Tips for getting your home schooler motivated to read📚

My daughter Lily-rain LOVES to read But even she sometimes needs motivation to read on a regular basis. Some kids cannot stand to read at all and may say that reading is too hard or too boring.

Here are some tips for your young kids to read whether it is to get them to begin reading or to get them to read more!

📚📚📔📚📔📙📔📑📒📓📚📚📗📚📚📚📚📚

1.Make time for reading. If you and your children have super booked schedules and reading is pushed between music lessons and karate reading may seem like a stressful and unwanted chore.

Allow reading to be a relaxing and enjoyable time together. Even just half an hour where it isn’t rushed to get to the next appointment is great!

2.Look for a variety of reading material.Kids often are drawn to the fiction shelves in the library, but don’t stop there! Fiction book are terrific however. There’s everything from easy readers to chapter books that have hundreds of pages. My daughter’s personal favorite is goosebumps although she cannot read it by herself yet we take turns reading them. There are many other genres to consider.Picture books-yes even for older kids—can be sentimental favorites. Joke books, cookbooks, how-to books, graphic novels, and biographies are all great non-fiction possibilities. And kids magazines can be a great out-of-the-box way to encourage a child to read.

3. Make sure the material isn’t beyond your kids reading abilities. The interest may be there, but if the book is hard to read, your child’s motivation may dwindle. With that said trying to find a balance between something that is challenging and interesting enough without being so pass their ability is the goal. Try different “levels books” to get an idea of where they are at or just let them try what they find most interesting.

4.  Set aside a regular read out loud timewith your child! Reading aloud helps your child develop an interest in reading. The younger you start The more likely they will develop a love of books and reading. Choose a variety literature that appeals to your child’s age and interests. Don’t abandon read-aloud time when your children get older. Even kids who know how to read can still enjoy the togetherness of being read to or take turns reading a book as Lily-rain & I do. Don’t forget about audio books either! They can offer another great option for a reluctant reader. Plus it’s something that can be listened to in the car while in between appointments or activities.

5. Read to younger brother or sister! Have your reluctant reader read easy picture books to younger siblings. This provides terrific practice yet it doesn’t feel like work and won’t be so overwhelming that they want to give up.  Plus they may love the fact that they are helping with their little sibling! Lily-rain really likes reading to her baby sister Leilani because she wants to help & enjoys doing things with “her” baby. She’s learning too but doesn’t know it 😁😄💚

6. Let humor or horror work magic! Select a funny or horror (something your kids loves!)book at your child’s reading level and read the first chapter aloud. Then stop reading. If your child wants to find out what happens next, she’ll have to read it herself! 😜

 

7.Provide access to books. Use your public library,visit new or used book sales/books for sale area at the library. Create a home library,attend book swaps. Keep books accessible. When your child decides he wants to read, you want to be sure there’s a book right there! We go to book swaps a couple times a year on our island. It keeps it interesting! She will pick out book she doesn’t want and gets excited to trade them for books she does want.

8. Exhibit a love of reading. When your kids observe you reading and enjoying it they will likely develop a love of reading themselves. 📚📙📘📑

9. Watch the movie first

I know a lot of people prefer the books over the movies.

However for someone who doesn’t enjoy reading or is the reluctant to even try to read watching the movie first may be a good idea then you can read the book and see how different it is from the movie

 

Any tips for helping reluctant readers to read more?

Happy Reading!

Kindergarten Homeschooling in Hawaii

In August my daughter started  homeschool in Hawaii rather than in Arizona. Last year in Arizona she was registered as a homeschooler and was considered it an “early kindergartener” this year she’s a kindergartener. I’m not really sure what the differences is as the educational goals seem to be pretty much the same. Whatever grade she may be registered with focusing on her learning what and however is good for her as she’s actually doing a mix of kindergarten and first grade.                                                   With my husband/Lily-Rain’s dad being in Navy training for 3 months & I’m due with baby number 2 in just a few days the start of kindergarten has been interesting!

