What would you bring to homeschool on a desert island?

[Guest Prof. Plum]

My family has been given an empty house in the suburbs across the country for the summer.  We'll have one car for occasional day trips, an iPad, a library card, and I can buy art supplies, but I'm looking for more ideas.  I grew up in the woods and I now live in a big city, so I'm at a loss of what to do without wild nature or sidewalks.  We had the same deal last year and while we did a lot with printer paper, tape, string, and empty closets (cockpit! elevator!), we also went a little crazy and my husband and I bickered over the car.  My boys are 4 and 6 and particularly interested in science.  Many thanks for your brilliant ideas.

[Hunter]

VanCleave's Science Project Workbook

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0471466476/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

It's OOP, but it's easy to find nice copies for a penny.

 

A student that I haven't worked with for a year, asked to borrow my copy, so I just bought another one, because I don't think I'll get it back. She's talking about how much she likes it.

 

I used this book with my son, way back when it first came out.

 

What is liked so much about it, is that I have the student do some research before doing the experiment, and they then base their hypothesis off of the research. There is nice variety, and the materials needed are very basic. The research angle makes, what would otherwise be a book for only much younger students, feel more advanced. After doing the basic experiment, older students often design their own new more advanced experiment using variables. I've used this book all the way from K-adult.

[Hunter]

Handbook of Nature Study

http://www.amazon.com/Handbook-Nature-Study-Botsford-Comstock/dp/0801493846/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1400413695&sr=1-1&keywords=handbook+of+nature+study

 

I've used this successfully in the suburbs. This book taught me how to observe very basic things in my environment that I had previously taken for granted.

 

ANTS and BEES

I don't remember if there is a section on ants in this book, but ant and bee study are fascinating to children, and something I have done with children when I've had nothing else.

[Hunter]

Make your own knitting needles out of chopsticks or dowels. All you need is a pencil sharpener and sandpaper.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Turn-disposable-chopsticks-into-knitting-needles/

 

Making your own needles and learning to knit is a tradition 1st grade skill in Waldorf education.

[Gentlemommy]

Since you'll be in the suburbs, I'm assuming it'll be similar to where we live-neighborhood, kids out from school, sidewalks, ect....bikes, scooters, skates, balls, pogo stick, sprinkler, side walk chalk, gardening tools, seeds, and small pots, jump ropes, slip n slide...a ream of printer paper, tape, markers/crayons/paint, glue, scissors, sheets for fort building, Legos, nature notebook, small animal figures.

As for 'educational' things, the iPad will do everything you'll need. There is so much online, or PDFs you can load, kindle books you can read through the app, games they can play on a rainy day...I wouldn't even bring 'school work' type things, especially for boys their ages.

[FO4UR]

Games.  I your situation I'd pack games.

 

 

 

 

 

 

VanCleave's Science Project Workbook
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0471466476/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
It's OOP, but it's easy to find nice copies for a penny.

A student that I haven't worked with for a year, asked to borrow my copy, so I just bought another one, because I don't think I'll get it back. She's talking about how much she likes it.

I used this book with my son, way back when it first came out.

What is liked so much about it, is that I have the student do some research before doing the experiment, and they then base their hypothesis off of the research. There is nice variety, and the materials needed are very basic. The research angle makes, what would otherwise be a book for only much younger students, feel more advanced. After doing the basic experiment, older students often design their own new more advanced experiment using variables. I've used this book all the way from K-adult.

 

I just ordered this.  That's going to be our science manual this year.  Thanks!

 

 

 

 

 

[Hunter]

I would sign up at the Ambleside Online Forum and talk about "Year 0" activities.

https://amblesideonline.org/forum/

 

AO advocates doing a few read alouds with pre-6 years olds, but to mostly have them outside for hours a day. They also encourage a "full feast" of other activities, such as picture and music appreciation. Many of the members are overseas or low income. These are very creative ladies.

[FO4UR]

I would sign up at the Ambleside Online Forum and talk about "Year 0" activities.

https://amblesideonline.org/forum/

 

AO advocates doing a few read alouds with pre-6 years olds, but to mostly have them outside for hours a day. They also encourage a "full feast" of other activities, such as picture and music appreciation. Many of the members are overseas or low income. These are very creative ladies.

 

 

Bird hunting.  Make some bird feeders, and buy a little field guide to ID the birds.  

 

 

Go on walks and teach them how to navigate a new town.  Remember the street names? Landmarks?  Are we N S E or W side of town?  Find a map of the town and trace your journeys.

[Hunter]

Bird hunting. Make some bird feeders, and buy a little field guide to ID the birds.

