Yearly standardized testing is definitely a hot-button issue among homeschooling families. Some embrace it as a means to gauge their homeschooling efforts, while others dread it like the plague.  And, to make it even more complicated, homeschool testing requirements vary wildly from state to state. I am often asked by non-homeschoolers, “What about testing? How do you know your children ...

Spring is in the air. Promises of longer days, warm sunshine, and outdoor fun linger in the back of everyone’s mind. Your child (no matter their age) is probably a little antsy for a break from their schooling right about now. Spring fever is more than just a state of mind. It is actually a true physical phenomenon, especially for ...

Calling all The Dragon And The Raven fans! Expand your vocabulary with our brand new word search. Just print and have fun! (Includes an answer key, if you get frustrated.) Click on the graphic below to download and print your puzzle and answer key.

March and April can often feel like a homeschool mom’s worst enemy. It’s during these spring-has-sprung months of the year that we are more apt to feel up against the wall with the pace and schedule of our homeschooling efforts. We may feel frantic and worried about “being behind.” Now’s the time many of us realize our best laid homeschooling ...

If you’ve been homeschooling for any length of time, you’ve probably noticed that homeschool burnout is a real thing. During certain seasons of the year, we’re even more prone to it. The post-holiday winter months leading up to spring break can be some of the hardest, most vulnerable times when many of us, parents and kids alike, seem to suffer ...

Fighting homeschool burnout? Weather got you down? Can’t get out to play? Here are some fun activities that can help you pass the time until spring arrives! Have a snowball fight – with cotton balls or paper Make snowflake cut outs Re-read a favorite book Learn to make soup and grilled cheese Play flashlight tag Work a jigsaw puzzle Clean ...

Soap carving is a wonderful handicraft for kids of all ages. Soap makes a great sculpting medium, especially for first time carvers. It is soft and pliable enough for small hands to manipulate, safe to work with, and allows for plenty of creative freedom. It’s also an inexpensive project so you can enjoy carving over and over again. Materials Needed: ...

Got broken crayons? Don’t throw them away! Give them new life with this fun, quick and easy craft and gift idea. Materials Needed: Broken or old crayons Heart shaped baking/candy molds (or muffin pans) Oven mitt Cooling racks or other surface to allow pans to cool Peel the paper off all of the crayon pieces. Break any large pieces of ...

There are many great stories about King Alfred the Great. Perhaps the most famous legend of them all is the one where Alfred burned the cakes. The story in a nutshell: After being driven out by the Danes, King Alfred disguised himself and hid in the marshes of Somerset, trying to formulate his plan to defeat the Vikings once and ...

When was the last time you or your children gathered at the side of an older family member to learn from their stories? Our busy lifestyles and lack of cultural respect for our elders have begun to erase this tradition within our families. Additionally, it has become all too easy to rely on technology to store our family histories in ...