In a traditional brick and mortar school, it has become established that there is a summer break. Now with homeschooling, it becomes your choice whether to have a summer break or not. Many homeschoolers view every day as a learning experience – this does not necessarily include curriculum. With the great weather we have been enjoying swimming lessons, hiking, biking and many other warm weather learning opportunities. Our kids read and write every day because they enjoy it. And we take advantage of our non-travel times to do our curriculum program with Progress Academy. We have the flexibility to look at the whole year and plan our studies accordingly. Some people do take a summer break in their homeschooling families. It really just depends on your lifestyle, goals and individual family choices. I talked with a mom the other day who said it’s only July and her daughters getting bored – so she was starting into her curriculum right now. Of course it is perfectly legal to homeschool all year round – even though your particular state may require notifications, assessments, and such on a traditional school schedule. So, enjoy your ability to choose and enjoy your summer however works best for your whole family!

I was in Florida vacationing with my family back in May. We had gone to the grocery store and saw these rubber band like bracelets at the checkout in fun animal shapes. It was an inexpensive treat so we bought some for the kids. Our girls started wearing these brightly colored rubber band bracelets called Silly Bandz. We were standing in line somewhere and the woman in front of us asked the girls about the bracelets – we explained that we had just found them at the grocery store. The woman said she was a school teacher and asked my girls if all the kids at school were wearing these bracelets. My girls said “We are homeschooled, we don’t know if the kids at school are wearing them.” I thought to myself – I’ll bet they won’t allow these fun bracelets at school because they would be a big distraction. And I said to myself – I bet they will ban these bracelets as soon as they can! I was suddenly very glad to live a more carefree life – homeschooling my children, free of the impositions and unnecessary restrictions. We still buy some Silly Bandz once in awhile for fun – my kids aren’t obsessed just enjoying the fun bracelets. We even use the packs to do a little math – dividing up the packs and adding to the collection! It is interesting how the relaxed atmosphere of homeschooling finds learning even in the silliest of things!

Curriculum is a key topic in the homeschool community, and in some circles a big debate. If you are new to homeschooling (comment to this post if you are!), you may not be aware that curriculum was non-existent when homeschooling got its start. Our homeschooling pioneers in the US had to clear their own path in a new territory. There were no resources, no groups and no curriculum. So, naturally they had to create their own educational tools from libraries, bookstores and the few school districts who were willing to share their resources with parents.

Fast forward to today and you will find hundreds of curricula to choose from. It is only natural that the homeschooling pioneers constructed a culture of do-it-yourselfers who wanted to create their own education plans. Today however, many people do not want to be the creator and appreciate ready made curriculum, making their decision to homeschool easier. For instance, if you are coming from a conventional school setting you may want a traditional curriculum because that is what you are used to. Of course a large number of us are somewhere in between, with the mentality that yes, curriculum is good, but it is not the beginning or end to our child’s education. Always keep in mind that you have a choice and you are in charge! Be creative by using more than books and explore your options. Homeschooling is a culture and it is open to all. There is plenty of room for new ideas and new ways of thinking. If it works for you and your family, then it is good!

So, your child is “school age” and you are considering homeschooling. Can you do it? How do you do it? These may be a few questions you have asked yourself. Here is what I ask people contemplating homeschooling kindergarten: Who taught your child how to talk, to walk, to recognize colors and shapes? I would bet it was you, the parent. Chances are you are also reading to your child. So, in essence you have been homeschooling or home educating from the very beginning.

Now it is just a matter of finding a homeschool curriculum, which contains the educational tools you will use to teach your child at home. Kindergarten is a very good place to start for both you and your child, here’s why:

Your child…

1. naturally wants to learn.
2. has no preconceived notion of school or education.
3. is used to learning from you.

You the parent…

1. have already established yourself as the teacher.
2. are fully equipped to teach kindergarten.
3. have endless resources available in this homeschool friendly era.

