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The Get It Done Guide to First Time Homeschooling

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Suddenly homeschooling for the first time?

You’re not alone.

Many, many parents are teaching their children at home for the first time ever this year.

As a veteran homeschooler, I want to say two things:

First of all – welcome! We’re not weird as we seem and we love to have new families join us. So hi!

Second – no matter how unprepared you feel, you’ve totally got this.

And, to help make the idea of learning at home easier, I’m sharing this super easy, nitty-gritty, get it done guide to first time homeschooling.

The Get It Done Guide to First Time Homeschooling

If you’re brand new to the idea of teaching your own children, this is a simple, streamlined way to get started.

And, honestly, even though I’ve been homeschooling for ten years, this is basically the way I approach it as well.

So I’m here to tell you: it works.

Want to make the first day of your school year special? Try some of these fun first day of homeschool ideas!

Banish overwhelm and start learning with this easy guide to first time homeschooling!

The Get It Done Guide to First Time Homeschooling

Images c/o: victoshafoto / depositphotos

To start, I need to make a confession: I’ve been working from home and homeschooling for years.

But, I’ve also sent my children to public school (twice) and worked out of the home as well.

So I understand how having your children always at home can be…a bit much. If you feel that way, you will face no judgment at all from me. I get it.

As I’ve been talking with other moms online and in person, the number one feeling they express is a sense of overwhelm.

Trying to work from home, manage their households, and teach their children seems like an impossible task.

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Seem familiar?

So let’s start by taking a deep, deep breath together. Take two if you need to.

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We’re going to get through this in four steps (five, if you want).

That’s it. That’s all.

You can do this.

Step 1: Look at your state requirements.

Before you do anything, and I mean anything, find out what your state (or province) requires homeschoolers to do.

If you search “(state) homeschool requirements”, look for an internet search result from the actual department of education for your state. Then read the list of regulations.

Some states are very hands-off and require almost no paperwork or specific standards, but others are very detailed and require regular evaluations and check-ins by parents.

Use those regulations as your homeschooling framework.

Step 2: Choose a math program.

After you read your state’s requirements, start selecting how you will teach each subject, especially the core subjects such as math and English Language Arts (ELA).

Fair warning: There are a ton of math programs out there. A TON.

Don’t get caught up trying to read through each one and compare them. Start with Khan Academy (it’s free!) and let your child start working through that from the very beginning.

You’ll get a good sense of where he or she needs to improve as they go along.

You’ll also see what they like and don’t like about that program, which will give you a good idea of how to choose something different, if you choose.

If you just want to keep moving for now, check your child’s appropriate grade level on Khan Academy and then buy a grade-level math workbook. Done.

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Step 3: Choose an ELA program.

Once you get math going, find a way to teach ELA.

Khan Academy has some courses for this too, but they’re still working on them.

I generally use a grade-level workbook for ELA and then add a lot of books to read and discuss together through the year. (Look for my specific homeschool choices for this year coming soon!)

Still with me?

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Step 4: Choose a way to learn science and social studies.

Okay. The biggies are done. Now it’s time to move on to the other subjects.

Science is actually pretty simple these days. Find a great and reputable kids’ science YouTube channel and off you go. Pick up a book with easy experiments to try if you like.

You can do the same with social studies. With younger kids, find an excellent world travel channel and learn about a new country each week.

For older kids, focus on historical events and their impact on society. (Further down, there are a few recommendations you can try for this.)

Step 5: Pick an elective or two (if you want.)

That’s basically a school day.

If you do math and ELA four days a week, plus science and social studies two days each, you’ve covered all the basics.

Want to add an elective? Great! There are plenty of those out there for free too, including art, music, American Sign Language (which I teach!), and more.

A simple internet search will point you in the right direction.

And we’re done!

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Pat yourself on the back. You’re ready to go. Really.

Is All-In-One Homeschool Curriculum Good for First Time Homeschoolers?

You might be wondering why I didn’t mention any all-in-one boxed curriculum choices in the steps above.

Well, here’s why.

I have used several through the years. (BookShark was our absolute favorite.)

In fact, I was homeschooled myself from sixth grade onward with a boxed curriculum.

Here’s the thing about all-in-one-programs (at least in my experience):

They tend to fit well in some subjects and not at all in others. All of my kids were at different grade levels in each subject. They tended to need a grade-level math but an advanced ELA program or vice versa.

So I always ended up with materials I paid for, but couldn’t use. Boo.

Also – I found the big box a little overwhelming, especially when I was just starting out.

But you might be different. So, after you’ve gotten into a good routine, feel free to take a look at a few (especially BookShark).

Easy Homeschool Options for First Time Homeschoolers

Whew! I’ve said a lot here, but I can’t let you go without sharing a few good resources that will help you get started if you’re first time homeschooling. These are all excellent and, even better, free.

