What we Read in July and Our Homeschool Read Alouds ll July 2024

 What I Read:

 

The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt

I'd been hearing a lot of buzz about this book and as a parent, I really wanted to see what all the hype was about.  In The Anxious Generation, author Jonathan Haidt lays out his argument for why he believes technology, specifically the Smart Phone is really rewiring our children's brains in a very detrimental way. His writing style is incredibly easy to read, but this book is so meaty, backed by scientific studies and really gets to the heart of why our children are becoming anxious and depressed at an alarming rate.  He also dedicates multiple chapters to how schools, the government and parents can reverse this trend if we work together.  If you're a parent, grandparent, aunt, uncle, or just someone who cares about the direction that our society is headed in, get your hands on a copy of this book.  So worth the read.

Murder on the Orient Express

by Agatha Christie

I kept seeing this book recommended for homeschool high schoolers so I thought it would be a fun one to read and then pass off to my junior.  Agatha Christie is known for being an incredible mystery writer and I'd never read any of her work so I thought I'd give it a try.  Truthfully it was must meh.... middle of the line, not super gripping or compelling.  I struggled to keep all the characters straight and had to start the book twice.  And the ending was very unsatisfactory.  I was not at all happy with how it all wrapped up.  Maybe you just have to be more of a mystery reader, but I wouldn't purchase this book.  Check it out from the library, sure.  Then you'll know if you like her style.  But purchase it?  No.

A Thomas Jefferson Education by Oliver DeMille

A quick overview of the Thomas Jefferson educational style of teaching, this book isn't limited to homeschoolers.  Many of the suggestions in this book could just as easily be applied in the classroom. However, I think I might just be too Type A for this style of teaching.  I kept hoping for more "meat" to the book.  It was all just too open ended for me.  Great for an introduction to this style, but we won't be taking this route based on this book.

Our Homeschool Read Alouds:

Parables from Nature by Margaret Gatty

Loved, loved, loved this book.  I was worried that my 7th grader would be too one for it, but he really wasn't.  Parables from Nature is written with very high vocabulary and intricate details, and attempts to teach character and morals through nature lore  We both loved it and I'm actually glad that we didn't read it until he was older.  It lead to a lot of meaty discussions.

The Accidental Apprentice and The Weeping Tide by Amanda Foody

I originally heard about this series from Jessica at The Waldocky Way.  Her daught is just younger than my son so I thought we'd give it a try.  These are so much fun.  The series starts off with a young orphan trying to find his place in the world only to discover that he's bonded with a beast... a beast that terrifies him.  As he tried to unattach from the beast, he's thrust into a world of magic and folklore.  And seems to better find his place in the world.  So far, we've read the first two books in the series and plan on reading this as the library adds to the series.

What are you reading?

Or what are you adding to your read aloud list?

Five Way to Make the First Day of School Special

 *this post was originally published on 8/12/13.  Enjoy!

When I look at this sweet little face, I can't believe it's been a year since we took this picture.  This sweet little boy and I spent his 2nd grade homeschooling and we both survived.  How can it possibly be time to start another school year?  A few days ago, I posted on facebook, asking other mom's what their favorite traditions are for the First Day of School.  These were some of the ideas we brainstormed:

Gift them with a special school supply--My kids love any special little surprise to their day.  So a new box of pencils, a fun colored binder, or a new box of crayons laying at their breakfast spot just adds a touch of fun to the morning.  It's even better when it's a surprise!

Take First Day of School photos--Everyone agreed that First Day photos are important.  Like I said, I hardly remember these little ones from last year.  It's a great way to get excited for the day and commemorate a new grade.

Go to the park with a great snack--Why not pick up your kids from school and head to the park with a special snack?  One mom even commented that they go out to ice cream after the first day.

Take a field trip--This one's for us homeschoolers.  Easing back into the new year can be tough so plan a special outing for the first day.  Or even just for the afternoon.  It can easily coincide with a new unit and since everyone's in school, you won't be fighting the crowds.

