Posted in My Homeschool FAQs
Posted by Anonymous
More amazing stuff! Thanks, and may I request a topic for your next blog: What basis do you use to make choices for your homeschool? Every day I am literally (but wonderfully) bombarded with all the coolest games, sites, lapbooks, notebooks, copywork, educational tools and neat things to use. How does one choose?
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How true! It is amazing to me to see how much stuff is now available to homeshcoolers! When I started out doing this 11 years ago there was hardly anything available in comparison. So, why it is a problem, it is a happy problem! LOL
So how do I choose? Well. for the most part my choices are dictated by price! I don't spend a lot of money on homeschooling. That is why I am always on the lookout for Freebies! When we do spend money it is almost always on used items or great clearance deals.
One way I find good deals is by consistently visting Thrift Shops and Garage Sales.. You have to keep looking, but there are lot of good educational materials out there. Off the top of my head I can recall finding a copy of Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons, Math Mat Challenge and Leap Frog Sing Along Microphone.
The best place of ALL to buy used educational materials is at Used Curriculum Sales. Here the link to my post from the last Used Curriculum sale I went to. Don't think you will only find books at these sales. I have picked up puzzles, puppets, felt board sets, blocks, and much more through the years!
For things that I can't find used or on sale those usually become Christmas or Birthday gifts. Yes, I have no qualms about buy educational items for my kids as gifts! LOL For example last year the littles got a a Leapster for Christmas. The games are expensive! So I search for games at places like Big Lots and the clearance rack at Target. (I think we have only bought one game for full price. And that was because my son had birthday money to spend.) I have gotten the others for under $10.00 by searching around for them. (I just bought Get Puzzled for $6.00 last week on clearance at Target!)
I think the best thing to remember is that "Rome wasn't built in a day". You don't have to buy everything at once. Just always be on the lookout for good educational things to add to your home. It doesn't happen overnight, but if you keep looking soon you won't be able to walk through your house for all the fun items! LOL
So how do I choose? Well. for the most part my choices are dictated by price! I don't spend a lot of money on homeschooling. That is why I am always on the lookout for Freebies! When we do spend money it is almost always on used items or great clearance deals.
One way I find good deals is by consistently visting Thrift Shops and Garage Sales.. You have to keep looking, but there are lot of good educational materials out there. Off the top of my head I can recall finding a copy of Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons, Math Mat Challenge and Leap Frog Sing Along Microphone.
The best place of ALL to buy used educational materials is at Used Curriculum Sales. Here the link to my post from the last Used Curriculum sale I went to. Don't think you will only find books at these sales. I have picked up puzzles, puppets, felt board sets, blocks, and much more through the years!
For things that I can't find used or on sale those usually become Christmas or Birthday gifts. Yes, I have no qualms about buy educational items for my kids as gifts! LOL For example last year the littles got a a Leapster for Christmas. The games are expensive! So I search for games at places like Big Lots and the clearance rack at Target. (I think we have only bought one game for full price. And that was because my son had birthday money to spend.) I have gotten the others for under $10.00 by searching around for them. (I just bought Get Puzzled for $6.00 last week on clearance at Target!)
I think the best thing to remember is that "Rome wasn't built in a day". You don't have to buy everything at once. Just always be on the lookout for good educational things to add to your home. It doesn't happen overnight, but if you keep looking soon you won't be able to walk through your house for all the fun items! LOL
