On today's Short Bite we continue with our series on first games! These are games that can be played as young as 2 and help to develop fine motor skills, color recognition, memory, cooperation, counting, and logic. Today we’ll be reviewing a colorful matching game, Hisss by Gamewright! This game was an essential part in teaching our daughter her colors. It’s a great primer for future matching and tile laying games! Ages: 2-7 Players: 2-5 Playtime: 15 min Skills: color recognition, counting, coop...
Mar 11, 2021•8 min•Ep. 78
A warrior princess on a quest to find the last magical dragon? Count us in! On today’s show we review Raya and the Last Dragon newly released on Disney+ Premier. Join us and let us know what you thought of Disney’s latest entry in their animated princess franchise. Rating: PG Runtime: 1 hr 57 min Availability: Disney Plus Premier FREE Resource Guide Download our FREE North American Resources List to enhance your global studies with your learners! https://rebrand.ly/fstke Show Notes Raya and The ...
Mar 08, 2021•31 min•Ep. 77
On today’s Short Bite we’re discussing a classic tile laying game with easy-to-learn rules, great strategy, and lots of hidden math. It’s Carcassonne from Z-Man Games! This is the first game we bought as a new couple 16 years ago and it remains one of our favorites. Now we get to enjoy this terrific game with our daughter as part of gameschooling. Win win! Ages: 6+ Players: 2-5 Playtime: 30-45 min Skills: strategy, matching, probabilities, mental addition FREE Resource Guide Download our FREE No...
Mar 04, 2021•13 min•Ep. 76
Jumping into the world of homeschooling can be overwhelming, liberating, exhausting, and amazing. There are so many ups and downs of finding your rhythm and learning how your children learn best. Today, we’re starting a series of interviews with first year homeschooling parents to discuss what went well, what didn’t, and what surprised them about this new journey in their family’s life. To start us off, we sit down with Sarah Milloy, a super mom to a 4 year old and 2 year old twins! We talk curr...
Mar 01, 2021•56 min•Ep. 75
Deep in the heart of a mythical forest lurk angry ogres, giggling goblins, and even the famed and fearsome fire-breathing dragons! Collect sets of adventurer cards to earn dice, which you will use to roll against your foes. Stomp on some fire ants, shriek at a grumpy troll, or strike the menacing orange dragon with a magical silver sword. Today we’re discussing Dragonwood. A terrific fantasy game from Gamewright that involves a bit of strategy, daring, and addition practice! Ages: 7+ Players: 2-...
Feb 25, 2021•7 min•Ep. 74
“I don’t want to do math! You can’t make me!” All of our careful homeschool planning can go right down the drain when our children dig their heels in and refuse to work with us. Power struggles often ensue and not only do we usually fail to reach our intended goal, but our relationship with our children is negatively affected. On today’s show we’ll be discussing building motivation in our kids by being mindful of our language and expectations. We’ll also give you some creative tips and tricks to...
Feb 22, 2021•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 73
On today’s Short Bite we’ll be reviewing the Golden Globe Nominated animated movie Over the Moon from Netflix. It’s the story of a young girl who, after the death of her mother, embarks on a journey to meet the moon goddess Chang’e. It was sweet, surprisingly moving, and gave a fanciful glimpse into Chinese culture for young children. Show Notes Over The Moon - https://www.netflix.com/title/80214236 Over The Moon Trailer - https://youtu.be/26DIABx44Tw Connect with us Facebook: www.facebook.com/g...
Feb 18, 2021•12 min•Ep. 72
We were so thankful to get a chance to sit down with the great team at Timberdoodle! If you’re overwhelmed by all the curriculum options available and unsure how to combine them to create the unique experience you want for your children, you might consider looking into the curated curriculum sets from Timberdoodle! They feature unique products brought together in a thoughtful manner to make an enriching year of study for your learner. Even better, should you need to make changes the kits are ful...
Feb 15, 2021•48 min•Ep. 71
Find all your treasures before your fellow adventures, but beware, the path to reach those treasures changes every turn. It’s the classic Labyrinth from Ravensburger! This ever changing board game is perfect for family game night and as gameschoolers we love that with so many possible changes your child has to continually adapt their plans and think through each cause and effect thoroughly. It’s great training for all sorts of future math and engineering problems. Luckily Ravensburger also makes...
Feb 11, 2021•8 min•Ep. 70
Kiwi Crate explores STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Math) topics through engaging, hands-on projects that aim to inspire and celebrate kids’ natural creativity and curiosity. Each crate dives into enriching topics that may cover science experiments, muscles and organs, mechanics and building, art techniques, motion and force, magnetism, and more. Explore these themes through innovative projects, DIY activities, plus games and puzzles in the explore! Magazine. Today, we review Kiwi ...
