It’s that time of year again. Time for kids all over to don their graduation gowns and caps and march down the aisle to a new beginning! Graduation is not just for college and high school anymore. Elementary school, middle schools and even Kindergarten kids and preschoolers have graduation ceremonies. Celebrate this special day with your children, no matter what their age, with these fun graduation crafts and recipes.

1. Diploma Money Bucket

2. Framed Emergency Money

3. Graduation Cap Gift Jar

4. Graduation Cap Gift Box

5. Graduation Cap Money Holder

6. Graduation Diploma Pin

7. Graduation Cap Card

8. Graduation Gift Card Holder

9. Graduation Signature Frame

10. Autograph T-shirt

11. Graduation Cap & Diploma Money Card

12. Graduation Gift Card Holder

13. School Key Ring

14. Graduation Banner

15. Preschool Graduation Caps

16. Tasty Graduation Party Recipes

17. Candy Graduation Pops

18. Graduation Cap Cookies

19. Diploma Cake

20. Graduation Cap Cupcakes

21. Candy Filled Chocolate Graduation Cap Cookies

22. Grad Owl Gift Bag and Cookies – with Printable

23. Graduation Pretzel Pops

24. Graduation Peanut Butter Cup Push-Pops

Not enough for you?? Here are 11 more graduation craft ideas!

Spring is here and that means it’s time to pay some attention to the backyard and get it ready for the coming summer. Winter’s weather probably wreaked havoc on your backyard oasis, and helping to clean up all those downed branches, leftover leaves and other debris is a good way to get winter-weary kids off the couch and into the fresh air. While outdoor chores may not seem too appealing to most kids (how can a rake compare with an Xbox 360?), a little planning can help turn what seems like backyard drudgery into a lot of fun.

Gardening gear: Make sure little hands are protected with gardening gloves (big hands, too!). Little ones love having kid-sized versions of grown-up tools; teach them the fun of caring for the garden early on with their own gardening gear. Clear a space in the shed or garage where they can store their things when the job is done.

Decorate lawn & leaf bags first: Encourage kids to unleash their inner Monet by decorating lawn and leaf bags the night before clean-up day. They can draw their favorite flowers or plants, or imagine the yard as they would like it to look, and then fill up their bags with all those sticks, twigs, branches, and leftover leaves. Whoever gets their bag the fullest wins a small prize or treat!

Pick out plants: Have a contest to see who can get their garden beds looking blue-ribbon ready. Take the kids to the garden store to choose their own small plants that they can put into the ground and care for themselves once the garden beds are all cleaned up. Older kids can help the younger ones clear last year’s growth, remove weeds and cut back any perennials to make way for the new growth. Have some ribbons or other prizes ready for the awards ceremony once the task is complete.

Social media fun: In this age of Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube, even cleaning up the back yard can become a social media event! Have the kids snap some pictures (or shoot some video) of the yard before, during, and after, documenting all of their hard work. Older kids can help the younger ones snazz up their photos or videos with editing apps and post to parent-approved social media sites so even grandma can pile on the praise. Have fun and hold a little screening party complete with red carpet and popcorn to view the backyard transformation process.

The color of money: Prying that game controller out of your tween’s (or teen’s) hot, sweaty hand is no easy feat for any parent, but that lawn sure isn’t going to mow itself! If the lure of cash isn’t enough to woo them from the Wii, turn off the game console and invite a friend over to help, with the promise of pizza and a Mario Kart marathon once the job is done. Have them inspect the lawn for any holes that need filling in, check lawn furniture for damage and ensure that play equipment is in good working order (under adult supervision).

With some help from the kids, getting the backyard summer-ready can be a fun and satisfying project for everyone. Break out the cupcakes and lemonade for some well-deserved family time in your new surroundings and have everyone take pride in a job well done!

More you might like:

Spring Cleaning
Autumn Garden Chores
Choosing the Right Chores for Kids
5 Spring Backyard Maintenance Tips – She Knows
Cupcake Liner String Lights – Family Chic

Growing fresh vegetables and fragrant herbs is a great way to save money at the grocery store and control what pesticides go into your body. Not everyone has a yard with room for a garden, and thousands live in apartments and in urban areas. That doesn’t mean you’re out of luck! You can still grow your own herbs and vegetables in containers on your deck, patio, or balcony and reap a healthy harvest of fresh food for your table.

Here are 6 simple steps to get your container garden started.

