We've been a pretty relaxed and eclectic homeschooling family until now but I've recently opened a business so we need to transition to a more structured homeschool/lifestyle. I'm not sure if what I'm looking for exists but I'd appreciate suggestions for an open-and-go curriculum that I can use with 3 kids ages 8, 6 and 4 (mostly to keep her occupied and included) so that we can all be doing the same thing at the same time but at each child's level, with minimal-to-no planning/prep from me. Is there anything remotely like this?

Thank you all for your responses. Farrar, in typing out my op and earlier responses I was beginning to arrive at the same conclusion - back to basics, just go with the algorithm, and practice, practice, practice. She probably moves on too quickly from one topic to the next, before the first one is really ingrained. So maybe I can convince her to take a restorative break and then go back to basics and take it much slower with constant review. Thanks all!

She can understand, explain, draw and compute any number multiplied by a single digit number. When it's multiple digits x multiple digits, she loses herself. There have been times when she has gotten it and successfully completed sheets of problems, only to forget how to do the same problems after she moves on to something else. She literally feels stupid. It doesn't help that she has some older and younger sibs who are naturals at math.

DD13 is creative, really bright in so many ways, but math just isn't one of them. We've used many great resources: C-rods, Zacarro, Beast Academy, Kahn Academy, Math Mammoth, Life of Fred, lots of manipulatives and games, probably others. She has a hard time conceptually and she can't seem to retain much. She is S.U.P.E.R. self motivated and works really hard, keeps trying to find resources that will stick. Despite my telling her to take a break from formal math for a while (I believe in some white space for the brain), she does not want to "fall even further behind" and keeps plugging away. The problem is, I think this has been counterproductive and she has a subconscious block against anything called math. However, for a recent event, she constructed complex costumes out of cardboard for our entire family that involved lots of measurements, angles, proportions - without her realizing it, of course - and they were absolutely amazing! Ask her about angles or proportions and she'll say she doesn't understand them. She feels really bad about herself about this. (All this is internal; there is no external pressure here whatsoever). Any recommendations for figuring her out and providing math resources that she could be successful with? Edited to add: She has trouble starting all the way back from the multiplication algorithm (it's hit and miss), long division (also hit and miss, though she can do it with rods she doesn't see how the algorithm is representative), and adding/subtracting/multiplying/dividing fractions really frustrates her. She's not even up to percentages...

DD12 has been pining away for her gymnastics class all summer and she just returned today only to discover a complete overhaul of the program and all new coaches and assistants. The assistants for her level have good gymnastics skills and she says they teach well but they're young and a little too cocky with their newfound authority (they come up through the program, so they were students just last year) so they're bossy, a bit aggressive and abrasive. After thinking it over out loud she decided she would like to continue in the program because she feels she can learn what she wants to learn and progress so she decided to take this on as a personal challenge to see if she can connect with her coaches in a way that will change the tone to a more positive one. She's looking to approach this formally, as part of her curriculum. Of course, after paying for the gymnastics classes money is tight, lol, so we're looking for resources that are free or nearly free. Websites, videos, great books, etc. Any suggestions?

Well this is discouraging. Bumping for the weekend crowd.

I live overseas and we don't have the library system that exists in the US. We're doing a writer's workshop using mentor texts and I've been able to find a nice number of them at Open Library, but really not enough. Are there any other e-libraries (free or with reasonably priced membership, if there is such a thing) with an extensive or even just respectable collection of picture books, classic and contemporary, for the primary grades? ETA: I know that I can use any book as a mentor text but we've only recently started and I don't yet feel confident enough in my improv skills to wing it, so I am using an array of resources that suggest specific books for highlighting traits and skills.

Thank you Lori and Farrar. Love, love, love all the ideas!

I found this and it is super cool but quite a bit too *old* for DS3. It is almost exactly what I had in mind, though. Amiesmom's idea is great for an intro and when sibs and/or parents are available to play, but for solo play, if I were going to do a DIY version of the handheld game but more little-kid friendly, can anyone suggest how I could I do it and what I would use?

Thank you both for the excellent ideas!

DS3.5 is going through a flashlight phase right now and I'd love to introduce him to the way mirrors can bend light. Is there a toy or game (not an app) out there--nothing fancy, just a way to experiment with light and mirrors--or can someone suggest a way I might make something like this for him?

And another who definitely will buy if the colors are changed, but otherwise, unfortunately, no.

Thank you all for the excellent suggestions! (And the laugh that I was way too obtuse to get yesterday :tongue_smilie:.) We're on 'em.

Thanks, Farrar!

NM

... asked DD9 today. Full disclosure: we are not classical educators, nor do we follow TWTM but I lurk on this board because I think y'all are the smartest bunch of homeschoolers around and I have learned so much from you about how kids learn and fantastic resources to support their learning. So this is the child-led question I was waiting for. What books and videos are out there for the 9-15 set about the history and development of mathematics?

That's what I was thinking. Thanks!

So if I narrow my age range and focus on my 9, 11 and 13 yr olds, which EE level/s should I get? My 9-yr-old is bright; my 13-yr-old has a passion and aptitude for physics but hasn't done a lot of formal science so there are holes.

I'm looking for something like middleschoolchemistry.com for physics for a range of ages with middle school in the, well, middle. Can anyone help?

Already looking into it, although I was thinking a month or two ;) .

Thanks to each one of you for your recommendations, suggestions, resources, tips and points to ponder! You've given us so much valuable information and we are looking into them all.

DD14 is interested in Interior Design/Decorating and would like to develop this further. She is artistic and creative, but she's young so right now her style is all over the place :). She would like to learn about the basic principles of decorating/design. For right now, we are looking for no- or low-cost resources until she's sure she wants to pursue this on a professional level; then we'll be willing to invest a bit more. Does anyone have any suggestions or resources for starting out? If this were your daughter, how would you do this? (We live overseas.)

My kids are a bit older but they love CTC's Mind Benders, Balance Math and Balance Benders. I'm pretty sure they have Mind Benders for your dd's age and they are fun. DD9 crawled out of bed last night to finish one of the puzzles that was buzzing in her head and not letting her sleep :).

Thank you ATFm and kiana, I didn't realize that. I will definitely check it out.