Waiting for her dads plane to take off as he leaves for Navy training

Beach day! #Learningallthetime

First week I started teaching a short term class of mom and child(ages 2-5) American sign language with yoga,she’s had her ukulele lessons, hula dance class,beach days,few days playing with friends, a field trip to Bishop Museum( where we did the planetarium,learned about Hawaiian culture, biomechanics,sea animals and volcanoes) with our Co-op,a field trip to Pearl Harbor and started a twice-weekly Montessori Style parent-as-teacher Co-op. I’ll be teaching ASL, art & maybe desert animals with the co-op but not until November.
Plus our own school using Time-4-learning, workbooks/print outs, a couple experiments, puzzles,hands on activities etc. 

Practicing writing her name as well as spelling it using blocks that we can use chalk to write on

Free learning at co-op

Bishop Museum field trip

Bishop Museum field trip

Trip to Pearl Harbor

Field trip to Pearl Harbor

Writing her first letter to her dad

Mainly focusing on
Practicing writing(especially since now she can write letters to her dad while he’s gone) more,reading/spelling,learning about the earth and solar system as a whole,art and adding in more math.  Although she actually knows quite a bit math seems to be her least favorite thing so trying to make it more fun with addition/subtraction math puzzles with using popsicle sticks as a visual, skip counting activities, money and cooking.

Counting by 10’s sticks

She even prepared the tofu by pressing it, adding the sauce and seasoning,cut it up and then the next day cooked it! 

Time4Learning and Science4us seem to be her favorites! She looks forward to doing each subject & module. Simple to use and she enjoys learning with it.  Of all the programs we’ve tried I think this one we will the stick with! 

She got really bored with the language arts and math after a few weeks so we changed it to first grade last week and now she’s absolutely loving it!
Fully engaged and loves showing me and telling me what she’s learned after. 

One of the first science4us module she did all about scientific tools

Mixed with dance class, Beach days,random science experiments,lots of reading and crafts, trips to various museums, local cultural events(including a hula Festival & history of Queen Liliuokalani) twice weekly Montessori Co-op it’s becoming a very fun busy school year! 

Sand turtle

Hey ukulele classes are over until November but still practicing

Hula class

At the Montessori Co-op she’s learned a lot about sharks digestive system,axial skeleton, differences between living plants and animals among a lot of other things over the last few weeks. 

Montessori style Co-op

Learned about the axial skeleton at Montessori

Doing connect the dots during free time at Co-op

Different Fabrics

So far we have kind of a schedule going on throughout the week with Sunday tending to be the most structured

Although with the new baby coming within the next week or so and needing to do a lot of things with becoming a Navy family in the next couple of weeks anything close to a schedule is going to be going out the window lol.
We’ll probably end up winging it doing what can be done at any given time and day.
For now though we’re just going to enjoy everything before it gets too crazy. 

Ribbon dancing

How to Homeschool science

Science! Exciting word or scary?

I know some people think of science as very complicated or dull. That it is just math, unpronounceable names, and periodic table of elements. And it can be however Science is SO much more than that. 

Science is all around in our daily life. 

What you’re doing right now is because of science! There are so many types of science too Oceanography,Geology, Meteorology,Zoology, Human biology, Botany, physical sciences like physics and psychology sciences and many more. 
As homeschoolers science may seem like an impossible subject to do. But you can teach homeschool science. It can simply be incorporated into your family’s life. 

Maybe once you find a way that shows how simple, fascinating & fun science actually is, you might even grow to appreciate and enjoy science(at any age/level) which can rub off on your kid/s. And watching your child excited and really into science is a great feeling! 

Easy ways to get started with Homeschool science:

Start Simple
Depending on the “grade” level of your child,what they know,how they learned it’s probably best to start with something easier

Don’t start out with a complicated curriculum that will take a lot of preparation,supplies and pre-understanding. That can discourage both them from learning,enjoying and understanding and you from feeling okay with teaching it. 

Decent book we first tried from the library then got one from a Facebook group for $2.

Just start out with something simple even if it seems too easy. You can always advance to more difficult areas of science.
This year(so far at least) we have been doing easy experiments from experiment books at the library.  Also bought a couple at used book sales. Book stores,book exchange, Amazon etc are all other places to pick up science experiment books. 

These books tend to have hand-on activity and a short explanation of the concepts behind the experiments. 

Until she’s older that is good enough. Of course when Lily-Rain wants to learn more we check out YouTube or library again for more about whatever subject she wants to know more about. 
Another easy science option is getting a all-in-one curriculum. 

