House of Learning

I finally feel like I am mostly organized and ready for this fall, finally! It has taken a ton of prep time, and there is still more prep work to do, but I now have a system for my home and that feels good. Since school has started the kids have been learning a ton. However, I wanted to be able to focus on some specific areas while at home and get a good mix of media to teach them. So these charts were my solution.

Each chart has the child's name. Down the left side are the subjects that I want them to focus on learning each week and along the top I have 5 different ways to learn. The subjects include reading, scriptures, piano, math and coloring. The media tools include: Mom pick, computer, TV/CD, Hands-on/Game, and Worksheet. The night before they fill in one box from each row with the letter for the day. After they complete their task they color in the square. By the end of they week all the squares will be colored in. Also on the very bottom of the charts I have broken down a chore for each child to do. These will rotate weekly. For now I have each child pick what part of the chore they would like to do that day. I am hoping that they will see that they can do just a little every day and get something big done.

Some of the things they are doing are new things that I have found recently.

The kids have learned different notes on the piano and how to play Hot Cross Buns.

They also made their own paper pianos... this is #2 Boy's

They have also used a lot of the different activities that I have collected throughout the years.

They also want to do learning activities on their own time. One day #2 Boy made puppets and letters out of popsicle sticks.

#1 Girl told me she wanted to make all the letters in the alphabet.

#2 Boy and #3 Girl read about a boy that could draw with his toes and decided to give it a try.

#2 Boy drew and named some of his favorite people

We have also made a couple more foam creations... though I must say they are harder than they look!

#1 Girl and her castle

#3 Girl with her farm

I have also put together a menu plan again which includes a weekly Pizza Night and a Kid Friendly Night in which the kids get to help make dinner.... Or.. as you can see below have a pre-dinner snack! I am pretty sure there was PLENTY of pepperoni on the pizza and even more in their mouths.

With all this learning comes very tired kids. #4 Boy hasn't wanted to take his naps during the day since he often falls asleep for a 15 minutes drive on the way home from different activities but by 5 pm he is either sleeping or asking for bed.

But, it's not only the kids that are exhausted. Come Sunday you might find us catching a few Z's also.