Nature Coloring books

Here are some great nature coloring books to add to your children's (or yours) nature journals. My children love to color and we have never been disappointed with Dover books. They are both for learning and coloring. Click HERE to check them out.

When Children Love to Learn

I ran across this book at a used book sale a few weeks ago!! Sadly, I wasn't able to purchase it so began a search online to see if I could round one up for cheap!! Fortunately, I found it for the best price of all. Free-if I want to read from the computer! Which I intend to do, a few pages at a time. So far I have really enjoyed it and wanted to pass along the info. You can read it HERE online.

Memoria Press Introduces.....

Memoria Press has always been a favorite of mine. And now they are making my curriculum choices tough with all these new items they just created. Wonderful new curriculum ideas for kindergarten.

Memoria Press

Classical Kindergarten Read-Alouds

Classical Kindergarten Supplemental Read-Aloud Program
Reading, Writing, and Arithmetic: The best preparation for a Classical Education

A program that will teach your child everything from history and holidays to science and interesting new words and places. After extensive reading and research, each book was selected by Leigh Lowe as one of her top thirty favorites for the Kindergarten years.

Literature and poetry are fundamental to a strong classical education. Our supplemental reading program will help your child develop a taste for quality literature from an early age. And introducing poetry to young children helps them maintain an interest in poetry as they grow. Children delight in listening to the rhyme and wordplay of poetry. Reading aloud to your children is one of the best gifts you can give them. And the books we have chosen are beautiful in their art and prose. It is never too early to begin building your child’s library of beautiful books.  Go here for more.

For Everything Charlotte Mason

If you are already a Charlotte Mason fan then you lost likely know all about this site. I spent some time over there last night and I am amazed at the amount of information there. If you have a bit of time go check it out.

Simply Charlotte Mason

Queen's Homeschool Curriculum

Another great in the line of Charlotte Mason and the gentle art learning. I've checked around and done some research as far as reviews go and it seems to be a good choice for CM fans. I just received their Language Lessons for Little Ones in the mail and look forward to doing it. There are several levels of the language lessons to choose from. Click on the links below to read more about them.

Language Lessons for Little Ones

Queen Easy Packs

Queen Homeschool Main Page

Easy Homeschooling Techniques

Easy Homeschooling Techniques

This is an interesting book I just finished reading. Your local library probably has a copy. That's where I got mine. But it is well worth the read whether you are new to homeschooling or not.

This book covers the following:

Lay a good foundation

Start up the easy way

Plan for success

Set goals you will meet

Teach all subjects

Choose literature

Keep high school credits

Train homemaking skills

Guide into careers

Make order in your home

And much more!

Extras!

course of study

booklists

planner form

resources

index

Homeschool Treasures

Thankfully, these treasures have been around long enough for me to still make good use of them in our homeschool. If you are new to homeschooling, or not a homeschooler, but happen to be a parent then you will benefit from having these books within easy reach. If you look closely you can tell mine have been used often! And will continue to be for a while. Now, if you are a very eager reader, something with a lot of meat, and interested in the education and training of your children might I suggest reading The Original Charlotte Mason Series found online HERE.

Answers in Genesis Pre-school curriculum

I received Answers in Genesis catalog the other day and I found this pre-school curriculum. I've never really used anything formal with my pre-schoolers but this looks really neat. My Mary is 4 and I am thinking about looking into this for her. I look forward to reading reviews on it!

You can read about it HERE.

Here is what their website says about it.

Regardless of how your kids are going to be educated—public, private, or home school—one thing that all children have in common is the need to learn. What better place to begin, than at the beginning!

This complete multi-subject curriculum for preschoolers and very early readers includes 180 fun, engaging, hands-on lessons that introduce children to the Bible, social studies, language arts, math, phonics, and science. Like other preschool curricula, Answers for Preschoolersincludes lots of fun activities, coloring pages, easy teacher-friendly ideas, and full-color illustrations galore. But unlike other preschool curricula, this one also affirms the truth of the Bible and uses Genesis as the basis to help precious children know God’s love while exploring health & safety, music, arts & crafts, and even physical education activities.

Designed to make the teacher’s job easy, and the student’s job fun, this foundational curriculum is flexible and can be adapted to any schedule. Order Answers for Preschoolers today and start your children’s education on a solid biblical foundation. It’s never too early to teach your children truth!

The Mozart Effect for Children

I've been reading this book that came highly recommend to me by my daughter in law Heather and wow, is it ever informative! I'm not very far in it yet but found it so interesting I just had to share! Without doubt, I've already ordered some Mozart cd's from the library and have been playing them everyday. I found several specifically geared for children! Here is an excerpt from the inside cover.

In The Mozart Effect for Children, author Don Campbell shows that music is the perfect tool to improve children's language, movement, and emotional skills at home, school, and play. He presents a wealth of dynamic, inventive ways for parents and teachers to invigorate a child's imagination with music, sounds, and songs, supplying simple exercises and fun activities tailored for each age group and stage of development, from prenatal through age the. Campbell offers ideas and exercises to bond with their newborns to tips on fostering good study habits and stress reduction for elementary school students.

