by Adrianne George, AWC Gothenburg, AWC Malmö, AWC Stockholm
Remember the days when you might have thought homeschooling was a concept only hippies or recluses could embrace? When you thought, “no way would I keep my kids home all day”? Does it seem like a long time ago that you thought, “I’m no educator, I’m just a parent”? For many of us, those days are over. They are a thing of the past. Our new reality means our children are home with us during the day, all day. Their schools are closed. Their teachers are now faces on a computer screen, and you are the teacher’s assistant.
Welcome to the new reality the coronavirus pandemic has created. The good news is that the world has answered those who questioned their ability to homeschool. The universe has provided tools for the newly initiated teachers’ assistants otherwise known as mom, dad, auntie, uncle, grandma and grandpa. It has even provided an opportunity for godmothers like me to strengthen the bond that busy schedules and distance threaten to weaken.
I have started a weekly English conversation session for my 12-year-old goddaughter and her 14-year-old sister in Berlin. Their younger sisters hang out occasionally, and I am having the time of my life listening to their little voices in their German/Danish accents wrap their young minds around expressing themselves to me in English while deciphering my American accent. For me, this is a dream come true.
What joy will you discover during this time? In this series of articles, we’ll highlight a list of resources and tools for homeschooling covering Art, Books, Cooking, Crafts, Exercise, Math, Mindfulness, Music, Science, Sports, Virtual field trips and Yoga that you may want to embrace even on the other side of the pandemic. This week we’re focusing on Science & Crafts.
Want to skip the specifics and just have a list of general resources at hand? Click HERE for a list of 47 helpful websites from Our Lady of Perpetual Help, TCDSB (K–8th grade) and/or check out The Khan Academy for teaching/learning resources (preschool–12th grade), as well as how to create a daily schedule. Also NEW this week is the Emergency Curriculum Packet created by the Charlotte Mason Institute.
SCIENCE
Looking for a fun science experiment or want to Skype with a real scientist? Get ready to get messy and click HERE to tap into those amazing resources and so much more to help your child explore the world through the eyes of science!
CRAFTS
Do you have glue, scissors, crayons and you’re looking to nurture your kids’ creativity? Click HERE for a list of crafts to fit any age, including coloring pages for tweens and teens, as well as how to upcycle your juice and tissue boxes to make boats and trucks!
BONUS: Disney (and more) Virtual Field Trips!!
Can’t get to Disney? Let Disney come to you and enjoy these rides. Thank you HouseBeautiful.com! (Tip: Click through to tour CInderella’s Castle.)
- Alice in Wonderland at Disneyland
- Avatar Flight of Passage at Walt Disney World’s Animal Kingdom
- Big Thunder Mountain Railroad at Disneyland and Walt Disney World
- Expedition Everest at Walt Disney World’s Animal Kingdom
- Frozen Ever After at Walt Disney World’s Epcot
- Incredicoaster at California Adventure
- Jurassic World: The Ride at Universal Studios Hollywood
- Peter Pan's Flight at Disneyland
- It's a Small World at various parks
- Splash Mountain at Disneyland
- Test Track at Walt Disney World’s Epcot
- Tower of Terror at Hollywood Studios Orlando
PHOTO: Author's goddaughter and goddaughter's family being homeschooled. Credit: Christopher Plantener
ClipArt - Scientist: from Image by Kidaha from Pixabay (teacher-2816112_1920.jpg)
ClipArt - Rainbow: from image by Mark Baird from Pixabay (rainbow-4127191_1280.png)
