Search Results

Are you a homeschooling parent dreaming of a curriculum that takes your family on an unforgettable journey around the globe - without even leaving the living room? Good news! The World Explorers Club  from For The Love Of Homeschooling  is the all-in-one geography club designed to make world studies engaging, deep, and truly family-friendly. If you’ve struggled to find comprehensive, easy-to-use geography materials that cater to multiple ages, look no further. This club is the ultimate ticket to exploring fascinating countries and cultures, one month at a time! Each Month, We Release a New Country Unit! Check Out Our Latest Unit PLUS a FREE Sample Below! Or click the link below to see all of our units! What is the World Explorers Club? The World Explorers Club is an in-depth, all-ages subscription curriculum that gives customers access to our digital country units at a highly discounted rate. Each month, members gain access to a unique code to download a brand-new, beautifully curated unit study of their choice from our growing list of country studies. These resources are designed to be enjoyed by the entire family, making geography a shared, exciting experience for everyone from toddlers to teens. The best part? These aren't just dry textbook assignments. These country studies are a rich, immersive exploration of history, food, art, culture, and more. A Peek Inside Your Monthly Passport When you join the club, you get our fully planned, cohesive country unit studies that sell in our shop for $25 for a fraction of the cost. Each month's Country Study is packed with resources to bring the world to life: In-Depth Daily Plans:  Comprehensive guides and a teacher's manual to keep you on track. All-Ages Activities:  Daily activities designed to engage every child in your homeschool. Creative Projects:  Recipes, original games, crafts, art projects, and even a step-by-step how-to-draw tutorial related to the country! Exclusive Discounts:  Access to special freebies and discounts not available anywhere else. Imagine making French crêpes while learning about the Eiffel Tower, or creating traditional Japanese art after studying the country’s history. This club turns learning into doing! Explore the World for Less Country studies individually cost $25, but by joining the World Explorers Club for just $15 per month , you get to choose any one of their amazing units! That’s 40% off the retail price, giving you incredible value for an extensive curriculum. Our digital library of available units is vast and continually growing, allowing you to tailor your travel plans. You can choose from countries like:  * Argentina  * Australia  * Bahamas  * Brazil  * Canada  * Costa Rica  * Ecuador  * Egypt  * France  * Greece  * Hungary  * Iceland  * India  * Ireland  * Italy  * Jamaica  * Japan  * Kenya  * Madagascar  * Mexico  * New Zealand  * South Africa  * Sweden  * Switzerland  * Tanzania  * Thailand  * United Arab Emirates  * United Kingdom  * USA  * Vietnam As a special welcome gift, new members often receive exclusive freebies, such as Continent Flashcards, Posters, and the original "Continent Trek" game , making your initial dive into geography even richer. Get Your Free Club Calendar Below to See Which Countries We Are Releasing in 2026 Ready to Start Your Journey? If you’re ready to infuse your homeschool year with engaging, family-style geography that is easy to implement and fun for all ages, the World Explorers Club is waiting for you. Stop planning and start exploring! Please note that our country units are available digitally at this time. We are working to make them available in print soon!

PLUS 10 Freebies to get you started on your spring nature adventures! The spring is a season filled with life, color, and an abundance of opportunities for children to explore the natural world around them. As the weather warms up, the trees bud, flowers bloom, and animals emerge from hiding, making it the perfect time for outdoor activities connecting children with nature. Whether you're homeschooling, looking for ways to enrich your child's learning, or want to enjoy some quality outdoor time, here are 10 Spring Nature Study Topics for Kids to get them excited about the world around them! Thank you for reading our blog! If you appreciate this post & the freebies, please share it with others! We have also set up a code just for you where you can get 25% off any of the units listed below! Code: BLOG25 Learn About Insects FREEBIE - Backyard Field Study Spring is an ideal time for children to explore the world of insects. Take a magnifying glass on your nature walks and let your children examine ants, ladybugs, or caterpillars. Teach them about different species and the role insects play in the ecosystem. You could even set up an insect hotel or a butterfly house in your garden to watch insects up close. Spring is also a great time to learn about pollinators like bees, butterflies, and moths. Children can learn about the important role these creatures play in pollinating flowers and helping plants grow. Observing the arrival of butterflies, ladybugs, and bees can be a fun spring activity. Consider starting a mini garden of flowers that attract pollinators or make a simple butterfly feeder. Looking for more fun ways to learn about insects & pollinators? CLICK HERE  to join our Insect of the Month Club (open worldwide) or  CLICK HERE  to see all of our insect-themed units,  or  CLICK HERE  to Join our Nature Study Club to get our nature studies for almost 50% OFF! Bird Watching and Identification FREEBIE - Bird Watching Tracker Many birds migrate to warmer climates during the winter and return in the spring. This is the perfect time to watch for birds building nests, laying eggs, and raising their young. Children can learn about bird migration and how different birds use their nests for shelter and safety. They can also observe how birds look for food and how their songs change during spring. Use a bird app to help identify birds or keep a journal of the birds you see, noting the colors, behaviors, and sounds they make. Looking to learn more about birds? CLICK HERE   to check out our Bird of the Month Club (open worldwide) ,    CLICK HERE  to see all of our bird-themed units!  