All you’ll need is right in there. Most of the time the experiments from the curriculum only need small simple supplies you may already have at home so you shouldn’t need to buy a lot of extras

Go Outside! 
My favorite way to teach homeschool science is to leave the house lol. 

Just step into your yard,the park,beach,forest and BOOM nature study!

 Weather, soil, plants, insects,animals/birds….it’s all science! Astronomy is great too- study sun,earth’s rotation, stars etc.
Wherever you go really all you need is to observe.  

We have a “outside science pack” with a few items we might need
°binoculars

°magnifying glass 

°A jar or small bags for collection °sketch pad

°pencils

°°°°And my phone°°°°

 Because looking up right then and there what type of flower that is or what that type of fish eats is amazing! She is still super excited and curious so retains information. A lot more then I thought too- weeks later she will randomly tell me why the leaves are different colors! 

Then back at home figure out what your child was most interested in or dive deeper into what you looked up while out and find out more with books,YouTube videos, museums etc 

Bishop museum in Honolulu

Learning constellations in a Planetarium

 

Learn with them! 

Having college degrees don’t always mean much. I have collage degrees including one each in Biology(B.S) and psychology (B.A) and I still learn so much right along with my daughter every day.  No matter what education you have you can still learn a lot.

When I don’t know an answer, she will see me look it up or we look it up together. Watching mom/dad/teacher actively learning is such a great thing for them! Letting kids see you learning and enjoying the process of curiosity, research & learning new things teaches helps them see how to be life long learners.That’s important because there is always more to learn even after they are “school age”As I’m sure many homeschooling parents can attest to! 😂😄 Homeschooling in general is not only a good way to teach/show science (and every subject/life skill) at home, but is an opportunity to teach kids to love to learn so that they become lifelong learners!

 

Join A homeschool Co-op

Co-ops are wonderful ways for homeschooled kids to learn from different parents or others that may be able to teach science (and TONS of other topics) in a lot of ways,lots of hand on activities or at different places like museums or even “behind the scenes” somewhere.

Try An Online/DVD Course
Whether you teach it just yourself,by a curriculu,co-op or a mix consider an online course or DVDs. There are lots of good options available in most areas of science. Both paid online classes and plenty of free classes are out there.

Human body (biology) DVD

*microsoft education community has free live video classes on a lot of subjects including science.

*coursera is free unless you want a certificate of completion. 

*Khan Academy

*Great courses /plus 

*Great Courses Plus is a video on demand site. 
Are just a few that I know of off the top of my head  I know there’s a lot out there people my co-op have quite a few.

Microsoft and Khan Academy my daughter uses on a regular basis.

Khan Academy astronomy

Coursera course I am doing to learn about the solar system since my daughter is loving learning about it.

These type of courses/videos allow your child to get instruction from someone else, but you have control of the grading and any experiments. This supplement will take some pressure and stress off of you on science or any other subject you’re not 100% comfortable with doing by yourself. 

A monthly science club kit

There are a few including from Amazon and the magic school bus among others. They usually have a different topic each month and include supplies for an experiment and a book/pages explaining the what and how. You can also buy single kits online we got a magic school bus science kit from Walmart. 

 Starting in August (month before I’m due with baby #2!) we will be starting the magic school bus one since Lily-Rain loves the show and hopfully either Amazon STEM or little passports. 

Great to add to your homeschooling especially if eclectic like us! 

Choose the method/s that fit your kid/s style, how you teach and have fun learning! 

Photo from Magic island on Oahu Hawaii 5/7/17

Our Homeschool mission statement & my reasons for home education

Our Homeschooling statement

We homeschool in order to allow Lily-Rain to explore the world we live in,study in depth what she is interested in, be creative, develop critical thinking skills,learn life skills,develop/keep a lifelong love of learning and most importantly to be a compassionate person to humans, animals & nature.  
We do this so that she can discover her own passion while developing life traits.

She will be able to develop these skills/traits in a learning environment personalized to her (changing) styles, ever growing and changing interests, and skills with a strong emphasis on life learning. 

As a mom I treat Lily-Rain with the respect she deserves as a person,don’t speak down to her,talk things through together and value my loving connection with her.

