Who says homeschooling has to be rigid? I know when I first started homeschooling I made sure to have desks and a flag hanging in the front of the classroom (yes, I had a classroom). My, so much has changed over the years and for that I am thankful. One of the joys of homeschooling is to be able to add in activities and materials that fit your family. Two materials that were part of the Timberdoodle ninth grade kit include a Stress Ball Angry Putty and Buildings of the World Puzzle.
A fun aspect of using the Timberdoodle curriculum is you can pencil in what you want your child to work on each day. Penciling in this putty was fun. My son was surprised but it actually came in handy. I would have him play with it during our family's read aloud each morning. As I would read, he would be able to keep his hands busy. His little brothers were jealous but it wasn't used as a toy as much as it was used to help keep him focused. Sometimes it is easy to think that your doodler or fidgeter isn't paying attention but oftentimes the doodling and fidgeting helps them to pay attention.
If you have one of those in the mix, this putty is the perfect way to put their mind at ease while listening to read alouds. Of course they can have fun it it and make goofy creations like my son does from time to time but overall it is a tool and a very successful one. I would much rather my son fidget with angry putty than bite his nails or chew on pencil erasers. This is a great addition to our homeschool.
Disclaimer: Many thanks to Timberdoodle for providing this product in exchange for an honest review.