or CLICK HERE  to Join our Nature Study Club to get our nature studies for almost 50% OFF! Weather Wonders FREEBIE - Cloud Viewing Wheel Spring weather is a perfect invitation for outdoor exploration. As temperatures warm and the days get longer, nature comes alive in exciting ways. Whether it's the gentle breeze rustling through new leaves or a sudden spring shower, the changing weather offers unique learning opportunities for children. Encouraging children to observe and adapt to weather conditions while exploring nature helps them develop a deeper understanding of the world around them and the important role weather plays in shaping ecosystems. Looking to learn more about the we ather? Click HERE to check out our large selection of weather-themed studies!  or CLICK HERE  to Join our Nature Study Club to get our nature studies for almost 50% OFF! Pond Study: The Secret Life of Ponds Freebie - Pond Analysis & Scavenger Hunt Ponds are tiny ecosystems full of fascinating creatures, and spring is the perfect time to explore! Children can discover the different animals that live in ponds, such as frogs, tadpoles, dragonflies, and water beetles. By observing the pond’s water, plants, and animals, kids can learn about how these creatures interact and the importance of clean water. Use our pond analysis freebie above to explore a local pond this spring! Looking to learn more about pond life? CLICK HERE  for our Pond Life Nature Study, or  Click HERE  to check out our pond-themed units! Baby Animals: From Birth to Growth Freebie! - Chick Hatching Observation Journal Spring abounds with new life and baby animals! Not only are baby animals adorable, but they are also a great way to introduce children to the cycle of life. Whether it’s baby birds in a nest, ducklings following their mother, or lambs hopping around a farm, kids will love learning how animals grow. Talking about how different animals take care of their young ones, like how elephants protect their calves or how bears protect their cubs, will also help them understand family structures in the animal kingdom. Looking to learn more about animal babies and life cycles? Click HERE for our life cycle units! The Farm: A Day in the Life of Farm Animals Freebie - Farm Scavenger Hunt (includes several other nature scavenger hunts as well!) Spring is the perfect time to visit a farm! ( Check out our FREE Field Trip Guide for a list of farm-themed field trips ) Children can explore how farms work by meeting the animals—chickens, cows, sheep, and goats—and seeing how food is produced. They can also learn about the importance of chores on the farm, like feeding animals, collecting eggs, and milking cows. Visiting a local farm or even starting a small garden at home can help children connect with where their food comes from. Looking to learn more about farm/homesteading life? Click HERE to see all of our farm & homesteading themed products! Seeds & Planting: From Seed to Sprout Freebie - Sunflower Observation Journal Planting seeds and watching them grow is a fun and rewarding activity for children. Whether it’s flowers, vegetables, or trees, they can explore the life cycle of plants, from seed to full-grown plant. Kids can learn about the different parts of a plant and what they need to grow, such as sunlight, water, and soil. Create a small garden together or start with easy-to-grow plants like beans or sunflowers to watch their growth firsthand. Looking to learn more about seeds & planting? Click HERE for our Seeds & Planting Nature Study  or CLICK HERE  to Join our Nature Study Club to get our nature studies for almost 50% OFF! Spring Flowers: Blossoms, Bulbs, and Blooms Freebie - Daffodil Mini Unit Spring is famous for its colorful flowers, and after a long winter these are always a welcomed site. Children can learn about the different types of spring flowers, such as tulips, daffodils, and crocuses, and how they grow from bulbs. Take a walk to look for wildflowers that are springing up or plant a few flower seeds or bulbs to watch them grow over the season. Looking to learn more about spring flowers? CLICK HERE for our Blossom & Bulbs Nature Study or CLICK HERE  to Join our Nature Study Club to get our nature studies for almost 50% OFF! Mud & Soil: Nature’s Messy Playground Freebie - Soil Testing Activity Mud isn’t just for making a mess—it’s a wonderful substance for exploring the environment that your kids are sure to love. Spring is the perfect time to take your child's mud pie-making adventures and turn them into fun learning opportunities to learn about mud & soil! Children can learn about the different types of soil, why mud is so important for plants, and how animals, like worms, live in the mud. It’s also an excellent opportunity to talk about the