Plan a special meal--This can be a breakfast or dinner.  If you have time in the morning, a waffle bar or going out to donuts might be in order.  If not, let your kids plan what they want for dinner.  Either way, make it a treat and your kids will have something special to look forward to all day.

Most of all, just enjoy this special time with your kids.  Though the days are long, the years are short.  And next August, we'll all be saying, "Who are these kids?"  They grow up so fast.  Take a moment to commemorate the turning of a page as a new school year approaches.

What's your favorite way to make the first day of school special?

32 Indoor Toddler Activities

 *Originally posted on 1/13/16. Reposted to be helpful while we're all quarantined.  Enjoy!

Winter is in full swing.  And with that comes, cold weather.  Even in a mild climate like where we live, this particular winter has been bitterly cold. So with this colder weather, we are spending more time indoors and I'm looking for more ways to entertain and wear out my kiddo.  If you're in the same boat, there are just a few ideas for indoor activities:

*Take out the cookie cutters and playdoh--Don't put those Christmas cookie cutters away just yet.  Mix up a batch of homemade playdoh and see what kind of creations you can make.

*Have a dance party--The temperatures are cool so warm up with a dance party.  Turn on some Pandora and wiggle away the giggles, grumpies, or energy.

*Play Hullabaloo--We love Hullabaloo.  It's a great game for getting out some energy, developing listening skills, playing together.

*Do some marble painting--Marble painting is a great way to mix it up.  Make sure you're supervising with the marbles, but this can be a really fun one for any afternoon.

*Play with sensory bins--There are so many sensory bin ideas out there.  We've loved scented rice and the animals in the ice bins.  There are plenty to keep your toddler busy.

*Make a tent under the table--Throw some blankets over the dinning room table to create a tent, reading nock, cave, or submarine.  Use your imagination and see where it takes you.

*Do some water painting--Water painting really is a skill and can take time to develop.  Take some time to teach your toddler how to add the water and mix colors on the paper to create some lovely masterpieces.

*Thread pasta or pony beads--Threading pasta or beads is great for hand-eye coordination.  Pasta can easily be dyed and pony beads can be found at most dollar stores.

*Have tea time with your stuffed animals--Tea, juice, or even water can be made fun when combined with the idea of a tea party.  Serve some finger foods and add stuffed animals and you've got yourself a party.

*Make leaf prints--Whether leafs, pine needles or flower, go on a nature hunt for your supplies and return home to do some prints.  You can combine nature ideas that make a ton of different designs and prints.

*Create shadow puppets--When the sun peaks out from behind the clouds, be ready to make some shadow puppets.  Either on the walls or if it warms up a bit, make some in the driveway and trace with sidewalk chalk.

*Make lunch together--Kids love being in the kitchen.  It's a great way to learn listening skills, measurements, hand-eye coordination, and so much more.  Budget in a little extra time and get your kids in the kitchen with you.

*Go "swimming" in the bathtub--Find some fishy toys from the toy box, put on a bathing suit, and let your kids kick away in the bathtub.

*Make cookies--Back in the kitchen, why not let your kiddos help you make some cookies?  It's always a treat when Mommy lets you bake AND eat cookies.

*Use Daubbers on a white board--Invest in a new set of color daubbers and let your little one get creating.  Small white boards can often be found at the $ spot in Target or Dollar Tree.

*Go on an alphabet hunt--Whether in your home or neighborhood, print out the ABC's for your child and go on a hunt.  Whenever they spot a letter, let them cross it off their list.  It's a great way to improve letter recognition and sounds.

*Create an obstacle course--Obstacle courses can be as simple or elaborate as you want.  Use footstools, dining room chairs, pillows, and couch cushions to create a fun obstacle course to wear them out.

*Make a balance beam--Use a roll of masking tape to create an inexpensive balance beam.  Great for coordination and balance.  Once they master balance, try walking backwards, chasses, or ski jumps.

