As parents and guardians everywhere scramble to figure out what to do in the wake of COVID-19, we have also been tasked with homeschooling our children. For some it has come naturally and for others has been a whole new world. All of us can agree that we definitely have more appreciation for our teachers. While we do not know how long we will need to homeschool, we do know that it is up to us to make sure our children continue to grow in all they do. And even when they can return to the classroom, we will have gleaned some great resources for coming alongside what is being taught in the classroom.
We will be the first to admit that we do NOT have it altogether. We have been asking our mom friends who homeschool and friends that are teachers for advice. Below are some great resources to help you along with your at-home learning journey. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Give yourself grace especially when it comes to their schedule. This is new for them and for you. Remember, we are in this together!
Our journey with at-home learning: Kelli and I started Family Entourage, after numerous people told us we should share “how we do what we do.” As work from home moms, we would often take our kids to work with us. They have been on press junkets, met celebrities and been to the TV Station. When we are not doing interviews, TV segments or meetings, we work from our home offices. Over the years, we have grown to love many of the amazing resources we share below because they have not only helped our kids in their education, but they have enabled us to do our work too!
Overview of FREE Resources
- Celebrities Reading Your Favorite Stories
- Virtual Field Trips (curated by freedomhomeschooling.com)
- 2500 Museums from Around the World (curated by Google)
- All the World unique videos that inspire learning
- Crafts, Activities and more from Educational Insights
- 20 Free Printables by Melissa and Doug
- Lesson Plans using Magnatiles put together by educators
- Teacher’s Guide for Marbotic App
- Free Projector& Kaleidoscope App from Osmo
- Activities & Curriculum for your favorite Zonderkidz books
- Themed daily curriculum from Scholastic
Celebs Reading Stories
Let’s face it we all need a little break at the end of the day and who wouldn’t want Oprah Winfrey to read the bed time story? Storyline Online has curated some of your favorite children’s books being read by your favorite celebrities. From Betty White reading Harry the Dirty Dog to Christian Slater reading The Coal Thief, there are plenty of picks for the entire family.
Learn through play
Our family is always looking for ways to bridge learning with play and Magna-Tiles innovative magnetic building sets are amazing when it comes to fusing math, science and creativity. It is so fantastic that at such a young age our littles are learning design and architecture, engineering, pattern recognition, problem solving and more. There are endless ways to build and it can be solo, or interactive with the whole family.
It makes perfect sense that Magna-Tiles® were invented by a Japanese mathematics teacher who wanted to create a better hands-on experience when learning geometric concepts in school and at home. Educators all over the world use Magna-Tiles in the classroom and you can even download free lesson plans from their website!
From puzzles and play food, we love Melissa and Doug because their toys inspire learning and creativity. During our time at home we have been using some of our favorites like their reusable sticker pads, On the Go books and coloring pads. Each of these are under $5. There are even On the Go craft sets for older ones. With Easter approaching, Melissa and Doug even has some faith-based On the Go, reusable sticker sets and toys so that you can use them to teach your child about the true meaning of Easter. They have a landing page filled with free printables to supplement your at-home learning journey.
Take a Trip
While you may not be able to leave the house at this time, the beauty of technology is that some of the world’s famous museums and sites have made their locations accessible to everyone. Get dressed up and take a field trip. Freedom Homeschooling has curated a list of free virtual field trips. From Buckingham Palace to the Great Wall of China, let each kid pick one and rotate daily to see a new place. You could even make it a themed lesson day. Pick out a place to go. Study the culture. Cook a dish that you might eat from that place. Journal about the experience. Google has curated a list of free 2500 virtual tours of museums! Videos have the ability to bring a concept or lesson to life. All the World is a weekly video series that helps children explore the world around them. They are created alongside educators to foster socio-emotional growth, self-awareness and empathy.
Positive Screen Time
We first fell in love with Osmo when little sister entered the world. We needed something that big brother could do to have quiet time. It is a great option for ages 5-12. Osmo’s reflective, artificial intelligence bridges the real and digital world and brings lessons to life. Educators love Osmo because it engages the seven learning styles. Osmo’s STEAM-centered games work with an iPad or Fire tablet. We love it because it is purposeful screen time. We have been using it daily for math, art, spelling and coding. I try to time the kids being on Osmo when I am on a phone or video conference call. They wake up asking when they get to play.
In addition to their great games, they also have a free projector app that teachers and students can use to interact while doing their class time or lessons. The Osmo Projector App lets you take physical notes and share video with anyone who has joined you through Apple AirPlay, Skype, and Zoom to share digital lessons in real-time. You can also remove the mirror for face-to-face interaction as well. They also have released a free Kaleidoscope App through March 31st. Our kids have enjoyed putting different objects and seeing what they become.
Marbotic is another great way for positive screen time. Their Smart Kit is an interactive wooden set of letters and numbers to use with your tablet. It is inspired by Montessori learning and uses seven apps to help little ones learn how to read and discover math. The wooden pieces are perfect for little hands and durable enough to withstand the woes of toddlerhood. You can use the apps without the wooden pieces by simply using your fingers. Lessons can be done in several languages too. The free educator guide gives curriculum for each of the apps.
Activities, Crafts, Resources and More
It’s so important to be continually learning. Whether you are a child or an adult a resolution on most lists is to learn something new. Educational Insights is all about igniting the spark in every child. They want to ignite curiosity, imagination, independence and all the ways a child gets excited about learning and growing. They toys and games for children of all ages and abilities and many of their products have received top awards. They have a curated page filled with age-appropriate schedules and free activities that you can do at home.
Scholastic has free daily themed curriculum with videos, books and more. They have it separated by age/grade level too. This can be a great thing when your child says that they are bored. They can pick out a subject or topic that inspires them and use that curriculum for the day.
One of the things that we have been trying to do is read a book to start the day and end the day. Some of our favorite books are from Zonderkidz like Fiona the Hippo, Berenstain Bears, and Unstoppable Me by Bethany Hamilton. They have created free activities and discussion guides to go along with many of their books.
