Inspired by the richness of the Childcraft sets we have loved, a few of us have been toiling to collect, compare, and curate all of the American printings of Childcraft that we can. We want to understand the history and evolution of Childcraft and then help would-be buyers in the discernment of which Childcraft books…
Tag: Resource Reviews
Planning Reflection
“…the more a man looks at a thing, the less he can see it, and the more a man learns a thing the less he knows it.” – The Twelve Men, GKC Like nearly all of the homeschool moms I know, I approach term planning with a mixture of anxiety, guilt, and eager anticipation. I…
Burgess Bird Book
In all of my childhood, I never heard of Thornton Burgess. It took motherhood and homeschooling for me to become acquainted with his genius and I am very sorry that I missed out on knowing him sooner. I personally do not love his writing voice, but I love his approach to the natural world and…
The Pleasures of Reading in an Age of Distraction
The podcast version of this review can be found here. I don’t know what’s wrong with me, but I like books about people who like reading books! However, the beginning of this one wasn’t encouraging. Jacobs starts out talking about Mortimer Adler’s How to Read a Book, and I started out thinking, “Oh,…
Pattern Blocks
My children love pattern blocks. Absolutely love them. Years ago I bought our first set and quickly learned that these were going to become an essential toy in our love of learning home. if you’re looking for something to promote logical thinking…They promote logical thinking, cultivate pattern recognition and they help to prepare the mind…
Great Courses Company: How To Read and Understand Shakespeare
I was a theater minor at Hillsdale College. When I participated in the Oxford exchange, I travelled to Stratford-Upon-Avon to see several plays. During two of my Hillsdale summer breaks, I travelled with the theater department to the Canadian Stratford Festival. Shakespeare was central to my liberal arts education. Confession: all that exposure to the…
Brain Games
A year or so ago, my family discovered the National Geographic Channel show Brain Games. It isn’t perfectly family friendly, but there is much about it to love. We are a puzzle family and love Mad Libs, brain games, Ravensburger puzzles, etc. We love to exercise our mental muscles. Several years ago we removed most…
Great Courses Company: Everyday Engineering
I always knew that houses were complex systems of systems, but I never fully appreciated all of the aspects of engineering that go into making them snug, safe, and efficient. Thanks to Dr. Ressler and The Great Courses Company’s Everyday Engineering course, this non-science mama is now able to appreciate how rain water does not pool…
Picture Study Portfolios from Simply Charlotte Mason
I was a miserable art student throughout childhood. I was miserable in art class and my art was miserable. Really, there was little that I found true, good, or beautiful about my art. I was blessed. My parents love travel and, while this introvert loves being a homebody, I did grow up with a passion…
Audible: Reading With My Ears
As an auditory learner, audiobooks are more than a luxury for me; they are a necessity. Readers of any learning style can benefit from audiobooks, however. While auditory learners are probably going to be streaming classics every free moment that they can get, other learners (moms, dads, and children alike) can still benefit from being read…
Psalm Songs: David’s Worship Today
“And whenever the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, David took the lyre and played it with his hand; so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him.” 1 Sam 16:23 RSV-CE On this mid-April morning, the sun is hidden behind thick snow clouds. The overcast view from my…
Bad Days Are Part of the Deal
In parenting and homeschooling especially, bad days are part of the deal. In fact, if you aren’t having bad days, I want to talk to you because I want to know how you are conjuring that magic. I could reassure you that bad days are what help us to see the good days for what…
Roman Roads Media: Old Western Culture Review
This review is part one of two and will deal with the efficacy of Roman Roads Media’s Old Western Culture. The second review will unpack the technical aspects of this powerful resource. In the last year my life has been transformed and blessed by the CiRCE Institute and their partners. Specifically, God placed Sarah Mackenzie’s Teaching…
James Gurney Art Videos
I cannot teach art. I cannot do art. I can barely appreciate art. I was raised in a family that traveled extensively, visited museums regularly and had a wide variety of excellent art on the walls of our home. I absolutely understand the importance of art as a medium to express the true, the good…
Great Courses Company: How Colors Affect You
A Resource Review by Sara Masarik This Great Courses Company course, How Colors Affect You: What Science Reveals, was absolutely fascinating. Parts of it are very family friendly and parts of it require parental discretion. Depending on the ages of your children and how much exposure you want them to have to the primal instincts…