*Play with balloons--Blow up some balloons and see how long you can keep it up in the air.  Hit it back and forth, toss it to each other or create paddles with paper plates.

*Thread straws--Cut some plastic straws and thread with string.  Another great hand eye coordination activity.

*Draw and create yourself--Find a small handheld mirror and challenge your child to draw what they see.  Do you have long or short hair?  Blue or green eyes?  How is the face shaped?  What's on top: the eyes or mouth?

*Practice with scissors--Pull out a piece of scratch paper and start with straight lines.  Then draw curvy lines, circles, or letters.  Sit patiently with them and allow them to practice their scissor skills.

*Do a puzzle-- Puzzles are great for expanding vocabulary, hand eye coordination and time spent together.  Toddler puzzles can easily be found used or at the dollar store.

*Discover new ways to paint: Q-tips, cotton balls, toy cars, etc--There are so many new ways to paint.  Look around your home and you'll be surprised what you'll find.

*String fruit loops--Another low cost threading activity, stringing fruit loops can not only be great for coordination, but provide a fun treat afterwards.

*Play with oobleck--Oobleck is a fun homemade substance that is once liquid and then a solid.  It's fun to run through your fingers and squish around. 

*Drive cars through shaving cream--Find an inexpensive bottle of shaving cream and a few hot wheels cars.  Spray some shaving cream on the table and let the kids drive their cars through.  Easily cleaned up.

*Glue beans on letters-- Draw out a block letter and glue beans, pebbles, and pasta to fill in.  A great activity for learning letters, pairing upper and lower case and learning letter sounds.

*Have a "car wash" in the kitchen sink--Run a sink of warm water, provide some rags, and those hot wheel cars and create a car wash.

*Finger paint--Who can say no to finger painting?  Even as a mom, I love this one.  Use some blank paper for imaginations to run wild or if your child is nervous getting started, tear a page out of a Dollar Store coloring book.

*Make bean noise makers--Staple together a couple of paper plates and fill in with dried beans to create fun, inexpensive noise makers.  Decorate the outside with crayons, markers, and stickers.

*Create a one-man band--Look around your home for musical instruments, including the noise makers you just made.  Can your child come up with a fun beat or creative lyrics?  March around the house singing your new songs.

What about you?

What are your creative ideas for indoor toddler play?





Weekend Links ll July 19, 2024

Dawn and Vinegar Homemade Bath and Shower Cleaner

Butterfly Activity Pack

In a World of Spellcheck,

Why Spelling Matters?

Meal Prep for Busy Homeschool Moms

Homeschool Success ll the Role of Strong Family Connections

This Week: 

What I'm Cooking:

The boys spent a night camping so Lydia and I took the opportunity to make something yummy.  We bought a bunch of veggies roast and then tossed them with tortellini and Parmesan.  It was so good.  An easy meal and absolutetly delicious!

What I'm Reading:

I finally got my hands on a copy of The Anxious Generation.  It's an easy read, but absolutely FULL of information.  The studies are definitely in on the effects of tech on our kids.  Even if your kids are six months, read this, read this, READ THIS!  It will revolutionize the way you think about tech and kids.

What I'm Doing:

Trying to catch up on kids' school scrapbooks.  I was further behind than I thought so I'm really needing to get on it.  However, at this point, I only need to do one more layout for the kiddo that graduated last year.  Let's not talk about the other two. :-)

What I'm Enjoying:

Reading through my Bible...

Cuddling with the kitty...

Read alouds on the patio...

Roasted Veggies...

Weightlifting...

What are you up to?

2024-25 Homeschool Read Alouds

Debuting our 2024-25 Read Aloud List for Our Homeschool Year.  So many good books, so little time.  For reference, I have an 8th grader that I read with and some times my 11th grader sits in as well.  My 8th grader will be going through SOTW's vol 4 for the second time so I've based a lot of our reading on that time period.  I'm realizing now that I've laid heavy on World War II, so I may make some sustitutions.  However, looking at this list, I have no idea what to swap out.  What's on your reading list for your homeschool?

