Microwave Puffy Paint

We found this idea in Family Fun Magazine and the kids loved it.  They ask to do it all of the time.




Here they are in the bowls we made 4 colors.  The kids just painted it on the paper.




Then we microwaved it for 20 seconds and there you go, a 3D art project.



Before and after above.






The recipe is made of:
1 Tablespoon Flour
1 Tablespoon Salt
1 Teaspoon Baking powder
2 Tablespoons + 1-2 teaspoons Water
Several drops of food coloring of different colors.


You can have lots of fun with the colors and talk about mixing colors to make new ones.  You can see above Isabella was trying to make a new color, it is called pea soup.   

These paints work best on heavier paper, like card stock.  We started out on little index cards, they are the perfect size for experimenting.  We used paint brushes, or you can use q-tips as well.  If the paint does not look “done” after 20 seconds on high, put the painting back in for 10 second intervals until they are not goopy any longer.

Happy Puffy Painting!!

Jeannie

#1 Homeschooling Tip

We just finished our first official day of school.  I prepared and planned for weeks before hand hoping to have a great year.  Yesterday I had a novel idea.  Why not prepare with pray also?  So, starting last night I started praying for my patience and self-control as well as their cooperation. 

Well, we had a great day.  They cooperated and I didn’t lose my temper.  God is good all of the time and all of the time God is good.  Especially when we talk with Him about our struggles and fears. 

My number one Homeschooling tip:  Pray, pray, pray some more and then maybe two more times.

So, 6:00am tomorrow morning, guess what I will be doing.  I am sure there will still be bumps in our road but maybe my attitude will be better for it all, with God’s grace.

Also, if you could continue to pray for my niece.  It is just not looking good for that sweet little girl.  We actually need a gigantic miracle.   Her parents sure do need God’s wisdom right now.  Thank you in advance.

Jeannie

Our Homeschool Curriculum

This year we are using My Father’s World as a core for all three of the kids.

Kindergarten-Jacob

Bible- My Father’s World-AWANA click to find an AWANA near you.

Phonics- My Father’s World
Math- My Father’s World
Science- Adventures- My Father’s World From Isabella’s Curriculum.
History- He will sit through the History lessons given to Isabella.
Latin-Song School Latin
 









2nd Grade-Isabella

Bible-My Father’s World Adventures-AWANA click to find an AWANA near you.

History/Geography-MFW Adventures
Science-MFW Adventures with a little of my own added.
English-Primary Language Lessons-MFW
Spelling-Spelling by sound and structure-MFW
Math-Singapore Math 2a and 2b

Writing-We may add Cursive First this year.  I want to straighten up our oldest in his hand writing so we will be using this for him. (pray for me:). So, I may include her as well, while she works on her spelling.

Latin-Song School Latin along with Jacob



High School-11th grade-Zach


Bible-MFW Ancient History and Literature-this program is recommended 9th-12th.  This was a good fit because he had already done 2 years of U.S. History and will do World History and Government next year.

History-MFW Ancient History and Lit.
Language Arts-MFW Ancient History and Lit.

Science-DIVE Physics and Chemistry This is recommended for 9th grade, Dive is much more advanced than the public school and so to make sure he is ready for Chemistry next year, I wanted to really work on it this year.  This is one of the reasons I love homeschooling.  When a child is lacking in one area or another, we don’t just glaze over it and hope he catches it later.  We stop and spend a little more time refining their skills, before moving on.  P.S. He did DIVE Biology last year and loved it.


Math-DIVE Algebra 2

Writing-Cursive First, which is ironic.  We are actually doing this last in his school writing experience but sometimes it makes sense to go back and make things right.

Foreign Language- He has one year of German.  We are still trying to figure out what he is doing to finish up his second year.  He may even do another language the next two years.

I hope you all have a great school year this year, whether you homeschool or have kids that go to a school.  God Bless you all!
Jeannie

Why We Homeschool

I first discovered homeschooling when my 16 and 19 years were in 2nd and 5th grade.  I read a ton of books on homeschooling and fell in love with the idea.  At that time I talked to my husband, who was a very new Christian and he said he didn’t like the idea at the ages they were.  He thought they had been in school to long already and it would be to big a change.  Even though I really, really wanted to, I had been learning about submission and the value in it so I let it go. 