I am dedicated to this home education environment through research,connecting with others, daily life learning, and attention to the ever changing wants, needs,passions & desire of Lily-Rain

Homeschooling…..the reasons its awesome 
1. No comparison to other kids their age and no judgement if they don’t meet a certain standard  Pretty much everyone want to be accepted.  Without the continual comparison afforded by being in school all day,most of the year kids are more free to be themselves regardless if they fit the “norms” of other children their age. 
2. Time to explore interests at great length if wanted. With the one-on-one style of the homeschool environment, kids are generally able to focus on what they are passionate about/ allows more time for exploring interests.
3.  One-on-one teaching.  One-on-one teaching allows individualized interaction that meets kids where they are at allowing them to go ahead or stay on a topic longer if necessary. 
4.  Lots of time to play! Rather then their days spent at school & nights doing homework with many schools getting rid of recess that young kids truly need.  They can enjoy their childhood. Seriously though young kids learn SO much through play- indoors & outdoors

Watching fireworks at a nearby Lagoon

5.  Lots of interaction with others not in their age group.  OMG socialization?! 

 Kids who are socialized by all ages- younger, same age,older kids adults and elderly are exposed to much more richer experiences.
6.  Lots of opportunities during the day to do what you want/need. No day is the same in the homeschool. Taking field trips are a natural progression of the homeschool lifestyle.

Getting ready to go to hula class

7.  Learn at their own pace.  We homeschool with mastery in mind.  If a child doesn’t quite understand something we can review or skip and return to it so that topic is learned not just remembered because they think they have to.   

Or if they are learning quickly you can move on to other topics or tougher levels.
8. Critical thinking  Homeschooled kids tend to think more independently. They can be independent thinkers,question what is told & be better able to discern truth.
9.  Individualized education means less boredom and you can teach in whatever why that kid learns best. 
10.  Work for real learning not for grades,not remembering for a test. More for a foundation for a love of lifelong learning Homeschooling can often instill a love of learning.

Homeschooling is good for homeschooling parents too 
11.  Can really know their kids. Hard as that as that can be sometimes, being around our kids all day long does afford us a unique view of their true selves
12.  Can teach with the methods that work for each child.  Freedom of using/trying different teaching methods is not only good for everyone and brings more enjoyable teaching/learning
13.  Can teach with real life!.  It’s hard to raise animals in a classroom,learn to fix a car,to budget or to do many of the hands-on projects that homeschooled families can do. Being able to go to say the beach/out on a boat to learn about the ocean or ocean animals is amazing

Making homemade lip balm with a kit using soy wax

Being able to see how pineapples grow

14.  Can teach with interest-led learning.  The best way I think. A much more likely to not just pay attention but absorb so much more if they are truly interested. Lily-Rain loves learning about the body! Knows the digestive system very well already. It wasn’t a planned topic but she asked about it, became very interested in it and is learning a ton very quickly. 
15.  Can learn together! Whether that be the mom/ dad learns along with the kid or an younger sibling learns alongside the older one. 
16.   Teaching things like compassion and kindness towards others and sharing is part of the daily homeschool life
17.  Able to be with kid all day and not leave them in someone else’s care. Yeah yeah I know that there are some amazing teachers out there. That’s great! Not everyone may agree but I believe that no one loves and cares for the all around well-being of my child like I do. 
18. Experience the “firsts”   

Not just first steps etc but reading their first word/book etc
19.  Let’s us as patents to grow in knowledge.  I have learned so much already from homeschooling my daughter with much more sure to come. 

20.  No stressed rushed mornings trying to get everyone out the door to go to school making sure they have their homework backpack lunch etc.
21. Kids insights and ideas can be inspiring and it will surprise you! 
22.  Seeing them light up when they really GET something or get really into a subject and knowing that it was you who taught them.
23. Kids can learn to cook,to fix broken things in the house,cleaning car maintenance life things that is good for everyone to know at least some about. 
24.  Can create our own schedules that work for our family.