Need more homeschooling inspiration? Try some of these ideas!

If you feel overwhelmed by planning your homeschool year, take a look at these easy tips to streamline your homeschool schedule!
Looking for an easy ADHD homeschool schedule to try this year? See the simple ADHD homeschool schedule we're using!
Do you want to homeschool but feel that you can't possibly spend all day with your kids? Here's how to manage it.

8 Must-Try Winter Homeschool Ideas

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I hate winter. Hate it.

I’m from Florida and, whenever the temperature dips below about 60, I’m done for the year. 

But when you’re homeschooling, you can’t just opt out of teaching during the cold. I know. I’ve tried it.

So that’s why I wanted to find some ways to make winter homeschooling fun!

These winter homeschool ideas are a great way to get the season off to a great start with your family! These are simple enough to do in one day.

Plus, they’re actually educational.

Fun Winter Homeschool Ideas to Try

Read on to see these tips for homeschooling during winter! And if you use a few, I’d love to know which ones were your favorites.

For more ways to teach about winter, don’t miss our All About Snowflakes printable unit or our list of must-read winter books for kids!

Feeling a bit chilly about homeschooling this winter? Get back into the swing of things with these must-try winter homeschool ideas!

8 Must-Try Winter Homeschool Ideas

Images c/o: stockunlimited and Lorraine Cormier from Pixabay

1. Teach about winter weather.  Take time to learn about the different types of snow and ice weather, as well as why temperatures turn colder during winter. Here’s a great explanation of why we have seasons, including winter.

2. Teach about emergency preparedness. You don’t have to be a prepper to prepare for winter. In fact, most of us already do it without realizing it. Teach a homeschool lesson on how to make sure your home is ready for colder weather and why it’s important.

3. Learn how and why snow melts. Snow is magic! It’s a cold solid that turns into water! This is the perfect way to teach about solids and liquids! You could even have them bring snow indoors to the sink and watch what happens when it melts.

Our Superhero States of Matter science lesson offers a way to teach this concept, even if you don’t have snow outside!

4. Get creative and build a snow castle or artistic snowman. Need a winter art lesson? Get outside! Not only will your kids get off the couch for a while, but by making a snow castle or artistic snowman, they’ll be learning art!

Don’t have snow in your area? Make our pinecone snowman craft instead!

Winter Playdough Mats for Kids

5. Make winter themed slime. Make a winter themed slime that includes fake snowflakes and teach your kids about the chemical reaction that makes the slime feel slimy.

To make wintery slime, change up our DIY Flubber recipe by skipping the food coloring and adding silver glitter!

6. Have a winter themed scavenger hunt. Bundle the kids up and send them outside with a list of things to find for a winter scavenger hunt. Be sure to include things such as pine cones, a tree branch without leaves, and other things that are common in winter.

Once they have found them all, have a discussion about how each item is different in winter and summer and what causes those changes.

7. Have a science lesson on how cold affects the human body. Most kids know they have to bundle up to go outside, but do they know why? Having a winter homeschool lesson about what cold weather can do to the body is the perfect way to teach them!

Here’s a great informative resource on the topic.

8. Make paper snowflakes. Snowflakes are amazing little things and your kids will love learning about them!

For an easy homeschool activity, pick up our Snowflake Math Factor craft and let kids cut out and decorate each snowflake before solving the math factor problems on each one. Be sure to hang them on the windows afterward!

Did you love these winter homeschool ideas? Try these other winter learning activities!

Teach children how to identify basic nouns, verbs, and adjectives with this winter-themed parts of speech sorting activity! Perfect for ELA over the winter!

Use these printable polar animal notebooking pages to learn about winter animals and the regions where they live!

These hibernation books for kids are awesome for studying how animals prepare for winter!

See more ways to teach about winter on my Winter Activities for Kids Pinterest board!

How Playing Sports Can Help Your Homeschooler

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There are lots of studies that support the value of extra-curricular activities for kids. According to some, playing sports (in particular) improves a child’s overall academic performance.

But does that apply to homeschoolers? After all, homeschooling is a very different type of education than public schooling.

Homeschoolers usually have more time to spend pursuing their own interests. And they have less time that they are required to sit still than public schoolers.

It’s been our experience, though, that playing sports can help homeschoolers. Over the years, our kids have played several sports and we’ve seen the benefits personally.

How Playing Sports Can Help Your Homeschooler

If you’re planning your upcoming homeschool year and you’re considering a sport or two, here’s how playing sports can help your homeschooler.

Need more support to outline your school year? Don’t miss our collection of tips for planning your homeschool year too!

Homeschoolers get so many benefits from participating in sports! See how playing sports can help your homeschooler too!

How Playing Sports Can Help Your Homeschooler

Playing sports can improve focus.

