Lego Creations

Something that never goes away in our house, and I'm glad it doesn't, is Lego. Many of the creations that Austyn makes I don't get pictures of. He makes so many things! This is an apartment building he made. 

The cats don't seem to mind it at all. LOL!

Independant Crafter

Zoe has been looking up crafts on YouTube and making them all on her own.

 Here are only a few of the things she has made on her own by looking online.

 This little elf who hung out on our Christmas tree was her attempt to make an Elf on a Shelf. We didn't end up getting one this year. By the time we decided we wanted one they were all sold out. She made this guy with no video and no help from me.

Zoe has a very independent personality, so this is something she does naturally.

Snowflakes and Stars

 This holiday season we learned how to make a crystal snowflake. 

HERE is a website to show you how to make it.

I made some paper crafts with Zoe. We weaved paper into a little coaster and we also made these ornaments. The one on the left is the correct way to make it and the one on the right I tried to do it backwards to see what it looks like. HERE you can find the directions to make this paper star. We used card stock.

Christmas Card Exchange

Less and less people send Christmas cards each year. Postage can get expensive and more people use Social media or email to send good wishes. This year we joined a Christmas Card Exchange with our homeschool group. There were only a handful of us who signed up. The kids went over to visit their Nanny to make cards since she makes cards as a hobby. Here are the results. I was so impressed with how well they turned out. These were sent out as soon as we could and we are starting to receive cards from other families. The kids learned about how to send a letter (if they didn't remember other times that we've done it) and they got to be creative. I think this was a great activity.

Large Paper Snowflake Craft

Ever since we made one of these at a homeschool co-op, we make at least one each year. Last year we each made our own and hung them in the window. They are so pretty, so big, and so pretty. 

Here is a video to show you how to make them.

Christmas Tree Decorations

 We made some simple decorations with pipe cleaners, glue and glitter. 

I tried to make some string decorations. The balloons didn't hold out for me. I think that if you are going to attempt this craft, be sure to purchase some really good quality balloons. They didn't turn out so well. HERE is a website to explain how to make them.

Christmas Activities Early

We started doing Christmas activities right after Halloween. We purchased some cookies to decorate. The kids loved to decorate them, but they just were not as good as fresh baked. Too bad I can't bake well.

We started to read Christmas books as soon as our library had them available on the shelf. It was nice to get a head start on them, because other years we miss some of the classics due to other people checking them out.

K'nex

 I don't think Austyn will ever get tired of building. K'nex is always a perfect gift for him. This is a roller coaster.

Sewing

Zoe has been into crafts and sewing lately. This is an easy child's sewing kit. She is making a teddy bear.

Make-Up Art!

 What do your art projects look like? Zoe's looks like this!

 She loves to do her make-up and paints elaborate designs all over her face.

This is one that her cousin drew on her face and the next morning she altered it and added.

Animation

Austyn has wanted to know how to do more things with the computer. I have set him up to do graphics when he helped create his own rookie card for drag racing. He made his own Birthday Party invitations.

 

I purchased a book on animation for him. It is great! I recommend it! It's called The Klutz Book Of Animation. It is a very visual, step-by-step guide on how to do different types of animation. We focused on stop motion and claymation.

Here are a couple of our creations.

This one we did together. Zoe was the stop motion actress. It suits her well since she likes to change her clothes at least 5 times a day. You will see some mistakes with this video, but it's one of our first.

This is a claymation that Austyn did on his own. I helped him download sounds and add them. We messed up and left one sound out, but it's not too bad for his first one.

Zoe's Balloons

After having a child who was afraid of balloons, it's interesting to have one who uses it as a way to express herself creatively. This is just one of many creations that Zoe has made.

Gymnastics Everywhere

 Everywhere she goes she does gymnastics. She practices at home, outside, when we are visiting friends, at arenas, and just about anywhere else that she can think of practicing.

She has taken 3 short sessions of gymnastics in the past. The last session she was bumped up 4 levels and is in a much higher level then her brother. Although some of her moves she was taught, much of it is self taught or I've guided her on how to, since I know a few moves from when I was younger. I can't believe how fast she picks things up. She'll see someone on TV do something and right away she tries and is sometimes successful right away. It's amazing. We all think that this is her thing! She is a gymnast! 

Too bad she missed the Canadian Female Gymnastics Team at the Olympics. She would have loved to watch it!

Here is a sample of what she can do. She can do much more but she is trying to perfect going into and out of the bridge. She can do round-offs and cartwheels into splits.

Taking Initiative

I just love it when my kids get what they need and go and do something all on their own. Here Zoe picked up a library book. She looked through it and decided on a craft that interested her. She got the supplies that she needed, set herself up at the table, and proceeded to make the craft from the book.

