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US Geography Board Games for Kids

US Geography Board Games for Kids

(There may be affiliate links in this post – click here to learn more. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.)

In this series of Games for Kids posts, I’ve been sharing some of the best educational games for the elementary and junior high age group.

(If you missed the US History Board Games for Kids post, you can check that out here.)

Our homeschool has benefited so much from using board games to supplement our other school work. We use games to teach new things, to review what we’ve learned, and just to make things more fun.

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How to Homeschool Kindergarten: Curriculum Ideas & Lessons Learned

How to Homeschool Kindergarten: Curriculum Ideas and Lessons Learned

One of my new favorite t-shirts says, “Hold on. Let me overthink this.” It’s perfect for me.

"Let me overthink this" pink t-shirt

I’ve always been a Type-A, planner-loving, I-prefer-my-ducks-in-a-row momma. I tend to over-analyze and over-complicate most things – especially when it comes to our homeschool. 

Thankfully, over a decade of homeschooling has mellowed me out a little bit. I’ve seen firsthand how powerful spontaneous teachable moments can be. I’ve witnessed my kids retain more from playing made-up games than from carefully crafted lesson plans. I’ve realized that it’s less about finding the “right” curriculum and more about nurturing relationships and encouraging a love of learning.

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Our Curriculum Choices – Year 10

Our Curriculum Choices Year 10

If time flies when you’re having fun, then we must be having a blast! 

It seems like just yesterday I was wondering if this crazy idea called “homeschooling” would work for our family. Now we’re ten years into our home educating journey and my oldest is starting high school! 

Each year I’ve shared Our Curriculum Choices and plans for the year. Read on to find out what homeschool resources we’ll be using this coming year with our 9th, 6th, and 2nd graders.

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Our Homeschool Summer Break – Year 9

Our Homeschool Summer Break - Year 9

It’s that time of year again. 

Swimsuits. Pool parties. Watermelon. Ice cream trucks. And, best of all…

… the next chapter in Our Homeschool Summer Break blog series!

Okay, maybe a blog post isn’t better than ice cream (or any of those other things). But it sure beats swatting away mosquitoes while mowing the lawn!

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Kids Are Always Learning (Even on the Weekend)

Kids Are Always Learning Even on the Weekend

The other day my six year old asked me what we’d be doing for school that day. 

“No school today,” I reminded her. “It’s Saturday.” 

With a delighted sigh of relief, she found a comfy corner of the couch and started reading Life of Fred: Butterflies. 

Side Note: If you’re not familiar with the Life of Fred series, it’s a quirky but effective math curricula adored by many homeschooling families. We’ve used it as a math supplement over the years and all three of my kids love it. 

When her brothers picked up other books in the Life of Fred series and proceeded to read math books for over two hours… on a Saturday… for fun… the inspiration for this post was born.

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Institute for Excellence in Writing (IEW) Core Writing Curriculum Review

IEW Core Writing Curriculum Review

(There may be affiliate links in this post – click here to learn more. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. IEW® and Structure and Style® are registered trademarks of the Institute for Excellence in Writing. L.L.C.)

Writing is one of those subjects that puts fear in the hearts of homeschooling parents everywhere. After all, it’s been enshrined as one of the historic “3 R’s” so we’d better not mess it up, right?

Even if we aren’t aiming to raise the next Dickens or Tolkien, at the very least we want our kids to be able to write a professional cover letter or a college application essay.

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Our Homeschooling Family’s Experience with Institute for Excellence in Writing (IEW)

Our Homeschooling Family's Experience with Institute for Excellence in Writing (IEW)

(IEW® and Structure and Style® are registered trademarks of the Institute for Excellence in Writing. L.L.C. Fix It!™ is a trademark of the Institute for Excellence in Writing, L.L.C.)

We started using Institute for Excellence in Writing (IEW) products four years ago when my oldest son was in 4th grade. Since then, there hasn’t been a year we haven’t used at least one IEW product! 

Up until now, I haven’t had a chance to collect my thoughts and share about our IEW experiences. But that’s about to change! 

If you’re searching for a high quality language arts or writing curriculum, or if you’re wondering if IEW is the right choice for your family, you’re in the right place so read on!

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Homeschooling in the Chicago Suburbs: Co-ops, Field Trips, & Family Activities

homeschooling in the Chicago suburbs: co-ops, field trips, & family activities

As I’ve written this post, all of my family’s belongings were loaded onto a 26’ moving truck and taken to our new home in another state! 

After searching online for co-ops and extracurricular activities near our new home, I realized firsthand how helpful it is when bloggers share their favorite local homeschooling resources!

So, before my family leaves the northwest Chicago suburbs, I want to post a “brain dump” of all the northern Illinois homeschooling resources I’ve found over the years. We’ve been parenting and homeschooling here for over a decade and have collected a list of awesome co-ops, support groups, nature centers, field trip ideas, and more! 

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