Homeschool Fun

Here's a glimpse of some of the fun we've been having in our homeschool this year...

Afternoon rounds of board games  

With all of their schoolwork done by 1:00pm most days, the kids still have 3+ hours to occupy themselves before the evening activities kick into gear.  We don't allow any tv or computer games on weekdays, so they read, write stories, tweak their Lego robot, play outside, play board games, cook, and in general find creative ways to occupy their time! 

A magic show

The other day Ellie and Adam put together a very fun magic show…complete with costumes, "stage" and curtains, card tricks, and disappearing objects!  I love how the kids have a strong bond of friendship with one another and genuinely enjoy spending time together.  

Fun Fridays 

This year we are trying to work really hard during the week, so that we can have more free time on Fridays.   Sometimes we still have to play a little catch-up on our work, but usually we try to go somewhere and do something fun!  A couple of Fridays ago, we met friends at the park!

Who says recess can't be fun when you're in middle school?   

Field trips 

Another one of our "Fun Friday" ideas for this school year was to go on more field trips.  Last week we met friends and learned all about honeybees!   It was actually pretty fascinating.  

Theater "class"  

A couple of my kids have been interested in participating in theater, but were intimidated by trying out without having any previous experience.   Luckily a couple of our homeschooled friends this year also enjoy acting in plays, so we've been doing little mini-productions.  

The kids are having a great time with it and really gaining confidence. 

It's especially something that Ellie and Emma enjoy.  

Out-of-town trips

In addition to Friday field trips, being homeschooled makes it much easier to go on out-of-town trips too!   We went to Williamsburg, Yorktown, and Jamestown last month.  I figure that the three days we spent there counted for at least a month of learning history from books!   

Tools made from bone

An old-fashioned needle (made from bone)

Throw the corn through the hoop

Making bread from scratch, which wasn't actually that novel an experience for my kids, since we make homemade bread at least once a week.

A Native American dugout canoe 

Adam tanning a hide and  a replica of one of the ships.

I'm actually a lot more organized with homeschooling this year than last year, which has proven to be both a blessing and a curse for us.  On the one hand, it's a relief to know that we're covering all of our bases by sticking with the plan each week.  On the other hand, one of my children isn't too fond of "sticking with the plan" day-after-day and week-after-week and lets me know that fact loud and clear.   Thankfully, each week has gotten a little better than the last, so hopefully we'll all be in a good place soon enough!  

***************************