homeschooling Archives

Homeschool Tools That Are Worth the Investment

October 23, 2017 by Selena Robinson 10 Comments

Over the years, I’ve been rather cheap about homeschooling equipment. I’ll go crazy buying books, pens, and curriculum, but I was really hesitant to buy bulkier items for some reason. Probably because we have a small house and I didn’t want to overwhelm it with large items I wouldn’t use very often.

But, even though it’s wise to stay on a homeschooling budget, especially if you have several children (like we do), there are some homeschool tools that are worth the investment. During the years we’ve been homeschooling, I’ve found that three items in particular make this list.

Homeschool Tools That Are Worth the Investment

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When you go into a teacher’s lounge or the school copy room at a public school, you’ll see – among other things – an industrial-sized laminator. Public educators laminate nearly everything, which makes sense because they often have to reuse charts, placemats, and all kinds of other materials over the years.

I’d been hearing about the virtues of laminators for homeschoolers for some time, but I didn’t think I needed one. I was wrong.

Amazon frequently offers laminators on sale, especially during back to school time, so when the price of the Scotch laminator dropped to $20, I picked one up.

I couldn’t have made a better investment for our homeschool. I laminate so many things! Curriculum covers, playdough mats, printable flashcards, and more! And, since we use so many different digital curriculum products, I need to print and laminate fairly often.

Another item that I was told would come in handy was a coil-binding machine. That one, honestly, seemed like an extravagance and I was a little intimidated by it. It just looked so complicated. Would I really use it?

Yes. Yes, I would.

I have the Fellowes Star Coil Binding Machine, which is super simple to operate and one of my favorite purchases ever. I can turn almost anything into a book now! Lesson planners, teachers’ guides, printed curriculum – the possibilities are endless.

And, while I thought this machine would be enormous and in the way, it actually folds up and fits on the floor of our hallway closet with no trouble at all. I stressed over that for absolutely nothing.

My other homeschool investment has been our classroom chalkboard.

A whiteboard would work just as well, by the way. But chalk is cheaper to buy, so I went with that for our homeschool needs. The size I purchased is 23 x 35, which is large enough to be seen but not so large that takes up most of our wall.

Also – There’s just something about seeing me work out a math problem on the board that makes the light go off over my kids’ heads.

So, those are my top three homeschool tools that are worth the investment:

I also have two other items that deserve an honorable mention:

My electric pencil sharpener (You would not believe how many times I hear the phrase “Can I sharpen my pencil, Mom?” during the day.)
My external hard drive (I use this to store all of my digital homeschool curriculum.)

Do you have any homeschool tools that are truly proven their worth over the years? Share your tips in the comments!

Don’t miss these other homeschooling posts!

And see more ways to create your own homeschool on my Homeschool Planning Pinterest board!

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Montessori Homeschool Kindergarten with ShillerMath

October 19, 2017 by Selena Robinson Leave a Comment

Our preschooler is raring to go for kindergarten this year, so when I was considering what we’d use as our primary curriculum, I looked around and tried a few things. We love using apps to reinforce what she’s learning, but I also wanted her to have some hands-on kinesthetic activities to help her really “see” the concepts.

She’s also very enthusiastic about doing “schoolwork” like her siblings, so I knew she would want a program that would challenge her and be able to grow along with her ability.

So when I got the opportunity to review ShillerMath Kit A and ShillerMath Language Arts Foundations, I was thrilled! This was just the kind of program I was looking for!

If you’re considering a Montessori homeschool kindergarten approach, take a look at how ShillerMath curriculum makes learning math and ELA into an interactive experience for young kids! Plus, see how you can score a discount on a ShillerMath order of your own!

And for books your early reader will love, check out our simple homeschool kindergarten reading list!

Disclosure: I received this product in exchange for this post. All opinions are my own and I was not required to write a positive review.

Montessori Homeschool Kindergarten: ShillerMath Language Arts Foundations

When I opened my boxes from ShillerMath, I really didn’t know what to expect, so I was amazed by how complete the curriculum is.

Language Arts Foundations is a relatively new program from ShillerMath, which is designed to introduce ELA to children aged 4 to 5 (think: preschool through kindergarten).

The program includes lesson plan books and manipulatives – so, so many manipulatives. There is no way kids will get bored with this curriculum.

