Original activities with printables to help you celebrate what makes each season special (indoors and out!)
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Free Printable Christmas Countdown Scripture and Activity Cards
A Christmas countdown is a great way to bring some intentional memory making to your holiday season without a lot of stress or prep work. Kids love the visual countdown to Christmas and the surprise of checking to see what each day contains. If you’re looking for a fun way […]
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Free Christmas Poetry Printable for Your Homeschool
Check out this free Christmas poetry collection perfect for your holiday teatime, memory work, daily copywork, or morning time enjoyment. In this collection you’ll find our favorite Christmas poems: Download your Free Christmas Poetry Printable here! If you share a photo of your Christmas poetry learning on Instagram be sure to […]
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Free Thanksgiving Poetry Printable for Your Homeschool
Download this free poetry bundle for 10 Thanksgiving poems perfect for memorizing in your homeschool, adding to your morning time rotation, using for copywork, or reading at the Thanksgiving dinner table. We’d love to hear how you use these poems in your homeschool! Here are the poems included in this […]
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10 Favorite Picture Books for Fall
When fall is in the air, nothing is more inviting than cuddling up with your little ones to enjoy a great picture book together. Here are some of our favorite titles that will get you in an autumn mood. The Ox-Cart Man by Donald Hall This classic book follows a […]
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Spring Flower Fork Painting Craft
Welcome spring to your homeschool with this simple flower painting activity that’s perfect for all ages. Experimenting with different painting techniques (like using a fork instead of a paint brush!) is a great way to sharpen fine motor skills and nurture creativity. You could bring your finished craft to a […]
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Free Spring Nature Study Printables
Winter is fading away and spring is upon us. Hooray! This time of year brings with it some unique opportunities for homeschoolers to create new learning experiences. All around us there are trees in bloom, birds swooping in to feed their hatchlings, and critters running to and fro. So, to […]
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Bird Nature Study Printables
This is a wonderful time of year for bird watching, and we’ve got just the thing to get your kiddos excited about finding and identifying birds in your area. Included in this bird nature study packet you’ll find: Bird Flashcards in both Black & White and Color – There are […]
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Free Printable Easter Activity Book
Easter is right around the corner. Download this free activity book for some fun Easter games, puzzles, and more! In this packet you will find: Word Game Worksheets: Enjoy an Easter Story Word Search and an Easter Word Scramble Handwriting Worksheets: Use our Scripture copywork sheets to practice tracing Luke […]
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Valentine’s Day Printable Activities
Valentine’s Day is just around the corner! It is a great time to show all our loved ones just how much we care about them. But we also think it’s perfect for injecting a little fun into our everyday homeschooling. If you are looking for ways to incorporate Valentine’s Day […]
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Free Winter Poems for Your Homeschool Printable
Add some truth, goodness, and beauty to your homeschool this winter with this free poetry collection. Enjoy them during your poetry teatime, use a few for winter memory work, make them part of your daily copywork, or add them to your morning time rotation. In this printable you will find: […]
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Winter Bird Activities
Winter is a great time for people to observe birds, but it can be a tough season for the birds! Some species have left for warmer climates. A few remain to brave out the cold. For the birds who don’t fly south, such as the Blue Jay, Black-Capped Chickadee, Nuthatch, […]
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Birch Trees on a Snowy Day Resist Art
Looking for a fun craft project for a snowy day? This resist art painting takes its inspiration from the snowy landscapes of the winter forest. Here are the supplies you’ll need: Birch Trees on a Snowy Day Tutorial Step One: Make tree trunks out of painter’s tape For the 8’x10” […]
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Prepare Him Room: An Invitation to a Holy Advent
Today we are delighted to welcome Danielle Hitchen to the Homeschool Compass blog. Danielle is a homeschooling mom of 3 who makes her home near Washington, D.C. She is the founder of Catechesis Books and author of the Baby Believer series as well as the newly released, Sacred Seasons: A […]
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10 Favorite Picture Books About Apples
Autumn will be here before you know it which means it’s time to pull together your fall picture books! There are lots of lovely picture books about apples that are perfect for this time of year. Here are our top 10. How to Make an Apple Pie and See the […]
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10 Simple Steps to Plan a Homeschool Graduation Ceremony
There is nothing quite as moving as an intimate homeschool graduation ceremony. Hearing a parent address their graduate in front of peers is one of the most endearing parts of homeschooling through high school. But putting on a graduation can be daunting. The following ten simple steps have been used […]
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10 Best Spring-Themed Chapter Book Read-Alouds for Your Homeschool
