Reading museum – The Life, Designs & Crafts of Marie Haigh

I have been homeschooling Elly and Brooke for 4 months now.

Homeschooling 2 Kindergarten-level kids while running after a toddler who is determined to win King of the Mountain game every 5 minutes is crazy. It’s not as crazy as taking 2 girls roller skating who have never roller skated in their lives while carrying a baby on my hip because yeah, I did that and it was nail biting crazy as I tried to keep my balance while everyone fell around me, but homeschooling does require a fair amount of ambition on most days.

Some days, I cheat.

at the Philadelphia zoo

OK, I cheat most days if your vision of homeschooling looks like public school taught at home.

My strategy has evolved. I started out teaching from textbooks like my college professors did. I now use my library card and Pinterest like a double edged sword. When all else fails, I search YouTube to teach the same thing but in a different way.

I schedule a field trip to a museum or a park about once a week.

at the DaVinci Science Center

We visit the Pottstown Library weekly for storytime. Friday is the highlight of our week; we visit a friend’s house and our 6 kids have Science class together. So that means, I only have to teach class all by myself 2 days out of a week.

The main reason it is working so well is because time is on my side. I noticed after introducing the planets that my kids couldn’t tell them apart, so I dedicated 2 months to learning the planets. My eldest asked Santa for a telescope and she asked Grammy for fossils. (Both Grammy and Santa made sure that Elly’s wish came true). If instilling the love of learning isn’t success, I don’t know what is.

I won’t lie and say it’s all rainbows and chocolate. I have doubted my ability and my patience on a lot of days. Kids drive you nuts. It’s their job. Plus, Elly struggles with perfectionism and Brooke struggles with laziness. Often I slip into drill sergeant mode and bark orders out because it works brilliantly.

at the Reading Museum

Despite my love for teaching and my daughters success in learning, I am unsure if I will continue Homeschooling next year. I love it so much, but am I being selfish and doing it just for me? Is this the right decision for us? For Elly? For Brooke? For Malcolm?

One thing is for certain, socialism is a non-issue. We meet wonderful people and families everywhere we go. And we talk to them. Even Malcolm tries to talk too with the three words he knows: dada which can mean anything from dog or furry animal to daddy, uh-oh and all done. What else do you need to say?

Earlier this week, Elly and I visited the Reading Museum. It had been my intention of taking her to the playground across the street from the museum, but it was a mite too cold. So, to the museum we went.

I was worried that there would be nothing for Elly to do and I would spent the entire visit begging her to not touch anything. When they let her in free (kids 3 years and younger are allowed in free), my shoulders might have slumped in defeat.

Then, the museum staff directed us to their new exhibit, Run! Jump! FLY!, stating that Elly would enjoy it the most. He wasn’t wrong. The entire exhibit is geared towards kids. Mind you, they probably had 7 year old kids in mind when they put it together, but Elly still had fun despite being too small to do some of the activities. There was a rock wall, yoga station, dance station, and an exercise station. Elly’s favorite was the surf and snow section where she got to ride the waves and snowboard down the snow.

Elsewhere in the museum, I did have to ask Elly not to touch sculptures and paintings. Surprisingly though, there were things that Elly could touch. There were “Please Touch” signs at all the Discovery Stations as they were called.

Elly got to try her hand at weaving.

I pity the poor staff member who had to untie all the knots Elly made.

When we left, it was all one big knot.

So, yes, I think Elly and I will be back to visit the Reading Museum this winter when it is too cold to go out and play.

Tag: Reading museum

Report on Homeschooling

Sunday Snapshots (of Reading Museum)