Bells tied on a ribbon... who knew it would keep the 4 month old AND the 2.5 year old entertained for a good 15 minutes?
Over the years, I have tried to use various Montessori methods at home with my babes. Not only do I love the aesthetically pleasing baby toys 😉, but I love how the toys are all open ended for self guided learning and discovery.
Even something as simple as a DIY tactile mobile like a bell tied on a string was great both babes... Quin as she learns how to purposefully hit the string and get a reward (the bell sound) and Lettie had to use her fine motor skills to help me thread the bell on the string! Then she kept helping Quin touch the bell thus inadvertently teaching her!
I remember many years ago voxclarafamily instructing Kolbe how to use a knife to cut her own banana at the age of 3 and my mind was blown. You give a knife to a child??? Don’t worry, it was a table knife but I never thought to let her do it! After that, Kolbe cut all her own bananas and she felt empowered to do it!
Since the banana cutting, I have tried to embrace many more Montessori practices in our home. When buying toys, I try to purchase only open ended ones for a “design your own” play time, I keep plates/cups/silverware on their level so they can get it themselves, I encourage sensory play and learning through that,etc.!
I am SO excited for homeschooling Blaise because many of the things I will be doing with him are more Montessori based. There are tons of home preschool Montessori programs!
My biggest resources for people just starting out... Pinterest for specific Montessori ideas, nickav25’s blog, jackandlinktoys (love their new fb group!), and chickadeeswoodentoys has some amazing sensory ideas for toddlers! I know there are so many wonderful resources out there too that I’m not naming, so if you have a good one, comment and share!
In a world where there are so many resources, materials, bright lights, and flashy toys, I love the simplicity of Montessori and bringing it back to basics. Plus, did I mention, it’s all super aesthetically pleasing? 😉
Biomes of Africa - Salt Dough Map
We are currently studying AFRICA specifically the biomes, landforms and water forms of the continent. We are starting to dive deep into specific biomes and the plants and animals that call them home!
Over the past few days we made these fun and educational biome SALT DOUGH MAPS!
How to video linked in my bio ➡️ youtube
We also utilized our new wasecabiomes biomes stamp for our map legend! 🥰🌍
This has been such a lovely way to transition from summer time to the new schooler year (which we start in a week or so).
Have you studied Africa? What else should we look at?
#earthscience #landforms #landform #planetearth #island #lake #homeeducator #howwemontessori #howwehomeschool #geology #preschoolgeology #landairwater #montessoriathome #montessorihome #montessorihomeschool #homeschoolprek #homeschooling #homeschoolkindergarten #bayareahomeschoolers #montessorishelfie #montessorishelfwork #kindergarten #firstgrade #diymontessori #homeschoolcollective #365homeschool #homeeducator #howwehomeschool #howwemontessori #continentstudy #africaunitstudy #biomes #biomesofafrica
I’m not the mom who makes sure the kids comb their hair and put their shoes away. I’m not the mom who makes sure her kids meet every academic standard. I’m not the mom who knows what’s for dinner or has a designated laundry day.
I’ve spent a great deal of time and energy shaming myself for this.
I’m done.
The question is not, “Am I a good mom?” The question is, “What kind of good mom am I?”
Things only get better when I focus on who I am and what I like, rather than who I’m not and what I don’t.
So here I am:
I am the kind of good mom who says yes to messes and pets and projects and parachutes...until I say no. I am the kind of good mom who is emotionally dynamic and talks about it with her kids. I am the kind of good mom who is consistently inconsistent; sometimes it’s dessert first, and other times it’s no-dessert-til-you’ve-eaten-your-vegetables.
I’m the kind of good mom who packs the kids in the car when she just can’t take it anymore, and drives up the canyon for a walk in the woods until we all come to our senses.
I’m the kind of mom who stays up way too late sneaking my kid an extra snack after he’s brushed his teeth and listening to his worries pour out at bedtime, then having a slow morning nursing my toddler and taking a bubble bath while the kids watch Wild Kratts and the neighbor kids have already been at school for an hour.
We also do math.
Kinda.
And it’s all good.
Even the hard is so, so good.
Because it’s the hard I choose.
What kind of good mom are you?
Exciting news! Like many of you, a reprint of The Story of Charlotte Mason has been on my wish list for a very long time. My friend tessakeath informed me lutterworthpress has opened pre-orders for the book with an expected release date of November 25th!
The biography, written by Essex Cholmondeley (that’s pronounced “Chum-lee” for us Yanks), offers firsthand accounts and warmhearted anecdotes of life at Scale How and the lively educational reformer to whom we owe so much. One of my favorite things about the book is that Charlotte’s story isn’t told through a 21st century lens but by the people that worked with her, studied under her, and knew and loved her best.
