Tag Archives: home school helps

Hints for Home Schoolers – Field Trip!

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The past three hints have been a rough idea on how to squeeze it all into your day without losing it! Our next topic is the ever popular field-trip, and some ideas for making the most of it. One of the great advantages a home-schooling family has, is the freedom to adjust schedules.

  • If you have a zoo within reasonable driving distance, consider purchasing an annual family pass. Our zoo included parking with our pass, as well as entry into other zoos around the country.
  • Science and history museums also offer annual passes, with similar reciprocal entry to related venues.
  • State parks offer an annual car pass, usually consisting of a vinyl, dated sticker for your windshield.

Our home school had a field trip every month. By watching the weather closely – we would cancel school for that day – and go to the zoo! By taking our field trips during the week, we were able to avoid large weekend crowds. On nicer field trip days – we visited an outdoor interest. During brutal winter weeks, we still took a field trip, but spent the day roaming around a museum. I will stress, that our field trip schedule was never scheduled. Sometimes, the kids would wake up, and while they were eating breakfast – I would announce it.

If you are following an accredited curriculum, the missed school day will need to be made up for. Our schedule from A Beka Academy allowed for a large block of vacation time during December. I would shave days from that block of time, and use it for field trips. I discovered that if we had too much time off in December, it was too hard to get back in the swing of things.

If we brought lunch from home (almost always) we would get a treat like ice cream, or something from the historic bakery at the museum. The scene above is from the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago.

Don’t overlook large outdoor museums, usually consisting of historic buildings. Often the employees and docents are well versed in the lore of times past, and will regale any children you have that are willing to listen!

The image above is from the Henry Ford Greenfield Village Museum in Michigan.

Important field-trip tips to remember:

  1. One field trip a month
  2. Watch the weather
  3. Watch the runny noses! No fun going anywhere unless everyone is feeling well.
  4. Spontaneity can add to the experience and reduce stress. If I told them ahead of time we were going – and something went wrong (ie: one waking up with a sore throat, severe weather) there would be disappointed faces all day.
  5. If you bring lunch from home, allowing the kids a treat from the venue will quiet any quests for the other stuff. It’s a kind of bribery, but heck – it works!! And can save a heap of money over buying lunch out. Especially teen and preteen boys can eat so much, you could regret taking them anywhere!!!
  6. By buying annual memberships to places you like to go, it will save money and the necessity of budgeting every month for the field trip. The annual passes are always a better deal over individual ticket prices.

In spring, we often opted for the metro-park, which had a farm.

Babies everywhere!

She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.

Proverbs 31: 26

sage

Hints for Home Schoolers – Breakfast Brain Food

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Okay supermoms!  Home schooling is a HUGE undertaking as well you know.  Now here I am, asking you to feed your little scholars something other than cold cereal.  You may be thinking I’m asking too much – after all – how could I possibly know how much you have on your plates?  Well, I’ve been there and done that.  Including wallowing in the guilt that accompanies the slap-dash breakfast that is all we think we can manage on busy school mornings. 

  Just how important is breakfast?  Hugely important!

Eating breakfast is important for everyone, but is especially so for children and adolescents. According to the American Dietetic Association, children who eat breakfast perform better in the classroom and on the playground, with better concentration, problem-solving skills, and eye-hand coordination.  http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/many-benefits-breakfast

Well, dear ones, I have the answer to that troublesome issue.  It is a recipe I developed while observing my family’s eating behaviors over the years.  After finding it was impossible to get everyone (different grade levels and schedules) to the breakfast table at the same time – I finally came up with something that served the needs of all family members and schedules – including mine.  If you read the article about Saturday baking, then you will see how this is accomplished.  During the Saturday bake (cookies and treats) I also bake enough of my “Oatmeal Power Bars,” to feed my family breakfast for a week.  Everyone loves these.

The basic recipe for Oatmeal Power Bars:

6 eggs beaten

1 cup olive oil (not extra virgin)

1 1/2 cups honey

4 cups old fashioned rolled oats

4 cups quick oats (not instant!)

In a LARGE mixing bowl, beat the eggs with an electric mixer, then add oil and honey,  beating  until well blended.  At this point, you will add your “enhancements.”  Extracts should be blended in with the oil and honey, and the dry add- ins get mixed in with the oats.  The 8 cups of oats and dry add- ins will need to be mixed with a sturdy spoon or spatula – they are very dense!

  • Chocolate chip – add 4 teaspoons pure vanilla extract, 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, 1 cup chopped walnuts
  • Apple cinnamon – add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract,  1 tablespoon cinnamon, 1 cup chopped dried apples, and 1 cup chopped walnuts
  • Cranberry – add 4 teaspoons vanilla extract, 1/2 cup Craisins, 1/2 cup white chocolate chips, 1 cup chopped pecans
  • Cherry – add 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 2 teaspoons almond extract, 1 cup dried cherries, 1 cup sliced or slivered almonds

There are many other options to flavoring these bars.  I only share with you my family’s favorites.  Raisins are not popular at our house – but I’m sure you could come up with a raisin variation your family would love.  They are soft, chewy, and you can really sink your teeth into them.  They are so good in fact, that  a young athletic man ( a neighbor) pays me to make him a pan every week.  He says he “has to have one every morning!”

Spray a 9 x 13 pan with cooking spray, and dump the mixture in, flattening it with your spoon or spatula.  Put directly into a cold oven, set it to 350 degrees for approximately 20 minutes.  The edges should be golden brown.  If your oven has poor circulation, rotate the pan half way through the baking time.

This recipe can be halved and baked in an 8 in. square pan – and it can also be doubled if you have two 9 x 13’s and a really huge mixing bowl!

Allow to cool completely before cutting.  These bars are even suitable for toddlers, if crumbled in a bowl, and softened with milk.  I just popped it in the microwave for 30 seconds, and my little ones loved it.

High in soluble fiber and protein – gluten free as well.  These will transform your mornings – I guarantee it.  And since you make enough to last for a week – this is the most instant of breakfasts – but oh so much better for your family than anything you could buy from any store.  I buy my oats from Aldis – the absolute cheapest place to buy them – and they are excellent quality.  I also buy my eggs from Aldis – because there is a Bible verse inside each carton.  I buy honey and vanilla extract from Costco. 

Psalm 118:24

This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.