Royally Getting Into School

Two weeks ago the kids and I tried something new.

Trying something new is USUALLY a good thing, yes?

Our new thing was lapbooking and it turned out to be very good!

We have these incredible books with lots of pictures and information and all year so far we have been siting down together, covering the material and then documenting what we learn on some kind of boring page.

I all goes in a notebook.

End of story.

Amber (teacher assigned to us to make sure we are on track) suggested we try doing a lapbook.

I googled this new concept.

He kids and I watched a few videos on You Tube of finished lapbooks.

We were excited!

We got started right away with none of the supplies, no idea how to do it.

The girls have been working lie crazy, looking up extra information in books and on the internet.  They have been digging deeper and been more interested in this topic than any others that we have covered.  It's not because they are thrilled with freshwater and all of it's finer points.

It's because of the lapbook!

Theres Mailee's Lapbook nearing completion.

(stay tuned for videos of the girls presenting their books)

SO....

We have decided to go with this new concept.

It helps the kids explore the topic more thoroughly.

It helps me get creative.

It is a goal we are working toward together.

It makes a lot of snips on the floor. (which has always made me feel quite satisfied:)

Our new topic is Castles!

We got some file folders.

(These are the base for the lapbook.  We used regular paper for our first ones and they were kind of a mess)

The construction has begun.

 Can't wait to show you the finished products!!

 Can't wait to tell you all about this castle:)

(remember tracing this way?  Taping paper to the window, so old school, so fun!)

 On a slightly unrelated note, I finally broke down and allowed my living room to transform into a schoolroom.  The kids love it.  Actually, I do too.  It only took me half a year to embrace the fact that we do school at home and that may involve maps and calendar charts on walls.  I set up a folding table near the windows and we work there which frees the kitchen table up for eating.  This is a good thing.

One more thing to add to this very disjointed way too late at night post...

So excited when things like this happen around here:

I pulled this cool book out of one of our bookshelves.  I set it on the kitchen counter and began reading the instructions. (It's a book that you can build.  Have I ever mentioned that my Mom buys the best books and toys?) 

The kids flocked to it, helped set it up, asked a few questions relating to castles and then started "playing".

Together.

All 5 of them.

No fighting.

Checking out the cool book.

The next thing I know Mikayla is busy at work creating more characters to play with in the book castle.

Again, they are working together to color in the new characters.

She even made a little boy knight for Caleb!

(not pictured)

Here is the "room" where they sleep and the beds made out of index cards that were created in coordinating colors.

I am encouraged when I experience times when my children choose to play together and use their imaginations.  No screen time, just old fashioned fun.