While it has been fairly mild for a Northeast Ohio winter, by February, it always starts to feel like winter is getting a little long. So, here is a list of fun local things to do to survive the last month of winter!







​1. Visit the Cleveland Museum of Art and the Rink at Wade Oval. A great way to feel like you're getting fresh sunlight while keeping warm indoors is to visit the Cleveland Museum of Art. The atrium lets in gorgeous natural light, as does some of the gallery rooms. And, when you're ready to go back outside, you can ice skate at Wade Oval's seasonal outdoor rink. 

2. Visit Cuyahoga Valley National Park. A nature hike in winter can produce marvelous sights including ice formations, winter wonderlands and more. But be careful! Some areas can be dangerous in winter.

3. Visit Black River Archery & Indoor Range in Elyria. This is a great place to take the kiddos to hone their archery skills during winter!

4. Check out Alien Vacation Mini Golf in Medina. Located at Castle Noel, this is a 3-D mini golf experience. So much fun for the whole family!

5. Spend the day in Highland Square in Akron. From funky and eclectic to classic historical, this area of Akron boasts cool restaurants, local artists, and retro shops. And it's never too cold for ice cream! Check out Mary Coyle's!

6. Visit the James A. Garfield National Historic Site in Mentor. A great way to get in a history lesson and some outdoor activity at the same time! Learn about the nation's 20th president and stroll the grounds on a self guided tour. 

7. Check out the McKinley Presidential Library & Museum in Canton. Can't get enough history? No problem! Canton is the place to learn about our 25th president. The museum includes interactive learning for kids and a planetarium!

8. Head down to Grandpa's Cheesebarn in Ashland. You've seen the billboards. Now, take a trek to check out the wide selection of cheese and other yummy treats!

9. Visit the Smucker's Store in Orrville. Located in Wayne County, the Smucker's Store is a sweet way to spend the day with the kiddos!

10. Check out OH WOW! in Youngstown. OH WOW! The Roger & Gloria Jones Children's Center for Science & Technology is a hands-on play and learning space based in STEM education. A fun day well spent in Youngstown!

February is for lovers.....library lovers, that is. If you and your kiddos are book readers, this is the perfect time to express your love for your local library!  All month, there are great opportunities to warm up and get cozy with a book or join some friends at your local branch. 

The Akron Main Library is holding their 13th Annual Family Reading Festival this Saturday with music by Jim Gill, storybook characters, Outback Ray, and more. Each child will get to take home a free book!

Other activities going on all month at local libraries include family story times, book sales, a Reader Boost Camp, homeschool classes, book discussions and more!

This month, we are celebrating mysteries, and series with our February Book Club!

Click here to go to our Book Club Page, where we have February's list of recommended books for all age groups, and links to all of the area library systems. 

Homeschool families are typically well-read and aware that there is much more to the world than just themselves. Spiritual Literacy Month is a time to reflect on that and challenge ourselves and our children to reach further, inquire more, and celebrate our spiritual connections to each other and our world, and to learn the different ways that people around the world do that. It is cultural exploration, spiritual discovery, and soul-searching.  Reading books about different forms of spirituality and religion is an educational pursuit and provides deeper understanding of others. It helps us to see how we are all connected. And, in our differences, there is a beauty that can be celebrated.

​Spiritual literacy gives us a multitude of perspectives which can be enlightening and helpful in learning how to deal with so many of life's challenges and circumstances. It can give us comfort, peace, and a deeper sense of self and purpose. It grants us wisdom and a reminder that life is precious and sacred. Medieval Catholic monks referred to spiritual literacy as "reading the book of the world." Muslims describe everything that happens in us and around us as "a letter to be read." Native Americans believe that signs of a higher spirit can be seen all around us.  And, even if you are not a spiritual person, it is an interesting endeavor to learn about why people believe what they do. Spiritual Literacy Month is a time to "promote respect for and among the world's religions and spiritual traditions."