I have been aware of the Montessori method for some time. I haven’t used it with my children, but I have always liked the idea of helping children to take ownership of their education through hands-on learning, which is what Montessori teaches.

But – I’m not a Montessori teacher and I was unsure how to go about using this method with my kids. Which is why ShillerMath is so awesome. You don’t have to know the Montessori method to use it. It’s all outlined for you in the lesson plan!

This is one of the lessons in ShillerMath Language Arts Foundations. As you can see, the entire script is laid out for you. You can truly just open the book and read the instructions. Which is exactly what we did!

For this lesson, we used the movable alphabet, some playdough, and the grain. (All of this is included in the box, by the way.)

Once we identified the letter C, we spent a little time working with the wooden letters on the work mat. We turned them backwards and upside down until we recognized how to place them so that we could read them correctly.

Then it was time to break out the grain. As instructed, I gave my little one a small bowl and let her pour the grain herself. She was so psyched to do that on her own.

Of course, she had to have a little sensory play in the grain before continuing with the lesson.

We traced the letter C in the grain for some fine motor skill practice and a sensory experience.

As you can see, she really loved that part of the lesson.

Then it was time to make some playdough letters! We rolled out some dough and made playdough ropes.

Then we just shaped them into the letter C! We decided to do an uppercase letter C and a lowercase letter C.

That’s an example of the Montessori method in action. Instead of just showing a child the letter, you get to let them explore the letter in as many forms as possible. My kindergartner had a blast with it.

Keep reading to see how ShillerMath approaches Montessori math for early grades!

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I’m Too Broke to Homeschool!

August 21, 2017 by Selena Robinson Leave a Comment

Now that we’ve been homeschooling for nine years, I think I’ve heard just about every objection to homeschooling possible. But it always interests me to hear from people who would like to homeschool, but feel that they can’t.

I’ve heard all of these:

“I want to homeschool, but I’m too busy!”

“I want to homeschool, but I’m not a teacher!”

“I want to homeschool, but I can’t stand being around my kids all day!”

And – “I want to homeschool, but I’m too broke!”

Do you think that you’re too broke to homeschool? If so, you’re not alone. Many people think that they can’t afford to homeschool.

But that’s probably not true! Most of us who are homeschooling are not financially comfortable by any stretch of the imagination and yet we make it work! Read on to see how.

Image c/o: Maridav / depositphotos

I’m Too Broke to Homeschool!

Why do some parents think they can’t afford to homeschool? Because of some very common misconceptions about what it takes to actually teach your children at home. Take a look at some of these mistaken ideas to see if you’ve been assuming you can’t afford to homeschool.

Misconception #1: Homeschool Curriculum Costs a Lot of Money

Let me be clear here: You CAN spend a lot of money for homeschool curriculum. But you absolutely do not HAVE to, even if you’re laser focused on high-quality materials. There are plenty of ways to find good homeschooling resources without spending much (or sometimes without spending anything at all).

Many boxed curriculum programs are rather pricey, but you can buy them used and save a bundle. Or you can use a virtual online school option that may be provided for free, depending on the state you live in. Or you can put together your own program using online resources that provide your state’s educational objectives for each grade.

There are plenty of ways to get your homeschool curriculum without spending much money at all. Trust me. We’ve been doing it for years.

Misconception #2: Homeschooling Requires A Parent to Stop Working

Another common idea is that you have to stop working in order to homeschool your children. You don’t. In fact, you may not have to give up your career at all. Depending on your profession, you may be able to work from home a large amount of time and only stop in at the office as needed.

Or, if you want to work from home, there are plenty of ways to do so. I actually work full-time hours and I’ve been homeschooling for years. It can be done. And here’s another tip: homeschooling doesn’t take nearly as much time as public school, so you may not need as much extra time in your schedule as you imagine.

Misconception #3: Homeschoolers Need a Lot of Extracurricular Activities

If your kids attend public school, then you already know about the amount of extracurricular activities involved: field trips, sports, dances, fundraisers. So you might think that you need to duplicate all of these events if you switch to homeschooling.

You don’t. You can, but (again) you don’t HAVE to. You can choose a couple of sports for your kids to play at a local rec center, which will be much less expensive than playing for a school team.