water cycle, as rain creates mud and helps plants grow. Let the children get their hands dirty by making mud pies or testing your soil with our soil testing freebie. Looking to learn more about soil? Click HERE to learn about soil layers or CLICK HERE for more Grading & Planting Units Animal Homes: Where Do Animals Live? Freebie - Animal Homes Observation Journal Animals live in all sorts of interesting places, from cozy burrows under the ground to towering trees high in the sky. Learning about where animals live can help children understand the different ways creatures adapt to their environment. Every animal has its own special home, and each one is perfect for keeping them safe, warm, and fed. Let's dive into the fascinating world of animal homes  and explore the variety of places animals call home! Looking to learn more about Animal Homes? CLICK HERE for our Animal Homes Nature Study or CLICK HERE to Join our Nature Study Club to get our nature studies for almost 50% OFF! Spring is the perfect time to get outside & explore! Whether you're observing insects, picking flowers, or investigating animal homes, there’s no shortage of ways to immerse yourself in the great outdoors this spring and we hope this post of Spring Nature Study Topics for Kids will help you explore more this spring! If you appreciate this post & the freebies, please share it with others! We have also set up a code just for you where you can get 25% off any of the units lin our shop! Code: BLOG25

On Sale Now for Just $25 ~   Regular $120 ~ Use the Code 12WEEKS25 to Save! Enjoy this Special freebie! The crisp air, the gentle snowfall, the perfect excuse for a steaming mug of hot cocoa; winter is magical. But for many homeschooling families, the initial glow of the season can sometimes turn into a "winter slump," where motivation dips and structured learning feels like a chore. What if you could harness the coziness of winter and turn it into 12 weeks of delightful, themed, and completely done-for-you educational adventures? Introducing the 12 Weeks of Winter  seasonal learning program from For The Love Of Homeschooling! More Than a Curriculum, It’s a Winter Wonderland Book Club and Bundle in 1! Picture this: You and your little ones cozied up by the fireplace, sipping hot cocoa, with the snow gently falling outside. What better way to celebrate the winter wonderland than with these whimsical learning packs specially crafted for the little scholars aged 3-10? Each learning pack comes with a book recommendation, GET THE FREE BOOK LIST HERE , as well as a variety of activities that cover language arts, math, STEM/nature studies, art and handicrafts, play, and more! The included schedule will make each day a joy to dive into!   Each week is a new adventure, a dazzling journey into the world of knowledge and fun, carefully curated with activities that will make your kids' eyes sparkle like freshly fallen snow. Let's dive into the enchanting themes included! What’s Inside this Winter Wonderland of Learning? Each of the 12 weekly learning packs is built around a captivating winter theme and provides daily activities that seamlessly integrate multiple subjects. Here’s a peek at the rich content that awaits: Monday - Language Arts:  Say goodbye to boring grammar! Each week focuses on a different part of speech , practiced through visually appealing activities and fun games that make language learning stick. Tuesday - Math:   Learning is disguised as play with unique, original math games  included in every pack. Your child will sharpen their skills with skip counting puzzles, word problems, and multiplication matching for your older students. Wednesday - Play: Engage in play activities, including games, memory matching, or simple puzzles to reinforce weekly themes and concepts. Thursday - STEM & Nature Study:  Dive into "icy inquiries" and hands-on science! The activities vary from week to week, providing engaging STEM  challenges and opportunities for delightful nature study  that connects indoor learning to the world outside. Friday - Art and Handicrafts:   Foster creativity with crafty projects designed for fun and skill-building. Imagine your child proudly displaying their pinecone animals  or mastering dexterity through playful tasks like gift cube stacking . Here's a peek at Hibernation Week in our 12 Weeks of Winter Bundle Why This Program is the Perfect Winter Companion The magic of the FTLOH bundle lies in its structure and holistic approach: Literature-Based:  The program integrates learning with the joy of reading by providing a book recommendation  for each weekly theme, allowing you to snuggle up and learn together. We also provide digital versions of the books in the free BOOK LIST HERE! Multi-Aged and Flexible:  Catering to ages 3-10, the activities are versatile enough to work for multiple children at varying skill levels in your home. Cross-Curricular:  It provides a perfectly balanced day of learning, covering core subjects like Language Arts and Math, while also valuing creativity and hands-on exploration through STEM and Art. Don’t just survive the winter—celebrate it! Turn those long indoor days into a memorable season of discovery, warmth, and connection. Purchase the 12 Weeks of Winter Bundle HERE & use code 12WEEKS25 to get it for $25! Check out our FREE 12 Weeks of Winter Book List: Purchase the 12 Weeks of Winter Bundle Here (code 12WEEKS25):

