Hands on activities

This is where new posts begin. All questions or discussions about any of Heart of Dakota's curriculums start here. If you wish to share a one-time post about your family's experience with our curriculum, you may post under the specific curriculum title (found beneath this "Main Board" heading).
Post Reply
MommyMc
Posts: 81
Joined: Wed May 21, 2008 4:03 pm

Hands on activities

Post by MommyMc » Wed Mar 17, 2010 1:42 pm

Can I just say that I am NOT a "hands on homeschooler"? We read a LOT of living books. We have always done generally short lessons in a wide variety of areas. I've used very few textbooks until I started Rod and Staff English for my DD when she was at the end of third grade (she's now finishing sixth grade). We've always included a lot of music in our homeschool. But I don't do art projects and I don't like "activities for the sake of activity." However, we have been doing many of the activities in Bigger and gradually adding more as we go along and we are LOVING it! I will be honest, my older kids don't always like it. They are not used to doing it. They would rather read the book, talk about it ad infinitum and then move on. My almost five year old is getting SO much out of the projects that he joins us for as well! Often, once we've done the reading, I send the 3 and 4 year old off to play or get a special activity out for them. But the 4 yo LIKES to do things with us and often asks if he can stay (and if does, the 3 yo wants to as well). He LOVED doing the Indian jumping game and remembers that it had to do with William Penn. He did a pretty good job making a map of objects in Unit 10 (I think...) and then when we were done, he took the objects and started tracing them on white papers as his own extra activity. He liked using potatoes as "type" for printing (I do NOT get paint out very often :oops: ). I had various sick kids during the time we were supposed to make the wampum belt. So we never actually did it. But we talked about it and the kids really want to go back and do it... and we probably will. (Review isn't a bad thing, right? ;) ) My 10 yo DS DOES get frustrated with the map-making activities as I used to give them "blank" maps to fill in and color for most of our geography activities prior to HOD. But, we are coming along. And I figure that my younger son has long enough before he gets to Bigger that he will still enjoy the activities with "fresh eyes" when he gets around to "his turn" to do them.

Thank you Carrie for making projects that my kids enjoy and remember but don't make me want to tear my hair out. :)
Anita
Wife to a hard-working hubby
Mom to five great kiddos (4/98, 2/00, 3/05, 11/06 and 3/09)

ncmomof5
Posts: 211
Joined: Tue Sep 23, 2008 9:02 pm

Re: Hands on activities

Post by ncmomof5 » Thu Mar 18, 2010 9:30 pm

I was just telling a homeschooling friend of mine about this very thing tonight. I told her about an activity I had done with my 5 yo in LHFHG, and she said, "You're such a good homeschool Mom." I told her it's not me. Before HOD, I always felt guilty because I didn't make time for activities. Now I am having such fun with my little guy in LHFHG and my 8 yo ds in Bigger. Yeah for doable Hands On! :D
2013 - 2014
15 yo dd -- MTMM
13 yo ds -- MTMM
12 yo ds -- finish PHFHG/CTC
9 yo ds -- finish BLHFHG/BHFHG
5.5 yo dd -- LHFHG

"Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you."
Matthew 6:32

Mom2Monkeys
Posts: 1410
Joined: Thu Sep 25, 2008 6:31 pm
Contact:

Re: Hands on activities

Post by Mom2Monkeys » Thu Mar 18, 2010 9:50 pm

I just had to chime in to say "me too" on the not creative or very activity oriented with the kiddos. :oops: My kids are super happy that we actually DO the activities with HOD. And lots of times, I include the little ones with DD's activities in Bigger. They all LOVE it! And it's wonderfully meaningful, connected, and so easy to do so that it actually gets done!
~~Tamara~~
Enjoying HOD since 2008

DD15 long-time HODie finding her own new path
DS12 PHFHG {dysgraphia, APD, SID}
DS9 PHFHG
DS6 LHFHG
DD new nursling

annaz
Posts: 833
Joined: Tue Apr 14, 2009 12:47 pm

Re: Hands on activities

Post by annaz » Fri Mar 19, 2010 9:52 am

ncmomof5 wrote: I told her about an activity I had done with my 5 yo in LHFHG, and she said, "You're such a good homeschool Mom." I told her it's not me. :D
While I don't use Singapore, I use Carrie's math activities. My dh had commented to me on what a great idea this math idea was (it was with a deck of cards) and what a good teacher I was. He's so sweet. Of course I had to confess... :oops: it wasn't my idea it was Carrie's. :lol:
Married 1994
One DD 6/2000
One DH :)
One cat
One dog
Three horses :shock:

MommyMc
Posts: 81
Joined: Wed May 21, 2008 4:03 pm

Re: Hands on activities

Post by MommyMc » Fri Mar 19, 2010 12:18 pm

annaz wrote:
ncmomof5 wrote: I told her about an activity I had done with my 5 yo in LHFHG, and she said, "You're such a good homeschool Mom." I told her it's not me. :D
While I don't use Singapore, I use Carrie's math activities. My dh had commented to me on what a great idea this math idea was (it was with a deck of cards) and what a good teacher I was. He's so sweet. Of course I had to confess... :oops: it wasn't my idea it was Carrie's. :lol:
I did a LOT of "hands on" math things with my older DS. My younger DS is naturally more of a "hands on" guy and I haven't been doing nearly as much as I should. HOD is helping me to get back into that habit.
Anita
Wife to a hard-working hubby
Mom to five great kiddos (4/98, 2/00, 3/05, 11/06 and 3/09)

Carrie
Site Admin
Posts: 8125
Joined: Wed Aug 15, 2007 8:39 pm

Re: Hands on activities

Post by Carrie » Fri Mar 19, 2010 3:34 pm

Anita,

Thanks so much for posting your experiences! :D I must admit that I am not one to do projects or crafts on my own either. I love the idea of them but used to fall down in the day-to-day implementation. Then, I'd just get worn out and quit doing them altogether. :D

My poor oldest son is a very hands-on learner. He has been bodily-kinesthetic since he was a baby, and remains so even at age 14! Yet, he missed out on much of the hands-on that he would have thrived with due to my lacking the time and planning to get it together. :D The HOD guides are hugely influenced by my need to have short and sweet hands-on activities that do not take all day to complete and have easy household supplies (which are really within your household) and clear instructions. Even I get the actvities in the HOD guides done now! :D Praise the Lord for that as my other boys all thrive with the hands-on learning too. :D

Blessings,
Carrie

GinainMD
Posts: 341
Joined: Tue Mar 02, 2010 2:31 pm
Location: Maryland

Re: Hands on activities

Post by GinainMD » Fri Mar 19, 2010 7:47 pm

I am so thrilled to find a curriculum that says you can do the activities with "common household items" and actually means it. :D I found with so many others that I still had to read ahead and plan to buy items for the upcoming weeks. I'm much more likely to do the activities if the items are on hand.
Gina
married to dh 2000
dd 12/01 Bigger
dd 08/03 Bigger
dd 03/07 LHTH
dd 06/08 LHTH

Kathleen
Posts: 1980
Joined: Mon Feb 11, 2008 3:23 pm
Location: NE Kansas

Re: Hands on activities

Post by Kathleen » Sat Mar 20, 2010 10:25 pm

Just had to join the crowd as another homeschooling family loving HOD's hands-on activities!! :D I love them! They're quick, easy, meaningful. My kids love them! They're FUN...and they get to DO them! We are oh-so-happy with this each and every week. (My oldest especially as he went through a few school years without HOD first. :wink: )

:D Kathleen
Homeschooling mom to 6:
Grant - 19 Kansas State University
Allison - 15 World Geography
Garret - 13 Res2Ref
Asa - 8 Bigger
Quinn - 7 Bigger

Halle - 4 LHTH

my3sons
Posts: 10698
Joined: Sun Aug 26, 2007 7:08 pm
Location: South Dakota

Re: Hands on activities

Post by my3sons » Mon Mar 22, 2010 2:43 pm

Thanks HOD from another non-crafty mom! :D Actually, I guess I am somewhat of a crafty person myself, but I have not ever really enjoyed doing them with my dc. :oops: HOD helps my dc have fun, meaningful, DOABLE hands-on activities every day, and I enjoy them because my dc LOVE them. They are written for dc to be able to do, rather than for dc to have to have constant adult help and supervision to do them. One other thing - they don't have to set out for weeks on end; they wrap up in a timely fashion, which is a hit with my dh too as it helps the house be more orderly. :wink: They are definitely what I love taking pictures of, hanging on the fridge, or showing my dh when he gets home. What a stress reliever to have hands-on done well! :D

In Christ,
Julie
Enjoyed LHTH to USII
Currently using USI
Wife to Rich for 28 years
Mother to 3 sons, ages 23, 20, and 16
Sister to Carrie

Post Reply