Or pick up a couple of classes online in foreign language, cooking, coding, and just about anything else your kids might want to learn. Since they’re available all the time, how many you try and how much you spend is up to you. Your kids will be just fine if they do less. In fact, they may even enjoy learning more.

How do you make sure your family can afford to homeschool? Are you someone who wants to try teaching your kids but think you’re too broke to homeschool? Share your feelings in the comments!

Want more ideas for homeschooling on the cheap? Pick up my book “How to Afford Homeschooling” for more simple tricks to stretch your homeschool dollar!

How to Afford Homeschooling eBook - Look! We're Learning!

Don’t miss these other homeschooling tips!

And get even more ideas for your homeschool year on my Homeschool Planning Pinterest board!

What You Don’t Need to Homeschool

July 17, 2017 by Selena Robinson Leave a Comment

We made the decision to homeschool before our first child was even born. (Since I’m a homeschooling graduate, it was a kind of a no-brainer.)

But I told myself that this homeschool was going to be the very best homeschool that ever homeschooled. I was going to teach my children everything they could possibly know. And I was going to be organized and cheerful every single day. A modern-day Mary Poppins, if you will.

Well, we’ve been learning at home for nine years and I have to admit I wasn’t any of those things, but my kids are still learning and thriving. So you don’t need to be Mary Poppins to homeschool. Turns out, though, that there are a lot of other things that really don’t matter on your homeschooling journey.

Take a look at this list to find out what you don’t need to homeschool.

Image c/o: thandra / depositphotos

What You Don’t Need to Homeschool

A school room.

As much as I would love to have an honest-to-goodness school room, we’ve been getting by without one for years and it’s been fine. Homeschooling without a school room has forced me to simplify our curriculum and books quite a bit, but that’s okay. I think I would have been more focused on keeping the school room organized than actually teaching school anyway.

If you do have a school room, that’s awesome! (Also, I kind of hate you.) But if you don’t, you can still homeschool!

A boxed curriculum.

When I was homeschooled, my mother used Calvert School, which I believe is still a great program. I remember getting the big box of school books and supplies and opening it excitedly. Like a giant educational present.

But we have never used a single boxed curriculum program with our kids. Not one. Why? We can’t afford it! With four kids, shelling out hundreds of dollars for a program has just been impossible. Despite that, we’ve still managed to homeschool our four kids for $250 or less a year. And they’re at grade level and doing fine.

A full schedule.

Remember going to public school? Class starts around 7:50 or so and it continues until the buses arrive at 2:30 (or 3:00 for upper grades). If you’ve been thinking you need to imitate that schedule in your homeschool, you don’t! I don’t know any homeschoolers who teach all day. In fact, if any of you meet a homeschooler who actually teaches class from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., I want to meet that parent and shake her hand.

Even public school teachers don’t actually teach for that long. Kids rotate to classes with different instructors, go outside for recess, have lunch, and spend at least 10 minutes out of every hour lining up for the bathroom.

The amount of actual time I spend teaching in our homeschool is about five hours per week. The rest of the time is spent supervising my kids as they work and practice concepts on their own, and then following up to see if they need help. Homeschooling doesn’t have to take all day or even all week.

Want to streamline your homeschool? Learn how to become a minimalist homeschooler!

Did you find this post encouraging? Read some of our other homeschooling support posts!

And get even more tips for planning your homeschool year (without the stuff you don’t need) on my Homeschool Planning Pinterest board!

What to Do When Homeschooling Feels Like Too Much

May 2, 2017 by Selena Robinson 1 Comment

I’ve been a homeschooling parent for almost nine years. More than that, I’m a homeschooling graduate. You’d think I’d have this stuff down by now.

But last week, it happened. I had an utter and complete homeschooling meltdown. My children were behaving horribly, I was behind on lesson planning, I was exhausted, and I was defeated. It literally felt like I was drowning.

Ever been there?

Homeschooling is a wonderful lifestyle for families. It gives us a lot more freedom, flexibility, and time with our kids. But it also takes a lot from us. And, after a while, it can feel draining, especially when things aren’t going so well.

Despite my years of practice, I still have times when homeschooling feels like too much to handle. Yet, here I am, back on track and still homeschooling. Here’s how I keep going, even when I’m ready to give up on homeschooling.

Image c/o: Jaykayl / depositphotos

What to Do When Homeschooling Feels Like Too Much

First: Remind yourself it’s okay to feel overwhelmed.