1. Transplant instead of seeds – Instead of starting from seed, head to the garden center to pick up transplants. Transplants are seedlings that have already been started and are sold in small pots. They will buy you a considerable amount of time because they are six weeks or older when you put them in the pot, and you’ll begin harvesting much sooner too. When looking for transplants, watch for the Bonnie Plants label with biodegradable pots made from recycled paper and peat moss.

2. Don’t skimp on the potting mix – Look for a premium quality potting mix that holds moisture but drains well. This will give plant roots the perfect balance of air, moisture, and stability to grow a great harvest. Check the bag labels and look for ingredients such as: aged (composted) bark, perlite, lime or dolomite, and sometimes moisture-holding crystals. Quality potting mix stays fluffy all season long. It does not contain actual dirt that would compact with frequent watering.

3. Choose the correct pot – Be sure to choose a pot large enough to accommodate your plants as they mature. There are plenty of things that can be used as a container including pails, buckets, wire baskets, washtubs, window planters, and even large food cans. Think outside the box by using old wagons, bathtubs, and even kitchen colanders! Here are 15 creative container gardens to get your juices flowing. Larger vegetables, such as tomatoes and eggplant, will need sizeable containers, at least 5 gallons for each plant. If you aren’t sure, remember, bigger is always better. Plants will be healthier and will last longer because the roots will have more room to grow.

Make sure your pot has a drainage hole in the bottom. Believe it or not, color can be a factor as well! Dark colored containers will absorb heat that could possible damage the plant roots. If you must use dark colored pots, try painting them a lighter color. If you’re unsure as to what type of container to go with (wood, metal, ceramic, plastic, etc) here’s a great guide to choosing your containers.

4. Plants like to eat too – Even if your potting mix came with fertilizer already mixed in, you may need to feed your plants. Some potting mixes include just enough fertilizer to give plants a charge when they’re starting. Mixes designed to feed for several months run out sooner in hot weather with frequent watering. Add timed-release granules or try a soluble fertilizer for quick results.

5. Provide plenty of sunshine – At least 6-8 hours is best. The sun drives energy for production and for making sugars, acids, and other compounds responsible for the fullest flavor. Make sure pots on a deck or porch get enough sunlight and move them to a sunny spot if shade encroaches. Without sun, the fruits will not ripen and the plants will be stressed.

6. Water on a regular basis – Did you know that vegetables are at least 90% water? To produce well, they may need daily watering, especially in hot weather since you can’t always rely on rain. Water plants at soil level and make sure to water before the sun goes down, leaves will need to dry before nightfall.

What to grow in containers – Are you wondering what type of vegetables and herbs you can grow in containers? Here’s a quick run down:

• All herbs. Any herb does well in a pot.
• All greens. Collards, lettuce, mustard, Swiss chard and others are perfect for pots. You can mix them with flowers for an ornamental touch. Lettuces yield a surprising amount. Pick only the outer leaves to keep the harvest going.
• Eggplant and peppers of all types make pretty summer pots.
• Tomato varieties like Husky Cherry Red, Patio, Bush Early Girl, Bush Goliath, and Better Bush are especially easy to manage in containers.
• Squash and zucchini work in large pots such as half barrels.
• Other vegetables that do well in containers include cucumbers, beans, beets, carrots, onions, potatoes, and radishes.

Plant breeders know that home gardeners want the most bang for their buck. They want a high yield in a small space, so breeders have developed varieties that can grow in a small area, and even flourish in containers. Remember, when looking for the right plants watch for keywords like: bush, compact, patio, baby, dwarf and space saver in their name, they’ll be a good bet. Just because a plant is bred to be small doesn’t mean the fruits will be small or the yield will be less.

For more information on such varieties and on growing veggies and herbs in containers please visit BonniePlants.com

It’s raining outside with no signs of letting up. Your kids are getting restless and you don’t want them crying the “I’m bored blues” all day. Who says being stuck indoors has to be boring? Here are seven fun activities to keep your kids entertained while stuck inside.

1. Macaroni Art – Grab some paper, glue, and some uncooked (or cooked) pasta, macaroni and spaghetti work great. Your children can glue the noodles onto paper or the back of a cereal box. They’ll have lots of fun making pictures with the noodles. Encourage your children to make self-portraits, their name, or for younger kids a letter of the alphabet or a shape. For colorful pasta, have them paint their noodles once the glue has dried. Another option is to make your own colored pasta.

