activities

Dear Friends,

For many parts of the U.S., February is the snowiest, coldest month of the year with many days without sunshine. That may mean lots of indoor, togetherness time! Homeschool families often consider this a positive since one of the reasons for homeschooling is to build close family relationships. So this month we want to focus on how to dispel the dreariness of the dark days of winter while encouraging family unity. (For our readers in sunny California, Florida, and Hawaii--we are now accepting invitations to come for a visit!)

KEEPING IT LIGHT

Interjecting creativity into your teen's day will spice up his life, and you will be surprised at how it will deepen your relationship with one another. Don't let the academics obscure the necessity of spending quality time with your teen and getting to know him better through times of fun, times of open communication, and times of "being there." For most of us, the tendency will be to emphasize the academics--but often it is during...

Dear Friends,

If February is a month in which you find your enthusiasm waning because the hustle and bustle of the holidays are  behind you and the freshness of spring has yet to arrive, then we have something special to suggest for you and your family. Instead of spending time in the doldrums, plan some fun activities for your high schoolers to participate in during the rest of the semester and well into  summer. Be sure to include your high schoolers in the planning--that's part of the fun!

We've collected a number of entertaining ideas for events and activities other homeschool families have tried. You may want to plan a similar activity, or use these to jumpstart your own imagination. Some of these ideas will be targeted mainly to teens, others to the whole family, and still others to the seniors looking forward to graduation--of course, any and all can be adapted to your personal preferences.

Due to your own personal convictions, some activities we've listed may not be suitable for your family...