Sometimes homeschooling parents, moms in particular, get exhausted and frustrated and then feel guilty about feeling that way. Once we get onto that carousel of emotional guilt, it’s very, very hard to get off. The days begin with super high expectations and then end with a crash when lessons don’t get completed or children don’t behave.

It’s perfectly okay to feel like this. Parenting is hard. Teaching children is hard. (Don’t believe me? Ask a public school teacher!)

Take a breath, acknowledge how you honestly feel, and then give yourself grace for experiencing a normal human emotion.

Second: Focus on the now.

A few months back, I heard an actor do a quick mental meditation exercise on television. He said “Focus on this moment you have right now. This moment now is the only one that matters.”

And, really, he was right. As parents, we can start to think so much about our children’s future that we bury ourselves in a sea of worries.

What if my children don’t pass their tests?

What if they have to repeat a grade?

What if homeschooling turns out to be a huge mistake?

What if they hate me for insisting on teaching them at home?

NO ONE can life a happy life while carrying that kind of mental and emotional weight, and you shouldn’t attempt to be the first.

When you’re overwhelmed, think about the moment you’re in. Are your children healthy? Are they (relatively) happy? Do you have the things you truly need? Then, for this moment, you and your family are fine. Make yourself stop and appreciate the security of it.

Third: Throw yourself a lifesaver.

There are many, many situations we face in which we have little to no control. Homeschooling, generally, is not one of them. We have plenty of say-so in how we teach our children, what curriculum we use, and which homeschooling method we implement. Use that authority to make homeschooling work for you!

Are you exhausted from planning lessons? Use prepared unit studies to make planning less strenuous. Do you despise teaching math? Try Khan Academy as a stand-in math teacher. Do you feel lonely spending all day with the kids? Get them out of the house (and yourself around some other adults) by attending library storytimes, local museum events, and more!

You are absolutely not tied to any homeschooling curriculum, method, or schedule, no matter how much money or time you’ve invested in it. When you feel like you’re drowning, throw yourself a homeschool lifesaver and float for a while instead of trying to swim on your own.

How do you manage your emotions when homeschooling feels like too much? What do you do to get yourself back on track and recommit to teaching your children at home? Share your tried-and-true tips in the comments!

Be sure to read some of my other homeschooling support posts!

And see even more tips for homeschooling successfully on my Homeschool Tips Pinterest board!

Are You Too Busy to Homeschool?

April 11, 2017 by Selena Robinson Leave a Comment

We’ve been homeschooling for nine years now. (Wow. It’s been nine years.) And in that time, I’ve heard no end of variations on the “I Want to Homeschool, But…” theme.

“I want to homeschool, but I’m too broke.”

“I want to homeschool, but I need to work.”

“I want to homeschool, but I’m not a teacher.”

“I want to homeschool, but I can’t take being around my kids all day.” (My personal favorite!)

But the one I’ve heard the most is: “I want to homeschool, but I’m too busy!”

Lots of people automatically think they’re too busy to homeschool. So if you’ve thought the same thing, I’m here to tell you that you’re not alone! A lot of us (even veteran homeschoolers) have felt the same way!

If you think you can’t homeschool because you’re too busy, you might not be! Read on to find out just how flexible homeschooling can be, even for your full schedule.

Image c/o: creatista / depositphotos

Are You Too Busy to Homeschool?

I’m not going to begin by telling you that you’re not busy. It’s 2017. We’re ALL busy. Even people who don’t look busy are busy. And if you have kids, you are busy. Busy taking care of them, managing your home, possibly working or caring for aging parents (or both), and trying to maintain some semblance of health. It’s a lot. I’m not going to lie.

So if you’re thinking that homeschooling is something to add on top of all of these things, it’s no wonder that you feel too busy to homeschool. I would too! After all, if you’re already juggling bowling balls, it’s going to be harder if someone throws another one at you, right?

How to Make Homeschooling Fit Your Life

Here’s what I want to encourage you to do: change the way you think about homeschooling. It’s not actually a separate job to add onto your other responsibilities. Instead, it’s a continuous experience that can go on as you do other things.

“Homeschooling is not a separate task. It’s the constant in the background of whatever you do with your children.”

