My Tried & True Preschool Favorites (ages 2-5)

My LAST baby is growing up so fast! After her last birthday party, I decided that it was time to remove the preschool items from my homeschool room. This was so hard to do because of the nostalgia and walking down memory lane. I was also considerate of the mess I knew reorganization would create.

One of the greatest gifts I’ve received in my marriage to Kevin is motherhood. This has allowed me opportunities to educate my children, customize lessons according to their learning style, and accumulate wonderful resources. I’m so happy we were able to share these precious and priceless resources with our nephew. I can’t wait to see how he uses everything.

Watch this video to see my Preschool Favorites!

During this process, I also realized decluttering would include the removal of precious items. So, rather than donate or sell everything, I’m honored to share sentimental things with family. Our nephew loved his package!

Make today grand,
Ta’Neisha K.

Catch up on the previous Homeschool Tip posts via this playlist:

Team Kemp Academy playlist

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Homeschooling After the Loss of a Loved One

In 2017 my family endured the devastating loss of my father-in-law and grandfather. Then, in early 2018 we lost my husband’s grandfather. After everything we endured, rest both physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually was definitely needed. Usually, I would have prepared my monthly blog posts written well in advance but after dealing with his passing, I remember my mind being all over the place. Initially, I typed a few posts in a hotel suite at around 1:00 am but those were never posted. Instead, I realized the importance for my family to FINALLY rest.

The same method was applied to our homeschool journey. Since we lost so many phenomenal patriarchs within 16 months, Team Kemp Academy took many breaks. We put the curriculum down and opted for field trips. We stopped the morning basket or Poetry Tea Time and enjoyed sleeping in. We expressed our feelings through art and intimate conversations. We also held plenty of sun days where we just played outside and enjoyed each other. And, sometimes we would be sad and just pile up in the bed and watch movies. Each of these options was necessary for our individual and collective healing.

To find out more tips for Homeschooling After Loss, watch my recent YouTube video.

EDIT VIDEO AND UPLOAD

Remember, don’t rush the grief process for your spouse, your children, or yourself. Just be there for each other and continue making lifetime memories. You can get through this!

Make this week memorable,

Ta’Neisha K.

Creating A Morning Routine

Happy Tuesday! After a year of going rogue without a planner, set schedule, or color-coordinated pens I became overwhelmed and unorganized. So, last month I decided to go back to the basics of my home life. I had become flustered and always felt like I was a step behind with my daily duties because I wasn’t organized.

First, I started using a planner and my trusted color-coordinated pens again. Then, I reestablished my morning routine and schedule for our household. I also added daily workouts for my Cool Kids and an uninterrupted “lunch break” for myself. It was rough for the first week but eventually, everything ran smoother because we were on one accord.

Are you ready to establish a morning routine?

Starting my day in solitude and prayer has truly made a difference in my overall attitude and gratitude as the fragrance of our home. I even end my day with 30 minutes of quiet time. So, if you could relate to this blog, consider your daily routine and make the necessary changes.

Happy organizing,
Ta’Neisha K.

Catch up on the previous Homeschool Tip posts via this playlist:

Team Kemp Academy playlist

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World Geography Resources, Maps, & Games

Happy Tuesday! Did you know that geography is my second most favorite subject? I’ve always been fascinated with the cultures around our beautiful world. I also enjoy learning how people in other countries worship, shop, and homeschool their children.

To incorporate my love for geography, each month we focus on a different place and complete a unit study. Today, I’ll be sharing my favorite resources that have helped educate all my Cool Kids. Most of these items are found on Amazon, Christian Book, and Voice of the Martyrs.

Check out these World Geography Resources

I’m so excited to be back consistently sharing homeschool content and resources with you. You can look forward to new videos from me every first and third Tuesday of the month. I also share snippets on Facebook, Instagram, and Tiktoc.

Never forget the power of REAL LOVE,
Ta’Neisha K.

Catch up on the previous Homeschool Tip posts via this playlist:

Team Kemp Academy playlist

COMMENT BELOW: What is your favorite Geography resource?

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Love, Laughter, & Lollipops

Wow! It has been a long time since I’ve written a blog or posted a video. So much has happened in the past six months and I look forward to sharing that with you soon. For now, let’s chat about love, laughter, and lollipops!

