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Fake Snow for Indoor Days

Feb5

 

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Maybe winter hasn’t had a lot of snow for your children to play in this year. Maybe you live in a climate where there is never snow. Well, I have a fun solution for you. I made this fake snow recipe that I found on the internet for my granddaughter and she loved it! It only requires 2 ingredients and you probably can do it as soon as you finish reading this post!

  • 1 box of baking soda
  • 1 can of shaving cream (regular)

Add shaving cream little by little until you get the consistency that you like. If you add too much then you will need to add more baking soda.

While it doesn’t stick together like snow would, it is still a lot of fun! I am going over weekly to do activities with EJ and we made this three weeks ago. She has played with it for hours and asks for it every time I am at their house.  We had plastic googly eyes and made snowmen and snowgirls with small mounds of the snow. Bury some objects in it for a treasure hunt (a nickel, a pen cap, a paper clip, etc.).

Not only will little ones enjoy playing with it, but so will big kids. The texture is very interesting and fun to pick up and pretend like it is “snowing”. Yes, I played in it almost as much as my granddaughter. lol

Play area: You can let your children play with it inside of a baking tray or a rectangular plastic container. Be sure to wash hands when finished.

Storage: It can be kept in the refrigerator in an airtight container until it dries out or your child loses interest. 🙂

 

Opportunities to Help Others

Jul16

Helping others is one of the best things you can do to let children see the needs of others. There are organizations that you can take your children to help as well as ministries where you can send money if you are not able to go. How you go about choosing who to help can be a daunting task since the need is great.

Have a family meeting to decide who/ what comes to mind that needs help. I like to start at home and then reach out from there. Look around and see if there is a need (chores to do, a kind word or deed).  Is there an extended family member or friend that needs help with finances, an encouraging word, or yard work, babysitting, grocery shopping, etc?

If you do not have anyone with a particular need, then what about volunteering at: your church, a homeless shelter, or volunteer on the Great American Clean Up Day or contact a local agency that has a park cleanup.

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I have a worksheet to help you and your children decide what you would like to do. I think it would be great if your daughter or son is old enough to help you decide who to help or where to go.  Helping Others

Enjoy your day and post a comment if you have an idea to help others or you did something kind for someone.  A friend just wrote about someone paying for their lunch! My neighbor heard I was having a big family gathering and volunteered her folding chairs for us to use. How thoughtful is that?

~ Lisa~

Fall: Places to Go

Oct16

What a wonderful time of the year to go out and explore! I had a friend that asked me for some recommendations and I thought I’d give some local ideas as well as general since not all my readers are from Southwest Ohio. 🙂

Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Gardens– The zoo is such a wonderful place to take a field trip for not only seeing the animals, but also the flowers and trees. I enjoy this time of year because of the cool temperatures that seem to make the animals quite active.  If you would like to get a group of homeschool friends together you can get a group discount and make it a fun, educational day.

Parks– Every park has a variety of trees, which make for such a great opportunity for a picnic and an afternoon of a scavenger hunt for leaves. Your daughter can collect leaves and press them to make a fall leaf book.  If you are interested here is a website about making your own leaf collection book. CLICK HERE

Local Parks:

Hamilton County Parks Miami Whitewater in Harrison, Ohio has a large lake and two walking/ bike paths. You can make a weekend of it, and enjoy the camping and fishing at the lake. This is one of my favorite parks in the county as it has many things to do with your family.

Butler County Parks Voice of America Park has a small lake, boating, and a walking/ bath pike. Fishing can be done from the dock and if you want to take your dogs they will enjoy the dog park that is adjacent to the walking path.

Cincinnati Parks Eden Park and Smale Park are both downtown and are quite lovely. There is even a carousel along the riverfront walk that adjoins Smale Park the children will enjoy but do not plan on going on either Monday and Tuesday because it is closed on these days.

