Question for Unschoolers - Favorites to keep on hand?

[Earth Angel]

I'm reading, and learning, and we are beginning this journey, my 6 and almost 3 yr old, my Dh and I!

Currently I'm reading The Unschooling Handbook, and one of the parents quotes Sandra Dodd as saying - it is my job to "strew her path with interesting things".

So, what I'm wondering is, what interesting thing do you all "strew their paths" with? What are some of your greatest finds? Things that your kids just love that have helped them find what they are seeking? Essential software? Certain books?....this kind of thing.

I know some of this depends on what the topic of the moment is, but, I was thinking there are probably some staples that you and your kinds find invalueable.....

TIA

[UUMom]

If you can get your hands on any copies of John Holt's mag "Growing Without Schooling' you might feel insipired. It's no longer published, hasn't been for a while, but I still love to thumb through my old copies.

If you have a LLL group, perhaps some older moms/leaders have some in their stash. Of all the mags, that one has a special place in my heart.

There are others people will note, but I wanted to put in a plug for this one...

[4evermom]

I found How Children Learn by John Holt to be really affirmative of how I am parenting ds. I was always concerned about preserving his sense of inquiry and exploration. When he started pre-k, I could see the squelching beginning and this book confirmed my observations. I'm looking forward to reading other things by him.

[Callimom]

A not-quite-unschooler here:

Things I would consider "basics" at our place would be things that invite or facilitate further exploration. Things like:

math manipulatives - lots and all different kinds.
Things that are hits here include pattern blocks, cuisenaire rods, fraction circles, pentominoes, tangrams, balance scale and weights, DIME blocks (love these but they are hard to find), geometric shapes, geoboards, measuring equipment, various dice, calculators etc. Or science equipment to explore like magnifying glass, microscope and prepared slides, prisms, magnets, petrie dishes, litmus strips, and kits that are interesting to your kids.

We have the standard complement of art supplies, musical instruments, learn to read type manipulatives and games, reference and puzzle books, computer games.

Specifics:
My kids like the DK explorer series of computer games (history, science, body, animal etd), zoombinis, cluefinders and reader rabbit.
Books - we have a good supply of reference books - ie history and science encyclopedia, art books, field guides, math dictionary and reference books, atlas (our favourite is the Reader's Digest Children's Atlas of the World and the companion Atlas of the Universe). My goal is that I can pull a book of the shelves that will at least *start* to answer their questions. We are heavy users of the library and the 'net but I think it's important for kids to have a chance to fall asleep looking at pictures in great books that answer their questions.
Games: I love the aristoply games and we have almost the entire collection. We have lots and lots of games.
Activity books - ideas for science or art projects.

For our family an important part of homeschooling is being aware of what is in the community to explore - we are 'out' a lot at museums, science and nature centres, music centre, community and cultural events. I often try to have books out of the library related to whatever "field trips" we are going on.

HTH
Karen

[Earth Angel]

Thanks for you replies everyone! And I'd love to hear from anyone, I shouldn't have specified unschoolers......its just how we are leaning

Karen, where do you find your math manipulatives? I don't really have anything like that, and I hear so many people using these types of things. Also, measuring equipment....are you talking tape measure and ruler or are there other types of things out there (I'm such a newbie ).

My goal is that I can pull a book of the shelves that will at least *start* to answer their questions.

Yes! Dh and I are really trying to build our home library up with great reference books....but without spending lots of $$!! Takes a bit more time, but we've found some great finds so far! We hit the library about once a week, and use the web like you say, but there is definately something about being able to go over to your shelf and pull out a book that can answer, or at least begin to answer, a question.

games - tell me about some more of your games....this is what we don't have a lot of, and we LOVE to play them!!

some of your favorite activity books too....we only have 1 or 2 of these, and they really help me!!