Pre-order your copy by visiting the link in our profile.
rbaburina
It has been a very busy month, but oh-so-good! We homeschool with weekly programs, online classes, and lots of sweet time together at home. We are true “eclectic” homeschoolers, using a unique blend of resources and opportunities customized to fit each child each year. Here’s what our eldest is up to this year… •AP Physics
( wilsonhillacademy )
•AP Calculus
(Wilson Hill Academy)
•Rhetoric-Honors English (Wilson Hill Academy)
•Spanish 3
(Schole Academy)
•American History (Classical Conversations—Challenge 3)
•Latin 3 (Classical Conversations—Challenge 3)
•Shakespeare & Poetry (Classical Conversations—Challenge 3)
•Music Theory (Classical Conversations—Challenge 3)
•Philosophy (Classical Conversations—Challenge 3)
EXTRAS:
•Serving as TA for AP Chemistry in an academy in Pennsylvania
•Making weekly science videos for kids
•Private tutoring for high school students in math and science
📖 Language Materials 📃
With summer quickly coming to and end and the school year about to kick off I’m in the process of organizing and shelving new materials and curriculums in our schoolroom.
Mr. 4 (nearly 5 in October) is starting TK soon and is using allaboutlearning , schoolnest for his notebook and wasecabiomes for spelling and biome readers too!
We had hit a little hiccup in our reading progression and started using All About Reading in the beginning of the summer for Ms 6 and it’s been so lovely. I highly recommend them.
I also picked up a gaggle of schoolnest notebooks and her homeschool lesson planner. I am over the moon about the quality of these materials and the kids are already loving using them! 😉
Lastly, wasecabiomes has so many stunning materials. we just received a shipment 📦 that I post to youtube soon! It goes without saying I’ve been eyeing these materials for over a year and can’t wait to use them with the kiddos.
Happy August Friends! I pray you had a blessed summer and I look forward to sharing more of our homeschool journey with you all!
wooden container & notebooks linked in bio ➡️ amazon ➡️ homeschool prep and organization
#catholicmama #catholichomeschool #catholickids #catholicmontessori #montessoriathome #montessorihome #montessorihomeschool #bayareamom #catholicfamily #homeschoolprek #homeschooling #homeschoolkindergarten #bayareahomeschoolers #montessorishelfie #montessorishelfwork #kindergarten #diymom #diymontessori #diymontessorimaterial #kindergartenlearning #homeschoolcollective #365homeschool #homeeducator #howwehomeschool #howwemontessori #firstgradewriting #firstgradereading #homeschoollanguagearts
We ended the night by doing something super significant and it would only make sense to share the news with you.
Tonight we colored in the rest of our house-build financial chart! It's a chart we've been chipping away at for quite some time. Tonight was the night we were able to finally let the kids color the last few sections and tell them the great news that our house-build will be beginning much, much sooner than we had all anticipated!!! 😭🙌
So much of the reason why is because of this space, because of YOU. Every comment, purchase, share, and encouraging word about the products that I've created in this little space bring my family one step closer to our big dreams and goals. I would've never imagined that I could create a business doing what I love, all while being a stay-at-home mom and homeschooling my children. It is truly the biggest gift from God.
Thank you for giving me a space to create, for trusting me to bring curriculum and resources into your homes, and for all of your support of my little online shop. Shopping small really does make a true difference in lives. It's making one in ours.
#shopsmall #homeschoolfamily
🏝 Land & Water 🌊
These independent work packets are a huge hit with Mr. 4.85 and Ms. 6.5 🥰 Mr. 4.85 has been using the beautiful alphabet cards to help inspire him how to color his work. I love how thai packet from stephhathawaydesigns comes with print or cursive and have simple copy work or more complex.
Mr. 4.85 likes to match his packet with our felt land ans water forms from twigndaisy
This work has proven to be a perfect option for whoever isn’t having a lesson / presentation and is also a great warmup work in the morning for us.
I bound this myself with our home coil binder (see igtv for video on it or linked in my bio ➡️ amazon ➡️ homeschool prep)
#earthscience #landforms #landform #planetearth #island #lake #homeeducator #howwemontessori #howwehomeschool #geology #preschoolgeology #landairwater #montessoriathome #montessorihome #montessorihomeschool #homeschoolprek #homeschooling #homeschoolkindergarten #bayareahomeschoolers #montessorishelfie #montessorishelfwork #kindergarten #diymom #diymontessori #kindergartenlearning #homeschoolcollective #365homeschool #homeeducator #howwehomeschool #howwemontessori #montessorimom #preparedadult #preparedenvironment
Let’s talk about cultivating a sense of wonder in children…
Rachel Carson once wrote, "A child's world is fresh and new and beautiful, full of wonder and excitement. It is our misfortune that for most of us that clear-eyed vision, that true instinct for what is beautiful and awe-inspiring is dimmed and even lost before we reach adulthood.”
