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How to Develop a Long-term Plan for Your Child’s Education with a Trivium

Why make a plan?

Ever have the unsettling feeling that you’re doing this homeschooling thing by the seat of your pants? That’s only one of the many reasons why making a long-term homeschooling plan is well worth your time.

Some of the benefits of having even a sketch of a plan are:

You are not at a total loss when you sit down to choose next year’s curriculum. Are we studying chemistry or physics this year? Should we include a foreign language yet or wait?
You’re not so worried about missing something. You can see at a glance when subjects will be covered or re-covered so you lose that Do-All-The-Things-Now feeling.
You know what subjects to prioritize and when.

If you want to know that you have got it all under control . . . if you want to lift the shroud of mist over the homeschooling years ahead . . . you need a plan.

How We Find Nature In The City + Roundup of Nature Study Project Ideas

For many homeschoolers, Charlotte Mason adherents or not, nature studies are a priority–especially in the early years. It is such a great way to introduce children to the wider world and spark their curiosity and love of learning. For me it is nostalgic, bringing back memories of growing up playing in the woods with frogs and bugs. I love to share these things with my children. But what do you do when you don’t live in the country? Or even if you don’t have a backyard? Well, it takes a little more effort–but I promise you great urban nature studies are not impossible.Continue Reading

101 Reasons to Make Homeschooling Fun

How to make homeschooling fun must be one of the top questions I’m asked. I can’t even describe the pure beauty of those moments when learning just happens in the midst of family fun or when my children’s play inspires them to make, and explore, and find out. But it is when you know that it’s all going to work out OK and you are doing a great job at this homeschooling thing.

There are so many reasons to incorporate fun, informal learning activities into your homeschool. It can serve to:

break up the monotony of the everyday schedule,
spark interest in subjects outside the normal course of study,
help reluctant learners find joy in learning and build confidence,
add some educational value to sick days, holiday breaks, or just those days when you’re asking, “Can this count as school?”, and
provide some direction or inspiration during the deschooling process or if you’re unschooling.

So without further ado, here are a few (or actually 101) of our absolute favorite reasons to make homeschooling fun.

Gift Ideas to Accompany Books that Inspire Real-Life Skills, Adventures, and Character

A great book is one that enriches your life far beyond the time you spend reading it. It comes off the page and becomes the inspiration for action in real-life. It motivates you to learn new skills or try new adventures. It dares you to be a better person than you were before. OR it can simply show you how to more deeply love and treasure things you might have thought ordinary before.

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