There are many options when it comes to kindergarten curriculum. You can start with the book What Your Kindergartner Needs to Know. You can find this on Amazon. Basically, they will learn numbers and the alphabet, and how to properly print both, as well as shapes, sounding out letters, etc. For a complete list, check out school.familyeducation.om. Also, keep in mind that many states do not even require kindergarten, so check your state’s homeschool laws before you begin (www.hslda.com). Of course you can still teach kindergarten even if it’s not required, it’s your choice how your child is educated. Exercise this right by finding a great curriculum, or going to the library or buying tools at a book store. Just know that you are in charge now – millions of us homeschool, and we welcome you to the homeschool community!

Now you can buy those crayons, markers, paper, paints, playdough and all the other fun “school” supplies – you have a student at home!

I remember when I was an elementary student and our class got to go on field trips. All of the students in our class looked forward to each of the few field trips we were allowed to have each year. The trips took us out of the classroom and into factories, ice cream manufacturers and more. Now as a homeschooling mom, I have the liberty of taking my own children on field trips. We have enjoyed a variety of trips including a candy factory, a horse farm, the Dayton Air Museum, Montpelier, Willliamsburg, Jamestown, Niagara Falls, Monticello, apple picking and the Ohio Historical Society.

Here are five of our favorites:

1. Williamsburg, Virginia – My husband and I have always enjoyed US history, but sometimes this can be a challenging subject for our children. It is hard to get them to be interested in the past when they are more interested in right now! We had contemplated visiting Colonial Williamsburg as a family and then we discovered they have homeschool days. The per person cost is very reasonable and really enticed us to give this field trip a try. We were pleasantly surprised by the “Welcome Homeschoolers” signs posted and the large number of other homeschooling families attending the event. There were special activities just for us, including a tour and craft project in the art museum. Our entire family had a wonderful time touring the Governor’s house, eating in a tavern and watching the revolutionary era re-enactments. This is a must do field trip!

   http://www.history.org/History/teaching/groupTours/SchoolandYouth/homeschools.cfm

2. Apple Picking - In Ohio we enjoy a wonderful period in the fall when we can visit a local orchard and go apple picking. Your state may have a similar seasonal fruit that you can pick. Do a little research, find a local farm that allows picking and gather your family for this wonderful educational adventure. You may want to ask if there is a tour or attendant to educate you on the process. Fun for all ages! We always go to Lynds Fruit Farm in Pataskala, Ohio.

   http://www.lyndfruitfarm.com/main/

3. Monticello – Outside of Charlottesville, Virginia is the home of President Thomas Jefferson. We thoroughly enjoyed the beautiful drive through the lovely hills of Virginia to find Monticello and were pleasantly surprised when we arrived at the welcome center and were offered a homeschool discount on our tickets! The tour was amazing and intriguing. We had to tackle the tough subject of slavery in America, which was handled very well by our tour guide. This was an important and educational field trip.

   http://www.monticello.org/visit/group_tours.html

4. Candy Factory – We are lucky to have the Anthony Thomas Candy Factory here in Columbus, Ohio. Who doesn’t want to tour a candy factory? Our homeschool group got together and attended one of the tours. Our kids had so much fun watching them make candy while we parents reminisced about the famous I Love Lucy episode where Lucy and Ethel try to work at a candy factory. Of course we all enjoyed the free sample at the end of the tour! If Ohio is not in your neighborhood, look up a local candy factory and set up a tour! Anthony Thomas offers FREE tours every Tuesday and Thursday.

   http://www.anthony-thomas.com/tour.html

5. NASA, Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas – My husband and I have always been fascinated by space and space travel. Little did we know our kids were also big fans! We were driving to Houston and my husband said under his breath, “I would really like to visit NASA while we are here, but I am sure the kids won’t want to go”. So, I said out loud, “Hey kids, who wants to go to NASA?”, and they all cheered “ME!!!”. It is a great place to visit for the whole family. There is a large variety of things to do so that everyone is “edutained”! There are movies, tours, a trapeze, a climbing apparatus and more! If you get a chance to visit Houston, plan a trip to NASA.

   http://www.spacecenter.org/