Summer Learning Plans {TIPsters}

Make sure you visit Kristin & Christy for their thoughts on today’s topic, as well as our guest TIPster, Jenna @ Delighting in Today. We worked out some kinks during our first year of homeschooling and we’re looking forward to homeschooling for kindergarten in the fall. But just because it’s summer, it doesn’t mean we’re going to put learning on hold!  Here are our Top Ten suggestions for summer learning: 1. Read, read, read. Whether your child is 2 or 12, we’d suggest to read to them daily. Even kids who are more than capable of reading to themselves can learn a lot from being read to. (When I taught 5th grade, I didn’t meet a single child who didn’t like being read to, as long as the topic was interesting to them.) 2. Get your kids involved around the house. Summer can be the perfect time to teach your kids some real life, home-ec. skills. Get them involved with cleaning, laundry, or preparing meals 3. Do a nature study. Our family has decided to do a plant and garden nature study since we spend a lot of time in the garden during this time of year. This relaxed study or observation and reading is a great way to keep kids learning. 4. Learn a new skill together. Use your time together this summer to learn a skill your child is interested in whether it’s archery or baking. Build wonderful memories by learning together.  5. Focus on a few skills you want your child to master. I really want Emahry (5) to learn how to tie her shoes and to learn her phone number and address this summer. My goal for Jonathan (3) is to learn all the letters of the alphabet and how to get his shoes on the right feet. Obviously these goals will be unique to each child. 6. Continue (or start) making the Bible a priority. With a little bit of a breather from the traditional subjects, the summer is the perfect time to up your focus on the Bible. Our family is using The Jesus Storybook Bible and the What’s in the Bible? DVDs (and LOVE them both). 7. Use trips as learning experiences. Whether you’re traveling cross-country or simply going to the beach, make the most of every opportunity to show your children how all of life is learning. 8. Take advantage of free summer programs. Most areas have at least a few free summer programs sponsored by the local public library or the 4-H extension office. Take advantage of these for free learning. 9. Partner with other families to spice up learning. No one ever said you have to be your child’s only teacher. Get together with a couple other families and choose topics to share. Then prepare and meet together once a month during the summer. 10. Encourage your child to work on an interest led study. Maybe they want to learn more about constellations, Abraham Lincoln, or how a telephone works. Whatever it is, help them make goals and construct a plan of how to learn about it.  linking to Top Ten Tuesday 

Today's Question: How do you plan on encouraging learning this summer?

Please visit my fellow TIPsters, Kristin @ Bits & Pieces from my Life and Christy @ A Living Homeschool, and our guest TIPster, Jenna @ Delighting in Today for more tools, tips, and tricks of the trade.

Coming Soon:

June 5th: Feeding Picky Eaters

June 19: Television Viewing (What & How Often)
July 3: Quick and Easy Summer Meals

July 17: Taking Family Photos

August 7: Schooling Kids of Different Ages

August 21: Teaching Kids to Read

(Remember if you'd like to guest host an upcoming TIPster post, just let me know.)

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Top Ten Homeschool Blogs

Last week I shared some of my very favorite Christian Mommy blogs and you had some great suggestions of new ones I should visit.

This week I’m going to share some of my favorite homeschool blogs.

Remember this list is definitely subjective and mostly reflects where I am as a homeschooling mom of toddlers and preschoolers. If you know of any great homeschool blogs for older grades, leave me a comment since I’ll be needing them in a few years.

Also, a lot of these homeschool blogs are written by Christian mommy’s but I’m including them this week because they tend focus a little (or a lot) more on homeschooling.

Top Ten {Homeschool} Blogs

(again, in no particular order)

1. 1+1+1=1 ~ Carisa is truly an inspiration when it comes to teaching toddlers, preschoolers, kindergarteners and just homeschooling in general. I’ve been reading her blog for a couple years and have used so many of her ideas. If you’re looking for ways to teach little ones, check out her blog.

2. The Activity Mom ~ I can always count on a fun, hands-on activity from Nicole. From activities for babies through Kindergarten, I’ve used lots of ideas from her blog.

3. Homeschool Creations ~ Jolanthe has a great Preschool Corner Round-up that I really love. She also makes lots of free printables.

4. Confessions of a Homeschooler ~ Erica offers tons of great preschool ideas for free, but she also has a Preschool and a 4K curriculum that she offers for only $10 each. We have the 4K and we’ve used lots of ideas from it. (No affiliate here, I just think it’s really good.) 

5. Counting Coconuts ~ Mari-Ann is a certified Montessori teacher and is home educating her children using this method. She has lots of great ideas for real-life learning. (I’m also just a little jealous because she lives in Bermuda.)

6. Totally Tots ~ This is THE place to turn if you’re looking for activities for toddlers and preschoolers. I love the hands-on ABCs and 123s as well as the Touch, Feel, Learn posts.

7. Simple Homeschool ~ Jamie offers a wonderful mix of homeschooling topics, including my personal favorite, the “A Day in the Life” series. Simple Homeschool also has tons of guest writers so you can learn a lot about different homeschooling methods and curriculum that works for different families. Jamie herself pulls a lot from Waldorf, Leadership Education, and Unschooling (which scares and excited me).

8. The Preschool Experiment ~ I love following along with Jess as she teaches her children. She incorporates a lot of hands-on and literature based activities that are also frugal and extremely doable.

9. Delightful Learning ~ Michelle has loads of alphabet ideas, as well as activities that go along with Before Five in a Row and Five in a Row.

10. ???

Today’s Question: Alright, what are your favorite homeschool blogs? What makes you go back to them again and again?

Come back in two weeks for my

Top Ten Craft Blogs.

(You can subscribe by email so you won’t miss it.)

I have quite a few, do you have any suggestions?

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