There are so many educational resources available for free online.
I love audiobooks! Many available are done with a full cast so each character gets a real voice- something although I love I am not super talented at recreating. I bought 3 Sansa Clips for about $30 each so my kids could listen to different stories at different times.
My library system has many audiobooks in its collection that are available for free download. They are only available for a limited amount of time just like checking out a book but I can put it on my mp3 player or ipod and we can listen to the books. I also love Story Nory for some classics like Rikki Tikki Tavi. Librivox also has many classic out of copyright audiobooks available.
When I drive 1000 miles with all 4 kids, I don't take a DVD player, I pack many hours of audiobooks both in CD format and on all the mp3 players and my ipod. Then, each child can listen to stories they are interested in or I can pipe them through the whole car for the whole family.
Some of the books we have listened to on Audio have included The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe; Johnny Tremain; Peter Pan; Charlotte's Web; Ginger Pye; Paddington; Just So Stories; and The Secret Garden.
Audiobooks aren't just for long trips though. When I have to run errands, the kids and I will often listen to an audiobook rather than the radio. They love stories and I am happy filling their minds with quality sound.
Tiger likes to borrow audiobooks and read the book while it is being played, especially if the book is a little more challenging. Doing this, he read Redwall, several of the Little Britches series, and a few others.
What audiobooks do you like to listen to?
The kids
Sunday, January 8, 2012
Monday, January 2, 2012
A little fun- American Girl Doll Clothes and Les Cheries Doll Clothes
I also made an apron for Butterfly and a matching apron for her American Girl Doll.
Games, Vacations, and Family
Getting 4 kids looking at the camera AND cute is hard... Miraculously Christmas Eve I succeeded. Here are the kids in their new Christmas pjs:
I really love Nicholeen Peck's book Teaching Self Government. It is so good about not only helping the family to develop a way of discipline but more importantly teaching a family that what matters MOST is relationships. When the relationships are in tact, the rest is much easier.
My husband is lucky enough to have the week between Christmas and New Years off. We have spent this past week playing games, laughing, doing crafts, and building the annual Cub Scout Pinewood Derby car. So much fun!
I have been doing some product reviews for The Old Schoolhouse Magazine. I was lucky enough to get a book about building a pinewood derby car. Last year, my son was last place- the car barely made it down the track- and both my husband and son needed a little help to get started and do a better job this year. Tiger and my husband have been using it as a point of reference:
So none of us managed to break 100... But I did get close!
I really love Nicholeen Peck's book Teaching Self Government. It is so good about not only helping the family to develop a way of discipline but more importantly teaching a family that what matters MOST is relationships. When the relationships are in tact, the rest is much easier.
My husband is lucky enough to have the week between Christmas and New Years off. We have spent this past week playing games, laughing, doing crafts, and building the annual Cub Scout Pinewood Derby car. So much fun!
I have been doing some product reviews for The Old Schoolhouse Magazine. I was lucky enough to get a book about building a pinewood derby car. Last year, my son was last place- the car barely made it down the track- and both my husband and son needed a little help to get started and do a better job this year. Tiger and my husband have been using it as a point of reference:
We have also been enjoying playing Catan.
Other activities this holiday have included Bowling- I love that the ball matched the dress my 2 year old was wearing! Strawberry wanted to take a turn with the ball.
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Resolve to update more!
The new year is coming and I need to post more updates. Just yesterday a friend I hadn't seen in several years comment on my lack of updates... Here goes!
The other day my husband came home and saw a giant box covered with tinfoil on the table. "What are you doing, building a spaceship!?" The kids were so excited to show him our light box with little peat pots sitting on a plate. I sure hoped it worked. That was about 10 weeks ago. We now have mini basil plants and cilantro growing in the hut. We had to transplant several of the peat pots into 4" pots. It may be dark and cold and rainy outside but I have some fresh herbs growing inside!
Writing:
E and I have been testing an upcoming writing curriculum for The WriteShop. We are currently beta testing level F. So far, E has worked on Adventures, Mysteries, Limericks, Tall Tales, persuasive letters etc and is delving into 5 paragraph essays. I have really liked the exposure to several different genres of writing and for the most part he has too. He still remains a bit of a reluctant writer despite a talent for writing. Although, the way that this program breaks down the preparation for writing into tiny steps and the brainstorming before the writing, it has been much easier for him.
Book Club:
My older girls are now in a Heroine Club for girls. They have read The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe and Little House in the Big Woods. Each week they meet, they discuss the book and then do some sort of activity based on the book. The girls have made butter, embroidered handkerchiefs, had a tea party, and made little patchwork blankets. I am thrilled with the way that the parent in charge is running it. I love the way each girl gets to talk and has a voice and the way she draws the girls into discussion even though a couple are as young as 5 1/2 and some are a little closer to 9.
Art:
M has really taken to art. Her drawing gets better and better but she really excels at making 3D sculptures. Sometimes they are for her world of make believe, but sometimes they are just for fun. She has made everything from an old fashioned washboard to a bowl of salad with a cup of dressing where the dressing falls out when you pour it on the salad (a small paper glued to the base of the cup and designed to fall out and be put back in!) Today I came home from the library and she showed me the crown and flip flops she made for her Felicity doll out of typing paper. Needless to say, Santa brought her a couple of rolls of tape for Christmas!
Karate:
The highlight of C's week, when there is no "book club" is karate. She takes her karate very seriously and is doing very well. Her last test came back with almost all Above Average marks. Sensei was her judge and she raved about how well C did.
