Tuesday
May292012
My "Must Haves" for Homeschooling
Tuesday, May 29, 2012 at 5:00AM 
Welcome to Week 2 of the iHomeschool Network's 10 in 10 blog hop! Last week I shared my Top Ten Sites for Homeschooling. This week I have photo collages for you of my favorite homeschool items. (You know how much I love collages, don't you?)
2. Crayola Twistable Crayons: these make notebooking and coloring fun... I just love the soft look of crayons, don't you?
3. Library Card: 'nuff said!
4. LEGO bricks: used to keep little hands busy during read-alouds and SO much more!
5. Jet Fuel coffee: One cup a day to start me off is a must have!
6. My laptop - a MacBook Air: We are an all Mac house, and my laptop is the ultimate tool for productivity.
7. The Child Training Bible: You need to find out about this Bible if you haven't already heard.
8. Maps: We have maps all over our home, but This Land is Your Land Map
is my favorite. It has been essential to our 50 state study this year.9. ROKU: This internet streaming device is how we view Netflix and Amazon Instant on our television, among other things. Since we don't have cable or satellite, this is what we use to watch movies and documentaries.
Finally, my #10 must have item for homeschooling is this: a big basket (or in our house, multiple baskets) of games. We have recently added some IKEA Expedit shelves to our family room, with baskets for games. Having these visible reminds me to ENJOY OUR HOMESCHOOL more by playing games. It also makes the games available when the kids have friends over - there's been a lot of game playing here recently.
Now it's your turn. Leave me a comment and tell me your one MUST HAVE item!! Then, be sure to visit the other bloggers who are participating in the 10 in 10 blog hop!
Reader Comments (19)
Wow, I have never heard of the CTB. I am going to check that out. Don't know what we would do without our library, love that place.
I would only add in the IPAD for our school. It's been a great educational tool! Zachary learned every state capital and a lot of country capitals using Stack the States program and Molly loves some of the games!
Great list. :) I must be the only homeschooler who doesn't drink coffee. ;)
we love our library card! definitely a must have. and my girls love twistable crayons too... they are a great craft item!
Love your collage! And the idea to use a basket for games - so they are right there... all of your list!
I think you are living my life. :)
Library card, check. (Actually we have to have three because our library has a 50 book per card limit which is surprisingly easy to go over.)
Roku, check (And for the same reason, no cable or satellite. Although we did recently get an antenna and are able to get NBC, which I'm excited about solely for the Olympics this summer.)
Game basket and Expedit bookcases, check.
Mac computer, check.
I'll substitute Diet Coke for the coffee and otherwise I could have written this post. :)
Wonderful list! Love the collage. I had forgotten about my 3 hole punch and we use it just about every day too. Great way to store your games. We keep ours in an old stereo cabinet but I like the idea of the baskets so much better.
Thanks for sharing. Be Blessed.
The three hole punch and binders are our biggest necessity!
Love these. Agree with MOST of them. I am not a coffee drinker, I am a DP girl. :)
We love copy paper with the punches already in it. It makes life MUCH easier.
Yep, lots of that is pretty necessary around here. We have two huge games cupboards, but I like the idea of bins because they would be more accessible.
Hey Mary! I love your blog, you inspire me so much in my homeschooling. I can tell you induldge in this precious time!
I have been looking for bible curriculum for years and the best that I have found is just reading the scripture. I really like the idea of the Child Training Bible, do you think it would work with The Child's Story Bible? We have been reading through this and really love it, but the tabs would be a wonderful companion. The bible is bigger than 6x9, so I was just curious. Thanks for sharing your journey with us!
Stephanie.... I use the Child Training Bible as a disciplinary tool with my children. I'm not sure how it would quite work with the Child's Story bible. You can always email Mindy at the Child Training Bible (her email is on their site) and ask her - I'm sure she would have a much better answer than I do!!
Fabulous list! :) It's so fun to keep looking through everyone's must have lists.
Electric Pencil Sharpener! Wish my friends had warned me of that one, I think it's a biggie!!! :)
Like most of this, though I prefer to not raise my kids around the bible.
I personally could not do without: my laptop, printer, lots and lots of ink, pinterest, diet coke, his box o books ( although we are going to the library today) his bingo dot markers, our hole puncher, waterfront mission ( where I find ALOT of his curriculum) and kindle fire
I would say most of this is correct especially the coffee! But the one thing I would add is a white board. I love our white board. I write down all of our subjects we are going to do for the day and then as we finish he gets to check it off and he loves that so he can see how much we have left!!
I think we have the same list -- except with a few slight variations. Love the Mac, but we use ours with our Apple TV instead of Roku.
My laminator! I recently upgraded from a personal pocket laminator to a huge 27" and it's awesome!!!!
(Ans I don't drink coffee either, but do need my diet coke)