Participating in sports helps homeschoolers use up extra energy, which helps them focus better. This is particularly useful for children that struggle with excess energy and attention issues.

Since we have children who are living with ADHD and ADD in our family, this has been a huge benefit of having them play sports. Even my most active child is calmer and more focused after playing a game or two.

Playing sports can help kids develop discipline.

Sports help homeschoolers develop discipline. In our family, this was sorely needed.

Since the kids didn’t have to be up and at school at a particular time each day, they struggled with following a routine. When they had a practice to attend, though, it was much easier to get them up and moving.

In addition, playing team sports, especially track and field, helped them see how their actions affected others and taught them the importance of cheering for their teammates.

Playing sports helps kids use practical math skills.

Do you have a child who’s always asking “But when will I ever use this?” during math class?

They’ll be surprised to learn how much they need math once they start playing sports. You can’t keep score, time your performance, or monitor your progress without it. 

And if they really love their sport, they’ll pick these skills up quickly. Much quicker than mine ever did during a math lesson.

Playing sports gives homeschoolers time to work with others.

If you have an only child, you might want to give him or her time to spend with other kids. Playing sports is a fantastic setting for this.

Many people express concerns about homeschoolers and “socialization”. While I don’t think this is a major issue for homeschoolers, extra-curricular sports do give homeschooled kids more opportunities to meet and cooperate with people who are different from them. Which is always a good thing.

Playing sports contributes to good physical and mental health.

Sports are great for your child’s mental health. Getting a little physical activity releases endorphins that contribute to a feeling of happiness. Even my moodiest tween felt better after running, playing tennis, or swimming.

And, since so many kids spend time on screens during the day, sports can help kids get more physical exercise and avoid being sedentary all day.

Playing sports can open up new interests for kids.

If you have a child who never knows what they want to do (I have two like that), then playing sports is also great for helping them to develop new interests.

As kids learn more about their sport, they will start to determine what they like and what they don’t like. This is a great starting point for exploring new hobbies and even career ideas. And it helps them start learning new things too!

Have you found that playing sports helps your homeschooler? I’d love to hear your experiences in the comments!

Check out these other tips for happy homeschooling!

If your homeschooling day starts badly, it can be a real challenge to get it back on track. Here are a few tips to help you learn how to start the homeschool day right each morning!

Is your homeschool starting to feel a little blah? Here are 25 tips from veteran homeschoolers to help you have a happy homeschool!

Get the new homeschool year off to a great start with these 25 helpful homeschool planning tips!

And see more ways to homeschool successfully on my Help for Homeschoolers Pinterest board!

Should You Assign Homeschool Homework to Your Child?

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The very thought of homeschool homework might seem like a contradiction.

One of the biggest pros to homeschooling (at least for my kids) is that they thought they were getting out of having homework every day. And it’s easy to see why.

One of the biggest cons to public school is the sheer amount of homework that many kids have to complete before they return to class. I personally know families whose children spend hours on homework each night.

When my children went to public school a few years ago, I was shocked at the amount of homework assigned to them in elementary school. It’s changed quite a lot since my years in those grades.

Should You Give Your Child Homeschool Homework

Did you know, though, that some seasoned homeschool parents often decide it’s appropriate (and smart) to assign homeschool homework? It’s true!

In fact, I’ve been known to assign homework to my kids too.

The good news is that, as a homeschool parent, you get to make your choice based on what you know about your child and what you feel is best for them.

And, of course, you can always adjust as you go along when something’s not working. This is something I’ve also been known to do.

Want to read more about what it’s like to send your homeschooled child to public school? Take a look at our Great Homeschool Public School Experiment series!

Should you assign homeschool homework to your child? See why homework may or may not be a good idea for your homeschool.

Why Some Parents Assign Homeschool Homework

Images c/o: belchonock & TarasMalyarevich / depositphotos

When kids are in public school and have homework assignments to complete, they are responsible for finding out what is required, checking the due date, requesting help when needed, and turning it in on time.

Depending on the homeschooling approach you use, you might find that your kids struggle with these kinds of skills when they’re taught at home. Mine certainly did.

I’d assign something for them to do on their own, especially as they got older, and I was immediately inundated with complaints.

“Wait, what am I supposed to be doing?”

“I don’t understand the instructions!”

And, my personal favorite, “I thought I did it already!” (Really, kid?)

So I started using homeschool homework as a way to teach my children to work independently. I’d assign it and walk away. It was up to the kids to navigate any problems that came up, just as they would in a mainstream school setting.

I was always available when they needed guidance, not reteaching. And I’d provide them with reference materials and safe websites to use for research or review.

Initially, I felt guilty. Maybe I wasn’t being “there” enough for my kids or I was just “dropping” them after holding their hands for so long. But I was being unfairly harsh on myself.

