learning Archives

10 Things I’ve Learned in 10 Years of Homeschooling

January 10, 2017Jenny Bristol9

GeekMom Jenny has been homeschooling her kids for over ten years. Read about some of the lessons she’s learned along the way.

Two New Books for Wondering About the World

November 29, 2016Jenny Bristol

There are still books—even new books—out there that help feed our curiosity with more questions and the answers to those questions. Here are two new ones that fill that role.

Using Games in your Homeschool Caitlin Fitzpatrick Curley, GeekMom, homeschooler, play, educational games, board games, homeschooling

Games in Your Homeschool: Learning Through Play

September 6, 2016Caitlin Fitzpatrick Curley7

Among the biggest of homeschooling perks in my world is the fact that our family is able to play games frequently. We don’t have to try to squeeze in a family game night on an already jam-packed weekend, but rather we can play daily and sometimes multiple times daily if we desire.

Groovy Lab in a Box, STEM, STEAM, monthly subscription kit, science, math, engineering, homeschooling, homeschooler, enrichment, experiments, curriculum, popular mechanics, engineering

Ignite an Interest in STEM With Groovy Lab in a Box

August 8, 2016Caitlin Fitzpatrick Curley

With all the monthly box subscriptions available on the market these days it can be tough to choose. As an educator mom and unexpected homeschooler, we have tried a number of monthly subscription kits over the years. Some are fantastic and some are anything but… and then there is ‘Groovy Lab in a Box’, which is amazing.

Learn Regression Analysis With Manga Guides

August 1, 2016Dakster Sullivan

The Manga Guides have a fun solution to learning what can be a tough topic to understand.

Cavs Academy

June 28, 2016Nivi Engineer

I swear I’ll stop posting about the Cavs soon. Really. But here’s the thing. Even if you’re not a Cavs fan, there are lessons to be learned from these NBA Finals.

Gamify My Game-Based Learning!

March 1, 2016March 19, 2018Ryan Hiller7

Gamified learning and game-based learning are terms that get thrown around all the time in education, with one often being conflated with the other. Here’s a short primer on the subject.

In Your 2-Year-Old: A ‘Genuine Decline in Relational Reasoning’

June 23, 2015Garth Sundem

Younger kids, without the bludgeon of logic, may be better able to open their minds to intuition.

Math: All You Need Is Games

May 5, 2015Rebecca Angel2

When math is just a part of the fun, learning is fun too!

Daily #DadJoke for April 29, 2015

April 29, 2015Judd Schorr

How do most gardeners learn to garden?

Spelling ‘General Grievous’: Making Orthography Fun

March 2, 2015January 15, 2018Bernd Grobauer

It was with a bit of trepidation that I observed my kid’s first brushes with orthography in grammar school. When it became apparent that something had to be done in the way of regular spelling exercises, my first thought was daily dictations, such as I had been subjected to by my parents. I had hated them (the dictations, not the parents), but spelling could never be fun, it seemed.

Try Family Meditation for Closer Relationships and Personal Growth

January 6, 2015Jenny Bristol1

In an effort to go through life with more mindfulness and as a way to teach my kids to be more introspective and thoughtful about themselves, we have begun a daily family meditation. Not the legs-crossed/eyes-closed/upturned-hands/”Om” type of meditation, but rather the kind where you read short but meaningful passages and discuss them. It only takes about ten minutes per day, but it builds a lot of personal skills in all of us.

12 Things to Know About the Rubik’s Puzzle Cube

December 30, 2014November 23, 2017Rory Bristol2

The author grabs life by the cubes, and tackles a challenge over thirty years old: Rubik’s 3x3x3 puzzle cube.

We Can Do It! Lessons From My Son

November 14, 2014Melanie Meadors

Some people think homeschoolers teach their kids at home, short and simple. Well, that’s not entirely true. Sure, I might teach my son, the Chief, how to do math, or how to find out more information about his favorite planet, or we might read stories together. But truly, the learning goes both ways.

LEGO Space: Builiding the Future Sample Page Image: No Starch Press

Building the Future with Lego Space

July 29, 2014Dakster Sullivan1

Is there a better way to learn about space than through Lego?

EZLeaps Make Learning to Tie Shoes a Snap

April 8, 2014Rachel Cericola1

Invented by a first grade teacher and mom, this simple teaching tool is available in 12 styles.

The Curiosity Cycle: Keep Your Kids Learning and Growing

April 3, 2014Jenny Bristol

One of our jobs as parents is to keep our kids learning, keeping them curious about the world and
adapting to changes in society. This is actually not difficult to do, but it does take effort, and
learning about how kids learn is extremely helpful for this task. The Curiosity Cycle will help you accomplish this.

Do You Want Your Daughter to Excel at Math and Science? Get a Little Help From GEMS

February 18, 2014Jason CranfordTeague2

GEMS was started to address the well documented but underserved problem of girls not taking high-level math and science classes in high school, thereby limiting their college and career options. It has evolved over the years into a full-focus STEM program, addressing the dearth of female engineers and computer scientists, in addition to the workforce problem of low numbers of female workers in these fields.

A Science Literate Family

February 14, 2014Rebecca Angel2

What’s a great way to bring science into your family life? Attend a talk by your local, friendly scientists!

3 Things to Remember When Teaching a Friend

January 27, 2014Ruth Suehle1

As geeks, we love to share our passions. But let’s be honest. A lot of us really, really suck at it when it’s time to teach a friend.

Everything You Thought You Knew About Learning Is Wrong

January 20, 2014Garth Sundem1

According to one expert, most common learning strategies are actually hurting our ability to acquire and retain long-term knowledge.

Brainy Film Contest Winners

November 10, 2013December 13, 2017Rebecca Angel

Without a sense of smell, you wouldn’t be able to tell something is burning from the next room. On the other hand, you can’t smell dirty laundry either. Check out the winning video that explains all this from The Brain Awareness Video Contest.

It's Official: Take a Course In Pirate

September 16, 2013December 14, 2017Rebecca Angel

In honor of Talk Like A Pirate Day, Mango Languages has a free course in talking like a pirate. Get started to be ready for the big day!

How to Raise Good Geeks

August 22, 2013Kevin Makice

Being called a geek used to be an insult, but we all know it as a badge of honor. Fostering geekiness, however, often has to be an intentional choice to get out of the way of our innate joy of learning. Here are eleven things to consider with your own young geeks.

Quick Summertime Toddler Activity: Fizzy Science Fun!

June 29, 2013Kristen Rutherford1

It’s never too early to introduce a child to the wonders of science! Here’s an example of a multi-step reaction that’s super simple, extremely cheap, and a great summertime activity for your toddler.

Wombi Monsters Teach Letters, Numbers, & Shapes to Pre-Schoolers

June 4, 2013Sophie Brown

Last year my son started at our local pre-school and ever since his appetite for knowledge has simply grown and grown. Every day he points out letters, number, and shapes around our home or on the street and asks what they are. He’s even asked for phonics books as his bedtime story. It’s something I want to encourage and so when Wombi released a new series of three Monster apps that teach letters, shapes, and numbers I was eager to see what he would make of them.

Give Kids Arduino Adventures

April 5, 2013Marziah Karch6

Arduino Adventures: Escape from Gemini Station is a great introduction to Arduino robotics projects for kids (and adults who want an easy starting point.) The book was written by James Floyd Kelly and Harold Timmis and published by Apress.