Weekend Links ll June 12, 2026

 

Tips for Homeschooling While Traveling

Free Printable Travel Brochure Template

Healthy Eating on a Budget

Scavenger Hunt Printables for Teens & Tweens

Free Printable Summer Bingo

20 Ways to Raise A Baby On A Budget

 *This post was originally published on 3/30/15.  Enjoy! 

1. Breastfeed if you can-- Breastfeeding is the healthiest and most economical way to feed your baby in the first year.  While some mom's can't breastfeed, many can.  It's a great way to bond with your child and provide a free meal.  And if you're having trouble, contact your local hospital to find a nursing consult in your area.

2. Borrow a breast pump (or go in on one)-- If you need a breast pump, check with your friends to see if you can borrow one.  Even with replacing a few parts, borrowing will save you a ton of money. I also know a couple of sisters who chose to purchase a breast pump together, knowing that they were both at the beginning of their parenting journeys.

3. Get a breast pump for free-- Some insurance companies will cover the cost of a brand new breast pump.  Most require a prescription from your physician.  Some will even cover delivery.  Call the number on the back of your insurance card to find out what's covered.

4. Cloth diaper-- Cloth diapering can save you a load of money.  Buy used, on discount, or from a friend and save even more.  While the initial investment is a little steep, you'll save a a ton of money in the long run.

5. Borrow items-- Borrow a jumper, a bassinet, or a stroller... if your friend is willing to lend, be honest with your needs.  Just be sure to be considerate.  Try to return items in the same or better condition.

6. Buy used-- Not everything has to be new.  Kids grow so quickly, especially in the first year.  Most moms (and grandparents) are so excited when they find out about a pregnancy, they go out and over shop.  You'd be amazed at the quality, or even new, items you can find in second hand stores and at yard sales.

7. Shop discount-- Besides second hand store, you can also find quality items at discount stores.  Places like T.J. Maxx, Ross, outlets, and more regularly have nice baby items on their racks.

8. Invest in a quality items-- While it might seem contradictory, sometimes spending more upfront will actually save you in the long run.  Spend your money on quality furniture, car seats, and strollers to save money later on.

9. Buy items that convert--Cribs, strollers, and car seats can all be bought to convert.  The initial cost is higher, but it saves money in the long run.

10. Make your own baby food-- Invest in a Baby Bullet or an immersion wand, some fresh fruits and vegetables, and check out the ideas right here on Creative2xmom.  Making baby food is healthy and easy.  Make a big batch and freeze in individual servings.

11. Ask for freebies--Be sure to contact formula, diaper, and baby care companies with your due date.  Once you're a part of their mailing list, you'll start to receive freebies and samples that stretch your budget just that extra little bit.

12. Use coupons-- As a part of being on these company mailing lists, you'll also receive lots of coupons.  Besides that keep a look out for coupons on websites and in the paper and couple them with diaper sales and the Target cartwheel.

13. Register at Babies R Us--By registering with Babies R Us, you can receive a percentage off the unpurchased items after the baby arrives.  So put some nicer items on your list and receive a discount on items you'll already need to purchase.

14. Keep it simple--Simple is always inexpensive.  Do you need the sound machine that plays 10 sounds or the one that plays 3?  Do you need the full nursery set or a few piece to build at a time?

15. Learn the fine art of photography--Pictures are very expensive.  And if you're like me, you want to have pictures taken every time they breath.  So get your camera out, experiment with lighting and poses, and learn how to take them yourself.  You can do it!

16. Take advantage of tax deductions--Twenty to thirty-five percent of child care expenses can be deducted on your taxes, based on your income.  Talk to your tax preparer for more information.

17. Fight the culture--You don't need every gadget under the sun.  Purchase just a few simple items to get started and see what you need from you.  Babies grow slowly and there will be time to purchase more as you need.

18. Exchange items with a friend--Do you have a friend that's a step or two ahead of you?  Maybe she has some clothing or items you can borrow.  What about that friend that's newly pregnant?  Maybe she can use your maternity clothes before your next pregnancy.  Beware who you swap with, but with the right mix of friends, you can save a lot of money.

19. Buy ahead--For clothing, try to buy a size or season ahead.  Watch for end of the season sales and stock up on basic items for the next year.  Make sure you get on our favorite stores mailing lists for coupons and sales ads.  Skip trying this with shoes.  I've found my children's shoes sizes too hard to predict and I end up loosing money.

20. DIY--If you're the DIY type, why not repurpose old furniture for the nursery?  Older pieces tend to be more durable anyways and you can easy find a variety of ideas on pinterest.  This is also a great idea for room decor, storage ideas, bedding, etc.

21.  Get creative--Is there an item you just have to have?  Jot down the price and a quick sketch.  Then go home and think it over.  Do you already have something that you can use in place of this item?  Is there something that can multi-task or be used in place of something new?

How are you raising a baby on a budget?