If they were in a “regular” school and they had homework to do, there would be no teacher hiding away in their backpack to remind them to do it, or how to do it, or when to do it.

Whether they make the right choice by completing the work would be up to them. Whether they paid attention in class in order to know how to do the work would also be on their shoulders.

We all have to learn that, in life, each day is filled with choices, one after the other. And our decisions always have an effect, whether good or bad. This was just one way of helping my kids learn that lesson.

Should You Give Your Child Homeschool Homework?

Is it possible your homeschool kids may need a little homeschool homework to help them learn responsibility? Only you know the answer to that question. And, if you decide to implement it, the way you use it is up to you.

Some moms give the assignment, the due date and make it clear that the child is on their own. Others ask kids to choose a subject to study on their own and write discussion points and questions for the next school day.

Homework is up to the teacher!

If you’re feeling unsure about what to do, remember:

Homeschooling is a difficult endeavor, and the balance you strike each day as both a parent and an educator can be tricky. Still, whatever choice you make will be the right one for your children.

What about you? Do you assign homework? Why or why not? If you do, what’s your method? I’d love to hear about it in the comments!

Don’t miss these other homeschooling articles!

Is your homeschool starting to feel a little blah? Here are 25 tips from veteran homeschoolers to help you have a happy homeschool!

Are you overloaded with homeschooling materials? Here's what to do when you have too much homeschool curriculum.

Are you an overwhelmed homeschooler Trust me, I get it. Here's what I do when homeschooling feels like too much to handle.

And get more help for your homeschooling journey on my Help for Homeschoolers Pinterest board!

How to Afford Homeschooling eBook Download

25 Veteran Tips for Happy Homeschooling

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How many of you out there are either homeschooling or thinking of homeschooling? How many of you are homeschooling happily?

Making the decision to homeschool is a tough one, but one that usually brings a lot of excitement. As your homeschooling journey continues, though, you’ll start to face some challenges that can make learning at home feel…not awesome. In fact, it can get downright miserable if you’re not careful.

Which is why I wanted to share some veteran tips for happy homeschooling. After all, we’re teaching our kids at home because we want them to have the best education possible. If they’re unhappy while they learn, that’s not the best education, is it?

25 Veteran Tips for Happy Homeschooling

These suggestions cover some of the common challenges you’ll face as a homeschooler, but there are also tips and tricks for keeping your homeschool organized, feeding your hungry learners during the day, and teaching multiple kids at once (like we do).

Need some more homeschooling how-tos? Check out our list of homeschool planning tips to get your school year started right!

Is your homeschool starting to feel a little blah? Here are 25 tips from veteran homeschoolers to help you have a happy homeschool!

25 Veteran Tips for Happy Homeschooling

Image c/o: habovka / depositphotos

1. 10 of the Best Tips for Homeschooling Kids with ADHD – Look! We’re Learning!

2. How to Start Strong Each Homeschool Week – Table Life Blog

3. How to Stop and Smell the Roses – Rock Your Homeschool

4. When You Fear Your Homeschooled Teen is Behind – Annie and Everything

5. 9 Ways to Help Boys With Too Much Energy – Homeschool Your Boys

6. How to Start a Homeschool Routine with Young Children – Hodgepodge

7. Fun Math Books for Middle Schoolers – Look! We’re Learning!

8. 10 Tips for Starting to Homeschool – Weird Unsocialized Homeschoolers

9. Our Top Ten Lunches for Homeschool – iHomeschool Network

10. Tips for Changing Your Homeschool Curriculum – Triumphant Learning

11. 100 Ways to Have a Fun Homeschool Day – Rock Your Homeschool

12. How to Get Homeschooled Kids to Want to Learn – Tina’s Dynamic Homeschool Plus

13. 3 Essential Keys to Homeschooling Multiple Ages – Preschoolers and Peace

14. Practical Ways to Deal with Homeschool Burnout – iHomeschool Network

15. How to Keep Your Happy Through Winter – Nourishing My Scholar

16. Homeschooling Gifts You Don’t Want to Take for Granted – Look! We’re Learning!

17. The Best Way to End a Homeschool Day – Table Life Blog

18. The Power of Play: Using Game in Your Homeschool – My Little Poppies

19. 36 Ways to Organize Your Homeschool – Annie and Everything

20. How to Use Morning Time for a Happier Homeschool – Weird Unsocialized Homeschoolers

21. Easy Ways to Homeschool On the Go – Rock Your Homeschool

22. 100 Educational Shows to Stream on Netflix – Homeschool Hideout

23. What to Do When Gifted Kids Struggle – Raising Lifelong Learners

24. 3 Ways to Instantly Gain More Time in Your Homeschool Day – Tina’s Dynamic Homeschool Plus

25. 5 Ways to Make Geography Fun – Look! We’re Learning!