Love is a wonderful thing because it was created by a magnificent God. Have you ever just sat and thought about the power of God’s love? Just think about how much He cares for you. Ponder on how His gifts of grace, forgiveness, and salvation have changed your life.

I focused on His power yesterday and my heart was overflowing with gratefulness. While reading 1 John 3:18-20 I was in awe at how God’s grace and love are tied into every part of our being. The same should be applied in our daily lives in word and deed. Don’t just appreciate love, gift it to every person you encounter, including yourself!

Check out our Valentine’s weekend adventures

On this Valentine’s Day, don’t worry about love arrows flying and creating matches. Don’t focus on love lost or how things could be better. Don’t even compare your gift/effort to anyone else’s. Today, just appreciate the gift of love from the CREATOR of love! Today, only speak about yourself and those you encounter as God does. Then, continue to sprinkle that love in your corner of the world forevermore. Peace and blessings,
Ta’Neisha K.

Catch up on the previous Homeschool Tip posts via this playlist:

Team Kemp Academy playlist

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BOTW: Quest for the King’s Crown a Last Chance Detectives mystery

Disclosure: I received this complimentary product through the Homeschool Review Crew.

Quest for the King’s Crown by Robert Vernon, from Tyndale House Publishers and Focus on the Family, is the seventh installment of the Last Chance Detectives series.  This series follows the adventures of four friends that find themselves solving various mysteries. During each book, the group learns to push past each test of their friendship and faith. Within the group, Mike is a leader and noted as fearless but often puts his crew in danger. Winnie, the only girl, was known for her knowledge of news and the desert. Ben has a vivid imagination which aids in his ability to problem-solve. Lastly, Spence is a technical genius which makes him the brains of the outfit.

In Quest for the King’s Crown, the crew finds out people aren’t always what they seem during a treasure hunt. Winnie and her friends come across an ancient artifact that could be worth riches beyond their wildest dreams. However, an unexpected break-in that even has the local sheriff puzzled almost puts an end to their plans. Then the arrival of a mysterious stranger makes everyone wonder if this mission is more dangerous than they realized.

We used Quest for the King’s Crown as a family read-aloud and enjoyed how the children worked through realistic issues kids face as they grow up. They help each other learn to overcome fear, trust in God, forgive others, and many more important biblical lessons. We also enjoyed how the Last Chance Detectives wouldn’t stop until the mystery was solved! We appreciate Focus on the Family and its mission to provide engaging, safe, spiritually edifying reading material for all to enjoy.

Want to learn how other families used this in their homes? Check out the Crew by tapping the photo below!

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Our Favorite Online Literacy & Math Supplement

Disclosure: I received this complimentary product through the Homeschool Review Crew.

Today’s review features an updated tour of Reading Eggs! This year we received a 1-year subscription to the program which includes Reading Eggs and Mathseeds. This also includes the program’s additional features of Reading Eggspress, Fast Phonics, and Reading Eggs Jr.

Reading Eggs is our favorite online literacy and math supplement! We enjoy the games, lessons, rewards, books, and other resources that teach literacy readiness to children ages 2 to 13 years old. The graphics, organization, and user-friendly interface provided via the website and app were carefully designed for young children to enjoy a self-paced daily reading routine. The app and website use colorful animation, fun characters, songs, and rewards to keep children engaged and motivated.

Mathseeds provides concepts and problem-solving skills to children ages 3 to 9 years old. Each new concept is modeled by one of the five main characters and then they practice the new skill with different activities. Early lessons focus on counting, shape recognition, and numbers. As your child builds their skills they move on to addition, subtraction, measurement, early multiplication, and division. Mental Minute is a brand new area within Mathseeds designed to build fluency with quick recall of basic math facts. Each attempt only takes a minute! These are reminiscent of the quick math worksheets I would do with my class as a child. There are over 100 timed sessions that gradually increase in difficulty as your child progresses. This portion is solely focused on achieving mastery of the concepts in a new, challenging way.

This year, I had Bam Bam and Princess retake the placement tests for Reading Eggs and Mathseeds. Bam Bam passed the tests for each program so he is now solely using Reading Eggspress. This program is for children 7 to 13 years old. Princess surpassed her current level for both programs and was able to move ahead and skip 5 lesson maps. She has also become fond of the Library and reads through five to nine books a week. Each book also ends with a comprehension quiz that assesses their understanding. The detailed reports that are emailed showcase what has been completed, comprehension, and areas of improvement. There are also corresponding activity worksheets that can be downloaded for additional practice.