What Is a Homeschool Mega Bundle? If you’ve ever asked yourself, “What is a homeschool mega bundle?”—you’re not alone. These wildly popular resources are taking the homeschool world by storm, and for good reason. In this post, we’ll break down exactly what a mega bundle is, how it works, and why it’s a homeschool parent’s best friend. A homeschool mega bundle   is a curated collection of educational resources from multiple small shops—available for a limited time at a deeply discounted price. For just a few days, you get access to over $800 worth of unit studies, printables, and guides, all for just $25. After the bundle sale ends, these resources are only available individually at full price. Let’s dive into why these bundles are so valuable, how to use them effectively, and what makes each mega bundle we offer a unique and valuable collection of resources for your homeschool! Why Homeschool Mega Bundles Are a Must-Have Homeschool mega bundles provide unbeatable value while saving you time, money, and energy. Each bundle includes dozens of thematic studies covering a wide range of topics. These bundles are especially helpful if you’re planning a unit study, rotating through seasonal themes, or trying out a wide variety of homeschool approaches. You don’t have to reinvent the wheel— just open the bundle and start exploring . However, if exploring isn't your style and you want direction, we offer that too! OUR CURRENT MEGA BUNDLE!! Plus, we have several Special Upgrades! So, What is a Mega Bundle & Why is the Price so GOOD?! A mega bundle is a collection of printable learning materials from several different small shops that is available for a limited time at a highly discounted price. For 2 weeks, each shop contributes a product that is valued at $10-$15 (and sometimes even more!) to the bundle and we then sell these collections for just $25 in order to give you an opportunity to purchase a large volume of resources at an extremely low price! After the 2 week sale, the products are all sold individually by each shop at regular price.  Here's what sets these bundles apart: We include an ebook, and lists by age and lists by theme which make it easy to find all the information you need to custom select the studies you want to use! High dollar value in resources - anywhere from $600-800 in value  for just $25 Access to a wide range of themes: we’ve hosted STEAM mega bundles, back to school, homesteading, nature schooling, survival and more!  Hosted on Google Drive for easy, organized access - we want this to be as easy as possible to use, and our team has found drive to be a great fit! How to Use a For the Love of Homeschooling Mega Bundle Effectively You’ll receive an exclusive eBook that guides you through all included resources. Here’s what makes this eBook so helpful: A guide to themed groupings of the resources in the bundle Planning Ideas - planning sheets, monthly layouts, and more - we work hard to make the planning resources which best suit each theme Tip: Start with a theme you’re interested in and explore just 3–5 products your children are excited about. Details That Make a Difference What Ages Is the Homesteading Bundle Best For? All Ages! From preschoolers to high schoolers—and even parents—there’s something in this bundle for everyone. We also sort the bundle products by age so you can access unit studies at the age levels you need.  Can I Still Get Past Bundles? No, unfortunately. Due to their collaborative nature, each mega bundle is available for a limited time only our of fairness for our contributors who generously offer their resources for a fraction of their price in their shops! How Long Do I Have to Download the Files? The download link is valid for 30 days , but you can access the shared Google Drive anytime! If you lose access to your link after the 30 days, just email support@fortheloveofhomeschooling.com & we will resend! Tip: Think of academic keywords and use the search box in google drive to find all your resources which include math, science, or language arts! Best Way to Print Download what you need and print selectively. (Do you have to print all the fine print included in products, like copyright pages? That's up to you!) You can print at home or use a professional printing service. For the Love of Homeschooling products always include printing guides for unique printing situations - like our original games or double sided printing. How Homeschool Mega Bundles Simplify and Enrich Your Homeschool A homeschool mega bundle  like our Homesteading & Skillful Living Collection isn’t just a one-time download—it’s a lasting educational investment, as are all of our bundles. You ’ll gain access to dozens of themed resources, planning tools, and journals that help organize and extend your homeschool year, all for a fraction of the total cost. Whether you're teaching life cycles, garden science, or cooking skills, there's something our mega bundles that will light a love of learning in your homeschool. If this theme does not light you up? That's okay! You can always send us a theme idea or wait for some of our most popular themes: Back to School, STEAM, Survival Skills, and more! Never miss a bundle! We are always so saddened by emails received when a bundle closes. So many of you write us saying you didn't realize you missed it! We host several mega bundles a year which are an opportunity for us at For the Love of Homeschooling and for the many small shops who contribute. Stay up to date with us and never miss a freebie or a bundle. The best way to stay update? Download a fun freebie in our shop and get on our email list!