2. Have a Baking Day – Do you and your kids like to bake? Let your kids pick out a favorite recipe and bake up a storm. Make a project out of it by dropping a few of your goodies off at a friend or neighbor’s house for them to enjoy as well. Not sure what to make? Try one of these kid friendly recipes.

3. Movie Marathon – Pop some popcorn, grab some drinks and healthy snacks and let each family member pick out a movie they enjoy. Pile on the blankets and pillows and get comfy with an all day movie-thon. For some real fun, set up a “concession stand” on your kitchen table and make cardboard cars for your indoor drive-in. Let your children dress up as movie stars. Take some pictures and “interview” them before the big premier starts. If you have a red blanket, it will work great for the red carpet at your premier!

4. Throw a Un-Birthday Party – Have some left over birthday party supplies? Let your kids decorate the house, help you bake a cake or some cupcakes, and throw a surprise un-birthday party for someone. Maybe the dog or your child’s favorite teddy bear is your un-birthday guest of honor! Light some candles and sing “Happy Birthday” to the un-birthday person.

5. Build a Fort – Building forts makes for great rainy day fun, and also gets the creative juices flowing. Gather a bunch of blankets and pillows and let your children get creative and construct their own fort. Here are 6 ideas for creative fort play and instructions for making a fun fort flag!

6. Let Them Plan Dinner – Planning dinner is usually a parent’s job, so involving the kids in this fun activity makes them feel very special. Some fun ideas include having an indoor picnic or lighting some candles and turning the lights off to have a romantic dinner for your whole family. Theme nights are always fun and can help drive away the rainy day blues.

7. Indoor Hopscotch – Get the kids moving with a fun game of hopscotch inside! You can use painters tape, long paper, the back of cereal boxes, or even paper plates to lay out your hopscotch board. If you don’t have beanbags, make your own by filling sandwich bags with dried beans or peas, sealing the bag and placing it inside a child’s sock. Not only will this cure rainy day boredom but it will also get the kids to get up and moving around.

More You Might Like:

Plenty of Game Ideas for Kids – Fun Family Crafts
Tag Your It! 16 Different Ways to Play

Summer camp has been a popular in the United States and Canada for over 150 years. Every year millions of children pack up and head off to their favorite camp to enjoy several weeks of outdoor activities, new friendships, and to build amazing memories. So which cities are the most popular among these summer camp goers?

MySummerCamps.com and KidsCamps.com, two of the leading sites for summer and day camps in the United States and Canada, conducted an analysis to find the most popular summer camp locations.

1. San Diego, CA comes in first as the most popular city for camps. If you’ve ever been to San Diego then you’re probably not surprised considering its sunny weather and beautiful beaches.

2. New York City, NY, also known as the city that never sleeps, turns out to be a great location for campers. You’re probably wondering where you might pitch a tent in the city, but summer camp doesn’t always mean you’re in the woods! Campers interested in art and the performing arts will love The Big Apple.

3. Champaign, IL, home of the Fighting Illini, offers several sports camps for active kids.  Surrounded by farmland, the city makes for a great location for sports and outdoor activities.

4. Milton, MA, is known as the birthplace of former U.S. president, George H.W. Bush. Milton is close to Boston’s metropolitan area while also remaining rural. Miles of greenery and its proximity to the big city makes Milton a perfect getaway for summer camps.

5. Los Angeles, CA is an ideal place for teens that are interested in delving into the film, theater or television industry. There they’ll have a great opportunity to work with professionals in the “city of dreams.”

6.  Fairfield, CT, ranked 9^th best place to live in the U.S. by Money Magazine is where you’ll find the PepsiCO Theater. The theater is on the Fairfield University Campus, which is home to the Theatre Program of the Department of Visual and Performing Arts.

7. Atlanta, GA is one of the most multi-cultural cities in the nation, home to The Atlanta Braves, Atlanta Hawks and Atlanta Falcons, and hosts a variety of different camps from general summer camp to technology camps.

8. Stanford, CA is home to Stanford University and boasts comfortable weather year round, making it a great place for summer camp.

9. Seattle, WA, though famous for its high percentage of rain, actually has sunny, cool summer weather that is ideal for summertime campers. Its beautiful landscape, lush green forests and multitude of lakes make it great for water sports.

10. Orlando, FL, known for sunny, warm weather all year long and famous for its theme parks, is also the center for digital media and bio medicine. Summer camp options vary greatly, from space camp to marine life camp and several areas in between.