The Accidental Apprentice

The Weeping Tide

The Ever Storms

Journey to the River Sea

Stella by Starlight

When the World Was Ours

A Place to Hang the Moon

We Are Wolves

The Endless Steppe

A Night Divided

Walls

Farewell to Manzanar

A Year of Impossible Goodbyes

Born Behind Bars

A Season of Gifts

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever

What would you add to the list?

Free Children's Audiobook Resource ll The Good and the Beautiful

*This post was originally published on 8/10/21.  Enjoy!

(Click on post for video) 

Today I'm sharing a free children's audiobook resource to bless your family and your homeschool. And who doesn't love free???

Join The Creative2xmom Family on their journey of being a family of 5! 💑19yrs led to 👱15 yrs, 👧13 yrs, and 👱 9 yrs. The Good and the Beautiful StoryTime: https://goodandbeautifulstorytime.com What We Read ll July 2021: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=InPx4RJrSw4&t=16s Tips for a More Affordable Homeschool: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_3sTqtakac Continuing Education for Homeschool Parents: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3AJW9sy6Wd8 Best of the Homeschool Year: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2VoTH3hjZYQ&t=1s Fourth Grade Homeschool Curriculum Review: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EhhBtibAvNo&t=2s Board Games Our Family Loves: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rzzPR2lCgpc&t=1s Contact us for business inquiries, reviews and collaborations: BethAnn_97@hotmail.com C O N N E C T subscribe at http://www.youtube.com/creative2xmom read at http://www.creative2xmom.blogspot.com like me on http://www.facebook.com/creative2xmom follow me on https://www.instagram.com/creative2xmom/ https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/52903?ref=nav_mybooks Music Attribution: Life of Riley by Kevin MacLeod FTC Disclosure: This video is not sponsored.

Top 10 Must Have Items for Your Homeschool Craft Cupboard

*This post was originally published on 6/6/22.  Enjoy!

 Summer's here!  The weather is warming up, the school books have been put away (mostly), and our days are slow and easy.  But wait.... no school for the next 10 weeks???

Well, sort of.  While we're taking time off from traditional schooling for a summer break, that doesn't mean that the learning stops in our home.  Nope, we're just getting creative.  

Summer is the perfect time to get creative. And while I love learning handicrafts with the kids, there's also something to be said for just having a well stocked craft cupboard.  From your toddlers to your teens, no one can resist a little freedom to just be creative.  These are ten items that we keep in our homeschool craft cupboard to encourage those crafting moments.

1. Variety of Paper--

  Different stages have introduced different types of paper to our craft cupboard.  From butcher paper for life-size drawings to tracing paper for perfecting our drawings.  Currently with teenagers and a preteen, we go through lots of kite paper and origami paper.  But paper is always an essential.

2. Variety of Writing Utensils-- 

  Over the years, we've tried lots of different writing utensils as well.  We started out with classic crayons, but over time, we've added mechanical pencils, thin markers, chalk pastels, and oil pastels.  All of my kids have gravitated to different mediums at different points in their lives.

3. Buttons--

  This is a funny one, but buttons can be used for so many projects.  From eyes on drawings to creating Christmas ornaments, my kids have come up with some pretty cool projects just from digging in the button jar.

4. Stencils--

  This is a personal favorite of mine.  I'm not the best artist, but stencils help me bring my visions to life.  At least most of the time.  I try to keep a variety on hand... from plants to holidays to animals.

5. Adhesives--

  There are as many adhesives out there as you could ever imagine.  Over the years, we've used our share of scotch tape, glue dots, hot glue, Elmer's glue, velcro dots, and so much more.  

6. Felt--

  We love having felt sheets and scraps around the house for creating everything from dolls to puppet clothing to ornaments... and more!  My favorite is to create Christmas ornaments every year.  This is a great beginning sewing project for elementary kids as well.