William Blake wrote, 

To see a world in a grain of sand 
and a heaven in a wildflower
To hold infinity in the palm of your
hand and eternity in an hour."

Here are some books and authors that you can read to expand your learning of spirituality and religion.

1. Spiritual Literacy: Reading the Sacred in Everyday Life, Frederic & Mary Ann Brussat
2. The Art of Happiness, The Dalai Lama
3. Tao Te Ching, Lao Tze
4. Bhagavad Gita
5. The Bible
6. The Koran
7. The Torah
8. Confucius
9. Deepak Chopra
10. The Celestine Prophecy
11. The Secret
12. The Alchemist
13. A New Earth
14. The Road Less Traveled
15. The Four Agreements
16. Siddhartha
17. The Purpose Driven Life
18. The Power of Now
19. Peace Is Every Step
20. Wherever You Go, There You Are
21. Books about ancient mythology: Greek, Roman, Native American, etc
22. Books about ancient civilizations: Mayans, Aztecs, Incas, Egyptians, etc
23. Shinto

There are so many more, but this is a list that will get you started on your journey. Enjoy!

Tired of giving "stuff" for Christmas? Well, experiencing the world outside our doors is a common element in the homeschooling lifestyle. So, the holidays are perfect times to give gifts that will support that lifestyle. 

In 2013, the LA Times reported that the average American home held over 300,000 items, and there were over 50,000 storage facilities nationwide.

Our grandparents had an average of nine outfits. The average American child has over 200 toys but only plays with an average of 12 of them per day. The United States only claims 3% of the world's children, yet those children possess over 40% of the world's toys.

What's worse, while we own all this stuff, over 50% of us report being overwhelmed by it. We aren't as happy as were were 50 years ago.  And, research shows that while we are less happy with our stuff over time, we are more happy over time with experiences. Our experiences are a bigger part of who we are than our stuff is. 

Shared family experiences lead to:

• bonding within the family
• fewer behavioral problems in children
• a stronger sense of identity
• a sense of security for children
• higher rates of academic success
• lower rates of violence

So with that, here is a list of ways to give experiences for the holidays:

1. Escape room challenges
2. Museum memberships
3. Science center memberships
4. Orchestra season tickets
5. Theater season tickets
6. Sports team tickets
7. Camping trip
8. A family hobby like bowling
9. Enormous puzzles the family can work on together
10. Local attraction season passes
11. Family day trips
12. Art classes
13. Music classes
14. Sports activity classes
15. Summer camps
16. Workshops
17. Recreational activities like skating or rock climbing
18. Movie tickets
19. Show or concert tickets
20. Magazine subscriptions
21. Learning program kit subscriptions
22. A Family adventure like canoeing or white water rafting
23. Gardening supplies
24. Craft supplies
25. STEM supplies like a 3D printer
26. Skill tools like a sewing machine
27. Zoo membership
28. Aquarium membership
29. Family vacation
​30. Outdoor activity supplies like fishing poles or skis

​The following list of gratitude for homeschooling is courtesy of Lindsay Banton and homeshcoolingfacts.com. Can you identify with it? What are you most thankful for as a homeschooling parent?




