Homeschool Blog Post Round Up

Welcome to the January edition of the Homeschool Review Crew Blog Round up. For our families in the northern hemisphere I hope that it’s not too cold where you are and for our southern hemisphere families I hope that you are enjoying fair summer weather.

I invite you to grab a cup of your favourite beverage and join us for some home education encouragement.

The Homeschool Crew are hard at work trialing out many different products and curriculums, so be sure to subscribe for weekly encouragement and updates on homeschooling products. We started the year looking at SchoolhouseTeachers.com. Be sure to see how the Ultimate PreK-12 Annual Membership can provide for every subject, every grade, and every student in your homeschool (read our reviews here).

On Saturdays we are hosting a weekly social media/blog challenge with some wonderful ideas and resources for you here:

Here on the blog this month our team have shared:

Screen Free Options for Kids – Whether you’re trying to navigate fewer outside the home options because of COVID shutdowns, virtual schooling, or just the average rainy day, having a few screen-free options for kids can be very useful!
How to include physical education in your homeschool routine – in most states, Physical Education is a requirement for high school graduation. This can be challenging for many homeschooling families. With a little creativity homeschoolers can easily find options that will enhance your child’s physical activity and fulfill the requirements
A Guide for homeschool Moms: Finding Me Time.

Michelle @ Life in the Nerddom shares

Our Favorites for Teaching Science with YouTube – We love supplementing our science units with videos and YouTube has an abundant selection of quality content to choose from. We’ve used many over the years, but these are our favorites.
I Want to Homeschool, but I Don’t Want to Teach – If you want to homeschool, but you don’t WANT to teach, or you think that you CAN’T teach, you’re not alone…I promise. You don’t have to feel trapped or hopeless or frustrated or like your only option is to take out a second mortgage to pay for private school. There are options!
Teaching History with the Torchlighters Video Series – Teaching history with the Torchlighter’s video series is incredibly easy because they have done most of the work for you! The series features stories of great heroes and heroines from throughout history in a 30 minute animated program.
How to Homeschool with Free Curriculum – Most free curriculum doesn’t come with a schedule, so you have to create one yourself. But where do you start, how do you plan out the lessons, and how far out should you schedule the resource?

Sarah @ Homeschooling 4 Him shares

How to Use a Loop Schedule in Your Homeschool – Loop schedules are a great resource for homeschool parents who have a new baby, or are struggling with a chronic illness, or who are in a season of life with lots of disruptions. This post also includes a free printable template to help you create a loop schedule that works for your family.
Homeschool Philosophies – What kind of homeschooler are you? Knowing this information will help you easily sort through curriculum options and find a curriculum that’s a good fit for your family. Find the pros and cons of different homeschool styles here.
31 Best Free Homeschool Curriculum Options – Homeschooling for free is possible! Here are 31 high-quality free options that offer full-year homeschool curriculum in one or more subjects.
10 Strategies for Large Family Homeschooling Success – Homeschooling with more than one child can be tricky. Here you’ll find practical strategies for managing homeschooling with multiple siblings.

Susan @ My Happy Homeschool shares

Cultivating a HEART for Missions – As a homeschool mom, I place Bible above all other subjects because we are first called to disciple our children and then lead them into their academic studies. But it takes more than Bible study to cultivate a heart for missions.

Yvie @ Homeschool On the Range shares

Essential Reading List for High School Boys – Here are thirty-two books that all boys should read in middle and high school. Not only are they full of adventure (which they’ll love), but they have lots of character-building lessons, too!
Homeschooling the Upper Grades {Series Landing Page} – Come for the freebies & giveaways…stay for the fun! Featuring homeschool methods, curricula, ideas, and more– we’re showing middle and high school homeschool parents that their options are limitless.
Learning about Tu B’Shevat with Soloman & the Trees – Did you know that there is a birthday celebration for trees? Similar to Arbor Day, Tu B’Shevat is a minor Jewish holiday known as the New Year for Trees. This environmental holiday is the perfect opportunity for connecting with the earth…
Where the Mountain Meets the Moon & Chinese Mythology – Learn the history behind the Chinese zodiac just in time for the Chinese New Year!

Candy @ Candy Foote Club shares

Homeschool the Classics With Cheap and Free Kindle Books – Homeschool the CLASSICS with free and cheap Kindle Books!

Ellen @ Homeschooling Highway shares

Themed Bible Sword Drill Game and Lesson for Kids – Can your children find the Bible verses fast and then guess the theme that ties all the verses together? This game and Bible lesson will keep your kids engaged and challenged.
Homeschool Bible Assignments for High School – Would your high schooler be able to give biblical reasons for his/her convictions? With this list of topics and assignment directions, your child will be spend time studying what God’s Word says about each topic, collecting those verses, summarizing the verses, and then forming his/her own opinion.
Are You Afraid? – In these troubling times, do you find yourself fearful about what will happen in the future? May these verses from God’s Word bring you peace and comfort.
Indoor Scavenger Hunt – Can your kids find the Bible reference, read the clue, and then find the item that’s mentioned in the verse? Your kids will have plenty of practice finding their way around their Bibles with this big list of references and items to scavenge for.

Kristen @ A Mom’s Quest to Teach shares

Book Club: Winter’s Coming – A Mom’s Quest to Teach shares a simple painting craft based upon the children’s book Winter’s Coming.
Book Club: Book Review of A Cowboy for Keeps – A book review from A Mom’s Quest to Teach of an inspiring book by Jody Hedlund.
Wordless Wednesday: Civil War Sites – Photographs are shared from past visits to several American Civil War historic sites.
A Brief Journey through the Quotes of Shakespeare’s Macbeth – Reading the quotes of Shakespeare is a great way to start off reading his famous plays including Macbeth.

Annette @ A Net in time shares

Learning and reading in the winter – A post outlining some of the extras we have time for in the winter, from learning new words to listening to homeschool conferences.
O Jesus I have promised – A hymn study of O Jesus I have Promised, taking time to learn the story behind the song and to consider it’s importance.
Snowflake Photography – It’s winter, it’s time to learn about Snowflake Bentley AND to learn how to take good pictures of snowflakes.
Reading goals for the New Year – With a new year come new goals for reading. Sharing some of the many options I have for reading this year… come on.. reading’s fun, perhaps you’ll discover new options too! 🙂

Yvonne @ The Life We Build shares

Calendar Activities For Homeschoolers – Free printables and ideas to add to calendar time with your children.
Making Valentines Boxes From Recycled Materials – Let your child use their creativity and create a unique Valentines box from recycled materials.
Why You Should Teach Your Children To Cook – Children learn many important skills when they are taught how to cook. Check out a few of the reasons why you teach your children to cook when they are young.
When I Lost Sight Of Our Homeschool Purpose – It can be easy to get caught up in a homeschool dream or theory. Sometimes we try hard to copy others homeschool journey, this can make us lose sight of our own homeschool purpose. Check out these ways to refocus your homeschool and regain its purpose.

We invite you to share your thoughts on homeschooling—from curriculum choices to what works for you and why you do it—with The Old Schoolhouse®. While you have until February 26, 2021, to complete the survey, only the first 1,000 participants will receive the digital gift package valued at over $200, so don’t delay!

The parent company of the Crew, The Old Schoolhouse®, would like you to share what works for you, what you look for in homeschooling curriculum, and why you homeschool through a quick and easy survey comprised of multiple-choice and short-answer questions.