Here are a few ways we can help to keep that sense of wonder alight in our children:
🍃 Regularly show surprise, interest, and attraction to the natural world and its happenings! This means you notice everything from the movements of a worm, to the wag of a dog's tail, to the evaporation of a downpour on a hot summer day, to the dew on a spider’s web or the leaves blowing in the breeze.
🍃 Show interest, spontaneous humor, and joy in your child’s daily life.
🍃 Encourage children to freely experiment, taste, feel, hear, see, explore, and get into things that are interesting.
🍃 Show pleasure and delight in every day tasks that keep your home running smoothly.
🍃 Get lost in your own creativity. It’s important for children to see you get lost in your own world of joy!
🍃 Let children choose their own activities based on interests and boredom and not the decisions of another person.
Let’s keep wonder alive in our children’s eyes. Let them risk being themselves without any risk at all. ❤️
What have you showed wonder about this morning? We have been watching hummingbirds on our bee balm this morning! We even heard one tweet!!
When I recently finished reading aloud “Owls in the Family,” Willow actually cried deep, desperate tears. And we weren’t surprised- this is a book thoroughly enjoyed by all, one that induced laughter to the point it hurt. And leaving such a book can feel like leaving a true friend and place you cherish.
If you’ve never read aloud, it’s always one of the first books I recommend. And if you have for many years I still do! It’s the true story of a boy who took in two owls that became part of the family. They outsmarted the dog, brought treats such as dead skunks to the dining table, and loved life best from the handlebars of the boy’s bike.
Some books are too grand not to share. ☺️
Have any books made you tear up when you finished them? I have a long list.. 😆
🍎 Wow. How true is this statement? I’ve been a homeschool mom for going on 6 years now, and people tell me this all the time. Now, I know what I’ll say in return.
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#boymom💙 #momlife #sahmlife
#totschool #homeschoolconfidence
#homeschool #homeschoolroom #homeschoolroomtour #homeschoolmom #homeschoolmama #homeschoolmomma l #homeschooling #homeschoolpreschool #homeschoolkindergarten #learningathome #homeeducate #homelearning #homeschoolgoals #homeschoolideas #homeschoolingmom #homeschoolcommunity #homeschoolcollective #homeschoolorganization #eclectichomeschooling #homeschoolinspiration #365homeschool #thisisourhomeschool #inspiremyhomeschool #homeschoollifestyle #teachertips
Today’s Friday Freebie! 🍎
Today’s freebie is Apple Word Family Baskets! You can grab this free resource by following the “Free Resources” link in my bio under the “Fall/Thanksgiving” folder.
#homeschoolcurriculum #homeschoolmomsupport #homeeducation #homeeducator #homeschoolresources #learningthroughplay #learningthroughexperience #makinglearningfun #homeschoolsmallshop #homeschoolnaturestudy #homeschoolflatlays #athomelearning #learningathome #montessoriathome #handsonlearning #naturebasedplay #naturebasedlearning #montessoriathome #charlottemasoneducation #unschooling #worldschooling #365homeschool
Homeschool perk 43252: Memma and Pop can come visit from Texas, and the kids get to see them all day. For better or worse 😂 Sometimes this bunch is a bit much for all day volume!
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I’ve always said that if I went back to work, we wouldn’t be able to see family or travel nearly as much as we do. To me, that’s number one reason. It’s hard to visit family in Texas when you get two or three weeks off for the whole year. So thankful Dad’s job let’s us do this instead!
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We’ve been getting math and writing done (mostly), but lots and lots of gameschooling and life schooling. They’ve worked through Clue, Listography, Rummikub, Set, and lots and lots of Phase 10. Meanwhile, Pop and I have been tackling a few projects and working on my life skills as well 😊.
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If you’re blessed to live near family, don’t take it for granted. If you don’t, go visit! School lessons can always be done later. Let’s not be so busy that we prioritize the wrong stuff. ❤️
It’s been a while since I’ve posted a playroom photo, but this room makes me just as happy now as when we first redid it.
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In the next week or so we will be redoing the kids’ room and I have some exciting things in mind for it. But first, I need to know if this partially painted color block wall can be done in more than one room, or if it will look unoriginal to do that. If not, other ideas? Cause I was thinking of doing the same idea in their bedroom, just with the colored part a bit higher. What do you think?
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Happy NOT back to school to my fellow adventure families!
Back to the woods, back to the days of picnic lunches, painting on the lawn, and chasing waterfalls.
Okay so maybe we’ve already been doing those things. Because learning never stops. We learn by doing, by meeting new people, and by experiencing new things. Add in some amazing books and you’ve got the recipe for an amazing education.
