Fun with Letters

I found these little foam blocks at Target in the dollar section.

At first I wasn't sure what I was going to do with the blocks. I had a couple of ideas but I wasn't set on anything.

Well... Tim is learning how to read and I was going to just make him some cards with letters on it, and let him play with that.

I thought that these would be better.

I put a letter on each block and let him have it.

I made a worksheet with a bunch of words on it and had Tim trace over the words and build them with the blocks.

I also had Tim build his own words and write them down.

I like them because they are big and easy to hold onto for small hands.... and they don't get crinkled like paper. They are really sturdy and will hold up well over lots of use.

Question of the Week

What advice do you have for those that are new to homeschooling?

Take time to create at least one positive, meaningful moment with each child per day, even if it only takes a minute or two. Let those moments fill up your "bank" so that on the hard days when you question what you are doing, you have that bank of positive moments to draw on to remind yourself why you are homeschooling: your relationship with your child. It can serve to motivate you to keep going through the hard stuff or adjustments, because it always gets better, with time. Making time for meaningful moments also helps the kids to respond better to what you want them to do later, since they have had that little bit of time with you to just feel loved and valued, with no strings attached.
~Eve E.

 {I really like Eve's answer!!!!}

I say remember why you are homeschooling. During the hard times remember that you did this for the best interest of your child. Remember that your child is an individual, and that  what works for one may not work for all. And most of all remember to have Joy in the Journey!
~Me


{Next week's Question..... What is the worst/funniest/oddest question or statement that you have heard about homeschoolers??}

Hand-eye Coordination

Many kids will claim that video games will help with their hand-eye coordination. While that may be true there are other ways to learn that.

When we were on vacation there was a games area and there was a fuse-ball table that the boys really liked. I stayed and played a couple games with them.

I was watching the boys as they were playing I was watching them, and noticed that this would be hand-eye coordination at it's finest. They were talking and laughing {and trash-talking} with each other. And there hands were working! They had to turn the little men the right direction at just the right time.

Pulling, pushing, turning.

Have you played fuse-ball lately? Next time you get a chance challenge the kids to see who has better hand-eye coordination.

Active Math

I have 4 boys.... but you know that. I also have crazy most days.... but I'm sure you also knew that too.

So I most days I have to find something active. I have come up with different ideas to keep them moving and like other moms I like to sneak in some learning.

I found these great big dice at Target in the DOLLAR section!!! {I love it when I get a great deal!} Then I made some cards one pile says to "Add" and and the other pile tells them to do an exercise.

So the game goes like this. The boys roll the dice and add up the numbers. Then they pick a card and add that many more.

**Dice roll is a 2 and a 5.... 7. Then they pick up a card "Add 8" ...15.**

Then they pick up an exercise card  and do that many. Some of the things on the cards are Sit-ups, Ball lifts, Jumping Jacks, Jump on one foot, Your Choice and the boy's favorite... Pick one for the brothers to do.

I will do this on rainy days or days when they are really wild. {I will also fold laundry while they play... I am all about multi-tasking} We will go a couple rounds or until laundry is folded.

Question of the Week

Reading??? How have you taught {or how are you teaching} your kids to read? Did you use a program? Did you just read to your child and he/she picked it up? Do you drill sight words or do you work more phonetically.

What worked for us is reading the Book of Mormon every morning. it's true, it does improve reading skills. I also have a book here that does daily lessons.
~Kandie Walter


I teach phonics along with some sight words. I use a bunch of different resources. I do a letter of the week curriculum in Pre-K and Kindergarten. I LOVE the Sound Box books by Jane Belk Moncure. They are loaded with easy to read CVC words along with all the required sight words. I also use a lot of worksheets I have found from all over the internet that teach the rules of our crazy language.I love Starfall. {My child} goes on there everyday.
~Shannon E. 


With my preschool we learn the letters and their sounds. I don't worry about teaching the 2 sounds of C & G but I do teach about the "vowel club" and how they are the cool club cause they have 2 sounds. Once they know their letters and sounds we move in to word families and emergent readers. The kids get such a kick out of sounding out and reading. So there is some sight words though like THE, IN, A, AN, etc... If they are ready for reading it happens quick.
~Angela H.


With {one of my children} I used "teach your child to read in 100 easy lessons". {The other} learned to read on his own.
~Kim F.


Buy the book "Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons!" It is amazing!!! {My child} never wanted to put it down and {My other child} just started & is loving it! It really works! ~Shannon R.

I used the online programs Headsprout and Starfall, the book "Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons" and I currently use All About Spelling. We have always read to {our child} and still do. He is a dyslexic child who is reading well and comprehending what he reads.
 ~Kelly O. 

This one is hard for me because I am just starting reading. But, so far we are just sounding out words together. My daughter enjoys writing notes to everyone, so we do that every day and she sounds out the words she wants to say. She also really enjoys reading over my shoulder while I'm on the computer and sounding out everything I read or type ;)

~Kris S.

Next Question.... What advice do you give to anyone starting out homeschooling?

My Good For Nothing

"What are you good for my brave little man?

Answer that question for me if you can-

You with your fingers white as a nun-

You with your ringlets as bright as the sun.

All the day long with your busy contriving,

Into all mischief and fun you are driving;

See if you wise little noodle can tell,

What are you good for? Now ponder it well."

Over the carpet the dear little feet

Came with a patter to climb on my seat.

Two merry eyes full of frolic and glee,

Under their lashes looked up unto me;

Two little hands pressing soft on my face,

Drew me down close in a loving embrace;

Two rosy lips gave an answer so true;

"Good to love you momma, good to love you."

~Emily Huntington Miller

Lessons Pathways

Lessons Pathway is a FREE K-5 curriculum, and teaching resource help.

It use to be something you pay for but now it is free. The website is broken down into "Pathways" for each grade and subject. There are 36 lessons in each subject. {that's a lesson a week for a whole school year}

The subjects they cover are Science {K-5}, History {K-5}, Reading and Phonics {K-2}, Math {K-5} Language Arts {K-5}, and Field Trips. {the field trips give links to different states and what can be done in that state along with things to see}

For the core subjects everything builds on each other. There are ideas and activities. There are worksheets, and links to blogs and hands on activities. HERE is an example of a history lesson.

There is an area so you can plan your year for each of your children, to help you stay organized if you want to change up the way they have it. Or... if you are like me and need everything you can use to keep your lessons straight.

Lessons Pathways does a really good job on keeping up with their links so you will find very few broken links, there is also a place where you can review each lesson is at the bottom.

I have used Lesson Pathways and like it each time I come back to it. I will usually use it for a while and get busy and forget about it, but each time I come back to it I am pleasantly surprised.

You can use Lesson Pathways as your Core Curriculum or as a great supplement. If you want/need to homeschool for free, I feel that this is the best way to go.