2025-26 High School Homeschool Favorites

Read-Alouds:

Listening for Lions by Gloria Whalen

When the flu sweeps through her African village, Rachael Sheridan finds herself orphaned... and abducted by a couple trying to find their way back to England.  The Pritchards' try to use Rachael to get into favor with her "grandfather" so they can return home to the family fortune.  Posing as Valerie, she and the grandfather strike up a friendship.  But when the Pritchards return, Rachael finds that she can no longer keep up the facade.  But what will her confession do to Grandfather?  I wasn't sure what to expect from this book, but we really loved it.  The characters were so well written and the storyline kept us engaged from cover to cover. Listening for Lions is a beautiful story about love and loss, growing up, and finding home.  Really great work.

Turtles of the Midnight Moon by Maria Jose Fitzgerald

Twelve year old Barana is fascinated by the sea turtles that visit her coastal home in Honduras.   And she's equally as determined to preserve their nests for generations to come.

Aberdeen is struggling to fit into her life in the states, where she's never quite felt like the other kids.

When Abby gets the chance for a two week visit to Honduras with her father, the girls become unlikely allies in tracking down the poaches that are terrorizing the island.

This is an age appropriate mystery about friendship, preservation, and family, all themes appropriate for tweens and middle schoolers.  We loved reading this one and hope you will too!

PragerU Citizenship 101

I actually stumbled on these through their Youtube channel.  It was good timing as my daughter is taking Civics and Government this year.  I've always wondered at what questions are on the citizenship test, and this series gave us a really good idea.  Plus the site includes a citizenship quiz to access what you know.  Thorough and entertaining, it was a good crash course in the citizenship test. (FREE)

Facing the Facts

Health and Sexuality is just a hard topic to cover with middle school and young high schoolers.  We've tried a couple of different curriculums, and while they were decent, this book was the most thorough resource I've found for this age.  It's honest, accurate, and age appropriate.  It really took the mystery and fear about of approaching this topic with my son, and I wish I had found this book sooner.  I cannot recommend it highly enough.

Classics for Kids

Trying to incorporate more composer study in our homeschool has been a challenge.  I've loosely used Ambleside Online, but finding Classics for Kids has been a game changer.  I've followed the AO schedule of composers, and when I can, I look up the composer on Classics for Kids.  Each composers has around 4 episodes, each 6 min. long, the perfect length for listening and discussing during Morning Time.  It gives us a good taste of the composers style which we then transfer into listening to their compositions throughout the week. (FREE)

No Sweat Nature Study

I'm sneaking this one in from last year since I didn't do a favorites for 2024-25.  We had the year long subscription last year and loved it.  These bi-weekly live classes are taught by Cindy West who thoroughly researches and presents the information.  Each class is about a hour long and she gets so much information into that hour.  Besides teaching the information, she also leads students in drawing about what they're learning and answering questions live.  Plus if you can't make the live classes, they're recorded and available for later viewing.  The archives are extensive and we would often pair a nature study class with what we were learning in our every day curriculum.  This class is amazing!

World Watch News

World Watch News has been come a daily staple in our house.  As part of our Morning Time, WWN is just the right length to keep my high schoolers informed on major world events, without delaying their day too much.  We also enjoy the fact that news segments don't talk down to our students.  They are treated respectfully.  One of my favorite things about WWN is the Reality Check segment that airs once a week.  This short addition teaches kids to how to look at and think through societal issues using a Christian lens.  I have to confess that it's challenged me a time or two as well.  

Bible Recap

I've used this one in the past couple of years, but it would so be appropriate for high schoolers.  Each day I read 2-4 chapters in the Bible (presented chronologically) and then read the daily Bible recap.  This resource has been invaluable in helping me understand some of the harder parts of scripture.  And even more than that, it's helped me to see different aspects of the Lord that I hadn't previously noticed.  I love the resource and highly suggest it for anyone wanting to enrich their devotions.

All Creatures Great and Small

This one is just for fun.  I had heard good things about this series and convinced my husband to check it out with me.  It's based on the life of James Herriot, a vet in England, and the people and animals that he interacted with.  We've found the dialogue to be witty and playful, and the drama to be just enough to keep us interested, but a delightful escape from reality.  While it's primarily my husband and I that watch, the teenagers drift in and out, and seem to enjoy it as well.  Plus I never have to worry about inappropriate scenes appearing or suggestive dialogue.  Just clean, and family appropriate.

What were some of your favorites from this homeschool year?

Weekend Links ll June 5, 2026

 

6 Creative Lessons to Teach with Slime

 

Summer Word Search Printable

Statue of Liberty Unit Study

Ocean Playdough Mats

Free Hiking Journal for Kids

10+ Ways To Incorporate Sneaky Learning Into Your Summer

For homeschoolers, the learning never stops.  Even if you follow a traditional schedule like we do, life is full of learning and creative opportunities.  Homeschool moms have a knack for finding the lesson is nearly any situation.  Learning is happening all around us.  The catch is whether or not our eyes are open to it.