Living Books Curriculum

I found this wonderful website that offers much in the area of homeschooling. Especially leaning toward Charlotte Mason. I very much encourage you to check it out when you have some time. Living Books Curriculum

Home Sweet Homeschool

If you want a well rounded, informative, easy to read website that tells all. Go pay a visit to Home Sweet Homeschool. You won't be sorry.

PIoneer Woman's Review of Prima Latina

To read her review click HERE. To read more of Memoria Press Latin click HERE.

Childress Manor Academy

I just came across this blog that I think will be a great asset to our homeschooling. I follow her other blog and for some reason I missed this one. But it's well worth taking a look at. Click HERE to visit Childress Manor Academy

Lapbook and Unit Studies

Here is a nifty little website that has lots of exciting materials for lapbooks and unit studies for many different subjects. You should take a minute and check out A Journey Through Learning to see for yourself.

My First Little House Books

These are the funnest little books. We've had them for some time now and my little girls love them. The pictures are so precious and they sit for the longest time after reading a page just looking at them!! Even though some of the girls have read the original stories they still love these. I'm sure they can be found at your local library or they can be purchased HERE.

Progressive Phonics-Free

I ran across this nifty little website earlier today. Everything is free and you can read online or print them. Check it out at Progressive Phonics.

Choice Books for 4-5 Year Olds

• Jesse Bear, What Will You Wear? by N.W. Carlstrom
• The Little Rabbit by Judi Dunn
• Ask Mr. Bear by Marjorie Flack
• Blueberries For Sal by Robert McCloskey
• Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown
• The Big Green Pocketbook by Candice Ransom
• The Runaway Bunny by Margaret Wise Brown
• The Carrot Seed by Ruth Krauss
• The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats
• Play With Me by Marie Hall Ets
• Prayer for a Child by Rachel Field
• Angus Lost by Marjorie Flack
• Katy No-Pocket by Emmy Payne
• We're Going On a Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen
• Corduroy by Don Freeman
• If Jesus Came to My House by Joan Gale Thomas
• Caps For Sale: A Tale of a Peddler by Esphr Slobodkina

My children love these stories. The titles are taken from Jane Claire Lambert who created Before Five in a Row. I have used the guide in the past and enjoyed but these days I simply just read them to the little ones. If you choose to use the guide you can read more about it HERE.

Science by Memorizing!!

I love Lyrical Life Science. We used it years ago and I am thinking about using them again. I had the cassette versions and as we all know that won't work these days!!! They are a fabulous way to learn about science. Read more about them HERE.

Nearly Free Homeschooling

This has tons of wonderful things you can use. And nearly free. Click HERE to check it out.

Free Grammar Online

A great new site for grammar. And for free. Check it out HERE.

Commonplace Books

Historically commonplacing has played an important role in education, and it has served as a vital tool of erudition.

I love learning like this. My children call it notebooking too. But it's all the same basically. Writing down each day those things that have been learned through their homeschooling efforts. We have been doing this for years and my collection of their work is really beginning to grow. To learn more about commonplace books go HERE.

A Lifestyle Education through Discipleship

Would you agree that you want your children to have knowledge, to know things--including things like how to read, write, and compute?  Would you agree that you want your children to be wise, to make proper decisions and act on them appropriately in life?

"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding."  And the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.  Proverbs 9:10 and 1:7  Wisdom is the most important thing we are to seek.  Wisdom is the principle thing.  Therefore get wisdom and with all your getting get understanding.

If you agree to the words above so eloquently written by my friend Lisa over at Me And My House then you will love her newest resource creatively called Freedom and Simplicity on R Road to Biblical Wisdom.  You can read more about it HERE on her website.  She goes on to say "true learning is a process of gaining wisdom, understanding and knowledge.  This process of learning is really several processes, both internal and external, that work together as we receive new ideas and information, reflect upon them, reason through them Biblically, integrate them into our lives and thought processes, and then produce our own individual output based upon them.  Here is a glimpse of the table of contents and some of the wonderful and creative methods she uses in her homeschool as she teaches her family of ten children.  As you will see, she has covered many topics and given great ideas on how to implement them.

Chapter 3 ~

Recitation

Copywork

Narration

Learning Maps

Note-taking

Timelines

And the wealth of knowledge doesn't end there.  In chapter 5 she covers the following--

Book of Remembrance Journals and other Formats

Essays and Other Compositions

Learning Maps and Other Graphics

Journaling Pages

Book of Remembrance Journal Organization

Journals-Worthy, But Not the Key Goal

I have been homeschooling now for 23 years and Lisa's work was an eye opener for me.  I can imagine what great help it would be for someone just beginning the journey of educating their families at home.  Thanks Lisa.  

Lisa has written many such guides leaning on her many years of raising, feeding, and homeschooling her large family.  To view her resources that she offers visit her website by clicking HERE.

Shakespeare Anyone??

Here is a wonderful animated video page I found for watching some of Shakespeare's plays.  I just found it though and have not watched any but will do so later today.  Looks very interesting.  Here is the link.

Shakespeare's Animated Video's

Now This is a Find-Great for Boys

If you have boys between the ages of 8-14 or so here is THE site for them.  My boys love Tom Swift and I came across a site that has the whole collection online for FREE.  Here is the link:

Tom Swift complete collection online