For the past several months, my kids and I have been studying Earth Science using the Sassafras Science Adventures curriculum. (My kids still enjoy this curriculum after 2 full years. Click here for my full unsponsored review.) However, as the school year draws to a close, we've definitely fallen ...
Elementary Learning
Color-Changing Invisible Ink
This site uses affiliate links. I receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you!What better way to get kids excited about science than with an experiment straight out of a spy novel? Write a secret message using colorless ink, wait for it to dry, then use a special secret solution to reveal the message. This activity was inspired by the Berlin blue experiment in this chemistry ...
Sight Word Star Charts
This site uses affiliate links. I receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you!My 6 year old is so excited to read. With my oldest, I never really made a big deal about sight words. At 8 years old, his spelling might not be the best, but he learned all the standard sight words just through reading. I don't think there's anything wrong with using this "organic exposure ...
Extracting DNA from a Strawberry
This site uses affiliate links. I receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you!Extracting DNA in the kitchen? I know what you're thinking. That *sounds* cool, but I'm sure it's way too complicated. At least, that's what I thought. I'd seen some instructions in the past that involved weird ingredients and lots of waiting and I figured, my kids won't be up for that. Then we did ...
Multiplication Star Charts
This site uses affiliate links. I receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you!I know that there can be pitfalls with using star charts. However, I can’t help but feel that they deserve a place in my parenting toolbox. After all, even though they have a bad rap, bribes can be really effective in the moment. Do I care if my son never chooses to study his multiplication facts on ...
Gratitude Journal for Kids
This site uses affiliate links. I receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you!When it comes to being a parent, above all, I want to raise good people. Sometimes, between all the sibling bickering and potty words, I wonder if I'm AT ALL doing a decent job. I made this gratitude journal for kids as a way to hopefully improve my own kids' attitudes and build their character. ...
Raspberry Pi Computer Building for Kids
This site uses affiliate links. I receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you!I'll be honest. I'm a little cheap. I wasn't always this way, but I've been with my ultra-frugal husband for almost 20 years now (crazy) and he's rubbed off a bit. An organization in my area that provides STEM classes for kids recently advertised a computer building class for nearly FOUR HUNDRED ...
Homemade Traveler’s Notebook
This site uses affiliate links. I receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you!A couple months back, I was listening to this homeschooling podcast, when the interviewee said that her kids used traveler's notebooks. I was intrigued by the idea of my kids journaling in notebooks which could be easily and inexpensively swapped out as they filled them up. I ended up making 4 ...
Low Floor High Ceiling Math Problems
This site uses affiliate links. I receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you!Last spring, when I said I wanted to teach a math class to kids between the ages of 9 and 14 at our local homeschool co-op, people looked at me like I was crazy. "You can't teach the same math to a 9 and 14 year old." "Their ability levels vary too greatly to do math in a co-op setting." That's what ...
United States Quarter Collection
This site uses affiliate links. I receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you!I made this United States quarter collection board so my 7 year old could collect the coins from all 50 states. Since he spent the past year learning United States geography, I thought it would be a fun and educational summer activity for him. However, it's my 5 year old daughter who has really ...