This doesn't always happen, but when it does, I just think it's great!!

Zoe's Creation at Lego Club

I run a Homeschool Lego Club in our area and while there Zoe made these. I thought it was great! What a great way to practice words using a different medium. Forget pencils or crayons!! She used Lego to make her name and Austyn's name!

K'nex Education Kits

 I ordered these kits from Canadian Home Education Resources. I know that it seemed cheaper to order it from the K'nex site, but I've learned through experience that it really won't be once they ship it over the border. One of the problems with homeschooling in Canada is that many of the curriculum and materials we need to purchase come form the United States and the shipping costs to Canada can be deceiving. We are always knocked with some strange charge that isn't known until it shows up on our VISA statement. So, even though these looked like they were more, I'm sure that they were less due to those extra costs for cross-border shipments.

We don't have far to go to cross the border so I could go across and pick it up at a parcel drop-off center, but I just didn't feel like I wanted to do that. It always feels nice to shop Canadian whenever I can, especially when it just makes more sense. 

I ordered Intro to Simple Machines: Levers and Pulleys, Intro to Simple Machines: Wheels & Axels and Inclined Planes, Intro to Simple Machines: Gears, and I also got Introduction to Structures: Bridges.

 As soon as Austyn saw them he went right to work. He made a manual hand-mixer first. Here he is holding it up, first thing the next morning. I don't even think he is fully awake yet! He wanted a picture right away so he can get right back to work, taking it apart and building something else!

 He decided that he wanted to build the car window. As he builds I read the Teachers material that is on the CD that is provided in the kit. He is learning about different types of gears and how they work. He is learning about gear differential and so much more. This is proving to be a perfect purchase for us!

 Here is the car window finished. It doesn't have as much mobility as we would have liked to see, but this just sets him up to alter it and better the design on his own.

Back to the company that we purchased these kits from... They don't have their site set-up to pay online (probably due to the cost and that it may reflect on the products), but they call to get payment or you can call in and give your VISA. I eventually called back, because we are out of the house so much and I'm hard to get a hold of. The customer service person I talked to on the phone was so friendly and polite, even though I've been a hard one to chase down. They had everything we ordered ready to go and shipped it right away. It got here in good time, considering it was coming across the country. When I opened the box I noticed that they reuse boxes! I was SO IMPRESSED! I've never seen this done before and to see a company do this was such a good feeling. They used a Scholastic box and rebuilt the box inside out to use it again. This makes me feel so good about purchasing from them! I will be a repeat customer!

If you decide to purchase these sets, check out the K'NEX website for lesson plans and other resources that are available.

Creativity at Home

Everyone tells me she should be in drama, but I can't find anything that is available for her age. She dresses up, paints her own face, acts out plays, makes different voices, dances, does acrobatics, sings and so much more. She is just an all around creative and outgoing girl. Being home provides a great place to practice her creativity.

Science with Arts and Crafts

We made some para-scopes (seen at the back of this table. Right after making them Zoe decided to repeat a science experiment she did at our Homeschool Co-Op. I got my camera out a bit late. What she did was pour milk on a plate and add drops of food colouring and then stir it up a bit making a marble design. She did it many times to this milk and now the design looks almost black.

This is Austyn using his Para-scope to spy on people walking by our house. I think the real reason for it is to spy on animals and birds from around a tree, but he is having fun.

My hope is that by being more creative or by making things that are crafty, that Zoe gets more interested in Science.

Science Journal

 We have officially started our new Science book for this year. We don't stop in the summer and due to having such a bad year this year, it's a good thing. 

 Our first activity was to make our own science journal. We made these with pieces of cardboard. I bought cupboard liners (has a sticky side) and binding rings. We cut out the cardboard to a specific size and put the liner on the outside, wrapping around the edges to the inside covers. Then we glued paper inside to cover up the liner edges. Then we cut a bunch of white printer paper in half and punched holes in the papers and the covers. They were lined up and the binder rings were inserted and closed. Here is Austyn's science journal. He liked the marble look.

 It's hard to tell in this picture but Zoe added a string on the rings to make a handle and she attached a pencil so that she could travel with it. She brought it to the races along with her caterpillar and drew her caterpillar and the stages that she could remember a caterpillar goes through before it becomes a butterfly in her journal.

When I first found these caterpillars they were very small. The one looked just like a little black burr. They are still very small but this is how they looked a couple of days after I found them. They are both the same kind of caterpillar (swallowtail). I know because we have kept these kinds of caterpillars before from our garden. This year we found more. It's one benefit of living in Ontario. There are so many chances to keep caterpillars for free! They are so easy to find!

Oh by the way... the book we are using is called Science Smart.

Relaxation

This is a kids way to relax and watch a movie! It's a boat that the kids call a quad-floater.