Other Parks

Ohio State Parks Hueston Woods has camping, fishing, hiking, and a 625-acre lake, large enough to take a sailboat on if you so desire. East Fork State Park is a nice getaway from city life and is one of the largest parks in the area, with nearly 5,000 acres. If you enjoy water sports and camping, then this is a great place for you and your family. I just returned from camping this past weekend and the facilities are quite nice. I took an 11- mile bike ride and could have kept going! The scenery is peaceful and beautiful as you can see by the pictures I took.

 

 

Indiana State Parks Brown County State Park is a favorite place to enjoy this time of year because it not only has a beautiful park and amazing lodge but also a quaint town nearby for shopping and restaurants.

Kentucky State Parks If you have never been to either Natural Bridge or Cumberland Falls then you really should consider going for the day or better still, the weekend. They each have a  lodge if you are not interested in camping. Cumberland Falls has a moonbow, that is worth going to see.

If you have a favorite place that you enjoy going with your family, please post as I am sure others would enjoy as well as my family.

 

Quiet Games to Play

Jun19

Sometimes your child needs a quiet game to play. Doctor’s visits, long car rides, church, or down time after schoolwork is finished are perfect times to play these games.

Have you heard of Tangoes? These are tangrams that are all in a compact travel case. “What are tangrams?” you ask. They are seven geometric shapes that you can make all different sorts of designs with them. (You can see the shapes below in the picture.)

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There are a variety of sets, but I chose to purchase the Tangoes Animals. There are 48 different animals to create and 4 different levels. The pictures of the bird (#1) and fish (#2) are the starter level.

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Two great features with the game are that it is a one person game, so no fussing is taking place among the kids, and all of the pieces are magnetic, so they won’t get lost! The picture below is showing you both the front (blue) and the back pieces that are magnetic.

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Another really fun game is called Find It!  As you can see, there are small colored beads in a tube and there are objects that you need to find among the beads. There is a pad with all of  the items for the finder to mark. This game can be played as a one-player game or with other players. There are several different themed tubes including Veggie Tales, Wizard of Oz, dinosaurs, farm, and wildlife.  If you look closely at the picture you can find some of the items yourself!

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Here is the pad with all of the items to find. The items are also listed on the top lid of the tube in case you no longer have the pad. Your children will enjoy playing, but I think you will too! One of the great things is that all of the pieces are contained within the tube and are designed to NOT come out of the cylinder. No losing pieces, no mess!

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Other fun games/items to play with are:

Barrel of Monkeys

Tic-tac-toe

Matchbox cars

Small Lego sets

Word searches

 

 

 

Educational Co-ops and Programs

Mar31
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Co-ops and educational programs are such great ways to connect your children and you to other families who are homeschooling. Your children can take classes that you may not want to teach or just don’t have the equipment for, such as chemistry. They are also a terrific way of meeting other homeschool moms. Some of my closest friends are those who I met at a local homeschool co-op. Below is a list of co-ops here in greater Cincinnati. I hope you can find one that you will enjoy. 🙂
CAFE Christian Co-op (a Community of Academics, Fine arts and Encouragement)
Just like a cafe is a place to relax, fellowship and enjoy the company of friends, CAFE Christian Co-op is a place for homeschool families to find help, support and encouragement.
Location: Evangelical Community Church, 2191 Struble Road, Cincinnati, OH 45231
Time: Wednesdays 9:00 am-4:30 pm. 14 weeks/semester (16 weeks for advanced academic classes) Late August- late April
Cost: Family fee TBD. Class supply fee.
Grades: Pre- K- High School
Contact: http://cafecoop.weebly.com/contact-us.html
Website: cafecoop.weebly.com
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Classical Conversations
“Across the United States, Classical Conversations Communities exist to complement your home-centered education and connect you with like-minded families. Each community is facilitated by a trained parent-director, and classes are led by trained parent-tutors who model the classical tools of learning. Tutors have the privilege of encouraging students toward becoming lifelong learners while also encouraging parents in the classical teaching of their children.”