But the challenge can sometimes be that when we come to end of May, we're all somewhat tired, and our brains can only picture lazy days by the pool.  Still those lazy days grown old quickly, and we find ourselves looking for a meaningful learning opportunity. A break from formal academics is nice, but summer break is the perfect environment for "Sneaky Summer Learning."

What is Sneaky Summer Learning? Putting our kiddos in the way of new experience, new ideas, new  challenges in a relaxed, fun environment.  They're learning, doing, exploring, absorbing new information... in short, having a great summer vacation.  

And what does Sneaky Summer Learning look like?  

1. Bird Watching

Pick up a local field guide and learn about birds in your area.  Find out what they like to eat and fill a bird feeder near one of your windows.  Build a bird bath that invites them to splash and play within eyesight.  Keep a count of the birds that visit your backyard.

2. Pressing Flowers

Pressing flowers is an easy and enjoyable activity.  Take a walk around your neighborhood and pick a few.   Or pick some while on a hike. Bring them home to press for bookmarks.  Wanna take it a step further?  Look up the common and scientific names to label your bookmarks.  Plant a few in your yard.  Find a drawing or watercolor tutorial for your flowers.  Look up a YouTube video.  Enjoy the wonderful world of flowers.

3. Hiking

Find a local hike that's challenging, but not overwhelming.  Hike it during different seasons of the year ... maybe even at different times of day. Take note of animal tracks, flowers, birds, etc that you identify.  Encourage your children to stop and observe any sounds they hear.  Or just to notice the peace and quiet around them.

4. Summer Reading Program

Sign up for a Summer Reading Program.  I'm working on a blog post about some I've found, but in the meantime, visit your local library and sign up for their summer program.  Summer reading is a great opportunity to refine reading skills before jumping up to the next level.  Plus kids can earn prizes, participate in story times for all ages, and find lots of fun interactive activities.

5. Gardening

Whether you have a full size yard, or just a small apartment balcony, summer is the perfect time to learn about growing plants.  Balconies are perfect for growing herbs.  Or if you have a full size yard, try your hand at some tomatoes.  They will often yield a good size harvest without much space and produce into the early fall.  Gardening teaches responsibility and patience, as well as a basic understanding of botany.

6. Tide pools

Why not plan a beach day for visiting the tide pools?  We've had some wonderful experiences, checking out all the creatures we found during low tide.  This gives kids an insider's look at what's in the vast ocean.  It's a great way to identify plants and animals they might not normally see.  

7. Sewing

Break out those sewing projects that you might not have the patience for during a regular school day.  Start with an easy hand sewing project;  Most craft stores have basic kits in fun whimsical characters for a few dollars.  Once you've got the basics down, maybe try a small project like a hot pad or potholder.  Start small and work your way up.  This would also be a great project for grandparents to work with children or even an opportunity for kids to see parents learning as well.

8. Board Games

My kids love Monopoly.  I hate leaving it out on the dinning room table.  Summer is a good time to sneak in some learning with those games that take a longer chunk of time.  Monopoly is great for teaching counting and money management.  Scrabble is wonderful for spelling and vocabulary.  Chess and checkers are great for strategy.  For more information on game schooling, checking out this post: What is 

Gameschooling?

9. Read Alouds

Just because it's summer doesn't mean that read alouds have to end.  Read alouds build a child's imagination, vocabulary and love of literature.  And summer is a great time to read from a genre you wouldn't normally pick.  If you usually base your read alouds on history, pick up some science fiction.  Going on vacation?  Pick a book set at your destination.  Use voices.  Be silly.  Read in a tent in the backyard.  Have fun with it!

10. Star Gazing

When my youngest son was little, he was fascinated with space.  He knew the planets, how many moons they had, what their atmosphere was like, and more.  And this naturally bled into stars and constellations.  I found myself learning so much from him.  Let the kids stay up late on night and spend your time star gazing.  There are several apps available that will help you identify the constellations in your area.  Try setting aside one night in early summer and one night in early fall and see how the position of the stars changes.  You never know what kid of interest you will spark in your kids.

11. Camping

This is a fun one.  You can learn so much through camping.  Fire starting and management, fishing and preparation, hiking, meal prep, and foraging... just to name a few.  This is a great time to get outdoors and be fully immersed in nature.  You can go to bed listening to the frogs and wake up to the birds' song.  It's a great way to go full nature study for a weekend.

12. Hands-On Museums

Hands-On Museums are great for kids as they invite interaction through play and touch.  They encourage curiosity and critical thinking on a variety of topics, from science and nature, to history, art, and more.  And many museums are part of a reciprocal program where families can explore other museums for free or at a reduced price while traveling.

There are so many ways to keep the learning going through the summer, without ever pulling out a worksheet.  I'm not apposed to a math lesson here and there, especially when you have a full summer in front of you.  But really lean into the freedom of the season and try out a few of these sneaky learning opportunities.  You never know where they'll take you and your child.