Summer Trees: Nature Study Lesson Plan

We study trees all throughout the year - partly because my husband is a forester and trees are a big part of our lives (they're like family!), but also because there's just SO much to learn about! So here, I present to you, our favorite resources for learning about trees. Tree Nature Study Resources This…

Learning About Honey Bees ~ A Complete Nature Study Lesson Plan

Honey bees are one of our favorite nature study topics ~ they are such amazing creatures! Their hives are incredibly efficient, with different jobs assigned to their workers, like: Nurse bees, who care for the youngGuard bees that stand watch at the entrance of the hiveThe queen's attendants, which bathe and feed the queenConstruction workers,…

37 Favorite Books from our First Grade Homeschool

Wow, did we cover a lot this past year! I finally went and sorted through the books my son and I worked our way through for his first grade year. It made me smile to see all the different subjects we covered - art, music, biographies, history, science, culture... I realized what a rich homeschool…

The Ultimate Nature Themed Holiday Gift List for Kids

Field Supplies Huckleberry Dual Wooden Magnifying Glass Child-Sized Binoculars Wooden Digital Point-and-Shoot Hiking Rucksack Explorer Backpack Stellarscope Star Finder Lensatic Compass Blank Watercolor Nature Journal Beginner watercolor Paints and Brushes Watercolor Paints Pocket Box Audubon Bird Caller Necklace My First Pocket Knife Pocket Swing/Portable Hammock for Kids Educational Toys and Puzzles Insect Specimens Pack Catch…

favorite picture books for kindergarten

Our Favorite Picture Books for Kindergartners

We are big into books over here. Like really, really into books. Picture books hold a special place in my heart because they spark a love for reading at literally any age. Both of my boys will look at picture books and listen to me read them for hours. “One more thing is of vital…

Introducing Young Children to Classic Literature — Feast on What is Good

One thing we are real big on in our home is literature. I'm ashamed to say I wasn't really into the classics as a child - I loved reading, but I read mostly twaddle. You know, horse books and the like. 🙂 It wasn't until my college years did I start getting into the classics.…

caterpillar craft

Caterpillars Unit Study and Caterpillar Craft

For the past few weeks we have been studying caterpillars with our nature study curriculum, Exploring Nature With Children. I have to say, this has been one of the most exciting subjects to study (for all of us). Along with our curriculum, here are some of the other resources we used: Anatomy of a Caterpillar…

My Preschooler’s Favorite Picture Books for Preschoolers

It's no secret that we are a book-loving family. My big boy was reading short chapter books by the time he was four, and both boys will sit for hours and let me read to them. Because of them and their love for reading, I've become a huge fan of children's literature. For posterity's sake,…

earth day pollution science

A Fun Science Experiment to Teach Kids About Pollution

Today is Earth Day, and we ditched our regular lessons to spend the day learning about pollution and how it affects our earth. We began with this oil spill activity that was really eye-opening, even for me! We started with a pristine-looking ocean scene which turned yucky very fast. The boys tried several times to…

spring equinox seasons

What Makes the Seasons? {Spring Equinox Science Experiment}

Have your kids ever asked you what makes the seasons? The days are finally getting longer around here and the snow is almost gone, which is making us all slightly giddy. After a long, cold winter, the spring sunshine feels GOOD. A few weeks ago, I prepared a little lesson to teach my boys about the spring…