11. Lawrenceville, NJ, located between Princeton and Trenton offers a variety of summer camps, including dance, sports and general summer activities.

12. Garden City, NY is located on Long Island, only 18.5 miles away from midtown Manhattan. Here you’ll find opportunities for kids to attend tech camps, sports camps and plenty more.

13. Denver, CO is an outdoor oriented city and a great location for active campers. Popular activities include skiing in the winter, hiking, climbing, kayaking and camping during summer.

14. Chicago, IL, and its surrounding suburbs offer a wide array of summer camps to choose from. Chicago is home to the University of Chicago-one of the world’s top ten universities.

15. Boston, MA is well known for some of the top universities in the world, including Harvard University and MIT. Boston is an academically driven city where you’re sure to find a camp that interests you.

16. Toronto, ON is the largest city in Canada. Toronto is home to the National Ballet of Canada and has a significantly large theater and performing arts scene.

17. Portland, OR is great for campers who love outdoor activities such as hiking, running, bicycling, golf, water sports and fishing. Portland boasts warm, dry summer weather and is nicknamed “The City of Roses”.

18. Lakeland, FL is located between Tampa and Orlando where summers are hot and humid. The city is famous for its numerous lakes; there are 38 named lakes in Lakeland. Campers are sure to find a great place to enjoy.

19. Dallas, TX is the largest metropolitan area in the south. The area offers a multitude of camps including, but not limited to robotics, technology, cheerleading and martial arts.

20. Brooklyn, NY rounds out our top 20 as host to the world-renowned Brooklyn Academy of Music. A variety of different camps are available for your child to enjoy.

Did a city near you make the list?

“Camps attract more than 11 million youths each year, and offer much more than a vacation. It is an invaluable opportunity for children to explore a world that goes beyond their neighborhoods” says Nicola Marconato, Director of MySummerCamps.com and KidsCamps.com.  “This Top 20 list demonstrates how camps cover the entire spectrum of places in North America, from its large urban cities to its smaller towns.”

Toddlers love to explore and try new things so this is the perfect age to introduce them to different craft supplies.  They will enjoy experimenting with crayons, testing different painting options, playing with clay, and exploring other supplies.  Don’t be surprised if your toddler takes just as much time checking out each craft supply as they do actually using them.

There are some basic supplies and craft tools you may want to have on hand. Start off with these items and then add more as you discover what your child likes the best.

Paper – Your toddler won’t be too picky when it comes to paper. You can use plain white printer paper (a great way to use up scrap paper) or colored construction paper. You may want to buy sheets or even a roll of heavier paper to keep on hand for painting projects.

Crayons – Large crayons fit into a toddler’s hand a little better than smaller crayons. You can find larger, round crayons or even triangular crayons at dollar stores, craft stores and discount department stores.

Finger paints – Some kids will love painting with their fingers, but some might not. If your toddler doesn’t like the feel of the finger paint, just put it away and try it again at a later date.

Tempera Paint – You get a lot of bang for your buck if you buy powdered tempera paint. Not only can you mix it with water to make a batch of regular paint, you can mix it with other substances your child can try painting with, such as shaving cream.  Powdered tempera paint also has a longer shelf life than liquid paints.

Paint Brushes and/or Sponge Shapes – Try to find thick handled paintbrushes, or you can buy inexpensive foam brushes (these have thicker handles). Shaped sponges are a great alternative to fingers or paintbrushes.

Craft Glue – This glue is a little thicker than plain, white school glue and it great for gluing paper plus heavier items you might want to give your child to craft with. While toddlers might not be able to squeeze glue onto a project, parents can easily dot the glue onto the project and the child can place items onto the glue.

Glue Sticks – You can let your child try their hand at applying the glue on their own using a glue stick. This is a good option if they are gluing lightweight items, like paper of fabric pieces, to paper.

Stickers – Toddlers and stickers are a great match, as long as you give them something to put the stickers on.  Let them decorate pieces of paper, coloring book pages, paper plates, etc.  You can even find felt and craft foam shapes that have adhesive on the back that that will add more dimension and fun to a project than regular, two-dimensional stickers.

Clay – You can buy clay or make it yourself. If you buy clay, make sure you choose one that is soft and easy for a toddler to manipulate.  You can make a simple clay by mixing a cup of table salt with 2 cups of flour and then mixing in about a cup of water and some food coloring (mix in a little water at a time until you get a good consistency. You can make edible play dough as well, the kids will love playing with it and you won’t have to worry about pieces that end up in their mouths.

