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What i do for schoolwork over the summer

Many people wonder how much schoolwork, if any, their child should be doing throughout the summer months. This seems to be a question that homeschoolers and non-homeschoolers all wonder. I dont know that there is a right or wrong answer to this question but I will share with you what I plan to do for schoolwork over the summer.

first things first

I want to start by saying I am a firm believer in letting kids be kids. There is so much beautiful learning that happens through play: cooperation, social skills, imaginative play developing their creativity, etc. Here in Canada especially, we don’t get to enjoy the outdoors as much in the winter and I think we need to let our kids be outside as much as possible in the summer! Beautiful things happen when you let your kids be bored a little bit and not always structuring activities.

That being said, especially in the younger years, kids can lose skills they do not practice. I am going to share what I do for academics throughout the summer for my kids.

Read to them!

If you do nothing else academically this summer, do this!

This is really the number one greatest thing you can do for your child’s academic development. This instills in them a love of books, allows them to hear stories they couldn’t read themselves, allows them to hear how words are pronounced, lets them hear things read properly with infliction, gives you opportunity to discuss / predict/ analyze text together, and so much more.

Summer typically allows you even more time to do this with kids home all day, or finished of their schoolwork if they are homeschooled.

Choose books that will draw your child in. If you are just starting, you want to probably chose a shorter chapter book that will get to the action quickly (maybe something like My Fathers Dragon). This weekends newsletter will be filled with some of our past favourite read alouds so be sure to subsribe! Make the book as exciting as you can! Do voices, go all out! Pause and explain confusing or difficult to understand words or topics if need be.

Here are my favourite times to read to my kids:

  • while they are eating their lunch or snack
  • around the campfire
  • when we are in the car and need breaks from screens
  • while we wait at appointments like doctor, dentist, etc.

If you’re child is reading independently you do want to encourage them to keep reading. Early readers can forget and lose some of their skills if they do not continue to practice. I would chose books they can read with confidence and that have content that interests them. We want to develop the love of reading as much as possible and not make it a stressful or unenjoyable experience.

Some books from out “too read” stack for read alouds.

Have them keep a summer journal

This will look differently depending on the age of the child and your expectations will vary depending on your child. For my 7 year old daughter, I have her do this approximately once a week or after something really significant or fun occurs. I have a journal for her that has the top half unlined for pictures and the bottom half lined. I have her draw something fun she has recently done and then write about it. In her journal I dont fuss about her spelling. Before she starts I do remind her about the sentence rules (start with capital, end with punctuation, have a complete thought) and then I let her freely write.

After she writes her entry I will write a response to her there as well. In my response I will try to use some of the words she misspelled and spell them properly. So I am not asking her to fix her errors but I am showing her how they are spelled correctly. This is appropriate for her age. If she had misspelled a word she should know (past spelling word) I would consider having her fix it but wouldn’t always do so.

Again, we aren’t doing school. We are developing a love of writing and getting down your ideas. We are just keeping the practice doing so that writing wont be pulling teeth when school starts up again. My daughter can get very frustrated with writing if she thinks she is making too many mistakes so this practice seems to work well for her.

play games!

Playing games is a great way to have kids practicing skills without knowing it! Games are fun for the whole family and an excellent way to spend time together as well.

Different card, dice, and domino games are excellent for math skills. Things like Boggle and Scrabble can be great for language skills. Pit, Qwirkle and games like that are great for sorting and grouping. Skip Bo, Uno, Crib and other games are good for counting skills as well. Lots of fun ways to practice basic skills while also have fun together, which is ultimately what summer is all about!

keep age appropiate workbooks on hand

I do not push these at all. I just keep them on hand for times when they ask for a workbook to do during their quiet time, car drives, rainy days etc. If they never pick them up, thats ok with me too.

When I buy these I am looking for things they can pick up and do independently. You can find these type of workbooks many places like Walmart, Costco, Michaels, etc. I also love the Usborne dry erase books and sticker workbooks for this type of thing.

dont stress yourself out

Summer is meant to be fun for the kids and for you. Summer is a great time for family bonding and shared adventures. Let them be little! For most families, some reading out loud and occasional fun writing is more than enough for summer months. If your child needs some skill building or extra work in a certain area over the summer, please send me an email!

