Thrift Schooling

  If you are looking for sensory activities for your little ones this fall then why not experiment with some pumpkins, gourds or the like? Here are a few, fun, pumpkin-related activities that are sure to get your preschooler (and some of your older ones) excited about fall. Read more at Our Homeschool Forum .  Stop by again next Monday for another  Thrift Schooling Monday Memory  where I share my published content on other websites created to encourage, equip, and edify homeschooling families.

  There is a point in learning when it just seems to click. I am at that point with my youngest which thrills my heart as a home educator. As the youngest of five, I have always included him in the lessons but this is the one year where he is eager to have work of his own that (in his mind) matches the level of his older siblings.  Daily 6-Trait Writing Grade 1  part of Timberdoodle's First Grade Kit  mimics a book that his older brother is currently working through. They each have their own book geared toward their own levels. In the front of the book, you find a scoring rubric, based on the six traits writing model to assess your student's writing. This is the perfect model for parents hesitant about grading or scoring their student's writing material, even in other subjects. This works as an excellent framework, or foundation, in a child's writing. The six traits include: 1. Ideas 2. Organization 3. Word Choice 4. Sentence Fluency 5. Voice 6. Conventions ...

It's   February! Can you believe it? My kids are getting ready for their annual Valentine's Day party. It's a big deal. Even my TEENS are into it. It's tradition with extravagant gumball machine and basketball hoop boxes complete with prizes for the winners. Homeschoolers from surrounding counties travel in for the fun. It's been hosted at skating rinks, bowling alleys, and even an arcade. The kids love it. But what about school? While helping the little ones prepare their Valentine's and boxes  NO PREP  is essential. In My Teaching Library's  Valentine Math Review packet is everything you’ll need for Math review for SECOND and THIRD GRADES—an entire month's worth! This Valentine’s Day themed resource is jam packed with a  variety of activities  to get your students  practicing  and  reinforcing  important  Math skills :                  Looking for activities for different ages? Check o...

  Game on, Thrift Schooling friends! We are big game people in this household. As I write this, three of my five children are deep into a board game that will most likely last for hours. How does this happen? How can we encourage our teens to choose playing a good old fashioned board game over scrolling the Internet in their spare time? Two things. First, introduce them to board games when they are young. My kids have a huge shelf of games that they can choose from. When young it can be a struggle or fight because we are dealing with character issues that have nothing to do with the game itself (sharing, taking turns, not being a sore loser, etc.), but as they grew, so did their desire for spending time with one another—and games are a great way to make that happen.  Second, introduce them to easy games at first that keep their attention. The  Battle Sheep board game  is a perfect example of this. Kids are able to learn to play quickly, the rules are simple, and it i...

Christmas is over and winter is here. It is extremely rare that we dip down into the single digits, which is what happened last week. I told the kids that if they woke up at night and were too cold, they were welcome to go and sleep on the couches near the fireplace. My youngest two took me up on the offer. They loved camping out! The days have been a bit more challenging. They want to play outdoors but with freezing cold temperatures and no snow, it is simply too cold for outdoor fun right now. This is why it is so important to have crafts and activities on hand when the kids are stuck indoors. Rather than spending piles of money to visit all of the local museums, I like to have activities at home that we can resort to.  Timberdoodle's  Little Artist Sticker Medley  is the perfect fit. Perfect for preschoolers and elementary students, these activities are so simple, little to no parental guidance is needed. Yes, these crafts are so easy, my five-year-old and seven-year-o...

Welcome To The Sweet Summertime $100 Cash Giveaway! It's officially summertime! Let's celebrate by offering one winner the opportunity to win $100 PayPal cash or an Amazon gift card. Enter between now and August 1st! The giveaway is open worldwide to all adults. GIVEAWAY DETAILS Prize: $100 PayPal Cash or an Amazon Gift Card   One Winner Will Receive  $100! Hosted By: WEBSITE ~ FACEBOOK ~ TWITTER ~ AMAZON ~ INSTAGRAM ~ PINTEREST     Check out our other giveaways! Co-Hosted By: The Frugal Grandmom , Deliciously Savvy , Seeking Serenity and Harmony , & SaraLee's Deals Steals and Giveaways Rules: Use the Rafflecopter Form to Enter Daily. Giveaway ends 8/1 a nd Is Open Worldwide. Entrants Must Be 18 Years Old to Enter. The Winner Will Be Notified Via Email. Are You a Blogger? CLICK HERE To Get A FREE Link Added to One Of Our Giveaways . Just Post and Report! If you have any questions or are a Bran...

Enter into Easter with Pure Flix this Easter season.  Messiah: A Brickfilm  is recommended for ages five through ten although family members of all ages will be moved by this powerful rendition of the final days of Christ. This animated storytelling uses LEGO brand bricks to help younger audiences visualize what is begin depicted. This Easter perspective is perfect for kids and families to watch together with an emphasis on the Last Supper, Jesus' trial and punishment, the crucifixion, and resurrection. While The Passion of the Christ is available on Pure Flix as well, I prefer this short and biblically accurate telling of these historical events for younger viewers. While The Passion of the Christ and others end at the death of Jesus. The Messiah: A Brickfilm continues to show the resurrection as well, one of the most important reasons for celebration at Easter throughout the year.  Here are just a few of the other available films on  Pure   Flix 's platform th...

