Do you want to combine grades to save some costs? Or are you striving for sanity while juggling multiple students? We have some tips for you in today’s FAQ! Hope: Our question for today is, “If I have a 5th grader, a 3rd grader, and a 1st grader, how can I combine my teaching? Is there any way to teach them all from the same curriculum or how can I do that?” Deb: We’re not just talking about those particular grades. We’re talking about what to do if you’re combining multiple children and multiple grades. What does that look like? And of...

From the Timberdoodle archives: Deb wrote this article in the early ’90s when she was still in the thick of homeschooling her children. What could your child possibly miss by not being in school? Well, obviously not the dark and shady side that is depressing to anyone who cares about children. But for years, attendance at school has yielded a hidden benefit for countless children. It is an advantage that most homeschool settings lack. No, I’m not thinking of band or gymnastics. Instead, what I am most concerned about is the lack of time management skills taught. It is easy to see...

As a foster family with little ones ages 2.5 to almost 5 years old, devotion time has radically changed from previous years, when we were a family of grown ups! Our morning devotion routine starts with gathering the family and getting the little ones seated quietly on the couch. Honestly, this is probably the most difficult part! Some mornings are finally almost effortless, but some mornings way more time is still spent on obedience than on devotions. Not to worry, this is both normal and extraordinarily valuable for the children. In fact, they may benefit as much from that training...

Nicole asks: “How should I dual teach a 2- and 4-year-old?” OUR ANSWER: Fantastic question! Our family has twin 2-year-olds, a 3-year-old and a 4-year-old so I completely understand the difficulties! We’ve done a few things to make life easier. TEACH INDEPENDENT LEARNING Little ones don’t know how to learn on their own, but if you can help them gain this skill you’ll find you gain a lot of freedom. Our twins have learned to put together Plus-Plus Midi so they can be handed a stack of pieces to put together and that will give you a few minutes to work with their...

Young children are almost always hands-on learners. That is why your child picks up and touches everything. It may look destructive, but it is how God has programmed him to learn. And because at this age your child will learn more easily using this preferred learning style, we recommend adding a hands-on thinking program to any written curriculum, to add balance and success. bambinoLUK is intended to maximize your child’s learning. It contains one easy-to-operate controller with six tiles housed in a transparent case and a number of different workbook sets targeting memorization, concentration, visual perception, logical thinking, linguistic skills, and...