​I am thankful for homeschool because I get to have a front row seat to my kids’ development and learning. There aren’t any other people obstructing my view of this great show we call “growing up”.
I am thankful for the freedom to homeschool, and to homeschool how I see fits us best.
I am thankful for slow mornings and extended projects.
I am thankful my kids are learning and developing at their own pace.
I am thankful for homeschooling because my kids have strong relationships with each other, they are one another’s best friend.
I am thankful for homeschooling because it feeds my love of office supplies and my childhood dream of “becoming a teacher when I grow up”.
I am thankful for homeschooling because of the other incredible families I have met through local groups and activities.
I am thankful for homeschooling because it has caused me to think through choices I make in other areas of life. Am I doing things a particular way because that’s how it’s just done or that’s the way I grew up doing it? Or is there a way that suits us better?
I am thankful for homeschooling because of the broadness of our potential activities, places to study, things to learn, and choices of interest.
I am thankful my kids are growing up loving the library and beg to look through the book sections of stores we shop.
I am thankful for homeschooling because I get to help my kids become good friends to others.
I am thankful for homeschooling because it makes me a better mom. My kids’ education is an important enough reason to pause my entire To-Do List and focus on them for a portion of each day.
I am thankful I don’t have to pack lunches or race to the school bus each day.
I am thankful for the flexibility homeschooling provides in our schedule, both on a daily basis and yearly.
I am thankful for homeschooling because we can always turn anything into a learning moment.
I am thankful for homeschooling because I am now getting a chance to read all of the great literature I wasn’t able to read as a child due to limited time and simply not knowing about them.
I am thankful for homeschooling because I feel like I am reliving, and re-writing, a part of my childhood – for the better.
I am thankful my daughter has the time in her day to dive deeply into her love of mysteries and code-cracking – or spend time drawing pictures of how she thinks serfs lived in the medieval time period.
I am thankful for the resources and respect offered to homeschoolers in our day and region.
I am thankful my kids are learning in an environment where they don’t feel heavy pressure or stress.

Recently, we posted about giving back as a family. One way to do that is to volunteer your time. There are many opportunities in the community to volunteer as a family. And there are many benefits. Aside from the obvious benefit of helping the community, this is also time spent together as a family, and it's an opportunity to teach valuable lessons to the kiddos. Here is a list of ways to volunteer as a family. 

1. Spend time at a nursing home. This is a great opportunity for the kiddos to spend time with older people, which is a valuable experience. Taking board games, or helping with Bingo, bringing a craft or playing instruments for the residents are all ways that you and your family members can cheer up elderly folks. 

2. Help out at the local animal shelter. This may require some paperwork and commitment and you should consider if all of your kids are aged appropriately for this activity, but helping at an animal shelter can be rewarding. It also teaches the kiddos about the responsibility of caring for a pet. Bathing or walking the animals, as well as feeding and cleaning cages are all options. But so is just playing with them! 

3. Serve at a local soup kitchen or food pantry. Soup kitchens are always happy to have helpers serve food and clean up after a meal. This is popular though, so you may have to sign up in advance and wait. Pantries need help filling boxes of food for families and stocking shelves.

4. Clean up the parks. The Cleveland Metroparks as well as local municipal parks often have clean up days where volunteers can sign up to do things like pick up litter or clear away invasive plants. It gets you outside, it's great exercise and it's fun!

5. Participate in a walk or run.  Another great way to get exercise while helping out is to do a 5K together. There is usually a fundraising mission attached to local 5K's so you can get the kids out and moving while making a difference.

6. Work with Habitat for Humanity. For this one the kids needs to be at least 16 years old, but this is an awesome way to help out as a family and the kids learn valuable skills. 

7. Help out Meals on Wheels. This is another one that may require kids be of a certain age but taking food to people who are sick or shut in is a generous and loving thing to do and will warm your heart. 

8. Join Caring Cubs. This is an amazing organization that offers monthly volunteer opportunities for kiddos ages 2 and up.  Check their website for the different monthly projects.

9. Participate in projects at your church. Churches always have service projects going on. If you attend a church, ask how you can help. And even if you don't attend, anyone is always welcome to participate in projects. It's also a great way to meet other people in your community. 

10. Help older neighbors. If you have older neighbors nearby, your family can "adopt" them by mowing their lawn, shoveling their snow, running errands for them, spending time with them or many other things. 

November is Family Stories Month, which is perfect timing as people begin gathering for the holidays,  As families come together around the dinner table, they can, and often do, share stories. It's a great way for kiddos to learn some family history. If you're interested in turning this into a homeschool project, here are some suggestions:

• Prepare a list of questions to ask family members during family gatherings.
• Before family members arrive, email a list of questions. It will give them a chance to come up with memories to share.
• Ask family to write their memories in story form to share. Offer to compile them in a book.

