Since my daughter LOVES all things American Girl next week we are starting an American Girl Club.  Our club will be meeting one night a week to learn together about the different time periods the girls are from. 

We will start with Samantha (1904) and are planning to meet 12 times to go through the 6 Samantha books. (So the girls will read 1/2 a book each week before they come to the club.)

The activites for the club will be based on these books:
The craft and cook book are out of print, but are readily available on E-Bay.  (I got all 3 of these at a used bookstore for a total of $12.00!) 

Each week we will do a craft from the craft book, have a snack from the cook book and read a bit about the period from Welcome To Samantha's World. This book is like a museum in a book!  It is loaded with pictures and drawings of things from the time period.  I just LOVE it!  We have 4 of the different girls "World" books and I find myself leaving them on my nightstand so I can look through them on my own time. :^)

This is the craft we will be doing the first week:
This is called a Calling Card Box.  Back in the day before telephones people would just drop in for a visit!  If no one was home they would leave a calling card.  (Like a business card with just a name and a decoration on it.)  Boxes like this were kept in the parlor to collect the cards of friends and family in.  The second week we will be making enough calling cards for all the girls to trade and have one from each girl in the club!

I am also hoping we can do a few booklets of a Samantha Lapbook each week and when we finish up each girl will have a lapbook they have created all about Samantha and the early 1900's.

Here is the link to the free American Girl Lapbook we will be making:
http://www.homeschoolshare.com/American_Girl_Lapbook.php

My daughter and I are very excited about getting this club going!  We have 16 girls and their mom's signed up to join us!  It should be a lot of fun!

Happy Homeschooling,

Jamin

UPDATE:

Click HERE to see what we did on our 10 week study of Samantha
Clcik HERE to see what we did on our 6 week study of Kaya

We are now working through 5 weeks of Felicity.  You can see what we have done so far HERE. 

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Comments

Posted by Elinor

That's awesome! I had an American Girl club last year. We did 1 doll a month and it was so much fun. I have a question though...where you meeting with so many girls in the group? I had our AG Teas in my home, but I couldn't handle more than the 6 girls and their moms - how are you doing it with so many? It's wonderful. Here's a link to my AG blog posts...

http://elinorandedward.blogspot.com/search/label/American%20Girls

Have a great day and I can't wait to read more about your AG club!!! Wish we lived close.

Elinor

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Posted by sonshine4u

My daughters (9 and 5) are really into American Girl Dolls. I have been pondering doing the very same thing! Thanks for your great ideas!

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Posted by xinme

You're SUCH a fun mom, Jamin!

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Posted by Anonymous

Oh, how fun. My girls when they were little were into AMG stuff too. We have many of the dolls 3 big ones, I think all the mini ones maybe even doubles, and several bitty babies. WE have all the 6 book sets on each girl even the new girls. Many of the craft books and other stuff just gobbs. I wish my girls were still little so we could do some of these ideas. The are teenagers now so it isn't cool. Though youngest loves crafts. That calling box is just precious. Our library has the craft books and cook books on many of the girls so we check them out every now and again. Sounds like a lot of fun. Wish we had home schoolers we could get together with. We went to the Micheal's AMG family craft day on Sat. they made a t-shirt for the doll and a bag. it was neat. Have fun and enjoy this age. I love your ideas. You are one cool mom.

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Posted by Anonymous

Oh, how fun. My girls when they were little were into AMG stuff too. We have many of the dolls 3 big ones, I think all the mini ones maybe even doubles, and several bitty babies. WE have all the 6 book sets on each girl even the new girls. Many of the craft books and other stuff just gobbs. I wish my girls were still little so we could do some of these ideas. The are teenagers now so it isn't cool. Though youngest loves crafts. That calling box is just precious. Our library has the craft books and cook books on many of the girls so we check them out every now and again. Sounds like a lot of fun. Wish we had home schoolers we could get together with. We went to the Micheal's AMG family craft day on Sat. they made a t-shirt for the doll and a bag. it was neat. Have fun and enjoy this age. I love your ideas. You are one cool mom. I post many of your ideas on my blog giving you credit though. I have AMG lapbook ideas to post but hadn't done it yet, now I'm going to have to post this is just too neat.

http://www.homesteadblogger.com/teaching4Him/

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Posted by Kelli http://www.busybusymommy.blogspot.com

Great idea. I think I may use the Samantha and the ideas to do a 6 week co-op class. I think the kids would love it.
I also loved your sorting apron idea and used it with pingpong balls and buckets and my kids love it.

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Posted by Blessings

Okay I only leave a few comments every so often....BUT you always have my heart ...either in stitches laughing, crying or just a warm fuzzy feeling! You are truly a "special person!" Who I am sure touches many more people then just myself!
I absolutely LOVE this idea...I would like to ask..`AHEM..."Would you mind if I borrowed your idea and follow along with you ...actually two steps behind ..(so that I know what to do ;) ) in this GREAT Adventure?" OR "you and your family could always move closer to us that we may join in on your club!" Kentucky is not all that bad... although, I was brought up on the east coast...;)
BTW: your children are growing up so fast ... It is great to hear all the in's and out's of your precious families lives! I truly LOVE to read them! Thank you! and yes there will be that day when my children pass me up ... in dreadful Math as well! This note to your son: <Job well done; becoming a young person with such a loving and joyful spirit!>
God has truly blessed you with your precious family!

I do have a tiny question? How do you have time ..doing Sonlight to enjoy the lapbooks etc.. "the FUN and on the side extra activity's?" We just never have enough time....of course mine are all under the age 7 and still we do not have enough time ..we do the 4 day a week. What am I doing wrong? I know that they would LOVE to have those activities to do at least once a month ... does your Sonlight run longer so that you can enjoy schooling or do you take 2 years ..."What is your secret?!"

opps sorry for the novel!
I guess I should leave more comments so that it would not run into this...my sincere apologies!
Dutiful Sister in Christ...praying when you need, laughing with you, crying with you and everything else that goes into being a sister!
Thank you again as always, for posting your "great adventures!"
~the other (older) red head ...
Brooke
harley_davison
I just started my own little blog; just recently...not much time for me right now ..but you gave the inspiration for sure!

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Posted by HopeRumpca

This is just *fantastic*! Please post often and let us know how things are going! I would love to "borrow" you idea and start a club here, may I?

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Posted by redmom

How fun!

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Posted by Anonymous

BTW We were in the library today and saw the Amer. Girl Club Handbook. There are some other activity books that would be great for your group in case you haven't seen them.

j

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Posted by snider6intx

Emily and I are just now getting into American Girl. This is the perfect age for her to "get" the most out of them I think. We went to a few American Girl Book Club meetings last year at a local library. We look forward to going this year. Although, I wish YOU were our leader. Your so much fun!

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Posted by Anonymous

My two girls and I are starting a "American Girl Tea" group. We are going to do a once a month and go through the dolls. It looks like a lot of fun They are looking forward to it. Thanks

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