Forgetful Momma

Secular Homeschooling in Canada

learning

A Life of Homeschoolers Who Don’t Stay Home

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We’re about a month into our school year and I have notice one thing, we don’t stay home. Each and every day we are leaving our house at some point. Just because you homeschool does not mean you are stuck at home. We love getting out of the house, especially with the weather cooling down and public school back in session.

A Life of Homeschoolers Who Don't Stay Home

A Life of Homeschoolers Who Don't Stay Home

A Life of Homeschoolers Who Don’t Stay Home

*This post contains affiliate links, see my disclosure policy for more information.*

We have started this year by getting into a little bit of a morning routine. I have always had my own routine but this year I’m trying to extend it to my kids. Our morning routine consists of course of getting up and getting ready for school.

[bctt tweet=”Homeschooling doesn’t mean that we are stuck at home! We’re always going. #homeschooler #ihsnet” username=”forgetfulmomma”]

Read Aloud

We do school four days a week. The BookShark curriculum we use is a four day schedule as well which was really fitting as we have done four days in the past and found it works best for us.

We start each morning with reading curled up on the sofa together. We are currently reading Charlotte’s Web, one chapter a day. My almost 4 year old isn’t too interested in it, but he does sit for awhile and listen.

We can read at the library, or at the park, or a playground. Plus, we have been loving audio books as we drive.

Science and History

We are rotating back and forth on science and history because that is just works best for us. One day a week for history – we might increase it later in the year; two days a week for science because we love hands on science and  science experiments.


Math and Language Arts

Math is probably one of my girls favorite subjects, they love it! So math and language arts are daily. Some days my kids are creating stories on their own, and I don’t interrupt them – their learning and having fun doing it.

Other days we do formal lessons.

Is there any place better than a grocery shore for working on math skills?

Getting Out

Each Monday we head to our local library for story time, while my girls are getting a bit old for it, they aren’t the only (older) homeschoolers that attend and we love getting stacks of books.

Once a week we head of the city to get groceries but also to get out meet some new homeschoolers, or to go the science center or a museum. Heck, we’re just happy to go to a library.

You can get a better idea of what a typical day looks like in this post.

Just because we homeschool doesn’t mean that we have to stay home. My kids are social beings. They love to get out. How about your family?

 

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Unit Study in Our Homeschool

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This is a first for us, we are doing a unit study. What is a unit study? I had this question, and dismissed the idea of doing on because I just couldn’t wrap my head around it. There are many different methods to educating our children, and this is just one more.

Unit Study in Our Homeschool

Unit Studies in Our Homeschool

*This post may contain affiliate links, see my disclosure policy for more information.*

What is a unit study?

But here is it is: a unit study is a collection of learning activities tied to a theme. They are popular with many homeschooling families because they provide a hands-on approach to learning that incorporates subjects such as math, science, language arts, and the social sciences.

Choosing A Unit Study

Why are we doing a unit study now? Because we have a fish tank. Yup, there ya go. We got a fish tank in November/December and have been learning a lot since – mainly me as I struggle to keep fish alive.

We are now getting into wanting plants as well, creating a small ecosystem. To me, it seemed like the simplest why to teach our kids about it, was through trial and error, and a unit study to keep me on track.

In a unit study you start out by deciding on your topic, ours being Aquarium ecosystem. You are also going to pick your subtopics. Our subtopics are Water, Fish Life, Plant Life, etc.

With that, you decide which subjects you can include such as spelling, science, etc, and what you will learn through those subjects. For example, we’ll be learning which plants are best for our small tank, as well as what we need to create a “cleaning” system in our tank – which plants would be part of.

Unit Studies in Our Homeschool

Free Unit Study Planner

If you’d like a copy of our unit study planner, head over to my Teachers Pay Teachers store for your free copy of the unit study planner. OR you can sign up for my newsletter where you also get it and other products for free.

Finding Free Unit Studies

If you have never done a unit study before it can seem very overwhelming. There can be a lot involved for you to plan. There can be a lot of paper work, or no paper work if that is how you chose to do your unit study.

Techie Homeschool Mom has great online unit studies for sale, but she also has some free unit studies for you to try out. This way you can if it is something you and your kids enjoy.

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Make Grocery Shopping Fun with Your Kids

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We all have to grocery shop, it’s just a miserable part of being a grown up, and when you’re homeschooling its rather likely that you’ll be taking your kids with you. Do you dread it like I used to? Try to make grocery shopping fun, I know it sounds like a huge joke, but it can work. I hated dragging my kids store to store, listening to the whining, the fighting between the kids, the unheard whimpers from me as my head was pounding. I’m glad that’s behind us, or at least almost behind us.

Make Grocery Shopping Fun with Your Kids

Make Grocery Shopping Fun with Your Kids

Make Grocery Shopping Fun with Your Kids

*This post may contain affiliate links. See my disclosure policy for more information.*

Wondering how I turned our weekly shopping trips around? I made them as fun as I could while still getting everything we needed, in one day, preferably in one morning.

Make them your helper.