So here’s to all my outdoor loving families out there. No matter how you do school! Don’t forget to get dirty and try some new things this school year ❤️.
#thisishowwehomeschool
Saying goodbye to summer with a bang!
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Do you have any fun plans is long weekend?
As homeschool parents, we love our plans! But homeschooling works best when we don’t cling too tightly to our plans, and instead lean into the freedom we have as homeschoolers to take advantage of the opportunities right in front of us that we never could have planned.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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#homeschoolcompass #homeschool #homeschooling #homeschoolmom #homeschoolmama #homeschoolmum #homeschooldad #homeschoolingmom #wildandfreemama #unschooling #christianunschooling #christianhomeschooling #homeschoolwisdom #homeschoollife #homeschooldays #athomelearning #lovehomeed #365homeschool #thisishowwehomeschool #homeeducation #homeeducator #theartofslowliving #enchantedchildhood #christianhomeschool #trainupachild #raisingarrows #homeschoolersofig #homeschoolersofinstagram
📚 G. I. F. T. A. W. A. Y. 🙏🏻
Almond Rod Toys helps bring our faith alive for kids with stunning block Saints! These blocks are two sides: a stunning image of the Saint on one side and their story on the other.
We are so excited to be offering any 10 Saint Blocks from their etsy shop.
All you need to do is:
📩F. O. L. L. O. W. montessoricatholic and almondrodtoys
📩 Like and save this P. H. O. T. O. ⬆️
📩Tag as many friends in the comments as you can
📩BONUS for 📤 S.H.A.R.I.N.G. (Tag montessoricatholic or screenshot and DM the proof if ur a private account)
📩open to US residents only🇺🇸
📩from Wednesday March 3 - March 4 at 10pm pst
#montessorishelfie #montessorishelfwork #kindergarten #diymom #diymontessori #diymontessorimaterial #kindergartenlearning #homeschoolcollective #365homeschool #homeeducator #catholicmom #catholickid #montessorihome #sahmomlife #catholicmoms #catholicfamily #bestjobever #liturgicalliving #offeritup #trustingod #bissisterhood #blessedisshe #padrepio #prayhopedontworry #catholic #catholiclife #catholicchurch #catholic #catholictoys #woodenblocks #catholichomeschool
“The question is not,—how much does the youth know? when he has finished his education—but how much does he care? and about how many orders of things does he care? In fact, how large is the room in which he finds his feet set? and, therefore, how full is the life he has before him?” —Charlotte Mason
As a teenager in the early nineties, I never knew there was such a thing as homeschooling. But at the age of sixteen, I met a homeschool family in a Christian bookstore. The children were friendly, cheerful, and articulate, and after meeting them, I knew I would home educate any future children I might have. When I met my husband five years later, I was amazed to find that he shared the same dream!
We're now entering our nineteenth year of homeschooling. Our oldest two children have graduated from our homeschool, and this year we will have a senior, a tenth grader, and a sixth grader. I can't believe how quickly the time has gone. Almost twenty years of learning together!
I can honestly say I would do it all over again if I had the chance. Of course there were challenging years of sleepless nights with newborns, and trying to balance nursing babies and toddlers with school time. But mostly I remember all the happy times we've had together. Reading aloud, going on nature walks, learning about history and science and geography, watercolor painting and art projects, teaching each child how to read, making homemade butter and playdough and so many other things. Mostly I have just loved our everyday life together.
Today our homeschool curriculum plan for this year is on the blog! (Link in profile or go to ArtfulHomemaking.com)
Are you homeschooling this year? If you're considering homeschooling your children, do you have any questions you've wanted to ask another homeschool mom?
🍎 Just in case you need a reminder during this stressful season...
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#homeschool #homeschoollife #365homeschool #homeschoolcollective #totschool #kindredhomeschool #homeschoolfamily #homeschoolmomlife #homeschoolersofinstagram #homeeducator #homeschoolconfidence #learnathome #living_homeschool #childhoodeveryday #boymomlife #thisishomeschool #thisismotherhood #intentionalhomeschooling #classicaleducation #momlife #momofboys #charlottemason #charlottemasoneducation #charlottemasonliving #childrensliterature #learningathome #homeschooling #learningstartsathome #homeschoolroom #homeschoolcurriculum
Lists 🤍 it's like a runway for our school year; it's smooth some days, bump others, and we may even take a few detours, but we will be successful no matter where we go or how we get to where we are going. 😉 6 weeks on one “off” (filled with field trips, lots of reading and service projects)
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#homeschool2021
#homeschoolmom #homeschoolcurriculum #annavancepaperco #plannermom #teachermomlife #homeschoollife #thisishomeschool #365homeschool