There are so many wonderful read-alouds that are perfect for spring. If you’re noticing flowers budding and birds chirping and you need a read-aloud to match the new life you see shooting up all around you, try adding one of these to your stack. What else would you add to […]
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Snow Activities for Your Homeschool
What child doesn’t get swept up in the enchantment of softly falling flakes of snow? Whether you get snow where you live or not, exploring the properties of snow, making your own crystals, reading a few snowy stories, and creating a snow-inspired art project are great ways to get your […]
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Our Favorite Christmas Books to Read Aloud
There’s something about Christmastime that makes you want to snuggle your kids in close and get lost in a touching story. If you’re looking for some good Christmas titles, these are our very favorite Christmas read-alouds from board books for your littles to chapter books you can savor over the […]
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Free Apple Nature Study
Autumn is the perfect time for a little apple unit study. Check out these free printables for poetry, science, math, read-alouds and more, all centered around apples! In this free apple study you will find: Parts of an Apple Apple Life Cycle Apple Field Trip Three apple poems with accompanying […]
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Free First Day of School Printable Signs
We’ve got a great Back to School Printable Pack for you filled with resources for your first days of school. Click here to download these free printables! In this packet you’ll find: Inspirational Quotes for Your Homeschool We’ve got 10 quote printables to inspire your homeschool from Scripture verses to […]
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Fruit & Vegetable Nature Study Printables
If you’re learning about cultivated crops, gardening or nutrition in your homeschool, these free nature study printables are the perfect resource! You can use the black & white version as coloring pages. Or print the color images for flashcards, matching games or hanging on the wall. Enjoy! You can download […]
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Winter Homeschool Printables
I don’t know about you, but sometimes it can seem a little difficult to keep up momentum during those long winter days. The plunging temperatures make it much harder to spend as much time outdoors and it’s easy to find yourself in just a little bit of a rut. I’m […]
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Turn Your Family Road Trip into a Family Field Trip!
Cross-country trips were a regular part of my growing up, thanks to my mother’s large family scattered from coast to coast. While the trips were primarily to visit relatives, my parents always incorporated outings to local landmarks. Mount Rushmore, the Grand Canyon, Yosemite, Pike’s Peak, and the Carlsbad Caverns are […]
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10 Favorite Picture Books for Summer
Summer is finally here! When you need a break from the beach or the pool, these picture books are just right for slowing down and savoring the magic that is summer. The Raft by Jim LaMarche Nicky isn’t looking forward to spending the summer with his quirky grandmother in her […]
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Free Homeschool Summer Reading Challenge Printable
There are so many things we can do to help our kids fall more in love with reading. If having a goal to shoot for is motivating for your child, this free printable has everything you’ll need to create a family summer reading challenge. Choose Your Challenge With a twelve […]
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10 Favorite Chapter Book Read Alouds for Summer
This post contains affiliate links. Thank you for supporting the Homeschool Compass by shopping through our page! Whether you homeschool year round or take extended time off over the summer, read aloud time is something to hold onto through the summer months. If you’re looking for books that will grab your kids’ attention and fuel […]
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3 Tree Activities for Your Homeschool
The study of trees offers many opportunities for hands-on learning! Lean into your child’s curiosity and explore topics in math, science, art, and more with these tree activities. 1. Grow Your Own Tree from a Pinecone Did you know you can harvest seeds from a pinecone and potentially grow your […]
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7 Ways to Celebrate Earth Day in Your Homeschool
Earth Day was established on April 22, 1970 as a time for people throughout the United States to come together and show their commitment to taking care of our planet. Last year marked 50 years of Americans celebrating Earth Day together. Earth Day is a wonderful time to teach our […]
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Free Earth Day Activity Book
Download this free activity book in honor of Earth Day! In this packet you will find: Reduce, Recycle, Reuse Worksheet: Learn about these three ways to care for the Earth and brainstorm how you can implement these strategies in your home. Sort the Garbage: Use cutting and gluing to sort […]
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10 Favorite Picture Books for Spring
With the days getting longer and sunnier, we’ve got a wonderful list of spring themed picture books for you. These books are perfect for reading under a shady tree, packing with a picnic for a stroll through the garden, or cuddling up with on the couch after a morning out […]
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Free Nature Walk Activity Book
