We’re officially into autumn now and the weather has pretty much turned cold and wet too! Fortunately we’ve still had a great month and the eldest is happy as it’s also his birthday month, now 14 years old! I have to say we haven’t changed much in our home education really, it’s still very child-led.
We have been practising a bit more of writing, physical writing as neither of my kids really write much, as they dislike it. And a bit more maths as well, as again, they know the basics, but haven’t really chosen to do any more. People often say that they’ll learn things when they are ready, and some kids do (often due to peer pressure seeing other kids doing well with these things). But we’ve got to around 12 years and 14 years old and neither child has ever chosen to write anything, so I’ve decided it’s something to work on!
Table of Contents
Read More About Our Home Educating Family
- Our Home Education Philosophy
- Best Books For Home Educators and Home Schoolers
- How Do You Teach Kids Without Formal Lessons
- The Cost of Homeschooling in the UK
- Educational Activities For Kids
- A Letter To The New Home Educators
- How To Teach Your Child To Read At Home
History
We started off September with a visit to the Viking Festival at Largs and Vikingar! Visitor centre. It’s a great place to really find out more about Vikings, how they lived and the gods they believed in. We also learnt about the battle of Largs and how Vikings made different items. We even got to stamp our own coins!
We also took the time to visit Doune castle this month, a great small castle with lots of history. It’s best to use the headsets to learn more about the history when you visit, but we’ve visited so many times over the years that I think the kids may know it word-for-word!
Geography
I created a little video for Instagram that shows our route by train and boat across Europe to Stockholm and back. The kids loved watching this and it does help with looking at where you have been.
Other geography topics we have discussed include climate change, weather patterns and tourism.
Science
We often listen to podcasts in the car, so the kids get a good dose of scientific learning then. This month has been mostly Wow in the World and Tumble. Both excellent for scientific knowledge.
At the Viking village in Largs we learnt about weapons and science from the science Viking. These included the difference chain mail or simple padding makes to protect your body when faced with different Viking weapons.
We’ve also been on a bat walk to spot bats around our town, which was fun! The most popular area to find bats flying around was under the railway bridge next to a river, so clearly a great area for small insects flying around.
Both children have been building Lego, most of the eldest’s birthday was building new sets! The youngest has also enjoyed building different Gravitrax mazes and using his snap circuits in his room too.
Lastly
Not sure where problem solving comes in exactly, but we tried a family escape room for the eldest’s birthday. We were in a prison escape room and needed to find the answers to the mystery. Both children did well at finding things to solve it!
Finally, the kids have seemingly given up learning languages on Duolingo and instead are using it to practice chess. Chess is a great logic game and worth practising, so why not!
Maths
Both children have been enjoying playing Prodigy in their spare time. It’s a free maths program that requires the kids to answer questions to fight battles. They gave it up a while ago, but are interested again as new things have been added to the program.
I’ve also been encouraging the children to do Beast Academy lessons, which are a little more difficult than some of the things that seem to come up on Prodigy. Although Beast Academy isn’t as fun as it’s less game’y’.
Language
As I’ve mentioned above the kids have gone off learning a language via Duolingo. Instead they are using it for chess. Which is fine, but maybe we’ll look at learning a language another way!
Both kids have read lots of books over the month, the eldest has various on his kindle and from his birthday. The youngest is mostly using audio books at the moment, but reading some graphic books to me to practice. He still struggles to read large amounts of text at once and mixes up certain letters. Mostly what appears to be dyslexia, so I am trying to take it slow with him.
Neither child like writing, but I’m trying to do 10 minutes a day of physically writing words (not writing on a computer!) to get them used to writing and make it more legible.
Clubs and Groups
Clubs and groups have all been on again this month. So the kids have been back at Scouts, dodgeball, Lego and board games clubs together. The youngest has also been at his various dancing, drama, lead climbing and choir classes.
It’s the beginning of panto season, rehearsals anyway! So the youngest had an audition for the local panto this month and is pleased to be Buttercup the cow in Jack and the Beanstalk. He’s also moved up to S1 age group in various classes, so is one of the younger ones now!
Socialisation
Both children see home educated friends several times a week and also other schooled children and adults at different after school classes. There are certainly no issues with socialisation, they are with other people almost every day!
Art and Music
Not much art has been happening this month. But the youngest does learn about reading music in choir. He also spends a lot of time singing and listening musical theatre songs.
Physical Education
We’re often outdoors, the kids have plenty of time running around at different parks with their friends. Or going for walks with me, whether it’s around castles or up to the moor to pick blaeberries, see the pics below! Plus add in all the groups the kids do, they have no problem with physical education.
The youngest had a whole weekend away with Scouts for a local scout camp and the eldest went for the day. They had great fun despite the rain!
Later in the month the youngest went to a full day home education canoe day. He had a great time. His brother should have gone too, but it was his birthday so he chose to stay at home and build Lego!
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