Dyed Pasta: Multi-Purpose Entertainment!

Who knew a couple of boxes of pasta and some food coloring could provide my kids with multiple fun and learning activities enjoyed over a couple of days' time?! One of my son's home school lessons this week showed how to dye pasta and make beads to string. We dug out several kinds of noodles and prepared several cups of colorful beads. But the necklaces were just a start...we have actually used these noodles for three more activities so far. And happily, it took a whole 10 minutes of prep with things I already had on hand!

First, for the dye job. Materials needed:

• dry pasta in various shapes
• vinegar OR rubbing alcohol (the vinegar smell will linger, but may be preferable option if you fear a noodle "taste-test")
• small plastic ziploc bags
• food coloring
• paper towels on trays
  

Put a cup of dry pasta in a ziploc. Add 1 TBSP of the vinegar OR rubbing alcohol and several drops of food coloring to the bag. Close it up and gently smoosh it around to color all the pasta.

Empty it on paper towels to dry. Best to leave it overnight.

I only had food coloring gel around, and a couple of the colors didn't dye the pasta so well by this method. So I actually mixed the gel with the rubbing alcohol and a cup of water in a bowl and we let the noodles sit in it for 7-8 minutes until the color "took." Not too long or the noodles would get mushy. That worked much better for us.

Noodle Fun #1: Beading!

String the beads on plastic elastic cord for necklaces or bracelets. Love the bright colors!

Noodle Fun #2: Sorting!

Using the sorting idea from this post, I gave my 2-year-old a muffin tin and several colors of pasta mixed together in a bowl. I showed him how to sort the colors in separate tins.

He LOVED it and sorted over and over for an hour-and-a-half! My 4-year-old thought it was super fun and did it several times too...first by color, then by shape.

Noodle Fun #3: Math Manipulative!

Use the pasta to make patterns. I laid out a pattern of various colors/shapes on a paper, and then asked my daughter to copy it. I hadn't tried this before with her, and she really liked the activity. She even made a complicated pattern for ME to copy! Noodles=learning fun for everyone.
 

Noodle Fun #4: Easter craft!

I drew an Egg shape on colored paper, added some craft glue, and then had the kids decorate their Easter eggs. They loved their pretty eggs.

Gotta love when you can make several new and exciting activities for FREE with a few supplies from the pantry!

Colorful Kiddie Clipboards

Mod-podge clipboards are popular crafts right now...and I've been wanting to make them for my kids for a couple of purposes.



To make a clipboard, these materials are needed: a clipboard (I got the smaller 6x9 size at Staples for $1.79), craft paint & brush, a sheet or two of scrapbook paper, scissors, fine grit sandpaper (optional), foam brush, and mod-podge.



To make a finished edge, paint the edges of the clipboard with craft paint and let it dry.



Then trace around the clipboard on the back of the scrapbook paper and cut it out. For this size, both front and back will fit on a 12x12 sheet. For the front clip, mark where the clip is with a pencil and cut a slot to fit.





For the metal attachments on the back, I hole-punched openings to help it fit.



Use the foam brush to cover one side of the board with a good layer of mod podge. Be sure the edges get enough to stick good. Lay the paper on and smooth it out...you may want to use a ruler or credit card to smooth any bumps. Do the same for the other side.





Let the mod-podge dry, then you may want to use sandpaper to sand off any edges that sticking out. If you sand away any paint, either decide you love the distressed look or touch it up with more paint.


Wipe off any sanding dust, then cover one entire side of the board with mod-podge, even the edges. Your brush marks show a little in the light, so you may want to keep them all going the same way. For the front, I covered the main open section, then got a smaller paint brush and mod-podged under the clip, but not where the clip actually clamped the board. Let it dry 20-30 min, then turn over and mod-podge the back. You may want to do a second coat for durability.

You now have a super-fun, colorful clipboard you can use to hang up photos, art, To Do lists, or shopping list/coupons.


As mentioned, I had a couple of specific purposes in mind for my kids with these.





As we started back to a routine this week, I decided our day would begin with breakfast and then some chores/clean up time before starting school. These boards would add a fun element to chore time...by giving them a checklist!





They loved carrying their lists around and checking things off as they were accomplished.

*I think I may make a few varied chore lists for each day of the week and laminate them so we can re-use them with dry-erase markers for checking off...saving time and paper!

I'll show you my Idea #2 for the clipboards later this week. Happy back-to-routine!!

It's Test Time. Do you know the Homeschool Facts?

Sharpen those #2 Pencils! Yesterday we talked about choices here—the overwhelming choices we face as a parent. Namely, where do we send our kids to school? Will somebody please just make this decision for me!? Is there a right or wrong answer? Can you make it black and white and spell it out in a simple sentence across the forehead of my child?

