How do I plan out doing the activities in the programs?
Each of our programs has books devoted to bringing you activity ideas, while some have kits or art books that also help along the fun! Activities may include making simple historical crafts or “artifacts,” cooking period food, arranging a family dinner, creating games for family fun, making simple costume pieces, recreating historical events, watching a historical docudrama, or creating your own posters or newspapers. Online fun may include visiting historical sites online, taking a peek inside museums around the world, playing games that reinforce what you’ve learned in your studies, journeying through another land, researching a topic online, or even hearing the sounds of a culture or important person in history. The most important thing to remember, however, is that the vast majority of these activities are activities that you will actually follow through and do! Most require a minimal amount of preparation or even no prep! You’ll follow through because of a number of factors that help you along the way.
- Some activities are just so easily available with no preparation, such as online activities.
- Many activities require only the most commonplace of supplies
- Many activities are so simple that if you provide supplies, students can complete them independently
- DVD suggestions are easy to plan for at the beginning of the year, and specific titles and ISBN numbers are given to you to help you get just the right volume
- Some activities fit easily into your family life, such as cooking, which needs to be done anyway
- Many activities are provided as part of kits that have everything you need to begin
- Notebooking opportunities also provide some activities and require only your student’s imagination
- We let you choose from various activity opportunities — there are so many, you’ll have plenty to discard if they don’t work for you!
What Kinds of Supplies Will I Need?
Many activities require supplies that would be found in any well-stocked homeschool art cupboard, and recommendations are made to guide you toward the activities that bring you the most fun for the least amount of preparation. All of our guidebooks bring you a supply list for you to look at and plan for the coming year. This includes a list of what kind of common supplies you’ll need to have on hand as part of your craft cupboard. Not only that, but we provide a yearlong “Activity Planning Sheet.” Divided by week, you’ll have plenty of advance notice for any unusual supplies you’ll need, and you’ll be able to decide ahead of time which activities you do want to complete and which ones you’ll pass on.
