Cade is almost 6, and he’ll technically be Kindergarten age this Fall (where has the time gone???).  Kirk and I have always wanted to home-school.  It is such a natural fit for us as I love to teach and that is my background, and Kirk is self-employed.  At this point, we just can’t imagine being tied down to a school schedule, and we are loving the flexibility that we have as a family.

I have been leery about starting any formal curriculum with the kiddos as I am not a fan of seat work and worksheets, and I don’t want to recreate a classroom setting at home.  After all, one reason we are home-schooling is that we get to learn by living life…gardening, cooking, building, playing games, fixing the car, and just enjoying being a family.  I do think there is a place for curriculum, but especially for Primary grades I think less is more.  All that to say that we are loving one curriculum and that is Five in a Row. Basically, you read classic picture books that capture your children’s imagination, and you read it together five days in a row (hence the name).  Each day you can pick and choose one or more of the suggested activities within the curriculum.  You can do as little or as much as you want, and the kids fall in love with the stories!  Everyday that we open the book the kids (and I) pick up on something different in the story.  We focus on something new each day that brings the story to life again.  Another thing I love, is that the kids aren’t learning mundane facts, but they are learning things that stick with them because they are engaged and they assimilate the information into their lives.  For instance, Ella today in Walmart was listening to her flip-flops because of the story A Pair of Red Clogs.  She said “Kara Kora, Kara Kora” because that was how the girl’s clogs sounded in the book.

Lentil was one of our favorite books.  We experimented with charcoal drawings (messy but fun), now are the proud owners of a harmonica, and we visited the local Memorial Park as a family.

Ella & The Statue of Liberty

POW/MIA Monument

Cade & The Bald Eagle

It was pretty chilly that day so we only spent about 10-15 minutes at that Memorial Park, but in that time we talked about The Statue of Liberty in New York given to the USA by France, the sacrifice of many soldiers, what a monument is, what POW and MIA mean, the Bald Eagle, our flag and its symbolism, freedom, war and so much more.  This kind of thing happens every week with Five in a Row and you usually don’t even leave the house!

If you are looking to ease into something with your little ones whether you are home-schooling or not, Five in a Row is a great place to start!

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