Feb 08, 2021•30 min•Ep. 69
On today's Short Bite we continue with our series on first games! These are games that can be played as young as 2 and help to develop fine motor skills, color recognition, memory, cooperation, counting, and logic. Today we'll be reviewing the cotton candy, gem filled, rainbow world of Unicorn Glitterluck! This is a classic Haba game that is filled to the brim with colorful fun, and maybe DOOM for your feet! (more on that in the podcast) FREE Resource Guide Download our FREE North American Resou...
Feb 04, 2021•7 min•Ep. 68
It’s truly a golden age for the availability of educational video content. There are almost too many streaming services to count, many of which have great free or low cost resources to enhance your homeschool. Continuing our technology series, today we’ll be talking about our streaming picks and a few tips and tricks to integrate everything with a Roku device. Why Roku? Our favorite Channels Our Tips and Tricks FREE Resource Guide Download our FREE North American Resources List to enhance your g...
Feb 01, 2021•54 min•Ep. 67
On today's Short Bite we continue with our series on first games! These are games that can be played as young as 2 and help to develop fine motor skills, color recognition, memory, cooperation, counting, and logic. Today we'll be reviewing a colorful, tactile version of Uno called Uno Moo! It's a great adaptation of Uno featuring color and image matching with adorable little characters. FREE Resource Guide Download our FREE North American Resources List to enhance your global studies with your l...
Jan 28, 2021•9 min•Ep. 66
It’s the time of year when we’re making plans and reflecting upon what went well and what didn’t last year. Seeing these plans through to fruition is about more than desire and persistence. You have to set yourself (and your children) up for success. Today on the show we’re going to discuss the concept of S.M.A.R.T. goals and how you can use this system to hit your milestones and realize your plans. The S.M.A.R.T. concept S: Specific M: Measurable A: Achievable R: Realistic T: Timely Now that yo...
Jan 25, 2021•51 min•Ep. 65
On today's Short Bite we're starting a series exploring the best first games to play with your preschool child! These are games that can be played as young as 2 and help to develop fine motor skills, color recognition, memory, cooperation, counting, and logic. Today we'll kick it off with our favorite early game, First Orchard from HABA! The quality, colorful components delight our children and they're learning important skills along the way! FREE Resource Guide Download our FREE North American ...
Jan 21, 2021•8 min•Ep. 64
Having a house full of books is about more than providing entertainment or fulfilling a learning requirement. Books are gateways to experience new places and people, launchpads to discovery, and friends waiting to be met. In our family, our book collection is large and constantly growing. At just over 2000 books we only have one problem: shelf space! A book collection is a treasure, but not if you can’t find the book you need or they’re so haphazard that natural discovery is inhibited. So today ...
Jan 18, 2021•1 hr•Ep. 63
Are you tired of playing Monopoly, Candyland, or insert Milton Bradley title here, but you're unsure how to get your family beyond the classic (and mostly boring) board games? Settlers of Catan is THE gateway game. We've seen it be the spark that sets a family down a path of nerdy board game goodness and as gameschoolers we know the power games have to not only entertain, but teach valuable lessons and academic skills. If you've been on the fence about weightier board games at all, dip your toe ...
Jan 14, 2021•16 min•Ep. 62
Today we sit down with Sky Valley Education Center (SVEC) director Karen Rosencrans and teacher Amber Ortiz to discuss their public Parent Partnership Program? Is it just like pubic school? Is it only enrichment classes? Join us to learn what this terrific program is all about and how alternative education schools can provide guidance, support, and community for your homeschool. Find out more about SVEC: https://www.monroe.wednet.edu/svec Follow SVEC and see the latest news on Facebook: https://...
Jan 11, 2021•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 61
Choo Choo Homeschoolers! Today we talk about the extremely popular and widely available game, Ticket To Ride. There are endless expansions, children's editions, and digital options for both iOS and Android. This game hits it all and is a must have for your homeschool! Ages 7 and up 2-5 players 30 min playtime Skills: strategic thinking, math, probabilities, colors FREE Resource Guide Download our FREE North American Resources List to enhance your global studies with your learners! https://rebran...
Jan 07, 2021•13 min•Ep. 60
Get your game on! You know we love using games in our homeschool and today we have a 'game geek out' sesson for you. We had the pleasure to talk with Danielle from Board Game Babies about all things games, and specifically gameschooling for young kids. We referenced a ton of games specifically geared towards young learners. Sit down, get your dice trays, and Game Out with us! Follow Danielle's Game Reviews Find more on Danielle's charitable efforts through her instagram: https://www.instagram.co...