We don't have a cheat sheet to hand you, but hopefully we can provide the tip of the ice burg by diving into our 3 options one by one. Today we are going to focus in on homeschooling by providing a little history, a few facts, and finally some great testimonials from the experts themselves—moms in the thick of it right now.

Homeschool History:

If you do a quick search—there are countless homeschool sites available, each with a wealth of information—you will discover that homeschool has been around since the beginning. Until the early 18^th century, most cultures provided a formal education (via tutors) only in the most elite households. This meant everyone else was educating their children at home, where they were most likely focusing on a trade and/or working in the fields. In fact, even in the 18th century, most Europeans lacked formal schooling—they were either homeschooled or received no education at all. Formal schooling in a classroom did not become common throughout developed countries in the world until the early-mid 19^th century. If you read up on homeschooling, you'll read about John Holt who is considered the father of the modern (1960's) homeschool revolution.

Homeschool Methods:

The beauty and appeal of homeschooling is the flexibility available to the mom and student(s) alike. Homeschool moms can enjoy a variety of approaches including all-in-one curriculum, unit studies, student-paced education, online education, as well as combining education with community resources and educational opportunities in the world around them.

One source said, “Like anything else, homeschooling has its positives and negatives. On the plus side, students aren't exposed to peer pressure and get 1:1 instruction. On the other hand, homeschooled kids miss out on many of the social aspects of school like dances and yummy cafeteria food.”

Homeschool Facts:

According to a 2001 U.S. Census survey, 33% of homeschooling households cited religion as a factor in their choice. The same study found that 30% felt school had a poor learning environment, 14% objected to what the school teaches, 11% felt their children were not being challenged at school, and 9% cited morality.

According to the U.S. DOE's Homeschooling in the United States: 2003, 85 % of homeschooling parents cited "the social environments of other forms of schooling" as an important reason why they homeschool. 72 % cited "to provide religious or moral instruction" as an important reason, and 68 percent cited "dissatisfaction with academic instruction at other schools."

When the NCES asked parents who homeschooled their children for their reason, the most common response was a concern about the environment of schools. Other concerns included a desire "to provide religious or moral instruction" and caring for a child with special needs.

Although in the past homeschooled kids have had a reputation for being a bit socially awkward, their test scores are typically above average. On 1999's SAT, "homeschoolers scored an average 1,083 (verbal 548, math 535), 67 points above the national average of 1,016.

Here is another interesting resource I found on the 10 most important things you need to know about homeschooling: http://www.homeschool.com/articles/mostimportant/default.asp

I found most of this information here:

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/02/09/educating-children-evolution-home-schooling/#ixzz1V1zW8v00

and here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homeschooling

So, Why Choose Homeschooling? Here are a few answers from our Mom experts!

Here is the scoop from Kylee:

• The foremost reason we decided to homeschool our children is to keep them home with me during these early formative years for teaching and character training.  We were told once, "Nobody loves your child like you do." Kind of obvious, but profound.  It helped us decide that the right thing for our family was to keep our children home for the first couple of years of their schooling to get the biblical world view and family grounding we want to impart to them.  It is very much going to be a year-by-year decision for us...we have never had a "Must Home School" outlook. So far we have successfully completed one year of K5!  I had the opportunity to do all three types of schooling growing up, and Jim went to both public and private school, so we have experienced many of the pros and cons of each. Like every family, each of our children are very different, and I'm sure the decision on which type of schooling will vary according to the child. 

Here is the answer from Sue, mother of 5!

• We decided to homeschool b/c I see my role as a mother as missional. I wanted to be able to disciple my kids in these younger years and my husband and I felt like I needed time to be able to do that, as opposing to trying to shove it down their throats at the end of the day. Also, we want to give them the freedom to develop their own individual gifts and talents and interests without the pressure of living up to what is cool/not cool. I also wanted them to enjoy learning, as opposed to just memorizing facts in order to get a 100% on a test, then forgetting it 2 days later (that's what I did to get through school!)

Kimberly, who is homeschooling for the first time this year, had this to say.

• After always sending our girls to Christian school, we have decided to homeschool our 10th and 8th graders. Our primary reason for this decision is to have more control over their schedules and to spend more time with them. Last year, we usually did not get home from school until 4:00 (sometimes later if they had sports or lessons) and then they still had to do homework, music lessons, etc. When my husband came home from work at 8 pm or later, he was disheartened to find the girls often still working to get "things" finished for the next day. Our quality & quantity of time with our girls is quickly passing so we are hoping and praying that this school year will allow us to spend more time as a family, participate in more activities/ministries, and continue to provide a quality, more individualized education

Here is the answer from Amanda, Mother of 4!

