Being in the car is a great time to impart truth and information. Here are a few ideas that we enjoyed with our kids. Buying used is fantastic if you can. At this point I wish we could have held on to all of this stuff, but I've always sold what we're finished with to fund what is coming next.
These items are also great if you do a quiet time for your kids who are finished with naps, or if you set up 'stations' as part of keeping an ordered, well-planned day for your children. A story listening time/station is a fun thing to add to the mix!
Check homeschool groups and websites for deals, and if your area has an annual Convention, that is a terrific place to look for used materials. In Virginia we have the Home Educators Association of Virginia and the annual Convention is very encouraging and full of resources.
Birthdays and Christmas are good opportunities to get the library built up! Who needs more toys?!
Cedarmont Kids Bible CDs (we had some DVDs as well)
Lyrical Life Science CDs (mom should listen to see if all is age appropriate, though listening to things above one's level is good--just want to watch for introducing content before it is time)
The Singing Bible (We still enjoy this today, it is a beloved family fav! Just one or 2 songs we opted to skip due to musical style or if it was scary to very young kids.)
Jonathan Park (adventure, Creation, very enjoyable)
Jim Weiss (so many quality stories to listen to--this is a terrific way to boost your child's vocabulary)
Moody Science DVDs (If you want to treat your child to screen time, there are few things better than these! Give them an appetite for truth and learning early on and it will reap dividends their whole life.) Solid creation viewpoint
Buddy Davis' Amazing Adventures solid creation viewpoint, from Answers in Genesis
Mystery of History This is a history curriculum that we used for several years. The books are good to work through with multiple ages. The CDs are helpful for just packing in more information and reading through the material for you. It is a good way for mom and the kids to learn. Solid creation viewpoint.
When my kids were very young we enjoyed being in Classical Conversations. The group changed through the years to be less of what we wanted, so we went a different direction. We are Bible believing Christians who attend a Baptist church because we believe it aligns most closely with Scripture. There are other good Protestant churches out there, but we're members of a Baptist church and have been for over 25 years. That said, I'm a fan of memory work for elementary-aged students and if you can get an old guide and the CDs that go with the same edition, it is a good way to do memory work. You can Google it and lots of materials show up on ebay. I owned the first 3 editions of the Foundations guide I think. The CDs are enjoyable and we had fun doing hand motions and singing along. There are 3 cycles that CC goes through. The CDs should be no more than $25, far less used.
I have a friend who prefers Claritas for memory work, after also having done CC. I've never used it but have seen it, so I am comfortable recommending it based on these things. Whatever you do, find memory work that you will use, and then use it! :)
A timeline that starts with Creation and goes to the modern day is great. We used Veritas Press for this since that is what CC used at the time. Then CC made their own timeline. I'm not sure what all is out there now...just realize this, there are many good resources available. Some may be better than others, but do not spend too much time splitting those hairs. Your students will get a far better education if you just pick something and DO IT. Who really cares if you stumble upon a more thorough timeline a couple of years after you've chosen one and started teaching it? Unless it is earth-shatteringly better, just stay the course. And that is my suggestion for all subjects. Love your kids, pick quality, DO IT DAILY, and stay the course. You will finish well ahead of your peers if you can just do that.
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