Homeschool Learning Apps
Socorro Henson
Do you remember the first time those little eyes peered up at you, pleading for you to read them a book? Or how fascinated your kids were with seeing new things and asking five billion questions about them?
He and Noah spent a great deal of time talking about the esophagus, the stomach, the small and large intestine, and, yes, even poop. The next day during playtime, Noah drew a picture of the digestive system and brought it to his dad. (Enter proud parent moment we all long for.)
Although the kids at this table were 7, 10, 13, and 14, I doubt a high school level history class could have rivaled our discussion. They were filled with the energy and excitement of actually seeing how the history of their country unfolded.
We have school every day because we love it. Sometimes we get out workbooks. Sometimes we catch crayfish in the creek and diagram them because we want to. Some days we tour a historic city. And still other days we read a billboard and talk about how to view it in light of our worldview. All of these things are equally valuable and impactful.
Books are tools to help us gain information, but sometimes they are treated as the ONLY source of good information. Nothing could be further from the truth. Allow your child to read authentic books about everyday heroes, historical game-changers, and amazing places. But also allow them to experience as much as possible through field trips, museums, websites, and any other means you can think of.
One way we do this is by keeping a Reading Journal instead of having a formal reading curriculum. As soon as my kids are strong readers (usually about 2nd grade), I let them move out of a reading curriculum and into the Reading Journal where they can decide what they will read about. Each day, they complete 10-15 minutes worth of higher-level thinking about what they read and then they can spend the rest of the time enjoying it.
Learning about the lives of missionaries has become a regular occurrence in our house because their lives matter to us. Their faith and strength in hard times is an example we need. We learn about their lives in many ways, including books and PureFlix videos. I even wrote a study (To Every Nation) to go along with the books because we loved them so much. Just remember to ask your kids if they are interested before you dive in, deal?
This was helpful! I want to have an environment that promotes a love of learning. I struggle with knowing how to do that while getting four different children to get their basics done. Any ideas of what this looks like on a daily and regular basis?
Outside of math, my main concern is this: If we major on mostly what they are interested in now, we might utterly miss other things that they might love and be gifted in but know nothing about at present. How do you deal with this? I feel a tremendous responsibility to expose them to new things (in a sane way) for this reason, but also to help them become well-rounded people.
Kim it would be great if you could do a post on what your plans are for your 14 yo. My daughter will be entering 9th grade next year, technically, and currently has no interest in college and really is not sure what she wants to do with her future. Not quite sure how to combine stuff laid out in this article with encouraging her to start figuring her future goals out.
Love your post. When you say reading and math is the most important for younger kids, where does grammar fit in? I would love to really focus on the Bible as that is his priority and then math and reading. How necessary is it at this age to teach nouns, verbs, and punctuation?
As far as the other things, I LOVE my brothers keeper and we've done it twice over the past year or two. I recommend it all the time on so many groups online. I type notconsumed.com almost daily somewhere on something. At times I will come across another resource you have created and it's like you are in my head. So much of what you create is exactly what I want but am not techy enough to do! I had googled a checklist for homeschooling recently and yours popped up. It was exactly the simple thing I wanted. I told my husband that you "get me" when I found it. :) I ended up buying it then hearing about the course and did that too. Even as a veteran homeschool mom I learned a few things from your course. I really love how you foster independence in your kids in stages. Again, exactly what I want to do!
Thanks for sharing a piece of your family. Your blog is, honestly, the only one I have ever subscribed to. I feel like I'm on the phone with a girlfriend every time I read your words. I love it! I often find myself spending hours clicking from one post to the next telling myself, "okay, one more and then go to bed!" It's all just so helpful!
I've been following your blog for a couple years and I have enjoyed participating in your free bible studies/devotions as well as those I've purchased from you. I just wanted to let you know that you've made such a positive impact in my spiritual and home school life, as well as support and encouragement for motherhood. Thank you for being such a blessing to so many moms.
I just want to write and let you know that my 13-year-old daughter loves, love, loves everything I have ever ordered from you and says that she wants your entire inventory of bible studies for her next birthday!
I wanted to write to encourage you and say, "THANK YOU!" I've been following your blog for years, and you have made such a lasting impression on my entire family. We've purchased many of your Bible Studies and a few other wonderful homeschooling resources, all of which we absolutely love!!! Still, I believe the greatest compliment I can give you is that because of your Bible Studies that my children and I have completed together, my oldest daughter has been so inspired, she's started creating her own daily devotionals, modeled after the ones you've made. They are absolutely precious (in her own little 12-year old way), and she prints one off each morning for our entire family to complete during our quiet time. When she finishes her first "study" (which is on the Fruits of the Spirit by the way), she plans to print a set to hand out to her small group at church. To see my daughter take ownership of her faith in this way and to bless others with a deeper study of God's Word is a precious gift to me, and I can't thank you enough for your inspiration and positive influence!
I want to thank you for your transparency and dedication to blessing families with resources. Thank you for the life giving words that I read over and over. I cling to the hope I see in your story. Not only did you help me work through things that had happened, you prepared me for a situation that could have consumed me. God used your encouragement to strengthen me. I was so beaten down, discouraged, and tired from the long and difficult path I had been walking. It was a refreshing rain in the middle of a weary road, and it made me hope for a future that is victorious.
What an encouragement your words have been to me! The practical tips and realistic systems that you share are so super helpful, but what I have appreciated the most has been your genuine heart for the Lord and for the things of the Lord. What I sense through your words is a heart submitted to the Lord, clinging to Him instead of to bitterness. Walking a path that you never signed up for, painfully aware of your brokenness and inadequacies, but keeping your eyes focused on the only Giver of Life. You have a testimony of victory, of overcoming, Kim. Your life-giving words boast of the faithfulness of a God who hears and sees and knows and provides and comforts. A God who doesn't change.
Thank you for creating the monthly Scripture pages... especially the KJV one! It's the only Bible I use and hardly any bloggers use it on their stuff. I also really appreciate the products that you provide. I really appreciate the insights, laughter, and thoughtfulness put into your blog, emails, Facebook posts, etc.
I just ordered and am in the process of printing out so many of your amazing resources and I can't wait to get started! Your bible studies are incredible and so thoughtful, your planner is wonderfully laid out and your breakfast and lunch stations will save me so much time!! I don't know how you do it all, but I'm thankful you do!
Ever since the pandemic hit the world, there has been a drastic change in the educational environment. Many parents have been resorting to homeschooling not just for the safety of their kids but also because it is a highly effective option too. All across the country, interest in homeschooling is way up.
With thousands of apps for homeschooling on the market, it can no doubt get really overwhelming to choose one. But worry not, as we curated 12 of the best homeschooling apps available out there in 2023.
Hooked On Phonics is the name parents and educators trust for teaching kids how to read and build their literacy skills. With a proven track record extending more than 30 years, Hooked On Phonics is truly the gold standard for education excellence.
The app gives you access to a complete phonics program, starting from the basics and progressing to more advanced levels. It covers reading, writing, and spelling, ensuring a holistic language learning experience.
Hooked On Phonics keeps young learners engaged and excited to learn with interactive activities, fun games, and interesting stories. These activities are designed to be fun and captivating, making learning an enjoyable experience.
HOMER is a personalized learning app designed to help kids fall in love with learning. There are over 1,000 learning activities across all subjects, and the content is tailored to your child's age and interests.
With its advanced web filtering technology, parents can easily customize and restrict access to inappropriate websites, ensuring that their children are protected from harmful content while browsing the internet, tailoring the level of content filtering to suit their age and maturity.
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