Knowing Nature by Name: Why I Teach my Children to Identify all Parts of Creation
It has taken a lot of learning and intentionality on my end to teach them to correctly identify different parts of nature. But I believe it is one of the greatest practices we've established, because by knowing nature by name and identifying nature together, we've all fostered a deep love for it.
40 Things to do Outside with your Kids this Winter
I will be the first to confess that winter is not my favorite season. I don’t love the cold. Because of this, I am privy to staying indoors. But this year, I felt convicted to spend time outside with my kids daily, even if for a little bit. I have found the benefits to be amazing, and have actually learned to love being out in winter weather. Perhaps you, too, are sensing that you and your kids need to get outside more. If so, here are forty ideas to get you going. Some are easy and require no effort. Others may take a little planning or snowy weather. In…
Being Outside in January: How Braving the Cold has Benefited our Family
Each year, I dread winter. Especially January. I know what January holds: cold days, long nights, and little to be desired. Anxiety, which, for me, stems out of fear of illness and feeling trapped, simmers endlessly on the back-burner of my mind. My children, who are blessed with energy I will never have, seem to bounce off the walls; the same walls that seem to be closing in on me in the heart of winter. Traditionally, I suffer through the month, feeling a bit relieved when February comes around, even though it’s not much better. But this past January was entirely different. I have a pretty good idea as…
Kids Need Nature and Other Take Aways from Last Child in the Woods
When I made the quick decision to homeschool Levi for preschool, I began doing what I do best: compulsive research. I looked into different homeschooling blogs, followed different homeschooling moms on Instagram, and began to understand a few of the various styles of homeschooling out there. One book that kept coming up in my research was Richard Louv’s Last Child in the Woods: Saving our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder. Many homeschooling moms referred to it while explaining why they placed tremendous importance on having their child outdoors in nature. This was something I identified with. Two years ago, on a near-perfect autumn day, I took Levi to a local park. It…
Homeschooling – Ideally and Really
Several weeks ago, my aunt asked me if I was planning on sending Levi to preschool this year. She had heard fantastic things about a local school and encouraged me to look into it. “I think he would love it!” she said. To Send or Not to Send The conversation really stumped me. I had been somewhat open with my friends and family about my hopes to homeschool Levi (for various reasons which I’ll go into another time), but was unsure about whether or not I should consider preschool. Both of my sisters-in-law homeschool their kids, and neither sent theirs to preschool. I didn’t see neither a need to or…