All of my Cool Kids have used Reading Eggs since 2019. It has been great to see my oldest move on to other things while my younger children are beginning to access all the program features. This program grows with your child and practicing these skills will aid in building a foundation for their future education.

Want to learn how other Homeschool Review Crew members used this in their homes? *Tap the photo below*

Visit Reading Eggs:

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BOTW: Blue Skies West by Mattie Richardson

Disclosure: I received this complimentary product through the Homeschool Review Crew.

Appaloosy Books is the heart and home for author Mattie Richardson’s books. She sent us a physical copy of her newest book Blue Skies West which is the fifth story in the Horses in History series. This series tells parts of U.S. History from the horse’s point of view. Blue Skies West tells the story of life along The Oregon Trail.

Blue is an energetic horse that enjoys exploring with his boy, Charlie. The pair have lived in Iowa farmlands their entire lives but all that is about to change. Both are eager to begin a new adventure and this one will consist of traveling 2,000 miles along The Oregon Trail.  Getting started is the easy part and navigating the trail will allow Charlie’s family to see the fabled lands of Oregon, where they will make their own home. This new land brings the promise of excellent farmland, abundant grass, water for livestock, gold, and timber. However,  warnings of diseases of cholera, dysentery, and influenza are also very present. The family must also endure dangerous water crossings, livestock stampedes, and even wagon train robbers are also possible during their travels. Will adventure or danger win as Blue and Charlie brave the trip to Oregon?

I read Blue Skies West myself and enjoyed Mattie’s creative take on history through the horse’s eyes. She did a great job including imagery that set the scene for each Territory. I also loved how the chapters were named after the present-day state and that she included a map designed the same way. Additional historical information and a bibliography are also included after the story for further research. The vocabulary and storyline are easy to read and children should not have an issue understanding. She did not shy away from tragedy or danger but was sure to not make those issues the focal point of view.

Want to learn how other families used this in their homes? Check out the Crew by tapping the photo below!

Visit Appaloosy Books:

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Jonathan Park Audio Adventures Series

Disclosure: I received this complimentary product through the Homeschool Review Crew.

Does your child enjoy action-packed adventure stories? If so, then you’ll be excited to hear about Jonathan Park and The Adventure Begins, Series 1. This is a children’s audio adventure set that focuses on faith-building and includes a creation view of science, backed with evidence. We received a 4-Disc Series Pack of The Adventure Begins, Series 1. This set is also available in digital format compatible with Android and IOS devices.

Jonathan Park is a family-friendly audio adventure that can be enjoyed at home, in the car, or outside at any time.  The “Original Adventures” is about Jonathan Park in his younger years as he travels along with his family and friends. These were created with children ages 7 to 13 in mind. The “New Adventures” features 16-year-old Jonathan Park and his friends as they travel to the middle east. It also includes their discovery of compelling archaeological evidence that aligns with scripture. This set was designed with children ages 10-16 in mind. Each episode is approximately 26-minutes and each series contains 4 albums or 12 episodes.

We listened to Jonathan Park The Adventure Begins, Series 1 in the car and at home as a family. My younger children enjoyed the voices, storyline, and creativity within this series. We listen to audiobooks often but this provided more description and action than our usual novels. This educational entertainment series truly uses imagination and immersive stories to uplift the future of our world, the children. It has been nice to take a guilt-free break and listen to faith-based work that the whole family can enjoy.

Want to learn how other families used this in their homes? Check out the Crew by tapping the photo below!

Visit Jonathan Park

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High School Curriculum Choices

Today, we continue the Homeschool Virtual Open House Tour by learning what Bear chose for his Freshman year of High School. Most subjects came from SchoolhouseTeachers.com and others are from recent reviews. He chose four core subjects and three electives to begin his high school career. He is currently on track to earn 7.5 credits upon completion of his 9th-grade year.

Check out these 9th-Grade Curriculum Choices

I hope you’re enjoying my Virtual Homeschool Open House series. Next week, this series will end with an updated homeschool room tour.

Want more information? Start here:

Catch up on the previous Homeschool Tip posts via this playlist:

Team Kemp Academy playlist

COMMENT BELOW: Have you homeschooled a high school student yet?

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