Want even more tips for happy homeschooling? Liven up your learning with these ideas!

Struggling to get your homeschooling budget under control? See how I homeschool four kids for just $250 a year!

Make your homeschooling dollar stretch with this list of homeschool tools that are truly worth buying!

Overwhelmed by planning your homeschool day? Try this minimalist homeschool schedule to get started!

And follow my Help for Homeschoolers board on Pinterest for even more helpful suggestions!

How to Afford Homeschooling eBook Download

How to Start the Homeschool Day Right

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It’s the start of a new homeschooling year and, for many of us, that brings a ton of excitement about our new books, our new curriculum, and the kids’ new grade levels.

But we’ve been at this homeschooling thing for nearly ten years now and I’m here to tell you that the excitement… is going to fade. In fact, it seems like the longer you homeschool, the quicker it fades. And a lot of that comes down to having a rough homeschool day – or two or ten.

It’s so easy to think that you’re going to start the homeschool day right, only to have it dissolve into two shouting matches, a sibling fight, and a crying fit over a math problem by 11:00.

How to Start the Homeschool Day Right

For years, I fell into the trap of planning weeks of lessons and then falling off the homeschool wagon just a few days in. I thought I needed to change my curriculum, revamp my schedule, or even try public school for a while.

I didn’t realize that I was planning my homeschool years right, but starting my homeschool days completely wrong. Here’s what I’ve learned about how to start the homeschool day right.

Take a look to see what didn’t work for me and what finally is working – after all this time.

Disclosure: I am a BookShark brand ambassador and am receiving free curriculum as part of my role.

If your homeschooling day starts badly, it can be a real challenge to get it back on track. Here are a few tips to help you learn how to start the homeschool day right each morning!

How to Start the Homeschool Day Right

Images c/o: lanakhvorostova and SIphotography / depositphotos

Plan your day’s lessons and activities in advance.

Please, please, please do not set yourself up for failure by thinking you can do this on the morning you plan to teach a lesson. You won’t get up early and plan for it. Trust me. You just won’t. (I cannot tell you how many school days I’ve given up on because I fell for this idea.)

Take some time to set up a flexible plan for your school week. Shoot for having the lessons for the week done by the previous Friday. Then try to schedule only a few full days and leave yourself some space for lessons that take a little…longer than expected.

Have a family meeting first thing in the morning.

This one took me an embarrassingly long time to figure out. And, really, this tip came from my husband. Whenever he’s home during the day, he gets up and goes into the kids’ rooms to talk with them about how they’re feeling that morning.

As he told me, “That’s the best way to find out what’s on their minds before we get started. Otherwise, they won’t be able to focus on what we’re teaching, because their minds are somewhere else.”

So I started doing this on our homeschooling days too. When everyone gets up, I talk to them all individually to see how they’re feeling, what they’re thinking, and what they want to do that day.

I tell them we’ll try to get at least some of what they’d like done – after we finish our school lessons. It really does help them put those thoughts aside (at least for a while) to begin the school day.

Eat a really good breakfast.

Remember those old cereal commercials we used to see on Saturday morning? The ones that show the bowl of cereal, along with toast, eggs, and a glass of orange juice as part of a “balanced breakfast”?

They weren’t kidding. Kids really need to eat a filling breakfast to start the day, especially once they hit puberty.

I was allowing my kids to make their own breakfast for a while. That led to eating less than they needed, because they often didn’t “feel” like cooking as much as they should have.

Now that I’m back to making breakfast (and they make their own lunches and snacks), they actually get full and their moods are ten times better, which makes our entire homeschool day run smoother.

How BookShark Helps Me Start the Homeschool Day Right

One of the biggest changes that’s helping me start our homeschool days off right is using BookShark with my youngest.

BookShark is a year-long, book-based curriculum that includes ELA, history, and science for grades K-8. I’m using it for our first grader this year and it has done wonders for my homeschooling routine.

Because BookShark plans the weekly lessons for you, I have her daily plans done in no time. I just look over the prepared plan, review the books we’ll need, and we’re off and running the next week.

Take a peek at my BookShark homeschool binder to see how it works!

Start the homeschool day (and year) right with these tips!

We structure our homeschool week in just three days. See how we're doing it!

Get the new homeschool year off to a great start with these 25 helpful homeschool planning tips!

Looking for an easy ADHD homeschool schedule to try this year? See the simple ADHD homeschool schedule we're using!

See more ways to plan your homeschool year on my Homeschool Planning Pinterest board!

How to Afford Homeschooling eBook Download

DIY Geometry Dice – A Fun Math Practice Tool for Kids!

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This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Duck Brand® for IZEA Worldwide. All opinions are 100% mine.

Since we are teaching multiple children with attention issues, we always try to make our school lessons as fun and engaging as possible. Particularly when it comes to math.