Look at like this: The device you’re using to read this post has several programs that automatically run in the background, no matter what app you use. So as you’re browsing the internet (and reading this post), your device is using a ton of other apps in the background.

These are not applications you have to stop and open up separately. In fact, if your device is running smoothly, you don’t even notice that they’re in operation. But they’re keeping up with every new program you open.

And that’s how homeschooling can be. When you think of it as an educational journey you travel with your children, it’s not a separate task that you have to begin and end at some other time in the day. It’s the constant in the background of whatever you do.

Naturally, you need practical homeschooling suggestions for putting together a schedule, choosing a curriculum, and teaching your kids, especially if you have more than one child. But please, please don’t dismiss homeschooling at the outset because you’re too busy. You CAN make it fit your life. You can.

Need more homeschooling support? Don’t miss these posts!

Plus, see more tips on my Homeschooling Pinterest board!

How to Save Big on Homeschool Field Trips with FieldTripZoom!

December 15, 2016 by Selena Robinson 1 Comment

I’m a homeschooling mom, which means I love, love, love taking my kids on homeschool field trips. There’s just one little teeny tiny problem: It’s expensive!

I’ve found lots of really great frugal field trip places in Atlanta that we’ve visited often, but other than those, it can be tough to afford really educational outings, especially as my kids get older and learn about more complex topics.

So I was excited to learn about FieldTripZoom – a virtual field trip service that offers streaming homeschool field trips you can watch from your home! Talk about a homeschooler’s dream come true!

Read on to see how we’re using FieldTripZoom to make field trips affordable for our family! Plus, learn how to score a 10 percent discount on an annual membership for you and your kids!

Disclosure: I received this product in exchange for this post and I was compensated for my time. All opinions are my own and I was not required to post a positive review. (Affiliate links are provided here for convenience. For more, see our Disclosure Policy.)

Why Homeschool Field Trips Can Be So Expensive for Families

I’ve only attended a handful of live homeschool field trips since our last child was born and there’s a good reason for it: MONEY. As I browse available programs in our area, most of the sessions that look really educational are based on a ticket price per child.

That might work if I only had one or two children, but four? Take a modest field trip price of $10 per child, multiply it by four, and now we’re looking at $40 just to get in if there’s no charge for parents.

Unfortunately for us, most of these field trips are held at locations on the side of Atlanta that is exactly opposite where we live. Which means I have to factor in an additional tank of gas and pack a lunch. By the time all is said and done, I’m looking at $80 – for a one to two hour field trip. That’s a bit steep on our budget.

Needless to say, I’ve passed up a lot of homeschool field trips over the years.

How FieldTripZoom Makes Homeschool Field Trips Affordable

How does FieldTripZoom help me save on homeschool field trips?

With FieldTripZoom, I don’t have to shell out a separate ticket price per child and I don’t have to fill up on gas again that week just to drive across the city to an awesome program. I can just sign on to my FieldTripZoom account, join the virtual field trip, and watch with everyone!

For example, these are my four relaxing in the living room and watching a field trip about nutrition. My boys each have toys (which would probably be a no-go in a real-life program) and my preschooler is listening in too!

As the presenter asked questions, the kids got to get up and answer them via chat. They were actually arguing over who could answer each one! When we’ve attended field trips in the past, they’ve been a little hesitant to participate, but at home they were ready and willing!

This was a really great session, because the presenter talked about the importance of nutrition and how it is distorted by the food advertising industry.

This is where I had Tigger sit up and take notes. As a middle schooler, we’ve been really working with her to learn how to think critically about what she sees and hears. This information really reinforced that.

And when we got to the section about exercise, I nearly jumped for joy. (I’ve been trying to coax her into a more active lifestyle for months.)

On FieldTripZoom, you can see the entire program schedule for the academic year and decide which ones you and your kids would like to attend. They’re conveniently listed by grade level, so it’s easy to spot which topics are a good fit for your kids’ age ranges. But be ready to sit down and scroll a while: There are over 300 annual programs to choose from!

The Nutrition program was geared toward several grade levels. But I also wanted to choose a few programs just for Tigger, who’s in sixth grade this year, so I signed up for a few programs for grades 6 and up only.

This one on the Civil War – presented by the University of Virginia – was absolutely excellent. It was a truly informative presentation about how the Civil War got started and why the Confederacy lost.