If you only do one thing, READ! Pick a good book (maybe from this weekends read aloud list) and read it together. Get into it together and mutually enjoy it!

Happy Summer! May the knees be dirty and the faces sticky!

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About Me

Hi I am Kristin Stewart. I consider myself so lucky to be a homeschool mommy! Before I was a mother, I was a teacher in both public and Christian boards and I loved teaching so much. However, once my first daughter was born I knew God was calling me to be at home with her. So when it was time for her to start school, homeschooling was a natural fit for us. Read More…

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from_kristin_homeschool

Kristin Stewart
✨better together✨ Another week of school done ✨better together✨
Another week of school done and enjoying the beach on this beautiful Friday afternoon.
1ish week of school to go.
#raisingreaders #alwaysbringabook #raisingreaders
#alwaysbringabook
Homeschool perk- the freedom to travel. Packed up Homeschool perk- the freedom to travel. Packed up our books and brought them to the land of the red sand. The beach is calling, we must go!
Friends, popsicles, butterflies and tiny pools…. Friends, popsicles, butterflies and tiny pools….we love summer ❤️
Starting our study of Numbers today for Bible time Starting our study of Numbers today for Bible time. It’s important to me that the girls understand the importance of looking at a whole book of the Bible for context and understanding of how each event fits into the bigger picture of Gods salvation. 

The Bible Handbook from @thedailygraceco to overview and introduce the book.

The Story of Numbers by @readkaleidoscope writes it geared toward kids.

And not pictured, our Bibles. We frequently go over checking back to our Bible if we arent sure about something in another book. 

What are you studying?
Cheers to the other mamas just finally getting the Cheers to the other mamas just finally getting their quiet time at 10:15 am because they’ve been in diffuse and correct mode all morning. 

Here’s to the mamas with a child who needs a little “extra” in the regulation department. (If you know what I mean, you know). 

To the ones taking deep breaths and calling on the fruits of the spirit to help her deal with the current “explosion”. 

To the mama who wonders if she’s doing it right but knows it’s worth it. 

God chose me to mother her and He chose you to mother yours. He did that purposefully and He will equip us. If you are a Christian, you have the fruits of the spirit and the help of the Holy Spirit. 

Take a deep breath, a quiet minute and ask God for wisdom and help for this day. It’s an honour and a privilege to have this job of mama.

Hard doesn’t equal bad. 

Here’s to you mama! Keep going. ❤️
All About Reading tip: give them last years reader All About Reading tip: give them last years readers for independent reading.

 She always wants a few minutes to read on her own before bed and she likes to read last years AAR readers because she knows she won’t get a story that’s too hard. 

There’s nothing wrong with letting kids independent reading material be below their instructional level.
It’s a great way to build fluency and confidence and avoid frustration.

Thankful for these readers with interesting stories and colourful pictures @allaboutlearning ❤️
We had a great hike adventure on this beautiful sp We had a great hike adventure on this beautiful spring day!
A look through, and long explanation of, Learning A look through, and long explanation of, Learning Language Arts Through Literature grade 4. 
Let me know if you have any questions!
Sharing the math manipulatives I used today in my Sharing the math manipulatives I used today in my stories. My youngest really thrives when she learns hands on. These are from amazon, except the animals that are from the dollar store.
Read with your kids! 👏🏻Read to them. Let the Read with your kids! 👏🏻Read to them. Let them read to you. Take turns share reading. Read your own books beside each other. READ!

The benefits of reading to your kids are staggering. Not only are there crazy academic benefits, there are also relational benefits. Reading together is such a bonding experience. It helps calm your tiny ones and it brings your older kids to you. 

She’s almost 10 and she’s been reading since she was 4. She’s a voracious reader, reads constantly. I might need a job just to keep her in books. She can read as well as people twice her age. Some might naturally think there’s no point in reading to her anymore. She doesn’t need me to, she’s capable on her own. 