Here are some other fun ways to celebrate the month:

• Tell your kids a story about you when you were their age.
• Ask a close friend or family member to tell your kids their favorite memory of you.
• Ask grandparents about their youth like their first jobs, what high school was like, what did they do for dates or fun, etc.
• Make a family tree project.
• Encourage your kids to tell a story.

​
Here are some questions you can ask at the dinner table:

1. What is a childhood memory you will never forget?
2. What did you have as a child that kids today don’t have? 
3. Has anything ever happened at a family event that you’ll never forget?
4. What was your favorite movie or book when you were my age? 
5. Tell us a story about a family reunion or family party that you remember attending as a child.
6. What was the hardest thing you went through/have gone through as a child? How did you overcome it?
7. What are your favorite stories that grandpa/grandma told (or still tells)?
8. What is the most embarrassing thing your mother or father ever did to you?
9. What are your best memories of holidays or family gatherings?
10. What is the best thing that your grandparents ever cooked? What about your parents?
11. If you could go back to one day in your childhood, which day would that be? Why?
12. What did/do your grandparents do with you that you loved? 

Storytelling is both healing and bonding. This is a great opportunity to get closer to your kids and other family members and to enrich your homeschool lifestyle. Have fun!

As homeschool families, we often have the unique opportunity to experience learning together. And, one lesson that many of us find important is the lesson of being of service to others. Children benefit dramatically from opportunities to be charitable and giving. This holiday season, consider taking on a giving project as a family. Here are several ideas:

1. Bake cookies or make dinners for others. This is a great way to incorporate homeschool math AND give back. And it's quality time together. Baking and cooking together is a bonding experience and what better way to bond than by giving the gift of food. Pass out food to local police and fire departments or drop off meals and baked goods to your local church or to neighbors who might be in need.

2. Fill stockings for those in need. This is fun because you and the kids can shop together, which means considering the need, making a budget and then making the selections. Then, once you have all of your stocking stuffers, you can stuff them together and then drop them off at a local church or charity.

3. Do a toy sweep. One way to reduce clutter before the holidays AND give back at the same time is to clear out old toys and donate them. This is also a great way to teach kids the act of giving as well as the act of minimizing stuff and leading a simple, grateful life. 

4. Visit a nursing home. There are so many opportunities here. The whole family can take board games or a craft to do with the residents. Or, you can let your kids show off their talents by singing or playing an instrument for them. Another option is to make simple gifts and hand them out. 

5. Adopt a family. So many organizations offer an opportunity to adopt a family or a child for Christmas. This involves selecting a family or child, getting their wish list and then shopping for them and dropping off those items at the organization for them to distribute to the family. It helps kids learn gratitude and generosity to shop for toys for someone other than themselves and it's a lot of fun. 

6. Donate to a food bank. There is never a shortage of need when it comes to food. As a family, check your own pantry or go shopping for items that will help another family have nourishment during the holidays.

7. Do your own fundraiser. Ask your kids what world problem they want to tackle and then do some research on practical ways you can help locally. Brainstorm ideas for raising donations and let them lead the charge!

8. Pack gift boxes for military overseas. This is fun because the sky is the limit. Any comfort from home that you think someone overseas might enjoy, you can add to the box. Many organizations collect these boxes for mass shipment, too so find out where you can drop yours off.

9. Make crafts to donate to the children's hospital. Kids who have to spend time in the hospital like having things to do to pass the time. Choose a craft, shop for the supplies together and put the kits together and drop them off together.

10. Make a random acts of kindness Advent Calendar. This is creative and fun. Brainstorm together all the acts of kindness you can do each day of the month and make your own calendar as a craft project. Then, follow through on your acts of kindness each day.