Whether looking at the trees with shelf-like mushroom growths, staring at the mold that has developed far too soon on the loaf of bread in your cupboard, or being amused by the caterpillar while reading Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland , one thing is clear, there is fungus among us ! For the Love of Homeschooling is ready to explore that fungus with our Nature Study Club explorers! You can so DIY projects like this terrarium below - you can find this in our Senior and Explorer Workbooks. Join us for our April Nature Study Club: Mushrooms & Fungi, where explorers will become mycologists as they investigate the world around them, discovering the many places they may find the members of the kingdom fungi! During this study, our explorers will be amazed by the mushrooms of the forest floor, the mold growing on their old sandwich, the medicine they may take with a case of strep throat, and the future of mushroom technology! Get your magnifying glasses and microscopes ready, because our explorers are sure to have some fun -times with these fun-gi! Explorers take an in-depth look at the incredible world of these fungal friends and foes with daily topics and activities, including: Taxonomy and the kingdom fungi Mushroom anatomy Researching the unique life cycle of a mushroom! Learning about mycorrhizas and symbiotic relationships in nature! Studying foraging and edible mushrooms! Learning about the dangers of poisonous mushrooms! Exploring bracket fungi/polypores and their distinctive growth patterns Discovering biomimicry in the world of mushrooms! Learning about pathogenic fungi, as well as the development of medicinal fungi Studying the funny names of fungi! Completing engaging STEAM group activities like; Fungi Dissection, Mushroom Sculptures, How Penicillin Works, and more! Investigating mushrooms & fungi folklore and mythology with stories about fairy rings, lightning strikes and fungi, Ancient Egyptians and mushrooms, and Irish mushroom wisdom! And that’s not all, even more is included! Nature is captivating. Nature is interesting. Nature is inviting! It is waiting to be explored! For the Love of Homeschooling wants to explore the beauty and wonder of nature with you! Whether we are viewing the beautiful birds in the sky, observing the changes in seasons, discovering the animals of the polar regions, or foraging for mushrooms in the forest, we are learning, growing, and thriving together in nature! This study is just another unit of our Nature Study Club that offers education, of course, but it offers the experience, which is amazing! With the opportunity extended, the encouragement provided, and the nourishment given, we can offer our explorers one-of-a-kind, natural world education. At For the Love of Homeschooling, we believe that all of our explorers can do big things, and we strive to include each and every explorer in this endeavor! That is what sets this nature study apart from any other out there! Our club offers a direct focus on family-style learning of nature-themed topics, plentiful STEAM opportunities, and the use of academic skills in a fun and creative way! Our club creators work diligently to create studies that allow your child to enjoy absorbing the information through exciting teaching, thought-provoking activities, and curiosity-sparking projects, all with the goal to inspire deeper learning and rabbit trails everywhere. To help with this continued and inspired learning, we also include carefully curated, on-theme booklists! Featuring original, life-like illustrations, brilliant readings, and customized learning activities, this Mushrooms & Fungi study is wonderful - and it’s available now so you can start strong with our club on day one! But, the exploration won’t stop at the end of April - you can continue to explore with us in our May unit, Nature Study Around Me ! Remember, we love seeing our explorers work alongside others across the globe as this creates a true club feeling. When you join the Nature Study Club, we invite you to follow us on Instagram and post often about your own club experiences! We would love to see your explorers in action! Seeing the posts of other Nature Study Club families also benefits one another as it may offer you further ideas for how to implement this study into your unique schooling experience. Hope to see you there, fellow explorers! As a bonus, every month you get a full length watercolor video tutorial, with our talented watercolor artist Bonnie Hunt! Join us for art and exploration!

Did you know that every single month, we release a brand new  country unit study? Each one is designed to help families and homeschoolers explore a different part of the world—digging into geography, national symbols, climate, food, wildlife, and so much more! 🌎✨ Whether you're creating a year-long world tour or just want to dive into a new culture, our country units are a fun, engaging way to bring global learning to life for your kids. And this month, we’re giving you a FREE sneak peek  into our latest release: The Mexico Unit Study ! 🐾 Say Hello to the “Mexico Wildlife Pack” – Yours for Free! As a special treat, we’re sharing the wildlife section  from our full Mexico unit—completely FREE to download! CLICK HERE This mini-unit  offers a taste of what’s inside our full four-week country study and is packed with hands-on, nature-themed learning activities. Here’s what’s included in the Mexico Wildlife Pack: ✅ Mexico Wildlife Poster & ID Cards :  Learn to identify and explore 12 amazing animals native to Mexico, including: Jaguar Axolotl Mexican Wolf Armadillo Monarch Butterfly Whale Shark Golden Eagle Spider Monkey Loggerhead Sea Turtle Blue-footed Booby Mexican Prairie Dog Ocelot ✅ Wildlife Classification Activity (Two Levels!) Practice sorting animals by different classifications—perfect for reinforcing biology skills at multiple age levels. ✅ Jaguar Anatomy Worksheet:  Label the body parts of this powerful and majestic big cat native to the Americas. ✅  Axolotl Art Tutorial:  Try your hand at drawing the quirky and endangered axolotl with our easy step-by-step art guide. ✅ Conservation Success Story Log:  Read and reflect on the inspiring real-life story of how the Cabo Pulmo reef was brought back to life through conservation efforts. Explore the Wildlife of Mexico–Free Sample from Our Brand New Country Study! Why Families Love Our Country Studies These units are so much more than worksheets—they’re a gateway to curiosity, connection, and global awareness. Whether your kids are passionate about animals, interested in different cultures, or just love hands-on activities, there’s something for everyone in each country study. So if you’ve been curious about our units, or just want to bring a little extra excitement to your homeschool week, this free wildlife pack  is a great place to start. 