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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...
Create a Flexible Summer Family Schedule

Create a Flexible Summer Family Schedule

by Melissa Droegemueller | Jun 1, 2023 | Parenting Encouragement

Summer is a time of transition, especially if you have older kids who will be home from school for a few months! (I remember those years with younger children, when our daily routine didn’t change all that much, but all of our favorite places to spend...
5 Free Invitations to Play: Valentine’s Day

5 Free Invitations to Play: Valentine’s Day

by Melissa Droegemueller | Feb 1, 2023 | FREE Learning Activities

Now that Christmas and New Year’s Day have passed, the cold winter days can be hard for our kids. We are constantly looking for new indoor play ideas to help the days pass more quickly. We turn to our sensory bins, our favorite indoor toys, and our invitations...
Maximize Your Learning Space With a Homeschool Wall Organizer

Maximize Your Learning Space With a Homeschool Wall Organizer

by Melissa Droegemueller | Apr 13, 2021 | Learning At Home

It used to be that whenever I talked to somebody about homeschooling, I made sure to mention how much time we spent outside of our home. Choir, softball, co-op day, volunteering at the local retirement community, visiting the library, meeting up with friends —...
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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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We had our first snow of the season, which means h We had our first snow of the season, which means hot chocolate and winter-themed books by the fire! There’s nothing better than cuddling under a cozy blanket on the couch together for a fun read-aloud session. From board books to picture books to early readers, here are our best winter books for kids. (Even if you don’t live in a snowy climate, these winter books can teach your children new vocabulary and get you both excited for a new season!) https://rollingprairiereaders.com/winter-theme-booklist/
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/
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