If you like going on nature walks, this printable activity book is perfect for your homeschool. In this packet you will find: Animal tracks guide My Nature Walk journal pages Using My Five Senses in Nature worksheets Dandelion playdough recipe Trail mix recipe Symmetry drawing pages Hike bingo boards for […]
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6 Fun Ways to Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in Your Homeschool
Each March 17th we celebrate Saint Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland. This is an excellent opportunity to learn about the history and culture of Ireland as well as the inspiring faith of Saint Patrick. Here are a few ways you can make this day special in your homeschool. Make […]
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10 Favorite St. Patrick’s Day Picture Books for Your Homeschool
St. Patrick’s Day is right around the corner, and there are some great picture books to help you introduce this holiday to your young children or build on your big kids’ understanding of the history and the significance of this day. Here are 10 of our favorites! Saint Patrick by […]
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Flower Nature Study Printables
After the gray days of winter, we hope you’re starting to see some beautiful blooms in your area! These printable flower resources are a great way to help your little ones grow in their appreciation of the flowers you encounter this spring. Included in this nature study packet, you will […]
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Free Printable Insect Activity Book
Is your child fascinated by the tiny creatures they find out in nature? Are you doing an insect unit study in your homeschool? If so, download this free printable Insect Activity Book to help your children learn more about these amazing animals. In this 26-page packet you will find: What Is an Insect? This colorful fact sheet summarizes the characteristics […]
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5 Ways to Celebrate Valentine’s Day in Your Homeschool
One of my favorite things about homeschooling is having the flexibility to depart from our regular routine. Special days like Valentine’s Day are a great reason to take a break from the normal homeschool day and add in some extra fun! Here are some of our favorite ways to make […]
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10 Favorite Picture Books for Valentine’s Day
With February 14th coming up, we wanted to share our favorite Valentine’s Day picture books that you and your kids will love. The Berenstain Bears’ Valentine Blessings by Mike Berenstain Sister Bear finds out that Brother Bear has a secret admirer on Valentine’s Day! Papa Bear tells the cubs a […]
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Homeschool Compass Christmas Gift Guide for Homeschool Families
As we look ahead to the Christmas season, we wanted to share some of our favorite gift ideas for the homeschooling family. No matter the age or interest of your children, we hope you’ll find something in this list to pique your interest. And if you’re looking for some gift […]
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Free Advent Devotional Journal
We’re so excited to share this Advent devotional journal with you. If you’re looking for a simple resource to guide you in quiet reflection this season, we hope you’ll find this helpful. For each day of Advent, you’ll find an inspirational quote, a Scripture passage to copy out, a place […]
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Let Thanks Be Given to God: 6 Thanksgiving Activities for Your Homeschool
Take time to write in a Thanksgiving journal each year. Saved and added to each year, this journal becomes a reminder of God’s blessings bestowed on your family. After breakfast on Thanksgiving Day, set aside time for each person to fill in his or her thoughts. Every year, the handwriting […]
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4 Printable Thanksgiving Activities for Your Homeschool
Thanksgiving is such a cozy time of year full of yummy food, beautiful colors, and extra reminders to give thanks. If you’d like to add a more festive feel to your homeschool in the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving, we’ve got some fun holiday activities for you. You can download […]
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10 Favorite Picture Books for Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is right around the corner. We’re putting in our library requests and checking our bookshelves to pull together a nice stack of Thanksgiving books to share with our children. These are a few of my favorite Thanksgiving picture books, along with one longer read-aloud that’s great for enjoying with […]
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The Flavors of Fall: 3 Recipes to Try This Autumn
Fall in New England is a visual feast. Vibrant foliage blankets hills and valleys—swaths of red, orange, and gold lining sparkling bodies of water and wrapping quaint town greens, the changing tapestry punctuated by white steeples. Picturesque farms are surrounded by a patchwork of fields offering apples, sunflowers, and pumpkins […]
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Preserving the Harvest
“You crown the year with your bounty; your wagon tracks overflow with abundance”—Psalm 65:11 (ESV) Growing your own food is one of life’s great pleasures, but the joy does not need to stop with the garden. Preserving your harvest not only ensures healthy food throughout the year, it teaches your children […]
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Free Ocean Life Marine Biology Printable Pack
Are you learning about ocean life in your homeschool? Do you have a child who is fascinated by the sea? Download this Ocean Life Marine Biology Printable Pack for a fun ocean themed unit study. In this packet you will find: Ocean Animals Anatomy Worksheets: Learn to label the different […]
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Summer Learning and Fun!