Art Smock – While you can buy an art smock (they range in price from as low as $4 to as high has $30), you can easily make one. All you really need to do is have your child wear an old t-shirt or an unwanted button-up shirt backwards.

When you are trying to figure out what sort of craft supplies to use with your toddler, the most important thing to keep in mind is safety.  Make sure anything you introduce them is free of sharp edges and is non-toxic just in case they decide to taste it.   Of course, a toddler should never be left unattended while crafting no matter how safe you think the items they are using are.

Most of all, have fun and enjoy the toddling years with your little one!

Would you add anything to this list? What do you make sure to have on hand for toddler crafting fun?

Waterparks are becoming quite popular for quick weekend getaways, even during the snowy winter months when splashing around in a swimming pool requires a flight to Miami! Not anymore. Now you can visit a waterpark and stay in beautifully decorated suite rooms, splash around as long as you like, play in the game room and relax in the hot tub or your room after a long day of play. KeyLime Cove, located halfway between Chicago and Milwaukee, offers all of this and more.

KeyLime Cove is a 65,000 square-foot indoor waterpark with six pools, 12 waterslides, a lazy river and a three-story play structure. It’s located in Gurnee, Illinois, neighboring Six Flags Great America Theme Park and the Gurnee Mills Mall. The decor is themed after the Florida Keys, which offers those living in the Midwest a convenient alternative to a tropical Florida vacation while staying within driving distance from home. The entire resort is infused with the feel of Key West — from the decor to the amenities.

I recently stayed at KeyLime Cove with 6 teenage boys. Yes, I know. Crazy right? Actually, it was great to be able to turn them loose and let them have fun in the waterpark while I relaxed. It was my son’s 14th birthday, so we took advantage of one of KeyLime Cove’s birthday packages as well.

A table by the waterpark was reserved for us. If you’ve ever been to a busy waterpark, you know what a commodity an empty table can be!

We also received our own room for the party, which was enormous! The table was all decorated and ready to go, all I had to do was bring the boys.

They made these absolutely amazing cupcakes.

In fact, I was so impressed with the moist texture and the delicious frosting, that I asked to meet the baker (left, our hostess is on the right)!

Included with the party package were 2 huge pizzas.

No problem polishing that off!

Cool party favors too! Each kid gets to take home their own beach towel. Love that!

Time to blow out the candles…

It wouldn’t be a teenager’s birthday without cake in the face, would it (courtesy of big brother)?

The birthday party was great, and the hostess was extremely attentive and patient. I’m sure she’s used to dealing with much younger children than the ones I brought with me! Oh, and did I mention that the birthday party also included full day waterpark passes? It was a fabulous deal and the kids had an absolute blast.

KeyLime Cove also offers these cool behind the scenes tours of its Lost Paradise Indoor Waterpark. Tours are offered before the waterpark opens on Saturday and Sunday mornings. Guests on the tour hear from managers of the aquatics staff and take a walking tour of the pump room under the waterpark. The science of the resort’s ozone technology is discussed and guests have the opportunity to ask questions.

So if you live anywhere near Chicago or Milwaukee, a visit to KeyLime Cove is definitely in order… even when there’s snow on the ground!

KeyLime Cove(R) is an island-inspired family vacation destination less than an hour drive from Chicago and Milwaukee. As The Official Resort of Six Flags Great America, the year-round resort features 414 suites and staterooms and offers a complete family vacation without ever leaving the property.

For more information or to make a tropical getaway reservation, visit keylimecove.com or call 1.877.360.0403.

Mother’s Day is almost here and you are scrambling to come up with something different for breakfast in bed this year. We have just the thing! The uber talented edible crafts guru Beth Klosterboer, author of Hungry Halloween, has just the treat for you. She’ll show you how to take refrigerated puff pastry, chocolate bars and soft fun foam stamps to create these beautiful pastries perfect for Mother’s Day.