I disagree! We always have a book on the go together. It’s so bonding to be mutually enjoying a book and into it together. It allows her to relax or draw while I read to her. It gives us something to do just the two of us when we have time but I’m tired. Sometimes we just snuggle up like this reading our own books, pausing when she wants to talk about her book. Benefits here are we are physically connected and I get to know what shes reading and be available for discussion. 

All that to say, read with your kids!! Even when they’re older!! 

Together, she and I are loving the Tuesday’s with the Castle series. We’re on our last one!! What are you reading with your big kids?
What a great fsmily hike today to the southern tip What a great fsmily hike today to the southern tip of our island! 75 ish min hike for the whole crew!
Mystery of History Level 1. This is the history p Mystery of History Level 1. 
This is the history program we are using this year and I love it. This is likely what we will use for the next few years. I think this level will last us 2 years since we don’t do History daily.
This is a Bible based curriculum. It begins with creation and goes through history chronologically from there. Each lesson is short with a lesson in the text to be read (I read it out loud) and then a selection of activities. Each lesson has an activity for younger students, middle students and older students. 
There are some written components you can choose, such as matching characters with descriptions or answering comprehension questions. But as the teacher you can pick and choose what you want your kids to do. It can all be oral if you prefer. 
You can order timeline images and work throughout this whole curriculum to make a timeline. This is neat as it allows the kids to see how it all first together.
I love using this resource to learn together as a family!! 

#mysteryofhistory #homeschoolhistory
Merriest Christmas from our house to yours!! Looki Merriest Christmas from our house to yours!! Looking forward to this week off of school and next week we will be back at it!! My plans this week are mostly to read! How are you spending this week?
We are all so excited to see the snow and hope it We are all so excited to see the snow and hope it stays for Christmas
Grumpy mom goes to the beach. If you hear report Grumpy mom goes to the beach. 

If you hear reports of a crazy lady walking Stanley beach in the downpour and singing at the top of her lungs, have no fear, ‘twas just me. 

Do you know the best part of homeschooling? Being with your kids all the time. Getting to make so many memories and develop a strong bond, laugh together, train them, shape their character, disciple them, see them grow up….

Do you know the hardest part of homeschooling? 
Being with your kids all the time. All the mess, all the noise, all the discipline and discipling and correction. Not being able to outsource the tiring and hard parts of parenting. 

Homeschooling isn’t neat and tidy that’s for sure. It’s loud and messy and tiring and hard. And it’s beautiful and rewarding and bonding and the best decision we ever made. 

Doesn’t have to be one or the other. Both can be true. I can love it and think it’s the hardest thing I’ve ever done all at the same time. 

So that’s what brings me in my raincoat and boots, worship music blaring out of my pocket and out of my lips, to the beach…getting myself ungrumpy and ready for another week of the hardest and best thing I’ve ever done. I wouldn’t change it for all the money in the world. ❤️

@valmariepaper a nod to your grumpy mom takes a holiday book. ❤️
“I believe in God the Father, I believe in Jesus “I believe in God the Father,
I believe in Jesus Christ,
I believe in the Holy Spirit
And He’s given us new life.
I believe in the crucifixion, 
I believe that He conquered death.
I believe in the resurrection
And He’s coming back again
I believe.”

Last Sunday our oldest daughter publicly declared her saving faith and allegiance to Jesus through the act of obedience through believers baptism. What a glorious day! And for her daddy to do the honours was even more special. 

We will continue to disciple her as she grows in knowledge, understanding and love for God. 

You do not need to share my beliefs to be welcome here. I’ve got a seat for you at my table regardless of your religious views. But may where my belief, love and allegiance lays never be in question. 

We love you Hailey girl ❤️
One row of carrots and a few onions harvested. Abo One row of carrots and a few onions harvested. About 1/3 of what’s there so lots more work to do.
Thank you God for this harvest and it’s provision for our family
I accidentally cut myself off! Here is part 2! I a I accidentally cut myself off! Here is part 2! I also forgot that there are usually individual white boards down below with the binders but they used them this morning and they’re not put back yet!
Showing the rolling cart we use for school this ye Showing the rolling cart we use for school this year
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