Jan 04, 2021•1 hr 23 min•Ep. 59
We have a short announcement regarding the podcast! Connect with us Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/homeschooltogetherpodcast/ Instagram: www.instagram.com/homeschooltogetherpodcast Website: https://homeschooltogether.fireside.fm/ Email: homeschooltogetherpodcast@gmail.com
Jan 03, 2021•3 min
Every day can be an adventure! That’s the motto of today’s guest, Kristin Drenzek. We sit down with this Alaskan mom to discuss wild schooling, Blossom and Root, embracing each day with flexibility, and how time outdoors can lead to the most amazing and unexpected learning opportunities. Kristin's Instagram Feed is a must follow - https://www.instagram.com/alaskawildlings/ Kristin's Blogs - https://talesofamountainmama.com/author/kristin/ http://www.alaskawildlings.com/ Kristin's guide to outerw...
Jan 01, 2021•1 hr•Ep. 58
Tiles, tiles, and more tiles! In today’s Short Bite we’re discussing the tile building game, Kingdomino, by Blue Orange! In this strategy building game, you are trying to build your kingdom by maximizing common regions. But like all rulers, you must be wise as you build. Don't be greedy or you'll be left on the margin! Playing is quick, it’s constantly engaging, and the rules are deceptively simple. This is the perfect entry into roll and write games and a clever way to reinforce simple addition...
Dec 30, 2020•12 min•Ep. 57
As we are about to embark on a new year full of the joys and challenges of homeschooling, we want to take a step back and discuss our purpose. When you’ve had a hard day, understanding your purpose (and being aligned with your spouse or partner) can help you to see through to a brighter day ahead. Today we discuss our homeschooling purpose and encourage you to reconnect with your own. Purpose is the why of homeschooling. This is the list you’ll want to come back to when you hit a hard day. It’s ...
Dec 28, 2020•54 min•Ep. 56
Close down Pinterest and put on the sweat pants, we’re talking homeschool spaces this week! New homeschoolers will often lose a ton of sleep trying to make their homeschool space perfect. All this week we interview homeschoolers, asking them, “What does your homeschool space look like.” We get a wide range of answers from kitchen tables, to couches, to bedrooms, and everything in between. Don’t stress about your homeschool space. Listen to these homeschoolers and how they accomplish everything t...
Dec 25, 2020•3 min
Close down Pinterest and put on the sweat pants, we’re talking homeschool spaces this week! New homeschoolers will often lose a ton of sleep trying to make their homeschool space perfect. All this week we interview homeschoolers, asking them, “What does your homeschool space look like.” We get a wide range of answers from kitchen tables, to couches, to bedrooms, and everything in between. Don’t stress about your homeschool space. Listen to these homeschoolers and how they accomplish everything t...
Dec 24, 2020•2 min
Close down Pinterest and put on the sweat pants, we’re talking homeschool spaces this week! New homeschoolers will often lose a ton of sleep trying to make their homeschool space perfect. All this week we interview homeschoolers, asking them, “What does your homeschool space look like.” We get a wide range of answers from kitchen tables, to couches, to bedrooms, and everything in between. Don’t stress about your homeschool space. Listen to these homeschoolers and how they accomplish everything t...
Dec 23, 2020•2 min
Close down Pinterest and put on the sweat pants, we’re talking homeschool spaces this week! New homeschoolers will often lose a ton of sleep trying to make their homeschool space perfect. All this week we interview homeschoolers, asking them, “What does your homeschool space look like.” We get a wide range of answers from kitchen tables, to couches, to bedrooms, and everything in between. Don’t stress about your homeschool space. Listen to these homeschoolers and how they accomplish everything t...
Dec 22, 2020•1 min
Close down Pinterest and put on the sweat pants, we’re talking homeschool spaces this week! New homeschoolers will often lose a ton of sleep trying to make their homeschool space perfect. All this week we interview homeschoolers, asking them, “What does your homeschool space look like.” We get a wide range of answers from kitchen tables, to couches, to bedrooms, and everything in between. Don’t stress about your homeschool space. Listen to these homeschoolers and how they accomplish everything t...
Dec 21, 2020•3 min
A free platform to learn almost anything? A way to hear diverse voices and real experiences? The second largest search engine in the world? Yep, it’s YouTube! Today we’ll be talking about all the ways we leverage YouTube in our homeschool to discover new educational interests, expand on current learning, and check in on the brown bears at Katmai National Park. Why YouTube matters Importance of YouTube premium How we use YouTube Cons of YouTube FREE Resource Guide Download our FREE North American...
Dec 18, 2020•56 min•Ep. 55