  TYSON’S RUN  is coming to theaters soon! This inspiring tale of a young boy overcoming the odds is set to launch in over 300 theaters across the country. Race to get your tickets to see  TYSON’S RUN when it is shown in your hometown! Opening day is March 11.  Find Your Theater ABOUT TYSON'S RUN When fifteen-year-old Tyson attends public school for the first time, his life is changed forever. While helping his father clean up after the football team, Tyson befriends champion marathon runner Aklilu. Never letting his autism hold him back, Tyson becomes determined to run his first marathon in hopes of winning his father’s approval. Learn More Here Actor Major Dodson was able to approach the character of Tyson with a unique authenticity as he also has experienced life on the autism spectrum. Learn more about his journey as an actor with autism playing a character with autism, and how his own story helped him bring a unique depth and understanding to Tyson’s personality...

  Have you ever introduced a new hobby to your child only to be pleasantly surprised that she/he fell in love with it from the get-go? Well,  Code Rocket  by Let's Start Coding was that pleasant surprise for me with my eleven-year-old daughter, and for that I am thankful! We are no strangers to coding in our home. My teenaged sons have built their own computers from scratch, installed Linux on them to try to ensure a little more privacy in the home, and are currently taking a coding course with the intent to navigate the Internet and tech in general in a safer, more private manner. That said, I never in a million years thought that my daughter would share the same interest, and she didn't until I introduced her to  Code Rocket .  She was hesitant at first but quickly realized that this is exactly what she needed in her life! Seriously. She has given up many of her hobbies that she now considers childish and is trying to figure out what she enjoys. She loves to r...

HEAV HOMESCHOOL CONVENTION JUNE 9-11, 2016 RICHMOND CONVENTION CENTER RICHMOND, VA This will be my third year attending the Home Educators of Virginia Association's annual homeschool convention held in Richmond, VA. What makes this year stand out from the rest is that this year, I am going as a convention blogger! How awesome is that? And, the icing on the cake? My whole family is coming along for the ride. I am beyond delighted about this considering the last two times I went it was nice to get away but I missed my family to pieces. Every time I would pass by a vendor that I knew my kids would love, all I could think was, "I wish they were here to see this!" Sciexperience was directly across the booth I was working in last year and all the kids that went over seemed to love it! It was hands-on, entertaining and fun. Dr. Callentine simplifies the most difficult topics and breaks it down for little minds to understand. Not only is she a pediatrician ...

    What better way to start off the school year than with a family field trip to a farm? But not just any farm, Polyface Farms ! My husband and I had first heard of Joel Salatin of Polyface farms through one of those "recommended videos" on YouTube. I remember watching through a video of him talking and being inspired! We remember noticing that he was from the Shedendoah Valley and thinking, "hmm that's not too far from us," but kind of just left it at that. Then when I saw a list of speakers at a homeschooling convention I was thinking about attending this year, I saw his name. Interesting. Maybe his family homeschooled. Maybe he's a Christian. Maybe I should check out what this farm is all about. So. I did. I went to hear him speak during one of the convention sessions and let me tell you, it was life changing. Our family wants to live more of a sustainable lifestyle, growing and raising our own food and having enough to share and sell for a liv...

  This is a frugal site, trying to encourage thrifty homeschooling. Yet one problem I have noticed for me is...Pinterest. That's right. So many cute crafty teaching ideas and methods that look like so much fun- but they are not free. When I first started finding fun ideas on Pinterest I made the classic mistake. I went to JoAnns and spent waaay too much money on what was supposed to be a "thrifty" craft idea. It was one of those cute front facing book holders, I thought the kids would love them! I spend three times what I should have in materials and they were broken in less than 3 months.  Oh well. You win some, you lose some.  Now I haven't completely given up on Pinterest but lets face it, if I don't have the materials on hand, or if I can't obtain them easily, then I will probably simply pin it and forget about it!  What I've been doing recently is making a mental note of materials that could be helpful throughout the year even if I don...

When I first found out that the opportunity to review  Home School in the Woods was available, I jumped all over the opportunity. A friend of mine began using this curriculum with her multi-aged kids and I was excited to give it a try!  My oldest is only in first grade so the best fit for us was the  Great Empires  activity  study geared towards  elementary aged children.  The Great Empires Study can be purchased either in CD format or download. All materials are printed out (craft and activity supplies are purchased separately).  DOWNLOAD Version: $18.95 CD Version: $19.95 PRINTABLES INCLUDE ~ History Lessons For 14 Great Empires ~ Activity Pages Summarizing All Activities Provided For Each Great Empire ~ Activity Directions Giving Detailed Steps For Each Activity Provided In The Lessons ~ Timeline And Timeline Figures That Tie All 14 Empires Together Throughout History ~ Maps For Each Empire And A World ...