The morning basket learning idea has its foundation in the Charlotte Mason style of education. While only books on various subjects would make up a morning basket from the original intent of Charlotte Mason, you can certainly make your morning basket unique to your family’s educational interests. You can also make your morning basket an afternoon tote or an evening crate . . . or a mix of any time of day or container! For simplicity, we’ll just use the morning basket term to define a place where you combine different learning resources for family social time.

Learning through living books is one of the main educational tenets that draw many parents to the Charlotte Mason educational approach. Below you’ll find the first lesson from the SchoolhouseTeachers.com course Charlotte Mason Homeschooling. This is a course for parents on the site and provides a comprehensive account of all things Charlotte Mason (CM) through the homeschooling experience of Lesson Designer Cindy West.

I don’t think anyone would disagree that this year has been a strange one. Life as we know it has been altered or altogether cancelled at times. We have had to adapt and find new ways for almost everything throughout the year, and we will have to continue to do so for the unforeseeable future. The biggest change for my family started with our schooling, and at times, lack thereof. And by lack thereof, I mean curriculum-based learning.

The difference between a GOOD field trip and a GREAT field trip can be as simple as being prepared. We usually plan for the expected, but we should prepare for the unexpected. Just like we pack a diaper bag for every possible scenario for our babies, it’s a good idea to pack a bag for field trips that we can grab at a moment’s notice for every outing we go on. We never know when a quick trip to the park will turn into a great learning experience and an investigation.

The ultimate of homeschool field trips is traveling the world, like 12-year-old Ariela White has been doing pretty much since birth. But even if your homeschooling adventures don’t take your family to faraway lands, you can still learn from Ariela’s experience to inspire your children to share their experiences with others through a website and social media accounts as Ariela’s family has done for her.

It all started with a call to a fairly obscure apple orchard. Rothwell Family Farm and Apple Orchard in Wellington North, Ontario was suggested to me on a Facebook group called Backyard Bounties of Southern Ontario. I had never heard of the farm so I decided to give them a call and left a message detailing that I would like to bring my kids apple picking and that we homeschool.

Teaching your children doesn’t have to be complicated. With so many different curriculum choices and various teaching approaches, it can get a little overwhelming for parents, especially new homeschooling parents! That’s why homeschool curriculum packages are a popular option. They provide what you need to teach your children in every subject and do the planning and organizing for you so you can just follow along and guide your children in their educational life.

Literature can be a powerful tool which can have a positive influence on children, developing and shaping their moral code. Generosity. Giving. Kindness. Caring. Empathy. These character traits are very important and should be taught to children. A simple approach to character building in children is through reading stories.