Math is one of those subjects that kids either love or hate or possibly love to hate. Because our kids need to move around frequently to remain attentive, I wanted to find a way to help them practice geometry terms without forcing them to write the definitions over and over.

And that’s how we came up with the idea for geometry dice!

DIY Geometry Dice for Math Practice

These DIY math manipulatives only take a few minutes to make and they’re awesome for helping students develop geometry fluency while having fun and getting some much needed movement during the school day.

Read on to see how I used colorful Duck Tape to make our geometry dice and how to grab the printable dice templates you’ll need for yourself!

Make math practice into a play activity for students with this easy DIY Geometry Dice project! Perfect for building math fluency in upper elementary grades!

DIY Geometry Dice for Math Practice

Here’s what you’ll need to make your Geometry Dice:

  • Empty square tissue box (You’ll need one box for each die you want to make.)
  • Duck® brand duct tape
  • Printable Geometry Dice templates (These are available for free in our Subscriber Library. Sign up at the bottom of the post!)
  • Scissors
  • Glue stick

Making Geometry Dice for Math Practice

These geometry dice are designed to help students in upper elementary grades or early middle school grades practice recognizing and identifying basic geometric lines, angles, and shapes.

Printable Geometry Dice Templates

For younger students, you can use the set of shapes and angles with the identifying names. Have them roll the dice and call out the shape, line, or angle they see until they start to recognize them on their own.

Then switch to the dice templates with no labels to see if the students remember each line, shape, and angle.

Upper elementary and middle school students can use the Who Am I? style templates to try to identify each line, angle, and solid shape without seeing the pictures at all.

Using Colorful Duck Tape to Make Geometry Dice

When it was time to decorate our geometry dice, I was so excited to use Duck® brand duct tape to make them as bright and colorful as possible.

And let me just tell you: Duck Tape is nothing like you probably remember. It now comes in Color Duck Tape®  and Printed Duck Tape® – both of which are adorable and perfect for educators!

Patterned Duck Tape for Crafting Geometry Dice

For our geometry dice, I went with bright purple and this super cute blue, red, and green chevron Duck Tape. I knew the colors would make the dice even more fun and attention-grabbing for the kids.

Making Geometry Dice with Duck Tape

So – here’s how to make the Geometry Dice.

Start by wrapping the Duck Tape around one end of the empty tissue box. Since Duck Tape is made fairly wide, you’ll only have to go around the sides of the box three times or so to cover it.

Geometry Dice - A Simple Duck Tape Craft

After you wrap the Duck Tape around the tissue box completely in one direction, turn it upside down and wrap the remaining two sides the same way.

Finally, use scissors to cut the Duck Tape and press the open end closed. Easy peasy!

Geometry Dice Math Duck Tape Craft for Kids

Cut out the Geometry Dice templates you plan to use and use a glue stick to attach one to each side of the tissue box.

Printable Geometry Dice Duck Tape Craft

If you’re making two dice, repeat this process all over again.

Just a note about working with the chevron-patterned Duck Tape: It takes a little bit longer to decorate the box with it, because you’ll need to stop and align the tape to make sure the pattern is even.

Totally worth it, though, because it’s adorable.

Simple Duck Tape Teacher Craft - Geometry Dice

These are so fun for working on geometry. My kids wanted to play with them long after math class was over.

Scroll down to get your printable Geometry Dice templates – FREE!

Don’t miss these other ideas for teaching math!

Help kids practice adding and subtracting with these aquarium-themed arithmetic practice printables!

Sidewalk Chalk Outdoor Math Game

Work on recognizing even and odd numbers with your students using these Fall Leaf Even and Odd Practice printables!

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How We Structure Our Three Day Homeschool Week

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We’ve always been rather creative in the ways we homeschool. While the idea of schooling at home might conjure up images of hitting the books from 8 to 2 Monday through Friday, we’ve never done it that way. Frankly, that doesn’t work for most homeschoolers.

Instead, we structure our lessons to get done in a three day homeschool week, even though the program we use is designed to be covered in four days a week.

Shocker, right?

But it actually works for us and has worked well for a few years now.

Take a look at how we structure our homeschool week in just three days a week!

Read on to see how we use a three day homeschool week in our family!

Note: We’re adapting BookShark with our youngest child to be a three-day-a-week program, but you could really make this work with any curriculum – as long as you’re willing to adjust a few things along the way.

Need to get more ideas for organizing your lesson plans? See how we use a homeschool binder to keep our objectives front and center during the year!

Disclosure: I am a brand ambassador for BookShark and am receiving free curriculum as part of my role. For details, see my Disclosure Policy.

We structure our homeschool week in just three days. See how we're doing it!

