Blogging Through the Alphabet: F is for FUN-Schooling!

It's week 6 of Blogging Through the Alphabet! F is for Fun-Schooling!

Many of you know that we have recently started using {and freaking love} journals from the Thinking Tree. This method of homeschooling has absolutely made our lives better! Sarah has come out with some journals that have "fun-schooling" in the title, but I consider all of the journals to be Fun-Schooling!

Fun-schooling is {in my own definition} allowing children to study topics and subjects that interest them. Instead of questions and answers, quizzes and tests, children are allowed to write and draw what they have learned, perform experiments, make art projects, elaborate more on the topics or move on to something different... There are so many options and ways that you can Fun-School!

We use the journals as our starting point. The kids can choose any books they want, but they still have the structure I think they need to retain information. They find spelling words from their books, draw diagrams, charts and pictures of interesting things, watch videos and write about them, and find something for copy-work they think is worth remembering.

Sometimes, we elaborate on a topic. When Mercie was interested in Pocahontas, we made Indian jewelry and medicine bags, watched movies, read books, and played Indians.

 Eli has been obsessed with the Titanic, drawing it over and over adding details, reading about the people who were aboard, and watching documentaries on how and why it sank. I bought him the Titanic board game for Christmas!

Mikaela has been reading a lot about baking and cooking, trying new recipes, learning tips and tricks {and even teaching me some things!}, and pouring over cookbooks.

Silas is only 5, but we have a blast doing simple experiments and crafts! He doesn't always choose his own books, but if I can tell he is interested in something, I go with it!

Fun-schooling has so much more appeal to my children than a set curriculum. They don't get bored and actually enjoy doing school! It is also freeing for me, too! I can let them read their books and work in their journals, know they are learning and doing "school work", but not have to breathe down their necks!

Linking up with Meg and Cristi with Blogging Through the Alphabet!