📥 Click here to grab your free Mexico Wildlife Pack! And when you’re ready for more, be sure to check out the full Mexico Country Unit Study —a four-week deep dive into everything from Mexico’s ancient history and vibrant festivals to its food, landscapes, and global impact. CLICK HERE TO SEE THE FULL UNIT Happy exploring! 🐆🌮🗺️

After over a decade of homeschooling and years of sharing our family's homeschool journey on Instagram, I often get homeschool related questions from mom's and homeschool families from many different walks of life. From new homeschool moms who want to know where to start. From tired homeschool moms who want to know how to press through when things aren't going the way they had planned. From lonely homeschool moms who don't have a support system in place and often feel completely alone. I hope that these 10 points will helpful to each and everyone of you, no matter what stage of this homeschool journey you are on. 1) Let go of anything that is not bringing you AND your children joy. It may be a curriculum that you thought you would love. It may be a unit study that you planned for weeks. Whatever it is, if i t's taking the joy out of learning set it aside. There have been so many times that I have had to do this very thing. And even though it's been hard at times, my children & I are so much happier when our lessons & days consist of the things that fill us with joy. 2) Know your why. We all have different reasons for homeschooling & I have found that it is so important to write down what those are. Your life's circumstances will change. Your children's needs will change. You as a mother will change. Your why may even change too! But on the hard days, when I have felt overwhelmed and been tempted to ship them off to the closest school (yes, we all feel that way at times) I have found that by going back to my whys I am able to re-center and to focus on the most important things which for me are spending my days learning alongside my children. 3) Never allow someone else's light to dim your own by comparing your homeschool with theirs. Okay. Read that again. Friends, this one is so important. No one's homeschool is as pretty as it looks on social media. There is a lot of encouragement and wisdom online but as soon as you start to look at someone else's homeschool and feel inadequate, it's time to step back and remind yourself that all your child really needs is you. 4) If a subject is so difficult it's bringing your child to tears put it away until it doesn't. Because their hearts are more important than math. (Or reading, or penmanship or spelling.) I plan to share more on this soon as it has been a huge game-changer for us! 5) Don't panic if your child isn't where you think they're "supposed to be" in a subject. They each learn in their own way and at their own speed and our job is to cheer them on along the way. 6) No one likes to be judged so don't compare your child's learning progress with someone else's. Not a sibling, not the public school kids...no one. Just like we would hate to be compared to other mothers, women, or parents, our kids don't like it either. 7) Find out what topics your child is interested in and learn everything you can about that subject. Make collages or write stories about it, go on field trips related to it, read all the books you can. 8) Exploring outside beats sitting at a desk EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. Seriously! If you have the chance to explore or take your learning outside do it! 9) Read as much as you can! Together as a family, independently, have the children read to one another. Reading is invaluable for so many reasons and in an age where videos and media are constantly bombarding us all, it is truly a gift and privilege to instill a love of reading in our children. 10) Find a group of homeschoolers either locally or online that you can turn to for support and encouragement! The homeschool journey can feel lonely at times and finding your tribe is so important! If you aren't able to find a local homeschool group or if you are just looking for a group online, you can join the For the Love of Homeschooling community here. And since we have technically been homeschooling for 11 years, here's a little bonus for you! 11. Hard days and even hard seasons will come ... and that's okay. It's okay to not have it all together every day. It's okay to cancel school & have a movie day once in a while. And it's okay to admit that some days are hard. This does not mean you are failing. It doesn't mean that your children would be better off in a regular school. It means that you are human & since you are raising little humans it's probably okay for them to know that hard days happen to us all. And when they do happen they will see firsthand that it is okay to be gentle with yourself, it's okay to redirect & it's okay to take a break. Thanks for reading and I'd love to hear what you would add to this list! And if you're looking for a ton of encouragement for your homeschool journey, be sure to check out our 2022 For the Love of Homeschooling Virtual Conference! Tickets include lifetime access so that you can watch at your own pace and re-watch whenever you need some extra encouragement for years to come!