 

 

Go on walks and teach them how to navigate a new town. Remember the street names? Landmarks? Are we N S E or W side of town? Find a map of the town and trace your journeys.

Yes, maps of the area are an awesome idea. It's often easier and cheaper to buy a map, but if not, you can print your neighborhood at Google Maps.

[Guest Prof. Plum]

Since you'll be in the suburbs, I'm assuming it'll be similar to where we live-neighborhood, kids out from school, sidewalks, ect....bikes, scooters, skates, balls, pogo stick, sprinkler, side walk chalk, gardening tools, seeds, and small pots, jump ropes, slip n slide...a ream of printer paper, tape, markers/crayons/paint, glue, scissors, sheets for fort building, Legos, nature notebook, small animal figures.

As for 'educational' things, the iPad will do everything you'll need. There is so much online, or PDFs you can load, kindle books you can read through the app, games they can play on a rainy day...I wouldn't even bring 'school work' type things, especially for boys their ages.

 

I wish there were kids out from school!  When we were there last summer there was not a human to be found of any age - just manicured lawns and no sidewalks, which makes the excellent map idea tricky.

 

But the other ideas are all great.  I've joined the AO Forum and put the science book in my Amazon cart and love the nature journal.  You all are the best. 

[Alessandra]

I would buy as many of the little Golden Guides as I could. There are GG for every conceivable subject. Some supplies for drawing, some kind of camera, magnifying glass or loupe. Insect nets. Leaf press or at least an old phone book. Buckets and shovels, some seeds for fast growing plants or some plants from a local nursery if that is an option. Watering can. Hose, if the house does not have one and there are no watering restrictions, cheap plastic water slide....

 

Oh, did you say home SCHOOL? I am thinking hs vacation. Oops!

 

Could you get butterfly larvae from InsectLore sent to the new house?

[Hunter]

Plants from Trash. We used to do a LOT of this, when my younger was a preschooler.

http://cwmi.css.cornell.edu/TrashGoesToSchool/Plants.html

[Hunter]

Build things from paper clips and drinking straws

http://www.ehow.com/how_5233234_build-out-straws-paper-clips.html

[Hunter]

Tin Foil Sculpture

http://blog.modernmechanix.com/tin-foil-sculpture/

[Hunter]

Tin Foil Sculpture

http://blog.modernmechanix.com/tin-foil-sculpture/

Plants from trash, straws and paper clips, and tin foil, were activities that my son did a LOT of. I'm not sure if they are that interesting, or if it was just him being weird, but...he did a lot of this.

 

OOPS! I mean to add that to a post instead of starting another one. I have trouble posting multiple links in the same post. Sorry for so many posts.

[marge]

My kids could spend their whole summer outside with a garden hose, sprinkler head, and a couple of cups or buckets. You could do science and make rainbows or talk about evaporation, etc. but mostly it is good for them to just enjoy being kids and burn off energy :)

[Hunter]

My kids could spend their whole summer outside with a garden hose, sprinkler head, and a couple of cups or buckets. You could do science and make rainbows or talk about evaporation, etc. but mostly it is good for them to just enjoy being kids and burn off energy :)

 

There was time when stuck in the suburbs with a preschooler, when my child was self-injuring because he was so bored. I was a young mom and wasn't as quick and creative about helping him. This was in the late 80s and early 90s and the information available now was nonexistent then.

 

It's not always as simple as leave them to play, with some kids, in some environments.

 

If I could go back and spend 30 minutes with my old self, things could have been so much easier for both me and my son.

 

At one point we lived in one of those areas with manicured laws right up to VERY busy roads and without a car you are marooned on a tiny island. Thankfully our sanitary suburban home, was different from out tiny island home and I never had to FULLY deal with ALL the OP is dealing with at once.

[FO4UR]

I relate to the tiny island, LOL!  We are in a small town, houses in a row.  Our yard has been seeded 3 weeks ago.  My kids are going stir crazy!  A year ago we lived in a home with a very large field next to the house, a large parking lot on the other side for bike riding, and their best friends across the field and THEIR backyard is a small forest.  They are in Nature Starvation mode.

 

 

We have a lego-wonderland in the basement.  They spend hours there.  We walk to the park.  I think of our trips to the park as a need, not a treat.

 

 

[shinyhappypeople]

In addition to the other suggestions, I'd sign up for subscriptions, like the Magic School Bus science kits, Little Passports, Ranger Rick, and so on.

[Zoo Keeper]

Frugalfun4boys.com really is loads of fun, and the suggestions won't break the bank.  :)  Well worth a look.