Let’s set sail for a STEAM Summer starting with a Balloon Powered Sponge Boat! Most of our kiddos’ activities are completely canceled or at least significantly altered. But, that does not mean we can not have a great summer. This sponge boat is the first post for a summer of fun STEAM-themed summer activities. Never miss a post. Subscribe in the footer to be alerted of new activities! MATERIALS: Scissors Permanent Marker Ruler (optional) Balloon & a smaller balloon (optional) Flexible Straw Rubber Band Sponge (at least ¾” thick) pencil (optional) BALLOON-POWERED SPONGE BOAT DIRECTIONS:  1. First, measure the short side of the sponge andRead More →

Today’s Guest Post is from Sara Gruber about her daughter’s experience learning about the Battle of Gettysburg from her backyard. Thanks for sharing! The new norm? Sitting at the kitchen table, trying to do my “job” while homeschooling my two daughters. Oh, you have a literature Zoom at 2:30 pm? My mind runs through today’s to-do list… which report can I finish in that 30-minute window? Your worksheet is taking a while? Maybe I can draft a media release now so I won’t be up as late tonight. Every minute is painstakingly filled to maximize productivity and it’s somehow become our normal. What’s more? EvenRead More →

at home on the bay oyster bed

The Galveston Bay Foundation is launching a new program called At Home with The Bay. Their mission is to preserve and protect Galveston Bay as a healthy and productive place for generations to come. As such, it is making things easier by providing enriching programs to all kiddos and their parents while we are all unable to actually explore the Bay. This new program, At Home with The Bay, is a weekly video series. Geared towards Elementary & Middle School students, it will cover a wide variety of conservation topics related to the Bay. The goal is to get students of all ages outdoors and connected with nature through hands-on STEM curriculum.Read More →

The Outdoor Education Center (OEC) at Camp Olympia is a way to bring your students’ STEM learning into a real-world hands-on environment. Situated in the Piney Woods of East Texas on Lake Livingston, the Outdoor Education Center at Camp Olympia is a beautiful, unique learning environment that both students and teachers rave about. Read More →

teaching place value rainbow colored abacus

Teaching place value takes abstract thinking and concepts to hands-on fundamentals that children need to build their entire mathematical understanding. For some kids it is easy to pick up for others it takes a few different approaches before the concept “clicks.” We have used many options in our own homeschool and rounded up our top picks from those from educators who have been there. Get Practical & PracticeLet the Kids TeachSimple TipsManipulativesWhole Body LearningGamesDigital Games & ResourcesSongs and Videos Place Value Books Take a Break Taking a break from an idea and revisiting it later is a great strategy for many disciplines. If you canRead More →

Or, how to do a Unit Study for any book! We are homeschoolers. Not those homeschoolers. You know, the ones whose kids are up practicing their violin at 7 a.m. after a nutritious breakfast. But, those homeschoolers are great. We’re also not those homeschoolers. You know, the ones who follow their children’s whims even if it leads to daily binges of Fortnite or spending weeks tracking down every dinosaur-related book, field trip, and video in the area. But, those homeschoolers are great. We are somewhere in between. The homeschoolers that find both ends of the spectrum fascinating but is not really either of them. Usually,Read More →

In an effort to simplify but still maintain the basics I switched a lot of our homeschool over to The Good and the Beautiful (TGTB). We have also been involved with co-ops and enrichment days and classes, oh my! This year we endeavored to begin our own co-op to handle all those things that tend to get sidelined at home and are easy to do with a group – history, science, art, P.E., and languages. If I have seen further than others, it is by standing upon the shoulders of giants. Isaac Newton I get the distinct pleasure (but probably still not as much as someoneRead More →

Moody Gardens Homeschool Day

Five times per year our triple pyramided friends to the south put on homeschool programs – and the Moody Gardens Home School Day is awesome!  Each program day has a different theme and allows entrance into different areas of the Moody Gardens campus. We attended the December outing which was themed Aquarium & Ice Land: Pole to  Pole.  It was a great program, appropriate for the entire family, and really affordable at $15 per person, including adults (members only pay $5).  Our ticket included parking, access to the Aquarium Pyramid (which hosted talks through out the day at various exhibits), access to Ice Land: PoleRead More →

Horseback Riding Lessons

Horseback riding lessons for kids may be on your list of experiences to gift your kids for the holidays.  I know in our neverending quest to find non-toy gifts lessons are a top option.  Or, perhaps you are just getting ideas for activities to begin in the New Year.  Either way, we have a great guest post from an expert on the subject of riding and kids. Nicky Ellis is an editor at Horses & Foals and a mom of three and she is chiming in today to help us determine if horseback riding lessons for kids should be on our Christmas list and why! TheRead More →

Winter Reading Program

We all gear up for summer reading but the Houston Public Library is introducing a winter reading program for the family! So snuggle up, light a fire, pretend its snowing, and pick out a book! The program begins December 15, 2018 and runs through January 15, 2019. How to Participate Reading to a child for 20 minutes a day for 10 days Listening to a child read to you for 20 minutes a day for 10 days Having older siblings read to or listen to a child read (both are then eligible for prizes!) Earn a Free Book After reading for 10 days participants areRead More →