Fast forward 7 years, I now had a little one starting Kindergarten.  We have 2 elementary schools in our town, the public school  and a charter school.  Our two older children went to a school similar to the charter school, so I leaned towards  that one.  I just didn’t have peace even though everything looked just fine.  In all of our years with the public school, even in two different towns and two different states, we have never run into anything that caused us to doubt our children’s educational or spiritual well being, besides of course the integration of evolution.  With the evolution we discussed how that is not how we believe and explained why.  With that the kids would come home some days rolling their eyes an saying “The teacher said something was a billion years old again today”.



When looking into schools that year, homeschooling did come up again.  So, after praying that God would give my husband wisdom and understanding about this, I went to him and asked him what we should do, half hoping he would say no again.  He said that we should try it this time,  Part of me was excited, but part of me was scared out of my mind.  But I just pressed on and now even my 16 year old is going on his 2nd year of homeschooling, by his own choice. 

I think that we homeschool simply because we enjoy being with our kids.  I love to be the one who helps them to discover new things and to sit and watch the incredible progress of a new reader.   I also like having more time with them to have great conversations about God and our relationship with Him.

I don’t think that everyone should homeschool but if it is tugging at your heart, make sure you don’t ignore it.  God will equip you with everything you need if he is calling you.  If you don’t know, do as I did and pray for God to speak to your husband and lean on his advice in the situation.

Jeannie

We Tried Side Walk Paint

The other day I was following a trail on the web and came across Side Walk Paint at Polish the Stars. 

Today, we tried it out.  What a fun thing to do.   The kids and I both loved making it and using it. 



Here are colors.  It is so simple to make, and I am all about simple.
I mixed up: 12 T of Corn Starch

              8 T of Water

Mix these well then spoon into your container.  Polish the Stars.com suggested a muffin tin.  I think that worked well.
Then add  2-3 drops of Food coloring to each container(add more for darker colors)

You can use paint brushes, or as you see below a cotton glove works well.  The corn starch dries to make an interesting coating on the tips of the glove.





The kids drew and painted Rocks.  The painting rocks was cool the paint sticks really well but then will wash right off.  These were dipped into the paint mixture.



After we were done we splattered the side walk with the remaining paint.  Little Van Goghs in the making.

I think for a winter project this would work really well on Black construction paper.  We have long cold winters here so we are always in need of a project like this.

Have a great Summer day!!

Jeannie

Addition War

This is a fun game that we used to teach Bella her Addition facts and now we are bringing it back for 5 year old Jacob.  You use the same rules that you use for the game war, except you use addition cards.  The person with the highest answer wins the round.
(For those who have never played War.  Deal out all of the cards to the players.  I would recommend 3 or less players.  Then each player flips one card from the top of their pile.  The person with the highest card wins that set of cards, they take the cards played and place them on the bottom of their pile of cards.  You repeat this until someone runs out of cards or Mom just gets tired of it.)

In this round, two of us had the same highest answer.  At this point you have to do a play off.  Each player lays down two cards, face down.  Then one more face up, the highest answer on the last card flipped is the winner of the entire group of cards.

Just a couple of pictures of my goofballs sucking on suckers while we play the game. 
You will love this game, you will see their math skills improve so quickly and they don’t know they are learning.  When we first started playing this we used homemade flash cards, then we found a set at a garage sale.  I am not really that cheap it just worked out that way.  You can get them in the Target $1 section also.  Have Fun!!!
Jeannie

I just love to watch them learn.

We have been homeschooling for about a year and a half.  I feel so blessed to be able to teach my own children.
Above Gigi is using a Read, Spell, Write mat that I down loaded on Homeschool Creations go on over and check out all of the great things she has.  Even if you don’t homeschool, I promise you will find something you will love.

Here Franklin is counting frogs to match with the numbers.  I can not remember where I got these from.  There is so much on the internet to help you teach your children, whether you homeschool or just love to teach watch you kids learn.  Hope this inspires you to check around for some things that you can use with your kids.
Jeannie

Learning through fun.

I have two kids learning about letters right now.  My preschoolers is learning what they look like and how to write them.  My 1st grader is learning the sounds of letters and sometimes needs a break for the books and worksheets. 
So, we found some shaving cream and started having some fun!

I just spread some of the shaving cream  ( the cheapest you can find) onto a cookie sheet and let them first just mess around because that is what they are going to want to do anyway, you may as well let them have at it.

After a few minutes show them how to write a particular letter or number with their finger.  You could put up cards with letter on them for the kids to copy as well.

Be ready for some clean up but remember it is basically soap and cleans up easy.

Have fun!!
Jeannie