• My original reasoning for homeschooling was I wanted to impact my children as much as possible with God's truths during their early years. We had just adopted two older children and we had missed the 'beginning' years of their lives to implement truth and character. I'm not saying that I want my children to grow up in a bubble of Christianity, however, during the small amount of their young impressionable years I wanted to show Christ to them as much as possible. I don't always succeed, sometimes frustration, selfishness, and irritation rule my heart, but with God's grace we make it through the day (sometimes with tears) loving, forgiving each other.

What are some of the greatest benefits of Homeschooling?

Kylee:

• For me, the greatest benefit is the time I can spend with my kids at home.  Anything and everything becomes a teaching moment and I get to witness the "lightbulb of learning" go on.  I can address any character/discipline issues immediately, since I see what comes out of their little hearts pretty much 24/7. 

Sue:

• One of the greatest benefits for us is that I am able to tailor my kids' education to fit their style of learning. Since starting a few years ago, I have discovered that one son struggles with certain aspects of school and I am so thankful I have him home so that he isn't comparing himself with others. Also, it's been good for them to understand that family comes first, and my kids are each other's best friends. 

Amanda:

• I feel the greatest benefit of homeschooling is the flexibility of our schedule. We have been able to take many family vacations throughout the school year and haven't had to worry about "unexcused absences" racking up. We also enjoy hitting the library, grocery store, and parks before all the schools let out.

What are the greatest Challenges of Homeschooling?

Kylee:

• The hardest part is the time I spend with my kids at home!!!  I love getting to enjoy them at home with me, yet days can get long when always on duty as Mom, and adding the "Teacher" hat along with other responsibilities.  School is the priority each day, and I have to discipline my not-so-structured self to prepare and plan and stay on schedule when I'd rather be productive around my home or have time to shop or work on a project.  Plus there are younger children to keep busy while teaching or helping my 1st grader with school. My plan in working through it is to start things out on the right track with a strict schedule...not letting ourselves take days off "just because"...taking care to start at a set time each morning...making sure I prepare the night before.  And I plan to dedicate some one-on-one time to EACH child every morning so the little ones don't get neglected in the home school schedule.

Sue:

• The hardest part for us has been trying to occupy all the little ones running around while still making them feel special and like they're not a nuisance. I haven't solved this problem yet but I've been praying about it a lot. I am hoping to implement a daily schedule/chore program this year which I am hoping will help us all get more accomplished and allow me to have time with each one individually. Another struggle for me has been just the feelings of inadequacy and wondering if I am really doing what's best for my children! Trusting God to use this very weak vessel (me) for His glory.

Kim:

• We are only a couple of days into the process. I am still learning and trying to figure out a routine. Just organizing all the books materials, and DVDs is a chore! In other words, I'm weeble-wobbling between frustrated and overwhelmed, but . . . still expecting good things!

Amanda:

• The hardest part of homeschooling is trying to divide my time between 2 sets of children: those schooling and those too young to school. I'm still working through that but know that using Bob Jones DVD system for both kids will free me up to spend the more time with the little ones. 

Extra Credit:

I asked my homeschool-mom-friends to give me a few of their "favorite things" and I will include those lists here. We would also LOVE to hear from you!

• I chose to use the BJ DVDs because our decision to homeschool was last-minute and our girls are familiar with it. (Exception: the girls will be using Apologia for the Science courses offered at the Co-op that we joined.)We almost used the SCk-12 on-line public program, but it didn't seem to offer the flexibility that we are hoping for. The price tag was sweet though--free with computer included!!
• The Old Schoolhouse Magazine. It has tons of great articles and there are so many different awesome companies that advertise in it so you can get a lot of good ideas for curriculum options.
• The book that absolutely convinced me that I wanted to homeschool is a book called "For The Children's Sake" by Susan Schaeffer Macaulay. It is a book about education and children and it is a resource that I read over and over again. It is so so good.

*So, let's hear from you--the other homeschool experts out there! What are the greatest benefits, what are the greatest challenges you face, and what are some of your favorite resources? We'd love to hear all about it!

Ring Ring...Back to School! What is the RIGHT Schooling Choice for my Child?

“It is what we think we know already that often prevents us from learning.”
~ Claude Bernard

As a student, did you ever wake up in a cold sweat—worried that you had forgotten an important assignment or failed to study for, say, a geometry test? <shudder> Nothing compares to the feeling of being ill-prepared. I have never been a good procrastinator. But whether you thrive on procrastination or whether you like to get all your ducks in a row like me, if you have kids, sooner or later you will have to make an important decision about school. And it's daunting.