Guest Blog by Blair Wilson @these_reveries Spring is here and we’re all so glad to welcome it! One of our favourite crafts for a variety of themes is using tissue paper to create bloom features. Here’s how we created a Cherry Blossom tree using tissue paper. To make your Cherry Blossom Trees you’ll need: Heavy paper like card stock or construction paper A pencil Glue Small container Tissue Paper Step One: Draw or print a bare tree. ( You can draw your own or download the tree template pdf below) Cut tissue paper squares Step Two - Four: 2. Place the eraser side of your pencil in the middle of a tissue paper square & wrap the square around the eraser of your pencil. 3. Gently dip the end of the pencil into some white glue 4. Press the tissue paper gently onto the paper 5. Continue creating blossoms to fill your tree! Note: Eventually, the eraser may start to get sticky from glue passing through the tissue paper. Simply run under water and wipe with a towel. Download your free tree template below! If you enjoyed this craft be sure to visit Blair on Instagram @these_reveries for more fun nature activities!

By Guest Blogger Hanna @thewhisperingglen A dear friend of mine who is a new homeschooling mama (her oldest is kindergarten-aged) recently asked me, “What do you do when your kid says you aren’t a fun teacher? I feel like I’m failing him.” Have you been there? Do you feel like you constantly need to be running at 1000% in order to have a successful school day? All the crafts, all the science experiments, and all the sensory bins just aren’t cutting it? I’ve definitely had those feelings of failure, and some of those feelings have occurred in very recent memory. Every homeschool family has experienced these days when the kids just aren’t into it, and all of our time planning and preparing seems to be for naught. I wanted to encourage you with some simple, easy-to-facilitate ideas for when you are feeling this way in your homeschool. Or for when your child seems to be lacking interest in what you have planned. Take A Step Back I spend a LOT of time planning and preparing lessons, reserving books from the library, looking into fun printables and manipulatives that I can incorporate into a theme, and collecting all the things I think will make for a fun-filled day in our homeschool. Then, sometimes, it all falls apart because of attitudes, lack of interest, and just general chaos ensuing. This can be extremely frustrating for me, and I allow the blame to completely fall on me because I didn’t make it “fun” enough somehow. As if that’s why they are not engaged. Or that’s why my 5-year-old is refusing to join us at the table. Or that’s why my 3-year-old is whining for a snack for the thousandth time in 20 minutes (immediately after breakfast). Whoa, whoa, whoa, Mama. This is simply not true. While you may spend hours preparing for the week and making sure you’ve got everything ready to go, you cannot completely control the outcome, especially with little ones in the mix. Coming from someone who really struggles with lack of control, I’ve learned that all of my best-laid plans often crumble because these little ones are individuals with desires, perceived outcomes, and devised plans of their own. When things are starting to fall apart, and you can feel the frustration rising within you, take a step back and reassess. Is now the right time to try to tackle this? Do my children have other needs that should be addressed right now? Can we table this lesson for later in the day, or push it out a bit to leave room for something else in this moment? While walking away from something YOU were excited about is difficult, sometimes (actually a LOT of times) fighting to make it work isn’t worth it. Everyone will just end up frustrated in the end. Just take a step back. 2. Bake A Cake (Or A Pie) Okay, so this seems silly and super basic, but have you ever had a moment in a homeschool day where you just threw up your hands and said, “That’s it! Let’s bake a cake!” I’m not sure I’ve ever had a time where I proposed this idea, or muffins, cupcakes, or cookies, and I wasn’t answered with a resounding “YES!” Baking or cooking pretty much immediately diffuses a situation, which generally causes everyone to forget the previous frustrations and lack of desire. While baking a cake or cooking a new dish together, look for ways to turn it into a lesson. A math lesson (measuring/counting), a reading lesson (instructions/recipes), a science lesson (ingredients/combinations), a social studies experience (origin/cultures), and life skills all rolled up into one activity! Lessons can happen anywhere, and sometimes everyone just needs a break from the normal routine and curriculums. Incorporate questions into your time in the kitchen, “How many cups of flour do we need? How many ½ cups would that be?”, “Read me the next step in the recipe, please. What has to happen next?”, “Do you know what baking soda does for this recipe? What about salt?”, “How many teaspoons of vanilla do we need? Can you count that out as your brother puts it in?”, “Did you know this recipe is from France? Do you know what continent that is in?” The questions are really limitless. Getting in the kitchen and doing something fun (with sweet outcomes!) is usually a wonderful shake-up to the day, and they will be learning without even realizing it. No pencils here! Just bake a cake. 3. Take It Outside When you are a homeschooling family and your view is the living room, the dining room, or your dedicated homeschool space for days on end, sometimes you need a change of scenery because the fun has just been sucked out of the room. We school primarily in our eat-in kitchen, but we typically do our read-alouds and weekly tea time in the living room on the floor or couch. We attend a weekly Bible study together and church on Sundays and Wednesday nights. Outside of those regular activities, we have other less consistent playdates and field trips. Even with all of those things, it can get a little stale. This is when I say take it outside. Getting outside in nature is one of the surest ways to cure the blahs and invite a little whimsy into the school day. This