The other day my husband came home and saw a giant box covered with tinfoil on the table. "What are you doing, building a spaceship!?" The kids were so excited to show him our light box with little peat pots sitting on a plate. I sure hoped it worked. That was about 10 weeks ago. We now have mini basil plants and cilantro growing in the hut. We had to transplant several of the peat pots into 4" pots. It may be dark and cold and rainy outside but I have some fresh herbs growing inside!
Writing:
E and I have been testing an upcoming writing curriculum for The WriteShop. We are currently beta testing level F. So far, E has worked on Adventures, Mysteries, Limericks, Tall Tales, persuasive letters etc and is delving into 5 paragraph essays. I have really liked the exposure to several different genres of writing and for the most part he has too. He still remains a bit of a reluctant writer despite a talent for writing. Although, the way that this program breaks down the preparation for writing into tiny steps and the brainstorming before the writing, it has been much easier for him.
Book Club:
My older girls are now in a Heroine Club for girls. They have read The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe and Little House in the Big Woods. Each week they meet, they discuss the book and then do some sort of activity based on the book. The girls have made butter, embroidered handkerchiefs, had a tea party, and made little patchwork blankets. I am thrilled with the way that the parent in charge is running it. I love the way each girl gets to talk and has a voice and the way she draws the girls into discussion even though a couple are as young as 5 1/2 and some are a little closer to 9.
Art:
M has really taken to art. Her drawing gets better and better but she really excels at making 3D sculptures. Sometimes they are for her world of make believe, but sometimes they are just for fun. She has made everything from an old fashioned washboard to a bowl of salad with a cup of dressing where the dressing falls out when you pour it on the salad (a small paper glued to the base of the cup and designed to fall out and be put back in!) Today I came home from the library and she showed me the crown and flip flops she made for her Felicity doll out of typing paper. Needless to say, Santa brought her a couple of rolls of tape for Christmas!
Karate:
The highlight of C's week, when there is no "book club" is karate. She takes her karate very seriously and is doing very well. Her last test came back with almost all Above Average marks. Sensei was her judge and she raved about how well C did.
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Rockhounding near Mt. Rainier
We had the opportunity to go rockhounding near Mt. Rainier last weekend. The kids searched for various types of volcanic rocks. We were outside Mt. Rainier park so we were totally legal collecting rocks. E was able to use his rocks for his collections requirement for cub scouts. Here are some pictures of our adventures.
Friday, December 11, 2009
A Haiku
We are studying knights and Samurai... the Samurai wrote haiku. Here is E's Haiku
Everything was still
Upon the frozen nighttime
Stars were gleaming bright
Everything was still
Upon the frozen nighttime
Stars were gleaming bright
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
What do they learn when you aren't teaching...
C has learned to set up a chess board! E plays chess frequently and is participating in a chess club. He has taken part in 3 or 4 mini-tournaments after chess club as well. He then plays at home with Hubby. As a result, C has observed the proper chess setup. A week or so ago she set up a chess board by herself. I second guessed it because it was possible that E had set it up and then run upstairs for something. Last night, I went into the living room to see her pairing all the chess pieces, naming them by name, "here are the bishops" and "here are the knights." Then, a while later, Brady came upstairs to tell me that she had set up the chess board perfectly except she had switched the king and queen... I still do that sometimes!
M has learned to read quite well. I thought she was still in the beginning reader stage and needed phonics books. She has all but refused to read out loud except for scripture reading, so I had no idea of the progress she had made. I used to get the phonics books from the library for her, but she didn't like them so I just let her have books like Frances, Frog and Toad, Little Bear, and Dick and Jane. During rest time, she would go in her room and study a book. She loves pictures, so I figured she mostly looked at the pictures with a little work on the words. Needless to say, she has mostly taught herself to read. Today she brought me Swimmy and announced that she had read it this afternoon. When I asked what it was about, she said, "I will read it to you," then she proceeded to read it to me with little difficulty, decent speed, and a clear voice. I am amazed. She also read me The Pokey Little Puppy the other day. Neither of these books are read very often in our house- thus they weren't memorized. I don't remember the last time I read swimmy out loud. Anyway, I am so proud of her efforts to learn to read. She is quite excited that she knows how to read now.
E is always studying science. He loves science books (and math books) and has taught himself all kinds of things about the human body, physics, chemistry, etc. through reading books like The Usborne Encyclopedia of Science. He sometimes does this during rest time and sometimes during other parts of the day.
It is so nice to see the kids learning things and thinking it is a game!
M has learned to read quite well. I thought she was still in the beginning reader stage and needed phonics books. She has all but refused to read out loud except for scripture reading, so I had no idea of the progress she had made. I used to get the phonics books from the library for her, but she didn't like them so I just let her have books like Frances, Frog and Toad, Little Bear, and Dick and Jane. During rest time, she would go in her room and study a book. She loves pictures, so I figured she mostly looked at the pictures with a little work on the words. Needless to say, she has mostly taught herself to read. Today she brought me Swimmy and announced that she had read it this afternoon. When I asked what it was about, she said, "I will read it to you," then she proceeded to read it to me with little difficulty, decent speed, and a clear voice. I am amazed. She also read me The Pokey Little Puppy the other day. Neither of these books are read very often in our house- thus they weren't memorized. I don't remember the last time I read swimmy out loud. Anyway, I am so proud of her efforts to learn to read. She is quite excited that she knows how to read now.
E is always studying science. He loves science books (and math books) and has taught himself all kinds of things about the human body, physics, chemistry, etc. through reading books like The Usborne Encyclopedia of Science. He sometimes does this during rest time and sometimes during other parts of the day.
It is so nice to see the kids learning things and thinking it is a game!
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