Let them help by reading the shopping list, or if they are younger, let them hold it.

Letting them pick the things you need off the shelf. My kids LOVE putting the groceries on the checkout.

Go on a scavenger hunt.

Make finding the items on your shopping list a game! There is nothing kids like better than a game, and to help mom or dad with something that seems so grown up. Plus, it gives you an extra set (or more) of eyes looking for items you need.

BINGO

Buy a game of grocery store Bingo. This is a great way to keep them entertained and looking around the store instead of fighting with sibling. This is fun way to teach/introduce food groups to your kids too.

Check out Kelli of Nest of Posies’ Grocery Store Bingo where you can get a free printable to play with your kids.

How do you handle grocery shopping with your kids?

At the end of your grocery shopping trip, you’re often frazzled and frustrated, and just want to escape it all… or is that just me?  Either way, try adding just a little fun into it and see where it gets you. If like me you’re already carrying a big ol’ purse, its not going to hurt to throw in something to make you shopping a little more bearable.

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Homeschooling at the Grocery Store

Homeschooling at the Grocery Store

Homeschooling at the Grocery Store

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Isn’t it fun going to the grocery store in the middle of the day with your school-aged? The looks, the questions. My favorite is of course they ask my oldest what grade she is in. The blank look on her face, “ummm first?”.

We’re homeschooling while getting groceries each week.

  • Language Arts
  • Math
  • Social Studies

Homeschooling at the Grocery Store

Homeschooling at the Grocery Store

*This post may contain affiliate links. See my disclosure policy for more information.*

Language Arts

Have your children make a list of things that you need to buy. I like to have them look in the cupboards/fridge and see what is missing, or low – basically anything they are eating. This is a great way to work on writing and spelling skills. Once we are at the store, pointing my children to the products we want, specifics such as Honey Mustard versus original, has my oldest reading labels. Simple language arts lessons just by buying the things you already needed.

Science

You kids might be bagging for a box of cookies, or some other type of treat as children might do. Here is the perfect opportunity to teach them about nutrient, show them the nutrient label on the box. Maybe compare it to the label on a bag of apples. If someone in your home has an allergy, teaching your children to look at labels for ingredients while their young is important. Just make sure to double check that they haven’t missed something.

Math

Have your kids looking at the prices of things. Did they grab the most expensive can of tomatoes, the cheapest? We like to add things up as we go along. Keep a running total, “Ok, add $5 to our current total of $35.” A great way to work on math skills. As your children get older add in doing tax.

You are able to teach your kids a great life skill while you grocery shop: budgeting and finances.




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The Unexpected Benefits of Homeschooling

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There are so many benefits to homeschooling your child(ren). There are the usual benefits of homeschooling of course such as the actual education that your children receive. But there are the unexpected benefits too. My kids for example are so much closer than they would be if they weren’t homeschooled.

The Unexpected Benefits of Homeschooling

The Unexpected Benefits of Homeschooling

*This post contains affiliate links, see my disclosure policy for more information.”

Getting to watch your child get it.

When they read their first book, figure out a tough math problem on their own, there is nothing like it. Knowing that you had something to do with that is an amazing feeling as a parent.

There are times when I have to learn something, or relearn it, before teaching my kids and then getting to teach them and them getting it… best feeling ever!

Friendships

Seeing your children form closer friendships with each other than typically found in other school settings.

Age often defines the age group that public school children form friendships. Homeschooled children are often interacting with children of various ages whether in co-ops or homeschool groups as well as other activities.

They aren’t limited to forming friendships with kids that are only their ages.

Freedom to vacation in the off-season.

Feel like going on a family vacation but don’t want to deal with the crowds? Not a problem, because you are able to travel at anytime. You can school from anywhere.

One of our most favorite family vacations was going to British Columbia in May one year. The weather was beautiful, places weren’t crowded, it was perfect. And we didn’t worry about missed school.

Freedom to vacation in the off-season.

Freedom to take a field trip to the zoo or museum when everyone else is in school.

We love this one. Our favorite time to go to the science center is an hour or so after they open. An hour because they have shows they put on and this is our favorite part now, and morning because everyone is in school

Knowing exactly where your child excels such that you can encourage them where they need it most.

Everyone learns at different rates, if your child has learned something quickly, there is no reason to not move onto the next. And vise versa. They can learn at their own pace.

Freedom to enjoy balanced home-cooked lunches everyday.

Add to the fact that your child(ren) can help make or even do it on their own… home economics.

Kids love to learn how to cook and bake. My oldest proudly made an apple pie for our Thanksgiving. She also loves to make different muffins for lunch.

Lots of extra cuddle time, and extra time to use their imaginations and play outdoors.

My daughter has said her favorite part of homeschooling is getting to go to gymnastics, to play outside, and to go to the skating rink when everyone else is in school. Freedom would be her favorite part of homeschooling.

I don’t have to worry about them having sick days, instead we cuddle and watch TV or documentaries if we want to learn a little something.

What the unexpected benefits of homeschooling that your family enjoys?

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