October 2023 Home Education Blog Diaries

Another month and another post about our learning journey via this home education blog! And when I say ‘our’ I really mean it! I think I’ve learnt a lot more home educating my kids than I ever did at school! It’s such a fun journey together. The kids love their lives and although if someone asked the kids ‘what learning have you done today’ they would reply ‘nothing’, it’s not true. Just because there is no obvious formal learning going on, they learn so much. Every. Single. Day.

So do you need workbooks and a schedule as a home educator? NO! Definitely not! If you want to use them, go ahead, although if it doesn’t suit your child, then also go ahead and don’t use them. If you’re wondering how that looks on a day-to-day basis then read on. This is what the kids (12 and 9 years old) have being doing this month!

Table of Contents

History

The kids love history and know a lot more than I ever did at their age! We spend a lot of time learning about Scottish history when visiting local castles and other sites. This month we visited the Historic Scotland site – Lochleven Castle, where Mary Queen of Scots was imprisoned. It’s a tiny island and the first time we’ve managed to visit. Unfortunately it was a very windy day and we were evacuated after just a couple of hours on the island.

We also headed to the Isle of Bute and the stunning Mount Stuart House. The history is interesting, but I think we were most taken aback by the glitz, those zodiac windows are something else! The kids have a love of Greek mythology thanks to the Greeking Out podcast, so they were excited to see the zodiac characters represented here on a Scottish island.

In the October holidays we had a lovely few days in Hamburg. Visiting a variety of historic sights from the maritime museum for shipping history to Rickmer Rickmer’s ship for more sailing history! We also went to the Hamburg Choco Museum and learnt about the history of chocolate too. Although we have visited a few chocolate museums, so I think the kids are well versed on this now!

Back home in Scotland we also had the pleasure of a behind the scenes tour of Perth theatre. The historic theatre was stunning and we learnt a lot!

Other ways the kids have been learning about history through various podcasts. Greeking Out has a new season of episodes that began this month, so there are plenty more Greek myths for them to learn about. We also listen to Who, When, Wow, which has some great historical figures and legends. They also have been watching Horrible Histories a fair bit this month (it’s been raining A LOT!). Which is a fantastic programme for learning all sorts of historical facts. Because the kids enjoy these things they remember them. I don’t force the learning either, they choose to watch and listen and ultimately remember.

Science – Home Education Blog

The kids have always loved science and, again, know a surprising amount for their ages. Podcasts that we have listened to include Tumble, Wow In The World, Flip and Mozi’s Guide On How To Be An Earthling, Mysteries of Science and Earth Rangers. There’s so many amazing podcasts and most of the kids ones are entertaining, so they are very memorable.

We have also visited Blair Drummond Safari Park, where we learnt more about the animals living there (although the kids do prefer to play at the park!). Lemurs are my favourite, but I think the kids were more excited about the penguins and sea lions.

An evening outside in the dark garden (well wrapped up!) was enough to spot some meteors and satellites. I highly recommend it!

Both kids have also rediscovered the snap circuits. Having a lot of fun making the different circuits, using water to connect circuits and making the rotor fly into the air.

Whilst in Hamburg we definitely learnt about some science topics. From how to use sextants in the maritime musuem, learning how to make chocolate, watching squirrels interacting with each other in the gardens and at the museum of illusions and Miniatur Wunderland. You can read more about our visit to Hamburg here, but there’s definitely a lot to learn!

English

The eldest is still writing his story on my tablet, not every week, but whenever he decides he wants to add something else to it. He’s also working his way through the Wings of Fire books, reading one each week. He’s currently on book 7 I think!

The 9 year old is now reading, albeit slowly. He is managing to decipher most words, with only a little help. He does have a tendency to just guess the next word, but I’m ok with that, it’s a legitimate learning technique! He’s worked his way through the Magic key series from Oxford Reading Tree. I’ve also noticed him actually using his new abilities to look at signs when we’re out to actually read them. Before he would just say he can’t read. So I’m hopeful that this new found confidence in his abilities will continue until he becomes a faster reader. Reading things with ease like his brother. It’s certainly been a different reading journey from his brother.

Maths – Home Education Blog

The kids are absolutely loving Prodigy Maths app at the moment. They ask to play it almost everyday, especially since their friend who is already on level 100 killed the master (the aim of the game) to free the magic people and creatures. It has been great for the kids confidence with maths and I don’t need to encourage them.

The kids also spend once a week coding using Minecraft Education Online through Plassroom. I’m surprised at how little help they need from me now, they seem to know how to get most things to work, with a little help from their instructor.

Arts and Music

I’ve also recently moved the keyboard to a more accessible location in the house. The result is that it’s used much more often. Definitely a win!

The 12 year old has also been enjoying drawing different cartoon characters from the Phoenix magazine. Makes a change from his usual stick man figures!

Clubs and Groups

We had a couple of weeks of school holidays in October, so all the kids ‘after school’ groups were off. So there was less time in clubs, but we visited the West coast of Scotland and Hamburg instead!

The kids have still been at their home ed climbing group, they are fairly competent at this now! Plus they have Cubs and Scouts, swimming for the youngest, drama and panto rehearsal for the youngest and gymnastics and dancing for him too! He likes to keep busy. Unfortunately their dodgeball club is cancelled due to nobody to take over the club. But hopefully it will restart at some point.

1000 Hours Outside – Home Education Blog

Although October has been VERY, very wet up here in Scotland, we still have managed time outdoors. We watched an outdoor film in the garden, spent time at the beach and on islands and playing outdoors with friends. We do seem to working our way slowly toward the end of the 1000 hours!

In Hamburg the weather was drier! So we found several play parks to play inbetween museums. They have some fab parks! Outdoors at Blairdrummond safari park and just exploring our local area.