We use artventure.com.au We attend the "family days" at the local art galleries where the kids can do a free or low cost art activity. I also look up which artists are having exhibitions in the art galleries we visit and read up on these in the month before we go. Mostly just the books available from the library and some youtube videos. And I have the kids enter drawing competitions, these are set as "assignments".

Yes. But we are not a musical family so it is just the recorder, 5-10 minutes daily from age7. We have taken it fairly slowly - my eldest took 14 months to complete John Pitt's first book but I have been pleased with her progress. It also makes it easier to "prove" for registration we are covering music. I plan to make them all do it for 3 years. After that, I'm not sure.

I had a lot of trouble with adobe digital editions when I bought Jacobs Ladder. I think I didn't know I had to register it under a name, and since I didn't, I could only print the PDF from the one computer?? Took a few emails to sort out. Ended up buying the later books in paperback from book depository and was even cheaper than what I had paid for the PDFs!! But yes, it is possible to print them.

hi, my son would love a (snail mail) penpal. He likes Lego esp. Lego Technics and all the Beast Quest/Sea Quest books. We are in Australia. please PM me if interested.

Simplified, because it is used a lot more, and it is a little easier. I am using it with another program though (NiHao books) because it is tricky for me to use all the exercises as there aren't translations for everything.

I have PMed you

hi, My 7 year old daughter would very much like to exchange letters with a penpal (snail mail). She is 7 and likes drawing, books on fairies/sea horses/mermaids and playing with Lego. We are in Australia. If interested please send me a PM thanks!

My 6.5 year old daughter would also like a penpal. We are in Australia. She likes drawing, fairy and mermaid books and Lego. If interested please let me know.

I'm using the K-1 for my 6 year old, I find I have to rephrase some of the questions for her. Almost all the books I am having to request on interlibrary loan which is a pain and I am not sure I will repeat for all her younger siblings. But the questions are thought provoking and I see the value in using it.

thanks for the replies. So, if I can't get my kids interested in a topic, probably best not to spend too much time on it and to not to expect too much retention.

hi, Just reading some posters comment on how they spent considerable time on some topics in the early years only to have their child remember v little of it down the track... what topics of study did you find your younger kids did recall long term? what methods did you use to teach it? what did you spend time on that you wouldn't again? I am thinking stories are better than most textbooks? Like we have used some RS4Ks but I am expecting better retention with the info in Magic School Bus and Robert Wells books...