How I set it up to REUSE all the materials with each kid…I pre-assemble the activities in a large 3-ring binder before we ever start the next level - The student book that comes with each level has lots of hands-on manipulative games to reinforce the concepts being taught throughout the book. I hate collecting and assembling lesson pieces on a daily (or even weekly) basis. I would much rather have a huge “project” where I gather everything for the whole year at once, spend several hours, and get it all done. Then when we are in the middle of a busy homeschool day, I can just grab it and start teaching.

All About Reading, the brain-child of Marie Rippel came about as she struggled to help her dyslexic son learn to read. Hers is a phonics-centered (Orton-Gillingham based) curriculum for early elementary students. All About Reading (AAR) includes four levels as well as a Pre-Reading curriculum. At the time of this writing, I am part-way through level three with my oldest and feel like I can finally say IT WORKS with some authority. Check out the All About Learning Press website here.

Feeling overwhelmed by all the decisions to be made as you begin your homeschool journey? This guide offers practical advice on where to begin and tips for choosing subjects and curriculum that fit your family’s needs.

In Dr. Ruth Beechick’s book, “The Three R’s,” she lays out a very gentle, or “natural” learning method. It has helped me to continue breaking from the mold of the classroom teacher I was used to into a more flexible and child-centered approach for my homeschooling.

Looking for some books to help you as you plan curriculum and homeschool your children? Check out these 5 great reads for your homeschool parent library!

Here is a list of 25 (or more!) supplies that I find incredibly helpful in my homeschool classroom. Setting up for a new school year can be overwhelming. So, check out this list of items to have on hand for your home education space!

How to create tracing worksheets for FREE using Canva. Simply create a free Canva.com account, choose paper size (US Letter), and choose font (Canva Student Font Dotte). Then, type away, download and print!

Access our FREE homeschool lesson planner template in Google Sheets. Copy to your files and then adjust for yourself and your family.

Copy this FREE Trello Homeschool Curriculum planning board. Then, make it your own! Simple to link websites, pictures, details, checklists, etc. to make your homeschool planning easier.

Do you have a kid who struggles to read on their grade level? Desperate to help them but unable to hire a tutor?…Try assisted reading!! As a parent working one-on-one with your child, you have an incredible opportunity to apply this strategy. It has been called “arguably one of the easiest and most cost-effective methods of developing children's fluency” [1].

Looking for some fun science activities for you kids? Or a way to make history come alive? Want to add some “active learning” into your educational day? Coloring books might be just the thing!! I have discovered some amazing coloring books that could stand alone as a unit study (or whole curriculum - depending on your goals). Check out the educational coloring books below.

Whether you want to make a worksheet with a font that your young elementary student can easily read or help your child trace his name, check out this list of FREE fonts on Canva that are perfect for teachers and tutors!

Check out this brief lesson plan about how books, paper and pencils are made. How do they go from the forest to the shelf?

Rather than waiting until children struggle, every child should receive systematic phonics instruction from the start. This is why I chose a dyslexic curriculum for my neurotypical child. Moving beyond the whole language approach, phonics focuses on understanding the sounds and rules of English. In this article, I explain the differences between these approaches, share my teaching experiences, and recommend valuable resources for effective reading instruction.

Soggy little pieces of cardboard mush lay waste around my daughter’s crib as I reach in to pick her up. The remnants of her naptime snack lies in shreds between blankets, pacis, and stuffed animals. No I don’t let my babies eat in their crib. They just often decide that a book would be a nice treat.