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First Day of Homeschool Tips

First Day of Homeschool Tips

by Melissa Droegemueller | Aug 10, 2023 | Homeschooling (Elementary School)

Are you a brand-new homeschooling family?   Here are some first day of homeschool tips to get you started on the right foot!     I am a former classroom teacher who has been homeschooling my own two kids for the past 11 years. My passion is helping busy...
Planning a New Homeschool Year

Planning a New Homeschool Year

by Melissa Droegemueller | Aug 1, 2023 | Homeschooling (Elementary School)

Planning a new homeschool year doesn’t have to be hard or complicated!   After a decade of homeschooling, this is my simple 4-step process to get ready for the first day of school. Get all of our learning at home resources — FREE in the Resource...
How to Create a Homeschool Schedule for a New School Year

How to Create a Homeschool Schedule for a New School Year

by Melissa Droegemueller | Jul 25, 2023 | Homeschooling (Elementary School), Preschool at Home

Are you a new homeschooling mom? Maybe you are considering preschool at home or you have decided to homeschool your Kindergarten or 1st grade student. It can be overwhelming: from curriculum to to socialization, everyone has an opinion.  Creating a flexible, effective...
Favorite Homeschool Supplies for Elementary School

Favorite Homeschool Supplies for Elementary School

by Melissa Droegemueller | Jul 18, 2023 | Homeschooling (Elementary School)

It seems like Back to School season starts earlier and earlier every year, but I love school supplies! This year, I decided to grab the items I knew we needed while prices are low, before things get picked over. This is our last year with a child in elementary school,...
Literature-Based Elementary American History Curriculum

Literature-Based Elementary American History Curriculum

by Melissa Droegemueller | May 25, 2022 | Homeschooling (Elementary School)

Are you looking for an elementary American history curriculum? Check out Sonlight’s newly-updated literature-based US history homeschool curriculum for ages 9-12. Do you know how the Declaration of Independence begins? When I was in college, this was a trivia question...
Homeschool Keyboarding Curriculum | A Typesy Review

Homeschool Keyboarding Curriculum | A Typesy Review

by Melissa Droegemueller | Apr 4, 2022 | Homeschooling (Elementary School), Homeschooling (Tweens and Teens)

Do your kids know how to type? Touch typing is a skill that all children need, and the Typesy homeschool keyboarding curriculum is the perfect way to learn to type!   I received access to the Typesy Homeschool Family package and was compensated for my time...
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Melissa Droegemueller | Rolling Prairie Readers

About Melissa

I am an elementary school teacher–turned–homeschooling mom with over 15 years experience working with babies through 4th graders. I believe in making learning FUN for ALL kids.

Around here, we are passionate about learning through play, chasing adventures, and good books!

Our mission is to create a community of lifelong learners where parents inspire and empower their children to follow their passions and use their unique gifts to make the world a better place.

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    Jingle Bell Sensory Bin + Activity Ideas
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    100 Hands-On Activities for Tactile Learners
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    Toy Rotation Categories (+ Our FAVORITE Toys!)
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    The Importance of Nursery Rhymes in Literacy Development
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    13 Desert Books for Kids
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    10 Simple Learning Activities: Straw Pieces
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    13 Fun Winter Animals Books for Kids

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Melissa Droegemueller
This has been one of my favorite quotes since my c This has been one of my favorite quotes since my children were little. As they edge closer and closer to adulthood, I realize how relevant it is for big kids, too. <3 My children work hard, but I also schedule lots of down time in our schedule for play and rest. I spent too much of my childhood toiling for perfection and academic recognition, and I've spent the last twenty years trying to relax. Let's do better for our kids!
I cannot tell you how many moms I talk with who ha I cannot tell you how many moms I talk with who have bored kids. Whether they express that boredom through whining, acting out, or being destructive -- it’s all the same root cause. Many children these days don’t know what to do with their free time. And sadly, winter boredom comes at the most inopportune time, when our to-do lists are long and it’s (often) too cold to send the kids outside to play. How do we handle it? One tip is to print off a list of boredom busters (like the freebie we have available in our resource library). Another is to sit down WITH your kids and brainstorm a list of YES activities that they can do with your permission whenever they want. My kids know that they can do crafts if their school work is done. They have an entire cabinet filled with paper, yarn, stickers, and pens/markers/etc. My only request is that they tidy up when they are done -- and for me, that means they need to pick up all the debris that lands on the floor while they are crafting. They can also read, write, get out any of their toys, get out the sensory bin, play with water beads, play a game, build a puzzle, put on a play, listen to music (or an audiobook), write a letter, do an art project, etc. Our kids want to be empowered. They want to have freedom and make responsible choices. They just don’t know HOW, and that’s where we come in! (You can get our winter boredom busters freebie here: https://rollingprairiereaders.com/school-holidays/)
Reluctant learners don’t need punishment. Wheth Reluctant learners don’t need punishment. Whether you are a full-time homeschooler or helping with homework, chances are good that you will occasionally have a child not interested in schoolwork. As a former teacher and homeschooling mom, here are our best tips for motivating reluctant learners. * Switch up WHERE your child is working. * Use a flexible schedule or routine. * Give your child the freedom to choose the order of his/her work. * Consider whether your child needs frequent breaks or prefers to get it done in one long chunk. For more on each of these tips, click here: https://rollingprairiereaders.com/motivating-reluctant-learners-at-home/
If you are in the U.S., please note that Tuesday i If you are in the U.S., please note that Tuesday is ELECTION DAY! Y'all. Every election year, I am shocked by low voter participation numbers. Especially in odd-year elections, like this one. There are elections for the school board, mayor, city council, sheriffs, and judges. Your town or school district might even be voting on a bond or two. And this is your chance to show up and be heard. Every time I step in the voting booth, I think about all the children who I have ever taught. I think about my first students who are all old enough to vote themselves. And I think about my children who are still a few years away from becoming voters themselves. I think about my grandmother. And her mother, who was alive when women *finally* got the right to vote for themselves. I show up at every dang election. I bring my daughters, and I remind them that we can't take voting for granted. So...make sure you are registered to vote. Find out where you need to go and the hours the polls are open. Research the candidates on your ballot, and find out everything you need to know about them. Make a plan this weekend! And one more thing... My representative in the U.S. House of Representatives was elected by SIX VOTES in 2020. SIX VOTES. So don't believe the lie that your vote doesn't matter. It does.
October has arrived, and so have the pumpkins! To October has arrived, and so have the pumpkins! Today, I am excited to share five FUN, free, EASY pumpkin-themed kids activities for your family! 🎃 https://rollingprairiereaders.com/5-free-pumpkin-themed-invitations-play/
It's time to pull out the fall books! Which ones a It's time to pull out the fall books! Which ones are your favorites? https://rollingprairiereaders.com/best-fall-books-for-readers-of-all-ages/
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