A Collage of Busy Hands
Our week was filled with hands-on activities. I love incorporating busy hands in our schoolwork–activities that reinforce the learning or create useful or beautiful items are always appreciated. And this week nearly every subject had us making and doing.
- Sewing a quilt square is a project from our Time Traveler’s unit on the 1800s. I adore doing crafts with my children that become keepsakes and this one fits the bill, along with showing them the work involved in the quilts that pioneer women made. We’re doing all the sewing by hand, just one or two squares at a time as I read aloud. They both enjoy it and are excited to see the pattern coming together.
- My husband and son (both quite electronically inclined and prone to gadget love) built an electronic kit to learn about soldering. This was their first foray into electronics together, they loved it and are working on another kit already. I have put in a request for a robot that cleans the house for me.
- We continued our bird studies by examining a chicken skeleton. Yes, it was our dinner. Yes, my husband gave me an odd look when I said we would bake a chicken for dinner so I could use the bones for schoolwork. Yes, my daughter thought it was gross–but then was fascinated by the experience. I’ll have a full post on our bird unit when we finish.
- More hands-on-math for my son: this time capacity estimation. I’ll also share more on that in a later post–just one note here: have towels handy.
- I’m preparing a snow unit study for a fun midwinter change. We’ll be doing it in two weeks and I had an activity in mind for the unit, but looked out Wednesday to see the perfect snowflakes falling. Reminding myself to be flexible we took advantage and spent time being amazed by nature and the seemingly simple but actually miraculous snowflake.
The neatness of our house suffered quite a bit along the way, but it was a good week. What are your favorite hands-on activities?
Thank you to the wonderful hostesses with fun link-ups on Fridays. Be sure to join the fun and see what other homeschoolers are up to!
Hi, I'm Heidi and I homeschool my two sweet kids. I want them to know that learning is an exciting lifelong adventure! We love great books, unit studies, notebooking, lapbooking, and hands-on learning.
What a great week you all had. I love hands on learning.
Blessings, Dawn
LOVE all the hands-on work you are doing. We like crafting, art, music playing, science experiments, sensory dough, buidling with cardboard boxes, deisgn challenges, etc. You might enjoy http://traininghappyhearts.blogspot.com/2012/06/read-aloud-to-real-challenges-mr-bears.html, http://traininghappyhearts.blogspot.com/2011/04/read-aloud-to-real-challenges-early.html, http://traininghappyhearts.blogspot.com/2012/06/plant-sitter-and-garden-of-eden-another.html and http://traininghappyhearts.blogspot.com/2011/04/read-aloud-to-real-challenges-my-friend.html
I want to be you when I grow up.
The end.
But I’m following in your footsteps! Your kids are one year older and I’m always learning from YOU!
Don’t all homeschool families cook a chicken or turkey to check out the skeleton? We’ve done both. LOL! Love all the hands on fun!
We’re cooking a chicken tonight…maybe we’ll have to take a closer look at the skeleton.
I’m so glad I “accidentally” found your blog last night!
You remind me of myself (or at least, who I’d like to be in my own home school)! 
Glad you stopped by!
It sounds like you had a great week. Thanks for the hands-on math tips! I need those for my special learner!