activities

How did I cope with boys in the summer? I made an "I'm bored" list for my kids to use. I posted a list of things to do on the fridge. The lists were labeled "inside", "outside", "for money" and "special request". Any whining, or other expressions of boredom were directed there. The following is about 1/3 of each list from my fridge. I included every activity I could think of, and every toy in the...

Beyond Academics Homeschooling is not merely about academics. Preparing your child for adulthood goes way beyond learning English, math, and science!There are three overlapping areas that are important for success in both college and life: college prep activities to include on a transcript, skills for independent learning that all adults require, and health and safety issues that will prepare kids for a happy and healthy adulthood.Colleges are interested in students who are well-rounded, students with life...

One of the beautiful things about homeschooling is having the ability to change up your curriculum.  When a holiday like St. Patrick's Day comes along, it is always fun to include fun crafts and activities that center around the holiday.  With St. Patrick's Day, it's easy to work in history, vocabulary, geography, reading, and science; not to mention all of the crafts you can make that lend themselves to subjects like math, religion, spelling, and, of course, art!  Read on...

When thinking about putting boy scouts on your transcript, it helps to think about the millions of hours you spend doing those activities.  If you consider that PE only requires roughly 150 hours of his boy scouts experience, and the usual boy scout may spend over 300 hours..... you have PLENTY of hours to call some of them PE and other hours extra curricular without double dipping. But look at it from another perspective.  I took...

Some things are just ALWAYS educational! Take Eagle Scouts, for example, or 4-H. It seems like everything you do with those programs can be put on a homeschool transcript. Look at the activities that your teen is doing this week. Can it be added to their transcript too?As always, Let me know if you have any questions. 

Real socialization doesn't have anything to do with "school." Real socialization is having fun! When we were homeschooling, we didn't meet other kids at co-op classes. We got together to have FUN! We went on field trips, went to park days, met at support groups, and had show and share evenings. There is so much fun to be had! If you are looking for an opportunity for your children to find new friends, don't get stuck...

It probably depends on state law. If you have lenient laws, like Washington, it is the parent who determines what a credit is. I usually recommend that people count hours for PE, and decide how many hours they want to be one full credit. That is usually 120, 150, or 180 hours, depending on what the books you have read recommend <grin!> When counting hours, you can count ANYTHING THAT BREAKS A SWEAT. Many books say...