If you have never been overwhelmed by the parenting choices you face, if you have only just begun, (Huggies or Pampers, Similac or Enfamil, Gerber or Beech Nut...) then your day is coming. Some pivotal decisions we face as parents are: where to school, how to school, why to school, when to school? Some may think it is an obvious choice, but perhaps it isn't so cut and dry.

From a quick bit of google searchy-searching, I discovered that about 11% of kids (6.1 million) are enrolled in private, including parochial, schools as of 2006. I also found that approximately 1.5 million children are home schooled, and that number is growing. In the span of eight years, home schooling has grown nationally by almost 75%. This leaves about 49.4 million students who attended public elementary and secondary schools in the fall of 2010.

As far as I know, these are our 3 options, and I'm going to attempt to explore them with you this week—mostly to keep my thoughts occupied since my baby is heading off to the big school this year! And since Kylee and I are just getting started in the school biz, I have enlisted a few amazing experts who have several kids in a variety of school settings to share their knowledge with us.

Before we really delve into our mommy testimonials, today I'm going to throw out a quick overview of PRE-school thoughts. We would love to get feedback from you, too!

Have answers.

First of all, if you don't know why you are choosing (or leaning toward) your preferred method of schooling for your child, then you should probably think about it now. When someone asks you “Why did you choose to send your child to ___ school?” it should not be followed by an awkward silence with crickets chirping. I understand that you may never be wholly confident that what you are choosing is the absolute best, you may even have doubts, but year by year and child by child you should have a reflective, intelligent answer for your choice.

In my opinion, it is never OK to send your child to any school, or homeschool, simply by default. For example, choosing to do something because your parents did it and because “I turned out OK!” is probably not a valid reason. My mom-expert-friends were all able to give me wonderfully thoughtful and valid reasons for each of their school choices even though they had placed their kids in 3 different school settings! If you have never really thought about it, or if your kids are still too young for school, it's time to think about it because trust me, it will be here before you know it.

Assume Nothing. Get Educated!

Do you think it is valid to send your child to a certain school or home school out of fear or lethargy? Is it wise to homeschool simply because I am frightened of what they might encounter in a large school setting? The answer from my expert panel revealed that this was not their answer. In another way is it fine to send my child off to school so that I can do what I want without having to create lesson plans at home or worry about grading my own child's schoolwork? None of my mom friends made the decision to send their children to school simply because they didn't want to be stuck with their kids all day or because they worried about scarring them for life.

Don't assume that your friends are homeschooling because they are scared, and don't assume your friends are sending their kids off to school because they are lazy. If you get down to it, that is most likely not the case!

I love what my friend Sue (mommy of 5!) told me here: “We decided to home school a few years ago for some of the earlier years of our kids' schooling. But I just want to make it clear that I don't put God in a box and we don't think He calls all Christian families to home school. Just so that my reasoning doesn't come across as judgmental towards those who have chosen a different path I want to make that absolutely clear!”

Listening to my friends passionately express their reasons behind their schooling decisions has been wonderfully eye-opening, but it also makes our decision to choose that much harder!

Rising above stereotypes.

I want to devote this week to appreciating, respecting and learning from each other.

Kylee and her husband have chosen to homeschool her oldest son. My husband and I have chosen to send our oldest son to our local public school. I respect Kylee's decision, I know that it was made purposely, and I know that her son is receiving a great education and amazing experiences through having Kylee as his primary teacher in their home. In the same way, Kylee respects our decision to send our son to public school. We prayerfully and purposely made our decision as well, after many discussions with family members and mentors.  We will dig deeper into our own decision-making process later this week!

In the end, our response should be that each family is making a decision based on prayer and research, and we should respect their decision. We don't know what next week holds, let alone five to ten years from now. Hopefully none of us says, “I'll never choose THAT route for schooling!” because kids change, circumstances change, and I certainly don't hold a crystal ball to predict what the future holds; I'm assuming you don't either.

As Joe Fox said, "The whole purpose of places like Starbucks is for people with no decision-making ability whatsoever to make six decisions just to buy one cup of coffee. Short, tall, light, dark, caf, decaf, low-fat, non-fat, etc. So people who don't know what they're doing or who on earth they are can, for only $2.95, get not just a cup of coffee but an absolutely defining sense of self." Hopefully in the next few days we will be able to talk through many of the options: Tall. Decaf. Cappuccino--to present the 3 choices, perhaps to clarify your decision, or perhaps to open your perspective to the other moms like you!




**Follow up links to posts:
To Skip Straight to our post on Homeschooling, go HERE. 
To learn more about Public Schooling, go HERE.
For our discussion on Private (Christian) Schooling, go HERE.
And for some final conclusions, go HERE.