  From daily schedules to winging it non-schedules homeschooling allows us to structure their days/ weeks/years that fits with how life currently is
25.  Can transfer family values and beliefs. For some that may be religious beliefs. For us it’s our view towards animals, then environment, kindness towards people regardless of any differences etc. 
26.  Limits negative influences. People can be a negative influence no matter what. Whether you  homeschool,public school,charter, online or private school can’t stop ALL things negative.  But homeschooling has more freedom to choose who your kids/ family will spend time with….. or not.
27. A safe learning environment.  With the increase in bullying, substance abuse, school shootings etc homeschooling provides a safe environment for our kids to learn and grow up. Again like with negative influences you can’t stop everything however it is nice to limit what’s around
28.   Kids have a natural sense of wonder.  Homeschooling allows not just the kid but families to explore new things together and possibly find a new talent or passion. 
29. Homeschooling means parents are available for the kids. Parents can be ‘there’ for their kids when they need to talk. Given with any relationship it can vary greatly. 
30.  Students can study a wider variety of subjects than is offered in  traditional school. 
31.  More in depth studies.  When something in of particular interest it can be studied in depth for as long as desired.  
32.  Everyday life is all about learning. Trips to the grocery store,fixing the house/car, caring for babies/ younger kids,budgeting, preparing meals etc. Regular life is learning! 
33.  Kids learn to think, discuss,ask lots of questions and explore thoughts without worry they will be laughed at or ignored.

34.  Creativity is encouraged & outside the box thinking is encouraged.
35.  Get help when/if you need it.   learning disabilities and other issues can be ignored in public schools or misdiagnosed.

 If there is something you need help with you as a family can do it with a focus on helping the kid
36.  Use different types of curriculum styles of teaching that work.  If something isn’t working  change it!   
37.  Taking breaks when needed.   some days my daughter can work hours other days she gets frustrated really easily and needs a break. Beauty of homeschooling kids are not forced to just deal with it. 
38.  Can be taught with compassion! A big one for us.

 

39.  No getting lost in the system/left behind.Mom and/orDad know exactly where their kids are in every aspect of life and how they are doing every day.
40.  Sleeping/school schedules. There has been research showing that many  kids today are not getting enough sleep. Homeschooling allows for plenty of sleep as well different school schedules. My daughter prefers afternoon and evening other kids might love working in the early morning. 
41.  Stay home when sick without missing assignments.
42.  Eating healthier foods is easier! Plus kids can help with shopping preparation cooking etc. 
43.  School can be done outside! Even doing a workbook at a park, beach or back yard can be a great change of pace. Plus  Vitamin D! 

Random Reasons homeschooling is awesome
1.  Can do school in pjs
2.  Can do school with pets/More time to care for and play with pets
3.  Lots of family time.
4.  No homework 
5.  No uniforms or other clothing pressures.
6.  Taking “field trips” to the beach when it is hot..,.even when it is a schoolday.
7.  Birthdays are school holidays. Whether it’s their birthday a friend’s birthday or a family members. 
8.  Field trips whenever you want! Museums,hiking,out to the desert,park,beach/lagoon Planetarium whatever. 

Hosting Homeschool Co-op

​Hosting a little homeschooling co-op about all body aimed at Kindergarten/pre-k age event over the next few weeks. 

First one was on January 26 about bones & lungs. Had some handouts, poster board, read a few pages from a zombies guide to the human body, they asked questions pretty simple but they enjoyed it and learned. Who got to do with it magic Island this great little Beach,park & lagoon in Honolulu. 

For the bones the kids put together a life-size kids skeleton puzzle and then everyone to attend laying down next to it to see who was the same size bigger or smaller than it.

For the lung activity they used straws and balloons for them to visualize how the lungs inflate and deflate as we inhale and exhale.

 

Also spent a lot of time dancing and stretching to show what joints can do for us and how the lungs work harder when you’re exercising.    

Learning through playing

​The perks to homeschooling is to be able to have fun in life and learn through it.

This past week she learned to boogie board

Boogie boarding

Boogie boarding with a friend

 learned what animals eat algae off the rocks

structure support/ having a good foundation when building something.

Building a house out of vegan gummy candies and toothpicks

Learned about bones & the brain

She did science experiments to learn about the three types of water (solid liquid and gas),how to press & cook tofu, learned to read & sign new words, practice upper and lowercase letters

Made a simple matching game to help her practice big and little letters

….. but most importantly she practiced conflict resolution, being polite/ using manners, sharing/taking turns,got creative while doing crafts, a love of nature and animals, cleaned up the beach three separate times”so fishes don’t get sick”,losing gracefully, remembering bus numbers to go to different places & made new friends. 