Thanks UU mom and 4evermom for your book suggestions. I didn't think about trying to find old copies of Growing without Schooling....just didn't think it'd be possible....but I'd love to read them!!
I really am looking for suggestions like Karen gave though....things for the kids....I only need time (such a coveted comodity ) to read all the fantastic books out there for me as the "facilitator" (I'm keeping a list).
Right now I have some $ burining a hole in my pocket from a gift I had to return....and I want to spend it on some new things for the kids, but want to spend it very wisely...... hence coming to all you experts

[mommymarliah]

we are doing an unschooling/waldorf homeschool and I if your child reads (my oldest loves to read) I would suggest a variety of books on different topics. My kiddo loves reading Bible books and nature books so we have a bunch (of course I keep a bunch on other topics as well in case he is interested).

We try to go for a walk every day we can and talk about nature and trees and bugs and all that, so I think just talking to your kids about thing is huge!

for toys we are pretty much all waldorf now. my oldest son has one plastic electicity toy that teaches about electricty that he really loves doing that with Dad and hes learned ALOT about electricity and cal tell me the different parts and what they do (which is awesome cause I know none of that stuff) just proof that you dont have to know anything to teach your kid hes taught himself alot about that (Dad has helped too of course).

We also have the nature table, I love that. There are rocks and wood peices and little dolls they can play with, for imaginative play. We have a wooden bead toy which can be used to stacking or stringing or counting, or anything else they dream up.

I just ordered the "LMNOP" book for the younger boys and got the matching cards to hang on the wall so if they are interested in learning their letters they will be there and available

And we have an easel set up in the play area, with plenty of stockmar crayons for them to color with.

Thats about it, we have the "standard" waldorf toys too, blocks, dolls, and some play food. But mostly I just take their lead and if we need more than we can find in the books we have on hand we research things online or order some new books

I just ordered the Oak Meadown K curriculum to give me ideas for my 5 year old and I love all of it. If nothing else though I HIGHLY reccomend the craft book, there are lots of wonderful and simple age appropriate craft ideas in there. So many things I would have never thought of on my own.

[papayapetunia]

I think it's important to have good books around, art supplies galore, reference books...that's about it for me. Oh, we like games - cards, dominos, marbles, jacks, trivial pursuit, scrabble...any games, really. I think "strewing things in their path" also refers to places you go and people you meet. We try to get out for a walk every day, and when money permits, we like to go to museums and interesting shops and places to eat.

[Lillian J]

Growing Without Schooling magazines online!

Originally Posted by Earth Angel

I didn't think about trying to find old copies of Growing without Schooling....just didn't think it'd be possible....but I'd love to read them!!

Home Education Magazine has been putting them online in their Unschooling.com website!

Growing Without Schooling online

Lillian

[Lillian J]

• Construction toys of all kinds
• Sandbox with all sorts of play figures (people, animals, etc.) that can be incorporated into creative play
• Fun and interesting computer games
• Globe
• A real, old fashioned book form encyclopedia and atlases that you can grab to quickly look up things, sit on the couch and page through. Some would disagree, arguing that online resources and CDs are better, but I like the look and feel and smell and immediacy.And the electronic versions are important to have too! Those get a lot of use.
• Books from the library or book store about interests that come along
• A computer, at some point, that is the child's - they quickly learn how to enhance them, tweak them, etc.
• System for playing videos, music, CDs, etc.
• Story recordings, and of course music recordings
• A movie camera
• Art supplies of all kinds
• Access to community classes on special interests
• Science materials for specific things that come along - like science experiments

[*]Boomerang CDs!

Hm... I'm straying from strewing to providing, but it's oftentimes a fine line between them... Lillian

[UnschoolnMa]

Well used and loved things around here:

*Knitting and crocheting stuffs
*Art supplies
*Library books (we fill two bags when we go!)
*Movies
*Video games
*Ds's guitar
*The internet!
*Cook books and various ingredients
*Board games and etc. (We love Pictionary!)
*Encyclopedias, dictionaries, and other similiar references
*Dd likes some workbooks
*Flash cards

[Callimom]

Karen, where do you find your math manipulatives? I don't really have anything like that, and I hear so many people using these types of things. Also, measuring equipment....are you talking tape measure and ruler or are there other types of things out there

Teacher supply stores, homeschool catalogues or ebay are good places to find math manipulatives, and most homeschool school conferences will have vendors selling them. You can also order them online from places like eta/cuisenaire. Things like pentominoes and tangrams are easily made with light cardboard. Just google for a pattern. You can also make geoboards with wood and nails - a fun project but I'm lazy and bought ours. Some "good" toy stores may also carry some of these things.