 Local groups meet in these areas: Bethel; Colerain Township; Goshen; Hamilton; Lebanon; Liberty Township; Mariemont; Sharonville; South Lebanon; West Chester

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Clermont Homeschool Co-nnections
Location: Bross Center for Learning, 4435 Aichlotz Rd., Suite 100; Cincinnati, OH 45245
“Clermont Homeschool Co-nnections helps to support home education by providing a secular, inclusive, affordable, conveniently located, semi-cooperative learning experience.”
Time: Classes meet one day per week, sessions vary as they can be one day os several weeks in length.
Cost: Varies based upon number of classes student is taking.
Website:https://clermonthomeschooler.wixsite.com/co-op 
Contact:  ClermontHomeschoolers@gmail.com

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Days of Wonder
This is a program and not a co-op. Our classes consist of multiple ages that have the same teachers several years in a row. Thi sis an alternative to public education for those who cannot afford a private school
Location: 150 W. Main St., Batavia, OH 45103
Time: August- May Preschool and grade levels K – 8 meets 3 days per week: Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays. Our full-time High School (grades 9-12) program meets Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday.
Cost: PS- $280/month full time; $220/half day; K-8 $260/month; HS- $290/month
Contact for Tour: 513-732-2111
Email: daysofwonderschool@gmail.com
Website: http://www.daysofwonderschool.org/
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Family Christian Homeschool Co-op 
Location: Fairfield Baptist Church, Fairfield, Ohio
Time: Fridays 9:00 am -12:30 pm
Cost: $60—Annual Registration Fee/Per Family
$70—Per Semester Fee/Teacher Families $140—Per Semester Fee/Non-Teacher Families. Drop-Off Student and Class-Related Fees are described here: https://www.homeschool-life.com/2303/custom/46399 
Grades: 1st- 12th grade
Email: fchcdirector@gmail.com
Web Site: https://www.homeschool-life.com/2303/index_public
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Great River Learning
Location: Faith Community Church in Mt. Washington, Ohio
Time: Monday-Thursday, 9:00 am-1:00 pm for three 11-week terms
Cost: $240.00/term for one day/wk; $550.00/term + curriculum membership for three days/wk
Grades: Ages 6-12
Email: lmc@greatriverlearning.org
Web Site: https://www.charlottemasonincommunity.com/great-river-learning-oh.html
One to three days of classes taught the Charlotte Mason way. This is a drop-off program for students ages 6-12.
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Help Homeschool
Location: Milford Christian Church, 844 State Route 131, Milford OH 45150.
Meeting Times: Wednesday, 8:15am-4:45pm
Grades: Pre-K – 12th Grades
HELP Homeschool offers enrichment and academic classes taught from a biblical perspective. We partner with the parent for the purpose of equipping you in your God-given task of educating your children. Parents are given the flexibility to select the classes best suited to your student need and family budget.  Classes are held once a week so families experience minimal disruption to everyday life.
Website: https://www.homeschool-life.com/oh/helphomeschool
Contact: Judy Young: youngfamily@zoomtown.com

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Kingdom Builders    

Location: Grace Bible Church, 12060 Route 42 (Lebanon Rd.), Sharonville, Ohio 45241

Meeting Times: Wednesdays September- April

General Description: We are a Christ-centered community that provides a variety of educational and enrichment classes for home-educating families in a safe and loving environment.

Website: kingdombuilderscoop.weebly.com  

Contact Information:https://kingdombuilderscoop.weebly.com/contact-us.html
Additional Information: Drop-off opportunities are available for students who are 12 and older by November 1 of the program year.

