It seems like everyone is very creative when it comes to schooling at home. We do mostly drawing and coloring around here. We make books about the stuff we learn using stuff from online and construction paper. We have made some things on postor board and put them up. I plan to make one about the weather and one about plants growing. Flowers have gotten an interest because my hostas are starting to come up. I have all these ideas on what to do. I have a problem getting what's in my head into reality. Does that make sense? How do I get us to be more creative around here? What's a good way to get my ideas out and about? I use to creative once upon a time. Maybe I need to do some learning too.
I feel the same way. I am not nearly as creative as others here. I am trying to learn from them though. We will be doing a lap book over the summer and for me that is a start. I feel like I never have time to even try to be creative with housework and regular school stuff and church. We break for summer so I am really going to do my best to get the kids involved with more creative types of things.
I love this one too, check out the link for the virtual vine too (if you don't put the exact name in your browser will direct me to a wine web page) http://sherryskindergarten.homestead.com/
I'm not creative but, I'm pretty good at tweaking ideas. I have a couple of craft books, how to draw type books and that is what got me started. We are doing the Evan-Moor History Pockets on Native Americans and my kids don't do ANYTHING extra as far as coloring or whatever but...they love learning and that is what matters more than ANYTHING. Trying too hard to be creative when it doesn't flow in your blood can cause some burn out pretty quick because you can slave away putting it all together for your kids to be done with it and bored in 30 seconds. ROFL Try to find things where the creativity is already done for you.
I have a lot of experience with creating games, lessons and things like that from doing daycare to teaching at church. It has always been easy for me to come up with stuff as long as I have a general idea of what is supposed to be learned. When I think fractions, I think pizza or beach balls. When I think crafts and games....well....too much comes to mind..lol. Plastic eggs and things like that can be used to hold information that once all opened can be put together for memorization or storytelling or whatever...even math. This April we are doing a unit study on Kites...that will be fun. I will be using that as a segway to airplanes and flight. I try to think of how things relate to one another...how April can relate to school. Kites are great for science...wind, flight, etc. April is a time of gardening so that is perfect for seeds. Seeds are planted...time to plant the seeds of learning! Or think of how something relates to real life. For instance..fractions...that relates to cutting up things like pizza or dividing up a bagel or whatever. If this is not your strong suit...than don't worry. The internet is full of ideas! Or just ask on here! Maybe we should have a thread for creative ideas for certain subjects. I always enjoy learning new ways to liven things up. I also come up with tons more of ideas by hearing others. I am sure as time goes on...you will be able to think of things automatically. I really think it is all experience and variations on a theme for the most part. I am not sure if creativity can be teached...maybe cultivated? Not sure. For some it may come easier...but most of your ideas will be learned. If you know any teachers, they can be real helpful. However, the internet will be very helpful. There are tons of ideas. Just type in games or activities for a particular theme. You will see a million things you can do.
I'm not very creative either but I'm learning. I've become more creative just by browsing online- like our Rainforest unit was something I'd found online. Dd hates coloring now but loves to paint, paper mache, drawing books she's getting into now, air dry clay and we make beads and whatnot with and paint them. I googled free art lessons and found a slew of stuff.
I don't think I'm very creative but I've noticed my kids like to do simple things. Make slime, goo, explode volcanoes....cut, glue and paste, paint, the messier the better! They also like to cook. Our local art guild is going to offer monthly art lessons to homeschoolers. I think that might be fun to try. You might be surprised at what your kids want to do, you can always ask them for ideas if they are old enough.
How creative do you want to get? Mud and dirt is an excellent learning tool. Mud pies are great for fractions and dirt for spelling. Paint is a must around our house as well as sidewalk chalk. Sock puppets are fun for acting out history lessons. Craft books do come in handy too. Trash to Treasure craft books are nice because most of the materials you use, you will already have around the house. Patty
Do you have a Michaels arts and crafts store nearby? They have kids crafts on Saturdays from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. (I think that's the time?). It's not too expensive and they get to bring their craft home.
Go to your library and get Mailbox Magazine. It is full of cute ideas to teach different things. Right now it's full of Easter theme learning ideas and Mother's day. I've used Mailbox since Jeanne has been on the planet!
Here's a good site with good ideas. Look to the left for links. http://teachers.santee.k12.ca.us/carl/