Talking about American history can be a little dry, especially for active kids like my middle schooler.

But look at her face! She had so much fun participating in the discussion and learning more about this topic! And we never even had to leave the house.

Benefits of Virtual Field Trips for Homeschoolers

As we’ve attended these sessions, I’ve come to value some other benefits of virtual field trips for homeschooling families of all kinds, not just big families on a budget like us.

This virtual field trip was a trip to Pike Place Market in Seattle, Washington. We got to follow the host as he walked us through the market, introduced us to local vendors, and talked about the history of the place.

If I had tried to tour a place like this in person, I would have spent most of my time corralling my youngest, telling my oldest to pay attention, and trying to keep my boys from touching things.

Since we were attending virtually with FieldTripZoom, though, I didn’t have to worry about any of that! The kids just laid on the floor and watched. We talked about what we saw and heard and it was as no-stress as can be.

Now, hang on, because I’m about to really blow your mind. 🙂

We’ve even attended one of our homeschool field trips in the van. I had signed up for a FieldTripZoom virtual field trip hosted from the Alaska Sea Life Center, a place we’ll probably never visit in person, and I didn’t want the kids to miss it.

So I downloaded the Zoom app, signed on with my unique session link, and the kids watched as I drove!

It doesn’t get much better than that! And with the traffic we deal with in Atlanta, I will definitely make use of sessions when we’re “road-schooling”.

So the big question is: How much does FieldTripZoom cost? And I’m actually going to tell you the answer: $49.95 a year. That’s it.

For that price, you get access to as many of the virtual field trips as you want for as many kids as you want on as many dates as you want. It’s an incredible deal for homeschooling families, particularly those that have multiple kids.

And now – through December 31, 2016, save TEN PERCENT on an annual FieldTripZoom membership with this promo code: 01336. Here’s a handy image you can refer to when ordering.

Do you have questions about FieldTripZoom that I haven’t answered here? Still not sure if it’s a good fit for you? Let me know and I’ll do my best to fill you in based on our experiences! In fact, we have another field trip scheduled for this Friday, so I’ll have even more to share afterward. 🙂

To learn more about FieldTripZoom and all the programs that will be available for virtual homeschool field trips this year, follow the company on social media!

10 of The Best ADHD Homeschooling Tips Around

November 8, 2016 by Selena Robinson Leave a Comment

We’ve been writing about homeschooling with ADHD for a while. Which makes sense because we’re homeschooling kids with ADHD in our own family. 🙂

If you picture ADHD as a condition that involves constant motion, you’d be right…and wrong. Some kids are physically hyperactive, while others are mentally hyperactive, and still others are both and/or emotionally intense. ADHD looks different in different kids.

And that means that homeschooling a child with ADHD calls for some serious adaptation on the part of the homeschooling parent. Over the years, we’ve learned a lot about what works and what doesn’t, so I’ve rounded up 10 of the best ADHD homeschooling tips around. Read through these and try them with your kids!

Image c/o: Yaruta / depositphotos

10 of the Best ADHD Homeschooling Tips

1. Read as much about ADHD and ADD as possible to find out how this disorder can affect children. Then be willing to incorporate as many learning strategies as you can. Here’s a list of my must-read books for ADHD homeschooling parents.

2. Stop trying to create the “ideal” homeschooling life. You know that mental picture of the parent smilingly teaching several children at the kitchen table? Yeah, forget that. Here’s why.

3. Spend some time watching your child to find out which type of ADHD he or she has. Learning how the disorder affects them personally can give you valuable insights into how to teach them. Brush up on the different types of ADHD for more.

4. Create a daily routine for your child that is ADHD-friendly. Bear in mind: This will NOT be a timed schedule, but a daily framework he or she can come to expect. Learn more about how to develop an ADHD daily routine that works for you.

5. Help your child set realistic learning goals that are tailored to his or her abilities. Then encourage them to meet those goals. Read more about how to help kids with ADHD meet their learning goals.

6. Consider making lifestyle changes to help your kids with ADHD sleep better at night. It’s a fact that kids learn better when they’re well rested. (Don’t we all?) Find out how to help your child with ADHD improve his or her sleep habits.

7. Adapt your teaching methods to suit your child’s attention span. While we want to help our kids learn to concentrate, they simply won’t if we teach them in the traditional manner. Here are a few ways to change up your teaching methods for kids with ADHD.

