

Sometimes the best plan is no plan at all. Take a drive out to the country, or a cruise around town. Drive down streets you have never traveled. Stop at that local shop that you always pass but never go into. Just see where life takes you. We often spend so much time getting places, we miss everything in between. A field trip to nowhere could keep you close to home or take you as far as time allows. 

Practice map reading skills along the way. Everyone has GPS, and that is a great tool. It will always lead you home. But for the field trip, shut off the GPS and find your way the old fashioned way. Unplug from your devices. Turn off the radio. Just enjoy the scenery and time together. You can become a party of explorers. Sometimes, we need to be tourists in our own backyard.

100 Homeschool Field Trips

If you are looking for more inspiration for finding fun homeschool field trips, we’ve put together a master list of 100 homeschool field trip activities you can add to your calendar! These low-budet trips are just right for homeschooling families and your children will love them!

Homeschool Planning Guide

Are you overwhelmed with planning your homeschool field trip? Here is a free homeschool field trip planning guide that will help you keep organized. We’ve organized this planning guide into six sections with tips and local recommendations.

  • Fine Arts
  • Local Government & Business
  • Museums
  • Parks & Recreation
  • Outdoor Activities
  • Group Tours

Click Here for our Free Printable Guide

Pros & Cons of Homeschool Unit Studies

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If your family is tired of textbook learning, or you have a child who learns best through hands-on projects, unit studies could be your best friend. Unit studies are short or long term curriculum plans that teach most or all of the coursework revolves around the same theme. So, instead of having math, science, history, and language arts as separate subjects, they are all integrated into one subject one a theme, such as horse, the civil war, space, or art history.

Topic-based lessons can be a fascinating way to homeschool. Before beginning them in your homeschool, here are some of the pros and cons of homeschool unit studies.

Free Mushroom Unit Study from The Crafty Classroom

Pros of Unit Studies

Unit studies could be just what your family needs. They are engaging and easily adaptable to various levels. This means the entire family can work together instead of having to teach every child a different program for each subject. Here are some other positive attributes of unit studies.

Passion Led

We are all motivated by our interests. Children learn better and retain more information when they are engaged. The easiest way to engage children is by appealing to their likes. Choose unit studies that your child will love doing. This eliminates the “boredom” of school and makes even the less desirable subject interesting.

Customizable

A unit study is what you make it. It can be on any topic you choose. Even the sky isn’t the limit. Traditional curriculum follows a set pattern. There are only so many different textbooks available. Most are not built around specialized topics. A unit study can also be customized to your family’s schedule and make-up. The same unit study could be used for one student, or adapted to be used with five at different levels.

At Student’s Pace

A homeschool unit study moves at the pace of the student. Unlike traditional lesson plans that tell a student what to do each day. Homeschool unit studies give the student a goal and resources to explore at his own pace. Siblings can explore the same subject matter according to their ability. The point is not to get everything completed, but to master the topic at hand.

Endless Possibilities

The greatest pro for unit studies is the endless possibilities. Anything can become a unit study. They can include field trips, projects, blogs, experiments, and volunteer work. Unit study-based homeschool curriculum is never limited to just books. There is no wrong way to do a unit study and the same topic can be explored many times from different angles.

Cons of Unit Studies

While unit studies have so much to offer, they aren’t for everyone. There are drawbacks to this kind of homeschooling. Before delving into the world of unit studies, consider the following cons.

Can Be Time Consuming

Putting together homeschool unit studies are a good deal of work. It requires much more of an investment than just using a textbook program. You will need to plan out every aspect of the unit study, find resources, create or find projects, and decide what your ultimate goal is. There are pre-made unit study available. These will save time, however, you will still have to gather the resources. Unit studies are doable for most homeschool families. Just make sure to evaluate how much time you have to invest before beginning.

Need to Stay Organized

Tackling a unit study requires organization. You will need to keep on top of what books and resources are needed when. Make sure to allow time for checking out books, ordering supplies, and delivery. Also, it will take a little more attention to stay on top of what students are doing.

Watch the Expenses

Don’t fall down the rabbit hole! Unit studies can easily get very expensive. Be conscious of costs when planning projects, tools, resources, and books. There is so much out there to explore, and so many ways to do it. Have a budget and stick to it. On the topic of getting carried away, it is easy to over-plan and want to do more than is humanly possible to complete. The best unit studies homeschool curriculum does not have to be expensive or elaborate, but it is easy to get carried away.

Non-traditional

Homeschool unit studies are not like traditional schools. There are no daily lesson plans. Assigning grades is not like marking paper tests or quizzes. They are very open-ended and free form. If you like structure and a more traditional school approach, you may not enjoy unit studies. However, unit study homeschool curriculum can be what you make them, just decide how flexible you are willing to be.

Do you have any pros or cons to add?

Now that you are aware of the pros and cons of homeschool unit studies, here’s HOW to create a unit study that’s fantastic and fits your family perfectly!

Or, if you are looking for great examples of fabulous unit studies, grab my favorite free unit studies right here: