Meg | Heart of the Matter

Home » Posts by Meg

Ten Homeschooling Helps I Couldn’t Go Without

I always think of January as the school year’s second “back to school.” Having two or three weeks off for Christmas break creates time for me to reflect on what’s working in our schoolroom and routine — and what’s not. It allows me to reorder supplies on which we’re running low, and...

Preventing Boredom During Christmas Break

Posted by Meg | 0 comments

Many of us have wrapped up our homeschooling for the year, beginning a Christmas break a little early. Perhaps you just have a few more days to go. Whenever you decide to take a break, it can be a little bittersweet. The kids are free to do as they please (I know mine enjoy getting up in the morning without a set schedule to...

Elfish Antics

Posted by Meg | 0 comments

photo courtesy Milk and Cookies Though our family truly focuses Christmas around the True Meaning (Christ’s birth) and seeks to promote giving rather than receiving among our family, that doesn’t mean that we can’t indulge in a little bit of playful (and imaginative) fun during the holiday season! There are...

Apples, Apples, Apples

Posted by Meg | 0 comments

When September and October arrive, I begin to think about apples. I begin to think about lighting apple-scented candles in my home, visiting apple orchards near our home, and incorporating apple crafts and projects into our homeschooling days. Here are some of our favorite apple projects, apple-themed books, and learning...

Beyond the Books

Posted by Meg | 0 comments

As a new school year dawns, I begin thinking about what I want to teach my children. Of course, at the forefront are the basics and fundamental subjects: History, handwriting, math. But what about beyond the books? One of the reasons we made the decision to homeschool in the first place was to have freedom over what and how...

An Aid for Parents (and Educators) of Boys

Posted by Meg | 0 comments

From the founder and director of Green Ivy Consulting comes a book for parents and educators of boys who are disorganized and easily dissuaded from their tasks. That Crumpled Paper Was Due Last Week: Helping Disorganized and Distracted Boys Succeed in School and Life is the product of Ana Homayoun’s extensive research...

Handwriting Practice For Your Little Artists

Posted by Meg | 0 comments

My daughter loves, loves, loves to draw. Yet like most preschoolers, handwriting is new and novel and isn’t quite as fun as drawing animals and people. A book series that incorporates both drawing and handwriting was recommended to me for use, and I’m so glad I was enlightened to their existence! The Draw Write Now...

In Bloom

Posted by Meg | 0 comments

Would you like a fun and colorful way to embellish and add to green house plants or porch plants? Or even an added splash of color for already-colorful blooms? These whimsical, artsy Bloomin’ Buttons are super easy to make, and add pizazz to any potted plant. I found the original idea and tutorial in Family Fun...

Branching Out: Using the Web to Further Learning

Posted by Meg | 0 comments

Every week, our curriculum focuses on an object, country, or some other topic. Even before I used a “formal” and structured curriculum, I still compiled and used thematic unit studies in our preschooling-at-home. With most topics, it’s easy to incorporate and pull in a variety of school subjects that still...

Introducing Color Mixing

Posted by Meg | 0 comments

Even toddlers and young preschoolers can begin to learn color relationships, color theory, hues, and color mixing. Here are some fun and creative ways we’ve learned about colors in our house! Color mixing using water Line up several clear glasses of water, each tinted with a primary color using food coloring drops. Also ...