Measuring devices - I just hit the dollar (or thrift) store for rulers, measuring tapes (both the flexible sewing kind and the woodworking kind), measuring cups and spoons, thermometres (indoor/outdoor/candy/meat) - that kind of thing.


games - tell me about some more of your games....this is what we don't have a lot of, and we LOVE to play them!!

Lol - the list is long - this is what I can see on the game shelf and there are more in the basement.
math related:
dinotracks (place value)
mayan math (adding positive and negative numbers)
hive alive (comparing fractions, decimals, whole and mixed numbers)
bug catcher (positive and negative numbers)
smart squares (math puzzles)
blokus (like pentominoes - great for spatial thinking)
pay day (money management)
true math (aristoplay math trivia and mathmatical thinking - for older kids)
tic tac twice (logic, patterns)
connect four
mancala
chess
backgammon
cribbage
dice and card games
mythmatical battles
Habba geomix (not a game as much as a manipulative puzzle but my kids love it)

language/reading
cat in the hat
scrabble
bloggle and bloggle jr
bookworm (older comprehension type game)
spellominoes
rhyming dominoes
word yahtzee
sight word bingo

geography
globe trotter (world map twister)
trail blazer (canadian history/geography but I think that there is a US version)
take off geography
where in the world
a couple of canadian geography quiz based games
carmen sandiego board game

history (all aristoplay*)
made for trade*
land of egypt*
pyramids and mummies*
knights and castles*
by jove*
The Play's the thing (shakespeare)*
chronology
Artifact

Science (all aristoplay *)
true science*
somebody*
constellation station*
Metanon
Dinosaur Survival or extinction
snap circuits (not really a game but its on the shelf )

a lot of general trivia games. We also have lots of puzzles, historical ravensburger ones where you have to spot the things on the edge of the puzzles, lots of geography/map ones and a few science specific (ie bugs, space, human body - most of these are Melissa and Doug puzzles)

some of your favorite activity books too....we only have 1 or 2 of these, and they really help me!!


Math:
Family Math,
Math Wizardry
a series from our library by Marion Smoothey called Let's Investigate - love these but they are slightly older kids and they are unfortunately OOP
You should definitely check out livingmath.net for other great math suggestions

For language:
books by Peggy Kaye
WordPlay by Lori Goodman and Lora Myers is good.
Wordplay cafe
some thrift store books like Wacky Words
madlibs


For science:
I have a few science ones that I like that I got at a thrift store - one is 365 Simple Science Experiments and another is called 101 Cool Science Experiments, and the last is Science Wizardry for Kids. Anything by Janice Van Cleave or Vicki Cobb is good. I wait for these to fall in my lap at the thrift store or used book store and I don't pay much for them. For older kids I really like the series How Math/Science/Earth/Weather Works and I actively pursue these

For History
For history I like the ones by Linda Honan...spend the day in Ancient Egypt/Greece/Rome. I have the SOTW activity books 1 and 2 and I'll use them as guides for possible activities and reading suggestions.

Art
I like Mary Ann Kohl - the great artists one is my favourite
We also get the Usborne Art Ideas books out of the library pretty regularly just for some project ideas

It looks like a lot when I write it out. I haunt thrift stores and used book stores, I stash garage sale finds and I give VERY specific lists to grandparents for Christmas/birthdays - I usually offer to buy the stuff and give it to them to wrap. I buy my aristoplay games used on ebay as they come up because many/most of them are out of production or incredibly expensive in Canada.