First, you will need the following ingredients (makes 3 pastries):

1 sheet Pepperidge Farm puff pastry
(boxes come with 2 sheets, either freeze the other sheet or make 6 pastries)
3 bars of chocolate (1-2 ounce size)
food coloring (the grocery store variety – primary colors and neon)
egg wash (1 egg mixed with 1 teaspoon water)

Special Equipment Needed:

foam stamps (available at craft stores – be sure to wash stamps in hot soapy water before using)
small paint brushes (use new or food only brushes)
pizza cutter or knife and a fork
non-stick aluminum foil lined baking sheet
pastry brush

Thaw puff pastry sheet according to package instructions. Un-fold thawed sheet. Use a pizza cutter or knife to cut the sheet into 6 rectangles. Squeeze small amounts of food coloring into individual bowls (or use a paper plate.) Gather your paint brushes and stamps.

Paint food coloring directly onto the raised part of the foam stamp. Try not to over saturate the stamp with the food coloring. If you do, blot it dry with a paper towel. You can use several different colors to create your designs. Once the entire stamp is painted, place it paint side down onto a cut piece of puff pastry. Very gently press the stamp into the dough.

Remove stamp and you should have a nicely printed image on your pastry. Continue to paint your stamps and press them onto the pastry, using several or just one stamp to make all three pastries. Just a note: once baked, anything that has been painted yellow will be very faint. My first butterfly, as shown above, is painted yellow with some orange spots. It looked O.K. once baked, but not good enough to take a nice photo, so I made another butterfly and painted it orange (yellow mixed with a bit of red) and added some red spots. So just be aware that all of the colors showed up beautifully except the yellow.

I would recommend that you place the three plain pieces of pastry onto a non-stick foil lined baking pan before proceeding. Place one candy bar on each of the plain pieces of pastry, leaving at least 1/4″ all around the edge of the bar. You may have to break the candy bar in order to get it to fit. I used homemade bars and had to break off 1/4th of each bar. Use a pastry brush to brush egg wash onto the exposed dough all around the candy bar. Top each with a decorated piece of pastry. Press the edges to seal. Use a fork to press the edges of the pastry together and to give each pastry a nice fluted edge.

Refrigerate the pastries for at least 30 minutes. When you put the pastries in the refrigerator, heat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Bake chilled pastries for 17-20 minutes, turning pan 180 degrees halfway through the baking cycle, until the pastries turn a deep golden brown. In France the pastries would be baked until dark brown, but the painted images wont be as vibrant if the pastry gets too browned. You just want to be sure the pastries are baked all the way through.

These pastries are best served warm so that you can enjoy a nicely melted chocolate center. They don’t keep well more than one day, but who could possibly keep them around any longer than that anyway?

Spring is finally here and you may be longing for a lighter, brighter, freshened home. Out with the darker, heavier items of winter and in with the lighter more colorful accents of spring. The good thing is that there is no need to run out and buy hundreds of dollars worth of new home decor accents when you can use items you have on hand, or can create with just a few dollars.

Try one of all of these ideas to bring the fresh look and feel of spring into your home.

1. Throw Pillows
An easy and affordable way to update for spring is to change out the decorative pillows on sofas and chairs. Envelope-style pillow covers are super easy to make. Lake House Style has a great tutorial for making an envelope style pillow cover. This great trick is perfect for covering existing pillows and eliminating the need to purchase new pillow forms.

As far as inexpensive spring fabric goes, browse your wardrobe from last year and use those items that you no longer wear. Another option is to make a trip to the thrift store for truly economical fabrics.

2. Remove or change up layers
In colder climates layers of curtains, throws and other material are often added to interiors for warmth and comfort during the winter months. Spring is the time to either remove those layers or switch to lighter layers. Change out thick wool or yarn afghans for lighter throws in light, spring colors. Doing so will add a pop of color and a bit of cover for a chilly spring evening.

Remove curtains or a layer of curtains. I always add sheers to my windows under the drapes to add another layer of protection from cold around the windows. In the spring I take them down, launder and store them for the season. You can also try swapping out heavy drapes for lighter sheer or lace fabric. Lighten up the window coverings to let the beautiful sunshine in.

3. Spring Clean
Now that you’ve lightened up the layers a bit you will want to do a little spring-cleaning. Once that sunshine starts coming in the windows you may be surprised at how dusty your home looks. Move the furniture, wash the curtains, shampoo the carpet and clean the windows. Be sure to clean all of the reflective surfaces in your home as they will help to maximize the sunshine. Spring cleaning may take some elbow grease but it’s definitely a budget friendly exercise.