While many parents see summer as a time of vacation and not education, preschool children need year-round learning. I’m not talking about year-round workbooks or sitting at a desk, but about daily planned learning combined with fun. My motto for the past 28 years has been, seize the summer and […]
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Fourth of July Crafts & Activities for Your Homeschool
On the Fourth of July each year Americans gather to have parades, cookouts, and watch fireworks to celebrate America’s freedom and independence. Celebrate July 4th this year by creating this fun American flag craft and bookmark! American Flag Craft Materials: Step One: Put small amounts of paint on a plate […]
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Summer Learning Activities for Your Baseball Fan
It’s the season for America’s favorite pastime, the staple of many summers – baseball! If you’ve got a baseball lover, these activities are sure to keep them learning and having fun all summer long. We’ve got free printable activities and a list of great baseball picture books just for you […]
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Nifty, Thrifty Summer Fun!
“We do not remember days. We remember moments.” – Cesare Pavese Create some of those memorable moments with your children this summer, without leaving home and without spending much money. Here are some thrifty, old-fashioned, fun ideas to get you started. Even now as an adult, I recall the joy […]
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Father’s Day Card and Suncatchers
Father’s Day is a day when we tell our dads how much we love them and appreciate them. Make a Father’s Day card and these suncatchers to celebrate your dad on Father’s Day! Materials: Colored cardstock or construction paper Scissors Glue stick or liquid glue Colored tissue paper Wax or […]
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Ladybug Color Mixing Activity
Learn how to mix colors with this cute ladybug project! Materials you will need: Crayons Washable paint or watercolors Cup of water Paint brushes Plate or palette Cardstock or watercolor paper Scissors Glue stick Step One: Print out the Mixing Colors! Worksheet. Put red, yellow and blue paint on your […]
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Memorial Day Unit Study & Poppy Craft
Do you know how the poppy came to be the symbol of Remembrance Day and why we wear it each year on Memorial Day? This activity will help your children understand the importance of honoring the men and women who have given their lives in service to their country. With […]
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Free Mother’s Day Poetry Teatime Guide
Mother’s Day is right around the corner! Download this Mother’s Day Poetry Teatime Guide to plan a special time for you and your children. Reading poems about motherhood and enjoying some special treats together is the perfect way to enjoy this holiday in your homeschool. In the guide you will […]
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Free Mother’s Day Card Printable & Eric Carle Inspired Art Project
Mother’s Day occurs every spring when the flowers start to bloom outside. Mother’s Day is a day when we can tell our moms how much we love them and thank them for all that they do for us. Moms love flowers. Make a garden of flowers for your mom, and […]
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Why Time in Nature Is Good for You (and Your Kids)
Are you longing to incorporate more time in nature into your homeschool days, but struggling to fit it all in? We are pleased to welcome Dr. Kristin Moon of Kristin Moon Science to the Homeschool Compass to share with us why it is worthwhile to prioritize time in nature. Not […]
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Build a Solar Powered Pizza Box Oven
Did you know you can make a simple solar oven using items from around the house? This oven will get hot enough to warm up a snack or treat – and it’s a fun way to learn about harnessing the sun’s energy! Maybe you can make a yummy s’more. Be […]
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Palm Sunday and Easter Traditions for Your Homeschool
Check out these ideas for making the Easter season meaningful in your homeschool. Palm Sunday Palm Sunday is the final Sunday of Lent and the celebration of Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem riding on a donkey. Crowds celebrated his arrival by placing garments in his path and waving palm branches, […]
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Favorite Easter Books for Kids
Whether you’re looking for a book to show your children the true meaning of Easter or you want a silly story to tuck in their Easter baskets, we’ve got you covered. Here are some titles your kids are sure to love! You can download this book list in printable form […]
