Fun Summer Ideas for Kids

Boredom doesn’t have to be busted by spending a lot of money. Try one of the following fun summer ideas for kids that are creative and frugal. No more “Mommy, I’m bored” this summer. Pick Blueberries  …Or raspberries, or strawberries. Find a local pick-your-own farm nearby and enjoy the sunshine. Picking berries is a fun and frugal activity for kids, and you get to take the sweet fruit home with you. Make Baggie Ice Cream Forget the expensive ice cream maker. Instead, grab two inexpensive plastic bags for a cool homemade treat. You’ll need a set for each child. Ingredients: … Continue reading

Fun Ideas for a Spring Staycation this Year

  For some families, spring break is almost here.  Having a week or two off from school is the ultimate idea of fun for many kids, but for moms and dads the seasonal vacation can be dreadful, especially if money is tight. Fortunately, you don’t have to drop thousands of dollars to make your child’s spring break memorable.  With the price of gas hitting record highs, millions of families are opting to stay close to home this season.  The idea of taking a staycation is even more tempting when you consider how much money you can save while still having … Continue reading

Homemade Hostess Cupcakes

Who could resist Hostess Cupcakes with their curly swirls of bitable icing over rich chocolate frosting that covers the deep chocolate cake that hides the gooey creamy filling? Don’t you want to just take a bite out of them right now? Sigh. Let’s take away both the guilt (well, a little of the guilt) and the expensive prices on eBay and make some homemade Hostess Cupcakes. You’ll eliminate the preservatives and be known as the best baker on the block. I have to tell you that this post required a lot of hard research. I had to make sure that … Continue reading

The Internet and Homeschooling, part 2

Homeschool parents are finding ways to use the internet to enhance the schooling aspect of homeschooling. The mystery of lesson planning is solved by a quick search. Frugal homeschoolers can save their budget with free printables and unit studies ready to download. Students who bore easily with textbooks can take a break playing online educational games. YouTube helps many frustrated students who need tutoring in just about any subject. Adventurous homeschoolers can be whisked away on virtual field trips. Many art museums, zoos, and historical locations offer an online peek children will enjoy. Consider looking up a country you are … Continue reading

The Internet and Homeschooling

Eight years ago, a few clicks of the mouse led me to the virtual side of homeschooling. It was a world I happily embraced. In that time, I have joined homeschool forums, developed a blog and Facebook community, contributed to group homeschool blogs, and joined efforts to enhance the online homeschool experience for parents and students. I continue to see tremendous growth in the online homeschool community. Homeschooling families are using the Internet for support, to share ideas, to find lesson plans, curriculum assessments, and keep updated on homeschool law. The Internet has provided a sense of community among homeschoolers … Continue reading

Homeopathic Remedies for Menopause

I work at a health science center and a few weeks, they had a nurse conducting a seminar on menopause. I am not in full blown menopause, but experiencing the “joys” of perimenopause. But, I figured I would go to check out the seminar anyhow. What I did was pretty much waste my lunch hour. It might have helped some people there, but nurse mainly talked about hormone replacement therapy. Oh no wait, it’s called hormone therapy now. The study that was done years ago that showed that HRT could cause problems has been revisited by many and there were … Continue reading

Curriculum Choice: Science Unit Studies for Homeschoolers and Teachers

Curriculum: Science Unit Studies for Homeschoolers and Teachers By: Susan Kilbride Format: Softcover book Ages: 4 to 13 Subject: Science Method: Unit study, hands on Free: Click for free science unit studies from the book. Description: If you are a homeschooler or teacher who is looking for fun ideas on how to teach science, then this book is for you! Its hands-on approach is designed to capture students’ interest and promote a love of science and learning. The first ten chapters are for younger children ages 4-7, while the second ten chapters are for children ages 8-13. Each chapter is … Continue reading

The Brave Homeschooling Parent

Being a parent takes bravery, and a homeschooling parent is a perfect example of this. We’re pretty brave just to make the decision to homeschool in the first place, but then we add an additional layer of courage as we allow our children to experiment. Experimentation is a fantastic way to learn. It’s how all the great inventors accomplished the things they did. Can you imagine if Thomas Edison’s mother had forbidden him to play with electrical sparks? No significant amount of progress is made without some element of risk, and no real discovery is ever made without stepping into … Continue reading

Adventure to Inspire – Homeschool Blog Review

Over the last month, I’ve had the chance to talk with ToriAnn Perkey, homeschooling mom who runs the blog Adventure to Inspire. As we’ve chatted, we’ve investigated her reasons for choosing homeschool for her family, and today I’d like to talk about the blog itself. I was first introduced to the blog by her husband, Josh. I’m usually a little leery when someone says, “Hey, my wife blogs. Check it out.” But I’ve known and respected Josh for a long time, so I headed on over. What I found was an awesome resource. There are articles sharing thoughts and ideas, … Continue reading

Home School Blogger Spotlight: Adverntures in Mommydom

Ticia, from Adventures in Mommydom, includes everyone on her adventures homeschooling her three kids. Her desire to homeschool stemmed from the desire to provide a solid individualized education for her individual children. No cookie cutter school systems for her and I have to say I admire that attitude. Ticia has a wide range of interests and hobbies which makes her blog full of interest and fun. The blog design is fun, colorful, yet easy to read and navigate. The content is fun, engaging, and like sitting down and talking to an old friend at the library. I added in library … Continue reading