Book Review: The Ultimate Book of Homeschooling Ideas: 500+ Fun and Creative Learning Activities

As I read through The Ultimate Book of Homeschooling Ideas, I found myself wishing I had known about this resource years ago.  Even though I was not home schooling at that time, my daughter and I would have had tons of fun with the activities presented in this book.  I am starting to home school my daughter in middle school, so the activities are too simplistic for her.  However, the first 33 pages of this book explain how to help children of all ages learn and how effective mastery of educational subjects involves more than a prescribed curriculum.  This really opened my mind to new ways too educate.

The Ultimate Book of Homeschooling Ideas:  500+ Fun and Creative Learning Activities for Kids Aged 3-12 by Linda Dobson is packed with inexpensive, fun activities for teaching children at home over summer and holiday vacations as well as in a home school. 

For more information, check out my full review of  The Ultimate Book of Homeschooling Ideas:  500+ Fun and Creative Learning Activities for Kids Aged 3-12 by Linda Dobson on Associated Content.  This book is packed with inexpensive, fun activities for teaching children at home over summer and holiday vacations as well as in a home school.

 

4 Software Picks That Teach Kids About Money

As the financial software guide at About.com, I take personal finance education seriously, but I had fun researching online and desktop software that can be used to teach kids of all ages about money.    Each of these free or low-cost educational software choices has a unique feature that may be especially appealing to your child.

Learn about software to teach kids about money at About.com, and please let me know if you have used software to teach consumer math or money management to kids (hint: you need not register at About.com, just enter a guest name).

Signs of Stress in Children and Family: Are Your Kids Doing Too Much?

We often hear that kids are too busy these days, yet most families continue to participate in multiple activities with little or no downtime. Home school families can be just as susceptible as other families to the lure of getting kids involved in too much, whether it's out of pressure from comparing to other home school households, insecurity about developing curriculum, or other reasons.

Keep tabs on your homeschool activities to avoid over-scheduling and burn out, and read Do Your Kids Have Too Much to Do? to determine if your kids or your family is stressed out and in need of some time relax together.

Home Schooling in Wisconsin: Everything You Need to Know

Home Schooling in Wisconsin:  At Home with Learning has been written by experienced home schoolers and is published by the Wisconsin Parents Association.  This book is updated regularly, with my copy being the sixth edition, published in 2006.

I first considered home schooling my child in first grade, but felt intimidated at the prospect of doing so.  Still, I remained interested in this method of education.  My child is now in middle school and due to a number of factors, I decided to look into home schooling again.  Had I read Home Schooling in Wisconsin:  At Home with Learning seven years ago, I would have started homeschooling sooner.

Home schooling takes preparation and requires dedication to the task of teaching by the parent, but the rewards are usually worth the effort.  This book explains how home schooling in Wisconsin is plausible with information and explanations for Wisconsin home school laws, how to choose a curriculum and learning resources, how to get started with home schooling, socialization concerns, home schooling through high school and other topics.

You won't find Home Schooling in Wisconsin:  At Home with Learning in online or bricks and mortar bookstores.  This 286-page reference book can only be ordered from the Wisconsin Parents Association.  Cost with shipping is $34, or join the WPA ($30 per year) and pay $27 for the book.



The WPA is a statewide, inclusive, grassroots organization, founded in 1984 to oppose legislation that would have severely limited homeschoolers' freedoms by giving the Department of Public Instruction power and authority over homeschools in Wisconsin.