8. Use hands-on math activities. Math is often a headache for kids who have ADHD and/or attention issues. Executive functioning problems can make it difficult for children to follow a math problem through to the end and execute the required steps to solve it. Get some ideas from this list of math activities for ADHD students!

9. Limit the use of screens in your child’s day. Kids with ADHD who have a lot of screen time each day often struggle with attention span more than those who don’t, which can make homeschooling tougher. Take a look at how you can set screen time limits for your kids with ADHD.

10. Use a flexible homeschooling schedule and always, always, always be willing to change it. Try this list of 15 homeschool ADHD schedule ideas!

Want more ADHD homeschooling tips? Don’t miss these posts!

And for more support, grab a copy of my ebook “Homeschooling with ADHD”!

Follow my ADHD Tips board on Pinterest for more ideas!

Homeschool Unit Studies: Bears Unit Study for Kids

November 1, 2016 by Selena Robinson Leave a Comment

The days are getting shorter and shorter, which means that many of our forest friends are starting to gather food for winter. And that got me to thinking about bears, one of my favorite animals.

We have bears here in Georgia, but (fortunately) I have never seen one near my house. So I put together another one of our homeschool unit studies: a simple bears unit study for kids who want to learn more about these amazing mammals! There are videos, printables, and crafts below that you and your kids can use to study our furry friends!

If you like these, be sure to check out our list of bear books for kids to go along with this unit!

Homeschool Unit Studies: Bears Unit Study for Kids

Start your unit by learning about some of the most common bears around: The brown bear, the grizzly bear, and the black bear.

Brown Bear Facts for Kids:

Watch the following video and then ask your child to answer a few questions about brown bears.

Name three ecosystems in which brown bears live. (Answer: Rivers, meadows, and forests)
What else do brown bears use their sense of smell for besides sensing danger? (Answer: Communicating with other bears)
List three of the things brown bears eat. (Answer: Sedge grass, flies, salmon)
What skills do brown bear parents teach cubs? (Answer: Survival, hunting, and how to find shelter)
What animals often live in the same ecosystems with brown bears? (Answers include: Squirrels, wolves, deer, fish, bald eagles)

Grizzly Bear Facts for Kids:

To learn about the grizzly bear, watch this video and try to answer the questions that follow.

How did the grizzly bear gets its name? (Answer: Because the silver tips on its fur give it a “grizzled” appearance.)
What features set a grizzly bear apart from a black bear? (Answer: Grizzly bears have a large hump on their shoulders right behind their heads. Grizzly bears have claws that are twice as large as the black bear’s. Grizzly bears have curved profiles, while black bears have straighter profiles.)
What does a grizzly bear use its muscular shoulder hump for? (Answer: For help in digging up their food.)
How fast can a grizzly bear run? (Answer: Between 35 and 40 miles an hour.)
How much can a grizzly bear weigh? (Answer: Up to 700 pounds.)
Does a grizzly bear eat a lot of meat? (Answer: No, 85% of its diet consists of vegetables.)
How much distance does a grizzly bear travel in a day? (Answer: Up to 20 or 30 miles.)

Black Bear Facts for Kids

Now it’s time to learn a bit about black bears! Watch this video and then discuss the following questions. Just to be technical: This video refers to pandas as bears, which they are not. Other than that, it’s okay. 🙂

Where do black bears live? (Answer: In the forests of North America, Mexico, and Canada)
How do black bears keep themselves fed during hibernation? (Answer: They live off the energy from stored body fat.)
Is a black bear an omnivore, herbivore, or carnivore? (Answer: Omnivores, because they eat almost anything, including berries, fruit, and other animals.)
Do black bears live alone or in groups? (Answer: Black bears are solitary animals, typically living alone.)

Bear Printables for Kids

These bear printables for kids include activities for each elementary grade level!

Grade Tot/PK: Printable Bear Snores On Pack – 3 Dinosaurs
Grade PK: Printable Bear Math Patterns – Fun-A-Day
Grade PK: Brown Bear, Brown Bear Printable Activity – Growing Book by Book
Grade 1: Black Bear Reading Comprehension Worksheet – Comprehension Worksheets
Grades 1-2: Bear Essentials Lesson Plan – National Park Service
Grade 2: Grizzly Bear Printable – Enchanted Learning
Grade 3: Black Bear Worksheet – Education.com
Grade 3: Grizzly Bears Facts Worksheet – Education.com
Grade 4: Bear Essentials Lesson Plan – National Park Service
Grades 4-6:Grizzly Bears and Wolves Curriculum – U.S. Forest Service

Bear Activities and Crafts for Kids

Add some hands-on fun with these adorable bear activities and crafts!