Why You Might Need A Three Day Homeschool Week

Images c/o: Wavebreakmedia / depositphotos

How can using a three day homeschool week help you? If you think that you can’t homeschool because you’re too busy, compressing your school week can give you some much needed time in your schedule.

Personally, I’m a homeschooling parent who also works secularly. So I need to get our school lessons done for the week in about half of a normal workweek.

Generally, we complete our school lessons during those three days and then I use a couple of evenings and the other two full days of the week to work. That way, I can relax with the family on the weekends, instead of being chained to my computer trying to catch up.

Even if you don’t work, though, using a three day homeschool week can be a good thing. It will leave you with two extra days a week for chores, errands, appointments, or field trips.

How We Structure Our Three Day Homeschool Week with BookShark

If you take a look at our BookShark homeschool binder, you can see that each day’s lesson is completely planned in advance. This is a HUGE timesaver when it’s time to cover the material. Since we do a three day homeschool week, though, I have to make a few tweaks.

First, I put all of the week’s activities for ELA, history, and science together to see exactly what we should be covering. Then I count how many pages we need to read, experiments we need to complete, and worksheets we are expected to finish.

Finally, I just divide all of those activities by three to see how much we should do each day. Pretty simple!

BookShark is designed as a 36-week curriculum, so if you complete four days a week of the program, you should finish your child’s coursework within 36 weeks.

In our family, though, we homeschool year round. So I have a lot of wiggle room on the schedule. This means I can take out a day and make it up during our longer year without falling behind.

It’s working like a dream so far!

Need more homeschool planning ideas? Don’t miss these posts!

Get the new homeschool year off to a great start with these 25 helpful homeschool planning tips!

Struggling to keep your homeschool year structured? See how to organize your school year with a homeschool binder!

Welcome the new homeschool year with these 25 fun first day of homeschool ideas! Choose a few of these back to homeschool ideas to try with your family!

See even more ways to organize your homeschool year on my Homeschool Planning Pinterest board!

How to Afford Homeschooling eBook Download

Should You Homeschool Year Round or Not?

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If you’ve been around the homeschooling world for any length of time, I’m sure you’ve heard of families who homeschool year round. In fact, we’re one of those families, so if you haven’t met someone before, you have now!

Choosing whether to homeschool year round can be a tough decision to make. Which is why it’s normal to seek the guidance of experienced homeschooling parents when you’re considering this topic.

But the beauty of homeschooling is that you can do works best for you and your child. So whether you homeschool year round or not is totally up to you and yours.

Should You Homeschool Year Round or Not

If you’re considering homeschooling, then it’s clear that you want to understand your children and provide them with a good education. Homeschooling not only allows more family and bonding time, but it also creates an environment that supports the learning habits and needs of your child.

If you find that you are racking your brain with trying to decide if you should homeschool year round or not, here are a few things to consider before choosing one way or another.

Are you thinking of homeschooling but unsure you can do it? See how you can homeschool your own children, even if you’re not a teacher!

Are you thinking of homeschooling all year long Here's a look at what you should consider when you're deciding if you want to homeschool year round.

Image c/o: belchonock / depositphotos

Should You Homeschool Year Round or Not?

Homeschooling Year Round Does NOT Mean Schooling All the Time

While learning and education are important, it is also just as important to make certain that your little one doesn’t get burnt out from not being able to take a break.

If you choose to homeschool year round, a good alternative to a full summer break could be to take a couple of weeks off intermittently throughout the school year. This way, your child gets a little rest time (as do you!) and time for them to recoup and have a little fun in the sun as well.

Homeschooling Year Round Can Help You Avoid the Summer Slide

One of the biggest concerns that many public school teachers have is that it takes kids a few weeks after returning from summer break to get back into the swing of things at school. If you choose to homeschool year round, you’ll never have to worry about getting out of sync and schedule.

Being able to teach your child in an atmosphere and classroom setting that works perfectly for them and their learning needs is what homeschooling is all about. When you’re able to provide that education year round, you’re setting your child up for a great learning environment!

Homeschooling Year Round Doesn’t Have to Interrupt Family Vacations

Do you and your family have any traveling plans during the summer months or do people come to visit you and your family during the year? If so, consider that before deciding to keep up with the curriculum full-time.

While it doesn’t mean that you still can’t homeschool year round, it’s just important to understand that there may be times when you’ll be traveling or have guests over and you and your child will still need to get through your lessons and your work planned.

Talk It Over With the Kids

Instead of making this decision entirely on your own, talk to your child about their thoughts. You may be surprised by their answer in regards to what they prefer!

Some children like the scheduling and every day being the same, while others prefer a bit of time to recharge. Whatever the choice, rest assured that it will be the best one for you and your child.

How We Homeschool Year Round

We’ve been homeschooling year round for several years and here’s what we do:

We follow a typical school year for our start. We generally get started with our next grade in August, but we only school for three days per week. Every few months, we take a break for a week or two.