I really like Rebecca Rupp's Complete Home Learning Sourcebook for ideas of resources when my kids get "into" things.
HTH
Karen

[Earth Angel]

You guys are awesome!!!! Keep 'em comin'!!!!! And I love all the specific names of the books, games, websites, etc. I've been checking things out all day!!



OT - Lillian....are you the "Lillian" in The Unschooling Handbook (could totally be someone else, but she kinda "sounds" like you when you write...and she has a son......It could be anybody but I HAD to ask!)

[Lillian J]

Originally Posted by Earth Angel

OT - Lillian....are you the "Lillian" in The Unschooling Handbook (could totally be someone else, but she kinda "sounds" like you when you write...and she has a son......It could be anybody but I HAD to ask!)

Yes!
And as I've said here a few times before, I would somewhat revise some of my contributions in it now if I ever have the opportunity - based on the years that followed and all I learned. As I recall, I was probably the least "unschooly" of the contributors at that time - but I later realized that we might as well have let go of the things we thought were important to spend some time studying, because time showed that real and important learning happened with those things he was really interested in, and the rest was pretty superficial. It would have worked out just as well - and probably even better - if we'd just stayed out of it. And it worked out very, very well...

The Homeschooling Handbook - her first of the two books - is under revision now, and I've said my revision piece in that, as I'm sure a whole lot of the other original contributors have! Can't wait to see that one! Lillian

[illinoismommy]

Oh wow I have the unschooling handbook and I never noticed that....

[Ngandee]

Karen-

I just cut and pasted you list of games & books to my Homeschooling Notebook. Great list. Thanks for taking the time to share.

Nina
http://preschoolathome.typepad.com/

[frogguruami]

If I could have only one thing (other than the internet!) it would be my Science Center pass. We use it twice a month (at the very least).

Library Card (yes the Sci Center is before the library card but since the library card is free it doesn't really matter! )

After that would be science "stuff", test tubes, beakers, litmus paper, crystal growing kit, chemistry set, etc.

Then building blocks of all kinds of sizes. We have legos, wood blocks or all sizes, tinker toys, magnetix.

[Fairy4tmama]

DICE- my husband and I play D&D so we have (way too many) 6, 8, 10, 12, 20,30 and 100 sided dice ranging in size from a lima bean to a playground ball we also have alphabet dice and the boys come up with all kinds of interesting things to do with them. We also love periodicals not just kids stuff although we like ladybug and click but the boys love the "grownup" mags as well.
Legos, unit blocks are also must have at our house.

[ZanZansMommy]

Great ideas. :

[4evermom]

Originally Posted by Earth Angel

OT - Lillian....are you the "Lillian" in The Unschooling Handbook (could totally be someone else, but she kinda "sounds" like you when you write...and she has a son......It could be anybody but I HAD to ask!)

I'd been wondering, too .

[folkypoet]

Originally Posted by Lillian J

Home Education Magazine has been putting them online in their Unschooling.com website!

Growing Without Schooling online

Lillian

Yup! We were so excited when Pat Farenga said he'd let us put them up on the site!! There's quite a bit up there, now. If you're aching to get a few hard copies to flip through, Fun Books sells some of the back issues.

We'd be lost without thrift stores, yard sales and used bookshops. Those are our staples. Well, those and ebay.

Essentials for our family include (not in this order, obviously):

• Lots of history and mythology books, posters, movies, etc.
• Globe
• Magnifying Glass
• Binoculars
• Lots of measuring devices of all sorts
• Old movies
• Computer with a good word processing program
• Internet
• Pen Pals
• Lots of good paper and artist quality colored pencils
• Lots of animals
• Yummy recipes
• Legos and other building toys
• Tons of interesting, cool books
• Tons of board and card games
• A convenient patch of wild earth
• Bicycles
• Journals and notebooks
• Lots of musical instruments
• Passionate people of all sorts
• A good library
• A good support base (whether a group, or family members, or...?)
• Passes to places like zoos, aquariums, museums, science centers, living history centers, etc.

Just start slowly by going with your kids' interests. Can't go wrong!