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Are you still in those beginning stages of narrowing down the curriculum for this year’s VBS? The first step to planning is choosing a fun theme that all the kids will enjoy learning about! With all kinds of different curriculum choices out there, it seems almost impossible to decide.  Here at Nest Learning, we offer the top picks for this year!

If you’re looking to find a new recommendation…there’s one in particular that we suggest…Concordia’s Amazing Desert Journey!

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Even though VBS is 6 months away it’s time to start preparing to make 2012 your best VBS yet!

Are you stressed yet?  Well, if you are, let me reassure you that you’re NOT alone! Here at Nest we’ve planned ahead and found tools that will make your planning process go smoothly. It’s all about the “baby steps” of planning to properly put together an organized time line leading up to that exciting week of fun for kids of all ages!

To begin your planning process check out one of these helpful starter kits and themes for this year’s VBS.  We offer the top four brands in starter kits including: Pandamania, SonSurf, Hometown Nazareth, and Gold Rush.  Here’s the link for these four items: http://www.nestentertainment.com/vacation-bible-school_c360.aspx.

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Students spend a large amount of time in classrooms throughout the year. Of course, what they study is very important, but studies have shown that the classroom effects the concentration and grasping power of the students. Therefore, many schools encourage cheery classroom decorations in their classes to create a better atmosphere. A bright, tidy engaging classroom encourages a child to want to be in the classroom. Their young minds perceive that something exciting is occurring in the room. A teacher should use classroom decorations to their full advantage. The items used to decorate should focus on educational goals that will be covered in lessons that will be taught. As students read and reread what is posted, they increase the likelihood of retaining the information.

Because classroom decorations are a reflection of a teacher’s disposition, the way a teacher decorates his/her classroom will depend on the age group of the students. Preschool students like to see cartoon characters, nursery rhymes, illustrated stories in their classrooms. Charts and streamers of animals, cars, alphabets, fruits and vegetables, etc. can be added around the class. Basically, the preschool classroom should be a fun center, and convey a feeling of security, comfort, and acceptance.

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The middle of July seems like an odd time to start thinking about school, but not if you are a homeschooling parent that is in the process of deciding which teaching method to use in the fall.  Although homeschooling is not a new concept, the different methods that can be used to teach have drastically increased since the beginning of homeschooling. With each homeschooling method, there are potential pros and cons. Many of the differences in homeschooling methods boil down to differences in how you view education, how much you want to be involved in teaching, the amount of structure your child needs, and what you want them to learn.

We have compiled a small list of methods to get you started on your research and thought process, while you still have time to decide and choose the best method for you.

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Hand-Eye coordination is an invaluable and necessary skill sometimes overlooked as part of homeschool curriculum. As simple as it seems, hand-eye coordination must be learned. The good news is that kid’s games and summer activities are a perfect way to disguise training. Here are our three favorite hand-eye coordination homeschool curriculum kits – easily camouflaged as just another game for a summer of fun!

1. Joey Jump

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While summer is in full swing across the nation, many homeschooling families are planning out what the fall school semester will look like for their children and choosing their homeschool curriculum materials. Although there is no reason to sound the alarms and call an end to summer, there is definitely a need to check your calendar and count how many weeks until school starts.

There are a few things that you’ll want to have in order before classes actually get started for the new school year. This may be a good time to clean out any clutter that has been left behind from previous years of homeschooling, or the general clutter that busy families tend to create and leave behind. Perhaps you still need to find a support group that will be a good fit for you and your homeschooling family, or some extra-curricular groups. This is even an ideal time to start streamlining some meal planning in advance while you have the time to teach older kids how to cook.

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Math – Check. Science – Check. English – Check. History – Check. Sports – ?.

Organized sports teaches your child teamwork and good sportmanship - a value that will help them succeed in life!

It’s that time of year again – time to break out the calendar and begin planning next year’s schedule. While you are planning and budgeting your homeschool curriculum materials, are you leaving something out? Everyone covers the basics when purchasing homeschool materials: science, math, social studies, English, etc., but many forget a very important part of any child’s homeschool schedule: Sports.

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Studies have proven that children learn better when they participate in hands on activities. One of the challenges of teaching the Bible is to hold your child’s attention long enough for them to understand the lessons written in each story. Clay is a great way to do this and a great tool to add to any Christian homeschool curriculum – it allows children to use their hands to creatively express themselves and their understanding of the Bible. Here are some ideas to get you started:

Noah’s Ark

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