Books about Bears:

Read about these lovable mammals with these fun bear books for kids!

Children’s Books about Bears – Look! We’re Learning!

And don’t miss these other fun posts!

See more science learning ideas on my It’s Science Pinterest board!

15 Homeschool ADHD Schedule Ideas

September 26, 2016 by Selena Robinson 3 Comments

Homeschool planning season is typically an exciting time of year for parents. We get to get out our planners, write up lesson plans, and schedule our days to make sure we cover all of the objectives for the year.

But if you’re homeschooling children with ADHD, it’s not that simple. I still feel the excitement of the new school year, but it’s tempered a bit by the knowledge that, no matter how I plan our day, my kids are simply not going to get everything done. (Which is one reason why I’m not using a homeschool planner this year.)

Over the years, I’ve tried so many different homeschooling schedules I’ve lost track of them all. None of them worked. Not one. So I’ve learned a few ways to tweak our school day so that my kids can keep up, stay interested, and enjoy what they learn. Here are 15 different homeschool ADHD schedule ideas that have worked for us and may work for you too!

Image c/o: photousvp77 / depositphotos

15 Homeschool ADHD Schedule Ideas

1. Alternate sit down subjects with moving subjects.

2. Incorporate brain breaks every 20 minutes.

3. Use video liberally – teach for 10 minutes, then show a short video about the concept.

4. Add games into each subject: flashcards, drawing, balance games, call-and-response games, etc.

5. Do the subject your child hates first.

6. Or do the subject your child hates last.

7. Separate your kids for complex subjects and rotate them.

8. Have school in different areas of the house during the day.

9. Use the car for roadschooling.

10.Have a school lesson outdoors.

11. Ask your child which subject they’d like to do first.

12. Alternate weeks for certain subjects.

13. Drop an elective your child hates.

14. Use the library for a different subject each week.

15. Observe your child’s maximum attention span and time lessons to match it.

The Ultimate Guide to Brain Breaks eBook

What’s Working for Us This Year:

I’ve used all of these at one time or another. This year, we’ve been using a combination of Numbers 1, 3, 6, 7, 9, and 12.

Alternate sit down subjects with moving subjects. – I usually begin the day with reading. We sit down with books and listen to someone reading to us. Then we get up and do a project or a craft – anything that lets them move.
Use video liberally. – I rebelled against using video in my schooling for a long time. I think I’m just old-fashioned. But it makes such a big difference in helping the kids retain what they learn. I try to introduce the topic and give them questions to look for the answers to in the video, then we discuss it.
Do the subject your child hates last. – My oldest daughter hates math. I tried doing it first with her, but that didn’t work. She’d delay so much that we’d never get to the other subjects. Now we do it last and that seems to work better.
Separate your kids for complex subjects and rotate them. – When it’s time for my oldest to do math, she needs complete concentration. So I send my younger ones off to play in their rooms. In the morning, when they’re doing math, she’s in her room working on writing.
Use the car for roadschooling. – I have just recently discovered the wonder of audiobooks and they are a lifesaver. If I have to leave the house for a while, I have the kids bring their books and they listen as we ride. Then we discuss what they’ve read.
Alternate weeks for certain subjects. – I no longer try to cover every single subject every single week. I typically do history one week, geography the next, and the science the week after that. While I make sure the three R’s are done regularly, I take a break on the others. It’s less overwhelming for the kids and for me.

How have you adjusted your homeschooling schedule for your kids with ADHD? Do you have any tried and true homeschool ADHD schedule ideas to share? Let me know in the comments!

Get more ideas for homeschooling kids with ADHD!

And learn even more in our ebook: Homeschooling with ADHD!

Follow my ADHD Tips board on Pinterest for more tips and suggestions!

This post is part of the 8th Annual Back to Homeschool Blog Hop from iHomeschool Network! Click on over to read more homeschool posts from my fellow bloggers!