A friend mentioned that around 8 years old some pre-puberty hormones start to kick in, and I think some of us are feeling it! In our homeschool co-op, the kids’ behavior has been getting out of hand lately, so we decided that it would be a good idea to focus on developing kindness and character this year. This article will give you some social emotional learning activities for kids to use in your homeschool co-op or classroom, and some fun ideas for developing kindness. Rules & Expectations First, have clear rules and expectations. Kids need and want this. If things …
Category: Homeschool
10 Ways to Foster a Love of Reading in Your Child
How do we get our kids to fall in love with reading? What can parents do in their child’s younger years, so they will read for enjoyment all on their own one day? Here are some fun ideas to foster a love of reading in your child. I hope these ideas will inspire you and your kiddo to find reading delightful and grow your love of reading! 1) Get Cozy! Make a super cozy spot that is made for reading together: couches, pillows, fluffy blankets, surrounded by books that are easy to see and grab. We read in our cozy …
Exciting Hands-On Homeschool Co-op Activities on the Digestive System
We studied the human body in our homeschool, and I wanted to do some hands-on group activities to learn about digestion for our homeschool co-op. So here are some fun, hands-on homeschool co-op activities on the digestive system that will make the topic of digestion fun and memorable! We did this activity with mostly first graders, but this would be perfect for kids ages 4-8. Human Body Anatomy Model First, we had the kids play with this Squishy Human Body model. After taking it apart, they took turns putting all the organs and pieces on the organ organizer paper foldout. …
How to Host an Awesome Homeschool Co-op about Germs!
What inspired me to host a homeschool co-op about germs and the lymphatic system was to motivate the kids to wash their hands! Even though we homeschool, it seems at the beginning of the school year everyone gets sick all the time. After doing this activity the kids were washing their hands over and over for fun! I kid you not. We did this homeschool co-op about germs and the lymphatic system with first graders, but it would be appropriate for ages 4-8. Human Anatomy Puzzle First, we had the kids put a human body anatomy puzzle together. This human …
Awesome Homeschool Gift Ideas for Boys!
Here is a list of awesome homeschool gift ideas for boys ages 5-9. Firstly, I am a minimalist at heart. I don’t enjoy shopping or cluttering up my home with excess stuff. However, my son loves to tinker, build, and collect all the tiny little things, and he is definitely not into the minimalist aesthetic that his mom is into. So here is a short list of stuff he loves (and mom loves too) that we actually have in our house because these keep him and his friends busy, learning, moving, and entertained for hours. Maybe your little boy, (or …
How to Host an Awesome Homeschool Christmas Party!
We had an awesome homeschool Christmas party for our co-op this past year! Here are some of the fun ideas and games that our group did together that the kids loved. These are very simple and inexpensive Christmas games to put together, and they get the kids moving! And most of these are probably new Christmas games you haven’t heard of before! Giving Back If we are indoors, it’s nice to have a craft for the kids to start on and then they’ll have something to do while we wait for all the kiddos to arrive. I feel it’s important …
How to Host an Awesome Halloween Homeschool Co-op Party!
It’s always fun to dress up, and we got some extra use out of the kid’s costumes for our Halloween homeschool co-op this year! Here are some fun ideas for you to host your own Halloween homeschool co-op party with your group. Of course, there are a million ideas you could do, but these were winners with our group. Additionally, all of these Halloween homeschool activities are cheap and hands-on! A free printable with a list of supplies you’ll need is included! Group Costume Picture! First, of course, we took a picture of all the kids in their cute costumes. …
How to Host a Fun, Hands-On Homeschool Co-op on Composting Worms!
I started a worm compost bin a couple of months ago and thought that it would be fun to use it as a learning opportunity for our homeschool co-op. Honestly, I wasn’t sure if the kids would be into learning about worms, but they ended up totally loving it! Here is everything you need to host a fun, hands-on homeschool co-op on composting worms! Worm Anatomy First, we had the kids color a worm anatomy printout. Their anatomy includes a simple nervous system, the digestive tract, 5 hearts, and clitellum. We kept things simple since our age group is on …
11 Ideas to Make Writing Fun!
Some kids find writing exacerbating, so here are some fun ways to put pen to paper so kids can find writing enjoyable. Here are 11 ideas to make writing fun! 1. Buy Fancy Pens and Markers It’s fun to try some fancy pens or markers to write with. My son is always confiscating my colorful gel pens, which I don’t mind as long as he writes or draws with them! 2. Write on Large Surfaces A lot of kids prefer writing on larger surfaces. Dry-erase boards and chalkboards have worked wonders for us. There is more space for drawing bigger …
Sassy Responses to the “What About Socialization?” Question
A sassy response to the annoying question “But what about socialization?” isn’t for everyone, and I wouldn’t respond to everyone this way. However, my friends who know me know that I’m a straight-shooter, and that it is all in good humor. Of course, as homeschoolers, we know that our kids are socialized, and probably socialized in a more normal way. If you’re a new homeschooler, it’s just a matter of time before someone asks, “But what about socialization?” as if homeschoolers don’t socialize! As if public schoolers are the only ones to have all of the social graces! Yes, We …