Over the summer, we take a very relaxed approach. We’re still homeschooling, but the majority of our learning comes from summer camps, field trips, and online courses. So far, this approach has worked well for our kids.

What about you? Do any of you homeschool year round? I’d love to hear how you make it work in the comments!

Still planning your homeschool year? Take a look at these posts!

Get the new homeschool year off to a great start with these 25 helpful homeschool planning tips!

Struggling to keep your homeschool year structured? See how to organize your school year with a homeschool binder!

Overwhelmed by planning your homeschool day? Try this minimalist homeschool schedule to get started!

Get more ideas for structuring your homeschool year on my Homeschool Planning Pinterest board!

How to Afford Homeschooling eBook Download

25 Fun Ways to Celebrate the First Day of Homeschool

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Back-to-school is an exciting time of year, especially when you homeschool! With new ideas and a fresh start, there is a lot to celebrate. Homeschool parents usually ooze excitement and you want your kids to get excited about the beginning of the homeschool year also.

Here are 25 fun first day of homeschool ideas to celebrate NOT back-to-school with your kids this homeschool year!

Make this homeschool year one to remember with these fun first day of homeschool ideas you can try with your family!

If you decide to try one of these first day of homeschool ideas, let me know which one your kids loved the most! I think we’re going to try numbers 2, 3, 11, and 19. 🙂

Need some ideas for planning your new homeschool year? Don’t miss our list of 10 new school year resolutions for homeschoolers!

Welcome the new homeschool year with these 25 fun first day of homeschool ideas! Choose a few of these back to homeschool ideas to try with your family!

Image c/o: andrekaphoto / depositphotos

25 Fun First Day of Homeschool of Ideas

1. Decorate your homeschool room with your kids.

This is a great activity for right before your homeschool starts or for the very first day. Grab some fun decorations and get started! Not only will decorating be exciting, but it is also a great way for your kids to have a vested interest in their homeschool.

2. Create a vision board for the year.

Setting goals for your homeschool is so important! Start your homeschool year off right by creating a large vision board with your kids. Discuss everyone’s goals for the homeschool year and write them on the vision board. Decorate it and hang it somewhere you can look at it throughout year. It will be fun to see all of the progress that your kids have made.

3. Go out to eat a special breakfast on the first day of homeschool.

This is such a fabulous way to celebrate back-to-school! Skip the formal school morning and head to a cafe or restaurant to ring in the new school year.

4. Eat dinner at a fancy restaurant on the first day of homeschool.

Shake things up a little bit and take your kids to a fancy dinner. You can talk about your day and what they look forward to for the rest of the year.

5. Have a dress-up dinner at home for your kids.

Have your kids wear their fanciest clothes and treat them to a fancy dinner at home. Use a table cloth, fancy dishes, candles and music to imitate a nice restaurant. You play the part of the chef and waiter and go all out!

6. Have a picnic lunch at a local park.

Pack your food and drinks and head out! If you don’t have a park nearby, the backyard can be just as fun. Bring a picnic blanket and enjoy your time together discussing the new year!

7. Have a family movie night to celebrate the first week.

After a great week of homeschooling, why not sit back and relax with your family? You’ve earned it! Let the kids pick the movie and spend some time together on the couch. Watch one of our favorites “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory” and then try this Charlie and the Chocolate Factory unit study!

8. Gameschool for the first day (or week!).

Who says games don’t count for schooling? They absolutely do! Get back into the swing of things with a game schooling day or week. From board games to card games, your kids will build bonds and have fun!

9. Take funny first day pictures.

You can set up a “photo booth” with an awesome backdrop, or just make silly faces! The key is to get some great pictures that capture your child’s personality! Hang them up in your homeschool room to set the vibe for your homeschool year.

10. Surprise your kids with a photo book with pictures from the past year.

Kids love to see how much they’ve grown! This one takes some advance planning, but your kids will love this sentimental celebration! There are several online options for printable photo books.

11. Enjoy a day (or several!) at a local attraction (children’s museum, water park, etc.) when public school has started back.

Beat the crowds at your local hotspots by spending a day playing when public schools are back in session. After the summer rush, this is a nice way to take advantage of a huge homeschool perk!

12. Create a time capsule.

Use a shoebox (or a similar sized container) and create a time capsule that you won’t look at until the end of the school year. Items could include: first day of school picture, an interview with your child and goals he or she has. Put the box away (in a place you’ll remember!) and make a note of where it is and when to open it.

13. Start a scrapbook and add to it weekly.

What a great way to capture memories! If you can’t keep up with a scrapbook page per week, consider doing it monthly. At the end of the year, you will have captured so many precious moments!

See more fun first day of homeschool ideas on page 2!