Nurturing My Lost Enthusiasm

Home educating a wide age spread can be a challenge and sometimes there are casualties, for months a while now, one of our casualties have been our little ones, blush.  I had plans but they consisted of.. "I'll read two picture books a day and..."  but we weren't achieving much.
For years I used to over plan, investing hours which seemed wasted as our plans always changed.  In an effort to change this situation I became more relaxed and let my planning go, we had a broad structure but not finer details.  However I've come the the realisation that planning created & fed  my enthusiasm so it wasn't wasted, it just translated differently. During the past couple of years whilst I haven't overplanned I also haven't been enthused often.






In a bid to gain back my enthusiasm and meet the needs of our little ones I pondered deeply and 'hit upon' an idea!:)  An idea that involves only a little planning.  Each day we read a couple of books and then enjoy a related activity. Simple, easy and FUN!! I started collating ideas on my newly formed pinterest board and my enthusiasm started bubbling:):)













We began this week with the four Virgina Lee Burton's books we own.  We read Maybelle the Cable Car and Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel and then enjoyed making diggers.












The following day with high enthusiasm, and older children who insisted both days on joining in the fun, we read Katy and the Big Snow and The Little House, one of our absolute favourite books!










Then we made pop-up houses which was a huge hit!

The children are really happy, creativity is on the rise and I've solved my enthusiasm low for now:):)