Some things cannot easily be taught in “normal” public school.  

Between the kids she plays with at the beach, the friends she plays with throughout the week and kids at Co-op she learns more through simply playing then our regular structured learning of books & online supplement work. Both are very important to us but understanding how much she is learning from life is amazing. 

Is one more important than the other ?

Not really. Not for us anyhow. 

YES learning to read, count, spell,learning history or what photosynthesis is Etc is important but basic human decency like being nice to others and cleaning up the environment is just as important. Not to mention life skills that they learn through life like cooking, cleaning, gassing up a car or changing a tire. Simple things that everyone needs to know but isn’t taught in school 

Don’t underestimate the power of play! 
Also this week found out that I’m 6 weeks pregnant!! 😍😍

Day I had my ultrasound 😀 going to spend most of this pregnancy making sure I stay fit and healthy. And that includes swimming in the ocean a few times a week!

So now she is obsessed with how the baby is growing and how the baby eats. 

Homemade popsicle stick letter matching game

​Made popsicle stick game to match upper & lower case letters.

Super simple to make all you need is:

• 52 popsicle jumbo sticks (26upper/26 lower case)
• Acrylic paint in any two colors you want
• Black Sharpie /permanent marker
• And paint brushes 

What to do:

1. Paint 26 popsicle sticks one color wait for them to dry 
2. paint the other 26 popsicle sticks 
3. The first set should be dry by now 
4. Write  A through Z letters in uppercase with the  permanent marker
5. When second set is done write lowercase letter

When they are all done mix them up and have your child match the upper case letter to the lower case letter. 

An easy and fun way for them to learn the difference between upper and lowercase letters! 

Colourful Oil and water science experiment

​Little science experiment about oil and water…. Blue like the ocean 

She’s super amazed  that it doesn’t mix when she shakes it lol 

To make this classic kindergarten science experiment you’ll need:

1. water
2. cooking oil (we used olive oil, but vegetable would work well whatever you have)
3. food colouring. We did blue like the ocean. 
4. large bottle or jar. 2 liter soda pop bottles,sports drinks bottles,jam/sauce jars (all without the labels) We used a spaghetti sauce jar

• Fill bottle 1/2-3/4 with water
• Add food coloring
• Add oil 
• Put the lid on and turn upside down there’s absolutely beautiful to watch it in action Lily-rain loved it!

It looks like it separates for a moment and then little drops of oil join together with other drops of oil until all the oil settles on top. 
 

The more you turn/shake the bottle, the more the bubbly the ocean becomes.  Set your it down occasionally to let the bubbles settle and then start all over again 😀😀.

Oil and water don’t mix – they are described as “immiscible” but WHY? 

Oil is a slippery liquid that burns- is combustible.

Water molecules are polar. A science word meaning they have a small positive charge at one end and a small negative charge at the other end.  And they like stick to each other. 

Oil molecules are non-polar. Meaning they have no charge!. Because of that oil is more attracted to each other than to water molecules, and water molecules are more attracted to each other than to oil molecules. 

Water=water not water =oil

Oil=oil  not oil=water
Why does Oil floa 

The oil floats on top of the water because it is less dense.

A spoonful of oil weighs less than a spoonful of water. 

Homeschooling on a budget

​I love homeschooling my daughter and I will admit I go a little overboard on everything I think we NEED. 

If you are able to homeschool or think you possibly can’t because of financial limits here are some tips for homeschooling on a budget, so your family can enjoy those overall benefits without adding more money stress

Dollar stores & the cheap area at Target are great! Educational games, money learning kit,workbooks,flash cards etc for $1-$5

#1. Curriculum share
Team up with other homeschooling parents to share the cost of a certain curriculum. Sharing curriculum can help save lots of money overtime. This works best if you choose to share curriculum with students who are about the same age as yours. 

You can also share cost of online education such as Time-4-learning or star fall and each share login info. One person gives the other part of the cost-  whether that be monthly or yearly. 