can be as simple as taking a blanket outside, a few snacks (never be without), grabbing some workbooks or manipulatives, a read-aloud, or a science experiment and setting up shop in the great outdoors. Everyone will enjoy the fresh air and it will most likely put a little pep in your step too. Speaking of steps… taking it outside could simply mean a mid-day ramble through your neighborhood. Push pause where you are, and just lace up and head out. We’ve done this plenty of times when we were all just not feeling it inside. It’s great exercise, wakes up the senses, and I believe prepares for a much more cheerful afternoon. You can resume lessons upon returning, but there is always tomorrow as well. We have even been known to gather up some of our nature study materials, or just general subjects like math and reading, and head to a nearby park. We enjoy a little walk, and then find a comfy spot or picnic table and do our lessons there. One of the greatest freedoms of homeschooling is living life outside a schoolroom! Take advantage of it! Take it outside! 4. Make It A Game As an adult, I don’t need things to be super engaging to learn something new, but as a child being engaged and drawn into learning can be really important. Some kids are totally cool with workbooks. I have one that is really into them and asks to use them. A lot of times though, a workbook, even while colorful and full of beautiful pictures, just isn’t engaging for some children. Even some well-meaning curriculums can leave a child disinterested and therefore may cause them to express that “this isn’t fun”. While I don’t think that your energy needs to be poured into every subject every day to make it “fun”, I do think that sometimes a little sprinkle of making it a game or some form of interactive, creative play needs to be utilized. For literacy lessons, move to the living room and place words on the floor, simply using colored paper and a marker. Have the child jump from one to the other as you call out the words. Use a nerf gun for the child to aim and shoot at the words taped to the wall. Have the child walk around the house as you ask them to find items in the house that start with or end with certain letter sounds. For math lessons, call out a number and ask them to come back to you with said number of items. As an extra challenge, ask that all the items be of the same color! Go outside and have the child run laps around the yard while skip counting. Play a sort of “find the difference” by laying out objects, have them count the total number, then have the child close their eyes while you remove some. When they open their eyes, they will need to figure out how many items you removed. For social studies/geography, grab a big map or atlas and call out countries to see how many they can find in a minute. Give them a small piece of candy for each one! Find a simple trivia game online and see how many historical facts they can recall from the topic of history you are currently studying. For science, my nemesis in this area, it’s not necessarily a game but a plan to do one fun experiment or activity a week that pertains to the concept you are diving into at the moment. Have your children help you get everything set up for it! Get them excited about the idea at the beginning of the week. Knowing that they have something fun to look forward to helps with the interest level in my opinion. My kids really like to get involved, and absolutely LOVE experiments. I’m just bad about actually getting everything prepped ahead of time. As I mentioned, don’t go overboard and burn yourself out, but just incorporating some more active, creative aspects into your homeschool day really makes a huge difference in the interest levels! Make it a game! 5. Let Them Choose Have you ever had a list of things to do, fun or otherwise, but feel overwhelmed by where to start? Or maybe there is just something you are trying to avoid until the very end of the day? Sometimes kids just really don’t want to do math first. Some kids on the other hand want to do that first. For some children, reading is really taxing, and trying to do that in the afternoon when they aren’t as fresh can be exhausting for them. Here’s an idea: let them choose what to do first. Then let them choose what to do next. My kindergartener is all about free playtime these days. She never seems to want to leave her play to “do a lesson”. It’s been a battle I have been struggling to win for months now. So, among other things, I am scaling way back on what I require of her at this point in time. She is still so young, and I believe she needs all of that playtime. It’s not like she isn’t learning whilst in the middle of it. So for now I am letting her choose what she wants to do first, second, third, and so on. I don’t require her to do the same subject area as her older siblings at the same time. If it takes us 20 minutes, it takes us 20 minutes… but sometimes it’s spread out over the course of the day. A lot of times a child just needs some ownership and control of how much, what order, and when they choose to “do school”. I’m speaking in generalities here because I am all for structure and routine. However, if you find that you have a child who seems disinterested, unengaged, and expressing that things aren’t “fun”... give them some autonomy and let them choose what happens next for a while. At the end of the day, if your children complain about things not being “fun”, it really isn’t about YOU. It’s a lack of interest in the moment, the desire to do something else instead may be an underlying lack of confidence in a subject area. While it’s easy to get discouraged, take heart Mama! You are doing a great job and sometimes things just aren’t going to be fun. End of story. Invite your children into the planning and preparing. Show them that this isn’t just for them, you are learning alongside them as well! When all else fails, bake a cake, curl up on the couch with tea and a good book, and just take a step back to soak up these fleeting moments. The perfectly planned lessons and structured days can wait. I promise. - Guest Blogger Hanna @thewhisperingglen www.thewhisperingglen.com