4. Fragrance
Because the house has been closed up for the winter, you may notice that it doesn’t smell as fresh as you might like. Fresh air and cleaning will go a long way toward making your home smell nice again, but you may also try candles that have light floral scents. You’ll want just enough fragrance to make visitors think there might be a vase of fresh flowers nearby. Of course, you could always place a vase of fresh flowers on an entry way table too! Divine Caroline has a list of the most fragrant flowers to grow or buy, as well as a list of ways to make cut flowers last longer. Keep in mind that if the flowers are fragrant you won’t need very many of them to scent a room or entry in your home.

5. Bring nature indoors
Buy six-packs of inexpensive shade annuals such as pansies, fuchsias, and impatiens. Place them in pots in a sunny window inside for some great color and life in your rooms. Three or five lined up across a windowsill make a great statement. You can also bring the outdoors in by adding fabric that has botanical or natural images to your pillows or throws. Visit the used bookstore for botanical images in books then frame the pages for wall décor. These do-it-yourself aged frames with botanical prints are a perfect example of easy, inexpensive décor. Another way to bring nature inside is to create a spring themed wreath for your home or door. This Pinerest Pin Board “A Bounty of Wreaths” is full of wreath making inspiration to get you started.

Armed with these ideas, a little time, elbow grease and ingenuity you can freshen the look of your home for spring without emptying your piggy bank. Now that your home is bright and fresh you can invite some friends over for a spring gathering. They will be amazed by all of your work and want to know how you did it!

1. Literature Based Method

Rather than use textbooks, which can be rather dry and uninteresting to many children, literature-based curriculums use “living books” like Charlotte Mason advocated. Students read historical fiction, first-person accounts and books written by people with a passion for their subject.  Sonlight Curriculum is probably the oldest and one of the most popular of the literature-based home school curriculums.

2. Computer Based Learning Method

There are many options for homeschooling using the computer, from complete curricula to single courses. Children do most of their work guided by the program and there is less need for heavy parental involvement than with other learning choices. Options include students attending classes remotely, purchasing DVDs or working through a website. This works well for children who like to be able to work at their own pace and use a computer.

3. Traditional Homeschool Method

This approach seeks to mimic a public school setting with compartmentalized subject areas and a focus on public school standards for grade levels. Parents use textbooks, testing and grades and rely on teacher-driven content.

4. Classical Method

A Classical Curriculum includes reading great works of literature and studying rhetoric and logic. Their main goal is to cultivate independent thinkers, and develop great communicators and leaders. Focus is on the three stages of learning (grammar, logic and rhetoric) and often includes instruction in logic, Greek, Latin and the great works of western literature.

5. Lapbooking and Notebooking

Both lapbooking and notebooking are similar to Unit Studies in that there is a focus on a particular concept or theme.  Lapbooking allows the student to create an abbreviated “show and tell” of what they learn, while Notebooking carries it to the next level, creating an on-going notebook on a subject.  Parents have confidence in the process of learning, and don’t mind if not all of a child’s learning can be documented by a written test.

6. Unit Studies

This method uses a particular theme to teach a variety of subjects.  Unit studies incorporate various learning styles and are a good way to teach a variety of ages. You can do so without having to make different lesson plans, as each child completes age-appropriate activities that relate to a topic based on a theme, historical event, science topic, a piece of artwork, etc.

7. Charlotte Mason Homeschool Method

Charlotte Mason was an influential educator in the 19th century who advocated developing the soul and spirit of a child. Her method is literature based, with English and other subjects taught in an integrated way.  There is a focus on outdoors and nature, “living books” and fine arts and languages. You can get a complete free curriculum for this method at Ambleside Online.

8. Unschooling Method

Based on the teachings of John Holt, unschooling allows children to take control of their educational choices. Unschooling is student-directed instead of teacher-directed. Unschoolers often take issue with the current, expert-based education system, choosing instead to trust the individual’s ability to guide their own education by following their interests.  The focus is on a child’s natural desire to learn as they experience life.

9. Eclectic Homeschooling

Eclectic homeschoolers pick and choose what works best for them and are not afraid to make decisions about what their children are learning or change their mind. An eclectic homeschooler may use one publisher for math and another for science. Or, they may even use a different math for each student. Eclectic homeschoolers are confident that they know what is best for their children and are highly independent in decision making.

You can read more detail about these methods at HomeschoolRoundup.com. Remember that there is no one perfect method of homeschooling, and for the most part, homeschooling will look rather different than public school. The beauty of homeschooling is the freedom to work with the learning styles of our children to grow a love of learning in them.