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Maple Syrup Unit Study
Does cabin fever have you wondering why you ever decided to homeschool in the first place? Does the 3 feet of snow outside your door feel more and more like an insurmountable wall? Would you be willing to sacrifice a mocha latte for just a teensy sign that spring is […]
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Earth Rotation Activity
Why are days shorter in Winter? To answer that question, we need to learn some things about our planet Earth. Planet Earth spins on an axis that is tilted (about 23.5 degrees). The Earth makes a complete rotation on its axis every 24 hours, while it revolves around the sun, […]
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Hat & Mittens Printable Activity
Here is a fun winter themed visual for math and phonics! You will need: Hat and Mitten templateNumeral/symbol/letter templateCrayons, colored pencils, or markersGlue or tapePoster board or large construction paper Directions: Have your students decorate and color the large hat and mittens as desired. Cut out the images and […]
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Penguin Craft & Worksheet
The long days of winter can be cold and rather claustrophobic. Break up your days with this fun penguin craft & worksheet (after all, penguins know all about living in the cold!). This is a great way to tie together the penguin section of books at your local library. The […]
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Creating a Hopeful Christmas
Every home has its own culture for celebrating the holidays – its own family traditions, its own way of doing things. Imagine being a new visitor to a new home and being thrust into the thick of celebration their way. No one was really asking you what you wanted or […]
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Christmas Math
We are delighted to welcome Cindy West to the Homeschool Compass Blog. Cindy homeschooled her three children and continues to invest in the homeschool community through her writing, podcasting, and speaking. You may know her as Mrs. Cindy from No Sweat Nature Study LIVE and the No Sweat Nature Study […]
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Preparing for Christmas: 8 Steps for a Peaceful Christmas
More than two thousand years ago a young couple made a trek that landed them in a stable for the night. A tiny baby’s cries rang out over the land. At that second, everything changed. A multitude of angels rang out into the night, “Glory to God in the highest, […]
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7 Ways for Dads to Teach Spiritual Lessons During the Holidays
“Dad’s passivity with all of us was deafening. The lack of his direction was heartbreaking,” shares Robert Lewis. He calls his father the invisible dad who was present but rarely engaged. As a father, I want my children to remember a visible dad fully involved in their lives. The holiday […]
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How to Start a Homeschool Book Club: The Secret Garden
Will this be the year that you start a homeschool book club? We’ve got lots of great ideas to get you started with a book that your homeschool community is sure to love! The Secret Garden “If you look the right way, you can see that the whole world is […]
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10 Activity Guides for Keeping Summer Boredom at Bay
Summer vacation is dragging on. VBS week is over. You don’t want the kids making mud by playing in the sprinkler in the backyard . . . again. They don’t want to ride bikes, they say the basketball needs air, they’ve lost the skateboards. And now they’re bored! We’ve all been […]
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The Love and the Lure of Nature Walking
Did you know that in the days of your great-grandparents the inclusion of nature instruction in school was a serious concern? Many of you have read a bit of Charlotte Mason’s books or A Girl of the Limberlost or Freckles. Some of you even own Anna Comstock’s Handbook of Nature […]
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Fruit of the Spirit Devotional Skit & Craft
I wrote this devotional for Keepers of the Home, my local homeschool Mother-Daughter social and home skills group. You could use it as a Sunday school class, youth group activity, a lesson for your homeschool co-op, or as part of a Mother-Daughter social at your church. It includes a skit, […]
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How To Host Your Own Year-End Homeschool Celebration
I live two minutes away from the local elementary school. We drive by it to go almost anywhere: grocery shopping, library, dance class. Often the latest school event is displayed on the sign. I confess that I often became envious about all the neat things the elementary kids were doing […]
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