7. Foam Sheets--

  Foam sheets are great for creating play scenes for those peg dolls to enter into as well.  Or what about a homemade door mat for your child's bedroom?  Or a sun catcher for the window?  These are nearly as inexpensive as felt, and provide hours of entertainment.

8. Paints--

  Summer is a great time to experiment with different painting techniques and mediums.  Watercolors, for instance, are on my personal experiment list for this season.  But what about acrylics or oil pastels?  Pick up some inexpensive canvases at the Dollar Tree and give your kids a chance to see what they can create.

9. Blank Books--

  Blank books can often be found at the dollar spot in Target or a teacher's supply store.  These books are great for encouraging budding writers.  With the pages already bound, young writers can feel like they're creating real work.  You'll be amazing at the stories that will flow out of them.

10. How to draw books--

  For those creatively challenged individuals like myself, how to draw books give some guidance in getting started.  I love to keep a variety on hand from popular cartoon characters to realistic animals to facial expressions.  Sometimes having that starting point is just enough to get a young artist creating.

What items do you keep on hand to encourage creativity in your kids?

Inspiring 4th of July Recipes

 Yay for 4th of July!!!

We plan on spending the day in the pool, BBQing with family and friends,

and enjoying the city fireworks!

Just in case you're still looking for a last minute addition to the menu,

I gathered up a few good looking items from around the internet.

Not sure which on I'm picking...

What about you???

Bacon Cheddar Dip

Buffalo Chicken Dip

Cucumber Summer Salad

Fiesta Corn Salad

Grilled Shrimp Piccata Skewers

Red, White, and Blue Cheesecake Bites

All- American Trifle

What are you cooking up this week?

Summer Break or Summer Planning?

 *This post was originally published on 7/9/14.  Enjoy!

I don't know where this summer's gone... Wait, I take that back.  I don't know where it's gone: VBS, baseball, ballet, swim lessons, ... on and on.  And here I find myself over a month into the summer and this homeschool Mama wants to make the most of what's left.  So while, I'm trying to soak up some rest and relaxation, I know that school is just around the corner.

Thus, summer planning it is.  I'm looking over the past year and reworking what's best for our family.  Just to get me started, these are a few things I'm working on:

• Start with the Basics--For us, my non-negotiables are Math and Reading.  Any time we have a field trip, we try to hit at least these two subjects.  After that, my kids love Science so I work that in next.  And then we  add in History and Writing. 
• Get into a routine and don't overwhelm in the first month-- I learned last year that we just went too crazy, too fast.  I have to remember that we're going from the lazy days of summer into 5 subject school.  Even I feel overwhelmed.  So this year, we're easing in, bit by bit, and finding our groove before we get in too deep.
• Look for discounts and used deals--I'm spending a good chunk of my time this summer searching for used curriculum.  There are lots of curriculum exchange groups on Facebook and you can find lots of used books on ebay as well.
• List some read alouds--We've had a read aloud list going this year with the kids.  So I'm planning ahead in case there's any unit studies I want to coordinate our reading with.
• Determine priorities for your kids--Usually my kids so some kind of sport through out the year so I can count it as their PE.  But your family might have other priorities to work into your schedule: music lessons, art classes, co-op classes, language learning... now is the time to prioritize and see how they will fit into your fall schedule.
• What do your kids want to learn this year?--Ask your kids if theres anything specific THEY want to learn this year.  For us, we're doing California history and my oldest has always wanted to visit the state capitol.  I'm thinking my youngest wants to learn more about animals so we're working that into our Science curriculum.
• Don't compare--I have to constantly remind myself of this one.  I see moms writing their own curriculum.  Or other moms planning fantastic field trips.  Or even other moms who's kids are skipping grades, and learning third languages, and taking engeneering classes at 5 year olds.   I wouldn't compare my kids if they were in public school.  So why am I putting so much pressure on myself and them in our homeschool?  Part of homeschooling is having the chance to celebrate our time together and I'm not going to ruin in by comparing any of us to someone else.

So is anyone else back in planning mode yet?  How are you planning for the fall?