Cragmama "Not all who wander are lost…" JRR Tolkien

Category Archives: Homeschooling

How to Cultivate Independent Play in Your Child

How to Cultivate Independent Play in Your Child

It’s probably safe to assume that most parents would agree that allowing your child to park him/herself in front of the TV all day is a bad idea.  So why is it that in 2009, the average 2-5 year old watched a screen (TV, DVD, iPad, computer) for an astounding 32 hours per week?!?  (And 6-11 year olds weren’t that much better, at 28 hours per week.)  That’s more than an entire day out of every week!  As shocking as those statistics are, I think the reason behind them is simple.  Parents are tired, and stretched too thin – an educational DVD…Read the rest of this entry →

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DIY Backyard Adventures: Let’s Make A Mud Kitchen!

DIY Backyard Adventures: Let’s Make A Mud Kitchen!

At this juncture in our lives, C and I are on-the-go for a lot of our mid-week adventures – we have a host of local parks, playgrounds, and nature trails that we explore on a regular basis.  But I had a feeling that baby #2’s arrival would change our entire family dynamic rather dramatically…And while I’m optimistic that our baby-wearing mantra will be a crucial help when it comes to getting outdoors with a newborn, I know that these first few weeks and months, we’ll likely be spending more time at home than what C is used to.  With that…Read the rest of this entry →

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Quickie Nature Craft – For the Birds (and Squirrels)

Quickie Nature Craft – For the Birds (and Squirrels)

Sometimes you just want a quickie activity to entertain your little one before heading out for the day.  I don’t know about you, but I’m always on the lookout for ideas that involve more nature and less screen time.  And if it can be educational/useful/environmentally-friendly…all the better, right?  Sometimes we try out our own original ideas, and other times we glean from others (usually after a night of Pinterest research…).  But sometimes, the classic stand-bys are just as fun, if not more so!   A few weeks ago my hubby celebrated his birthday, and one of the more thoughtful gifts…Read the rest of this entry →

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Valentine’s Day “Love Bugs!”

Valentine’s Day “Love Bugs!”

I don’t know about you, but I am not a fan of the candy that comes with the boxed valentine sets.  Conversation hearts?  Yuck.  Lollipops?  Perhaps, but only if they aren’t the cheap ones.  Dark chocolate?  Now that would be a different story, but everybody knows you save the good stuff for personal use special occasions and don’t pass it out!  Not to mention that the boxed valentine sets generally have WAY too many cards for C’s little preschool class, meaning that we end up with a whole bunch of wasted paper (and leftover second-rate candy.)   So with that…Read the rest of this entry →

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Fall Craft Project: Leaf Placemats (and Window Decor…)

Fall Craft Project: Leaf Placemats (and Window Decor…)

One of my favorite craft mediums from nature has got to be autumn leaves.  They come in a spectacular array of colors, each one unique, and are available for free in unlimited supply!  That’s why in addition to family raking days, we try to do at least one art project with our leaves before they fall down and turn brown.  Last year, one of our projects was making leaf-covered vests at McDowell Nature Preserve.  This year I opted for something a little more decorative that we’d be able to use throughout the season.  But considering that he’s 3 and I’m…Read the rest of this entry →

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“Not all who wander are lost.” —JRR TOLKIEN