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The Learning Tree Co-op in Springdale, Ohio
Location: Vineyard Community Church in Springdale off Kemper Road
Times: Monday’s 10:00 – 2:30 (2 semesters of 15-16 weeks each per year)
Cost: $70.00 per child per semester (3 child maximum per family) plus family membership fee of $50.00 per semester. Teachers and leaders get one child’s tuition free.
Grades: nursery-12th grade
Email: director@learningtreeonline.org
Web Site: http://www.learningtreeonline.org/
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Leaves of Learning
Location: 7131 Plainfield Rd., Deer Park, Ohio 45236
Time: one to five days a week (parent choice) September – May 9:30am-4:30 depending upon class schedule
Grades: pre-school-grade 12
Cost: $100.00 + a materials fee per student to reserve a spot. Varies upon the number of classes taken. See website for more details.  https://www.leavesoflearning.org/tuition.asp
Email: info@leavesoflearning.org or 697-9021
Web Site: www.leavesoflearning.org
* Leaves does not have a Christian emphasis, but does have Christian parents involved.
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Middletown Christian School Homeschool Program
An enrichment program for ages 7-11
Location: Grace Baptist Church. 3011 N Union Road  Franklin, OH 45005 (Middletown Christian School)
Time: Mondays- twice a month 9 am to 12 pm
Description: This is a drop-off program offering classes in Spanish, Art/Music, Apologia Science, PE and more!
Additionally, Middletown Christian Schools offers students in grades 6-12 a partnership program with the school.
Contact: Rhonda Mick rmick@mcseagles.net
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PATH-Parents in Academic Training of Homeschoolers
We are a Christ-centered group of volunteer home school parents, partnering together with Christian teachers to provide high-quality courses for 7th – 12th grade home school students. Our goal is to have all courses taught from a Biblical perspective at an academic level to prepare students for higher education.
Location: Faith Church,5910 Price Rd., Milford, OH 45150
Time: Mondays and Wednesdays from mid-August to mid-May.  All classes meet once a week with the exception of math, which meets both Monday and Wednesday each week.
Cost: Varies, depending upon the number of classes taken.
Website:  www.pathmilford.org
Email: pathmilford@gmail.com
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Providence Extension Program (PEP):
This is not a co-op, but rather a homeschool program specializing in Classical Education with a Biblical Worldview
PEP partners with homeschool parents to give 7th -12th grade students the knowledge of history, writing and speaking, and biblical philosophy vs. world philosophies they need to convince the world to follow them as they follow Christ.
Experienced tutors
Two-day collegiate format
CORE Concept for Humanities
    National Honor Society, National Latin Exam, National Spanish Exam
    Student activities (prom, ski club, yearbook, etc.)
PEP has a 18- year track record of preparing students for success in college and a life that is glorifying to God. Our strong academics have enabled many of our graduating students to receive college scholarships.
PEP has two Greater Cincinnati locations: Mason and Milford. Please contact one of the site administrators for more information.
Please see our website for a list of classes www.pep1.org Registration begins in early April.
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Veritas Christian Homeschool Group
Location: Tri-County Baptist Church 8195 Beckett Road, West Chester, Ohio 45069
Time:  Thursday 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Grades: nursery- 12th grade
Email: vchgdirector@gmail.com
Web Site:  https://veritashomeschool.weebly.com Registration begins in December. You may fill out a Waiting List Application if you have missed the deadline.
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West Branch Learning Tree -WBLT Cheviot
Location: Friendship Baptists Church, 8580 Cheviot Road, Cheviot, Ohio
Time: Mondays from 9:30am-2:30 pm
Cost: $90.00 per child (3 child maximum)
Grades: nursery – 12th grade
Email: info@wbltcoop.org
Website: http://www.homeschool-life.com/oh/wbltcoop
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Wisdom’s Way Co-op in Milford
Location: We meet at Faith Evangelical Free Church at 5910 Price Rd. Milford, Ohio
Time: Monday’s from 1:00 – 3:00 PM for 12 weeks
Cost: $40.00 per child ($120.00 maximum) per family
Grades: nursery – 12th grade
Director: Laura Hoevener
Email:  laurahoevener@hotmail.com
Web Site: www.wisdomsway.net