   There are online groups to help you out if you can’t find a local curriculum share group groups (Facebook groups are great!)  like Homeschool Buyers/sellers & trade or Co-Op groups.
#2. Use the Internet
Not everything you use in your homeschooling curriculum has to be in physical printed form.

Use the Internet to help with lots of  educational resources.

 You can use Pinterest &  YouTube has a wealth of homeschool videos  on most any subject!

#3. Trade curriculum
There are tons of online trading groups on Facebook where you can trade your current curriculum for what you need for future use. 

(Like trading you kindergarten curriculum for first grade or trade for curriculum on a subject like phonics or biology)
#4. Do it the app & site way
There are still tons of curriculum choices to be purchased through eBay,Craigslist,Offerup,letgo and others.

If you find what you want at a book fair,teaching store or just saw someone else using it come home and check craigslist, offerup and the Facebook homeschool selling groups.
5. Create your own
If you have the time/creativity/desire then consider creating your own homeschooling “curriculum”!

I love to put together our studies on subjects my daughter is currently interested in- currently clouds/rain & human body biology

Using printables,videos/DVDs,books from library, books we already have,museums,nature etc. 

#6. Always buy used
I get that sometimes you can’t always find used versions of a particular homeschooling item that you want. However if you can buy used as often as you can.
#7. Take care of your items
The items you use for homeschooling will last longer the better they are taken care of(plus its better for later if you sell or trade it!) . Make sure you take care of your items to the best of your ability and encourage your child to do the same. laminating say writing practice sheets is good because it then turns a one-and-done page into a dry erase page 
#8. Attend a CO-OP
So many positive things come from homeschooling co-ops. It’s a great way to meet new people and save money on part of your homeschooling fees.

 Attending a CO-OP means you get the opportunity to give your time and knowledge in exchange for someone else giving theirs- I’ll teach cooking or biology you teach environmental science or gardening then all the kids are leaning many different subjects in different ways. 

 You a  can benefit greatly from a homeschool co-op. For field trips you can normally get a group discount and/or a more in-depth tour (such as a private tour of a museum or behind the scenes at a factory) 

Its also a great way to get kids having fun while learning from different people. 

9. Plan ahead
For some if you map out your homeschooling plan to know exactly what’s going to happen down the road you’ll have a better idea of what you need & therefore spend less (oooooo look shinny new book on desert animals! But…we’re studying ocean animals.) 

By planing early it gives you time to find good deals rather then scrambling to get what’s needed WHEN its needed. But planing ahead doesn’t work for everyone & may end up just making things more stressful. It depends on you! 
#10. Get creative
Having a budget is something most everyone has and it can suck at times….but don’t be afraid to be creative with your homeschooling budget!

 Use pasta sauce jars for science experiments,print off pages rather then by the book,learn without a curriculum plants in a forest/planets at the Space Museum etc 

Learning how pineapples are grown & different types of pineapple at the Dole Plantation

Watercolor painting during family day at Honolulu Museum of Art

#11 Back-to-school sale stock up.
In late July when most major stores start their back-to-school sales is the best time to stock up for a good year! Pens,pencils, notebooks, folders,report covers etc for much less then what you’d pay in October. 

Packs of pencils for $.25? By a dozen or more whatever you think will last you for a long time. Check for coupons or app discounts to save even more. 

Tornado in a jar science project

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Tornado in a jar science

Ignite your child’s curiosity about the weather-mainly tornado’s with this fun and simple science craft.

 They will get to see what a tornado looks like up close and personal as you create your very own tornado in a jar!

Started the morning with 4 jars now only 2 left lol homeschool problems

Tornado In  A Jar

In salsa jar we mixed in yellow and blue food coloring

What you will need:

1. Glass Jar- we used pasta sauce jar and a salsa jar
2. 1 tsp Dish Soap
3.  tsp Vinegar
4. Glitter
5. Food coloring- optional
6. Water- plain tap water is fine.

Instructions: 
Step 1: Fill a jar with water.
Step 2: Add in the dish soap and vinegar to the jar.

Step 3: Sprinkle in glitter and food coloring if using

Step 4: Screw on a lid. Swirl! Swirl! Swirl! And stare at mezmorized! 

In pasta sauce jar no food coloring