New Year, New Decade
We are headed into a brand new year and a brand-new decade. It is the Roaring Twenties all over again; what will it bring for you, your family, and your homeschool? With this new year upon us, it is the perfect time for everyone to start making New Year’s resolutions, setting goals, and striving for perfection. The perfection part is something I can’t get behind but goal-setting is something we can all strive for and our homeschools are no exception. Let’s look at 10 New Year’s Resolutions for Homeschools.
Read More Everyday
Getting your children to read more everyday is a perfect resolution for the new year. This is something that can turn into a habit that will be a beneficial for a lifetime. Make it a family event and have reading time every evening or even first thing in the morning. Even the most reluctant readers can join in with audiobooks via Kindle. Check out my post on using Kindles in your homeschool to find out more.
Learn a Foreign Language
Learning a foreign language can open up a world of opportunities for your child. From building connections with other people, to understanding different cultures and opening up a plethora of job opportunities, being bilingual has many benefits for your homeschooled child. Learning a second language couldn’t be easier in the digital age. You can look up videos on Youtube or find an app and start learning asap.
Take an Art Class
Taking an art class is a great way to start off the new year. This is something you can do at home by looking up curricula on sites such as https://cathyduffyreviews.com/homeschool-reviews-core-curricula/art-and-music/art. You might also check out YouTube and find tutorials on art classes. Another option might be local shops in your town, like a “Painting-With-a-Twist” type place or even Michaels or Hobby Lobby offer classes.
Have Class Outside
Weather permitting go outside. Yes, have class outside. What could be better than changing the scenery? Take the books, laptop, grab a blanket and get out of the house. Hit the backyard or even the local park. It could change the entire mood of your children or you for that matter. Want to do something really out of the box, LEAVE THE BOOKS & LAPTOP at home and have a nature class outside.
Take More Field Trips
Field trips are a great way to get out of the house but still keep things educational. Here are a just a few places that can be visited:
- Science museum
- Historical museum
- Local Zoo
- Aquarium
- Visit your state capitol
- Go to Historial Sites in your state and have your kids to research projects
Just a word of advice, do yourself a favor before you head out to any fieldtrip. Call and check all the times and entry fees before you get to the destination. This will save you a lot of time and headache on the day of the trip.
Host a Homeschool Hangout
Hosting a homeschool hangout is a great way to get together with other homeschool kids and adults! This will give you an excellent opportunity to meet other homeschool people, and even share ideas! Check out this post to get all sorts of yummy recipes to serve when you host your homeschool hangout!
Do More Experiements
Put in your planner to have an experiment day once a month. Last year we had a day of experiements at the end of the year. I assigned teams and the students had to research experiements and then complete them for the class (outside, of course). I received more compliments from the parents and students on this day then any other day of the year!
Plan to Attend a Homeschool Conference
If you have not attended a homeschool conference make this the year in which you change that. These conferences offer so much for the whole family if you chose to bring everyone. If you can get away and get some girl time, that’s awesome too! You won’t be alone, I promise you. Several years ago, two of my friends and I went to South Carolina for a conference and had a blast. What a fabulous girl trip. We split the cost of the hotel, seperated ourselves between the sessions so we could get all the knowlege ( then shared with each other). We ate at some great local places and took in the city. It was great! It is not a small thing to plan BUT it’s a great idea and if you have to bring the family, you can also plan your vacation around the conference. Most of them are in big cities that offer tons of things to do and see.
Let Your Child Choose What They Will Learn
This one might be a struggle for some of you. I know that I have trouble letting go of the reins. I think they call it control issues!! Baby steps! Give your child a couple of options to start if you are not comfortable letting go completely. Give them a couple of topics to choose from and let them decide what they want to learn. Have them decide how they will go about learning the topic. Have them research different options; do they want to complete a slidedeck, lapbook, create a video, etc. This gives the student some ownership in their learning and makes it a little more fun for them.
Teach a Subject Using YouTube
Starting this new year, teach a subject using YouTube. Choose one of your subjects that you are working on with your children and do a little research on YouTube for supplemental resources. Use this to help your children gain addional insight on the topic at hand. This can also lighten your load as the teacher. While your child is working with the videos on YouTube, it frees you up to do something else; laundry, a phone call, lunch, a nap ( why not, lol)
I am ready to tackle the Roaring Twenties in my life and my homeschool. Are you? Which of these resolutions will you implement? Let me know and tell me if you have any that I can try.
