“The book homeschool support group leaders have been waiting for…”
“Relief for busy leaders . . .”
A partial list of topics:
Creative ideas for your activity days
Community Helpers Day
Hands-On Art
Track and Field Day
Dissection Day
Learn to Play the Soprano Recorder
Math Day
Love and Friendship Day
Achievement Day
And much, much more!
“Everything you need to host great activity days for your group.”
Organizing the event
Supply lists
Tips for success
Pitfalls to avoid
Getting others involved
Full-size patterns and handouts
“A gift for busy homeschool moms—ideas for support groups and families.”
Order your copy of this 168-page resource now.
Newly revised with more links, updated format.
Ready for your three-ring loose-leaf binder for ease of use.
Busy leaders can easily hand information for an activity to volunteers who will help in the preparation.
Great for developing confidence in new leaders.
The copyright allows you to make as many copies as you need for use within a single support group.
Enough activities for over three years of monthly meetings.
Suggestions for on-going activities such as yearbooks, Bible quizzing, and special classes.
All activities have been tested in real support groups.
Most activities are very economical, using easily available materials.
What others are saying about Activity Days for Homeschool Groups and Families :
“This book is a gift to the dedicated parents who, despite their own busy lives, are willing to serve God by serving other homeschooling families. With this book, you won’t need to reinvent the wheel or exhaust yourself in order to get the wonderful results activity days can yield. You can quickly become an effective leader without the painful process of trial and error. Marcia Washburn has been down the road before you and she’s willing to share the best of what she’s learned in eighteen years of organizing events…In this book she’s addressed every detail, so you’ll have less stress and more success.” ~From the Foreword by Susan C. Anthony, author of Facts Plus!
“My only regret upon reading this book was that I didn't have it years ago! Marcia K. Washburn is a well-known speaker at homeschool conferences. In , Activity Days for Homeschool Groups and Families, she gives an outstanding variety of ideas for any size group. The largest section lists activities such as Character Lessons, Hobby Day, International Day, Achievement Day, and Community Service Day. More challenging activities are listed separately, such as Pioneer Crafts, Dissection Day, and Track and Field Day. The outlines for each activity are very thorough and give even the novice homeschooler a reassuring guideline to plan and coordinate the activity.
“Other sections include a brief outline of field trip ideas, and a list of resources for each activity, both in print and online. Each section is well- written and concisely worded so that you can see at a glance what is required.
“A welcome option is the author's permission to photocopy activities so that they can be distributed within the purchaser's homeschool group.
“One unique aspect of this book is that the activities are applicable to single families as well as homeschool groups. Scouting and 4-H organizations could also benefit from the ideas listed. This would be a great gift for a homeschool group leader, or a welcome addition to any homeschool library.”
"Lasting memories. Fast friendships. Support group activities play an important role in the tapestry of our homeschooling lives. However, homeschooling days are bustling and brimming with significant activity. Every opportunity must be weighed carefully, especially for those leading a local support group. A "Track and Field Day" day sounds wonderful, but where is the time to plan such an activity?
"To ease the burden of busy leaders, Marcia Washburn . . . has written a fresh and creative new book Activity Days for Homeschool Support Groups. [Activity Days] is a "procedure manual" for planning group activities. The thinking and planning has been done; all that remains is to follow through and enjoy the event.
"Marcia begins with an overview of what activity days are, and why they are important to homeschooling families. She draws upon her many years of experience as a school teacher, homeschooling mother, and support group leader to start readers on the path to organizing meaningful and memorable activities with other families.
"Ideas are included for both one-time activities and on-going classes. Some are teacher-led (parent) and others are to be organized by a family. An example of a teacher-led activity is "Community Helpers" day, where children visit various locations in their community, such as a fire station, post office, police station, and bank. The coordinator's duties are spelled out clearly, including detailed suggestions for parent at-home preparation of the student before the actual event.
An example of a family-led activity is the "Back-to-School Picnic," which Marcia feels is one of the easiest activity days for support groups to host. Again, all of the coordinator duties are clearly and concisely provided, covering items such as invitations, location, date and time, food, activities, and a supply and equipment list. With such careful planning already in place, this picnic will be much less intimidating for a family to coordinate. Perhaps so much less that fresh volunteers will be found!
"The final section of this guide covers long-term activities for groups of children and/or families. These include such ventures as Geography Classes, Sports Teams, Performing Groups, and Bible Quizzing. Resources are listed at the end of the book, along with general tips for handling field trips. Marcia has also thrown in some activities for just the parents' enjoyment.
"Whether you are involved in a large, multi-family, activity-oriented homeschool support group, or just like to make memories and friendships with a few other families, this book will help ease the burden of planning and thinking so you can get on to the fun!"
"By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established." Proverbs 24:3 (NIV)
If you are a support group leader for homeschoolers or just a homeschooling family, you will love Activity Days for Homeschool Groups and Families by Marcia Washburn. This 168 page book is full of ideas to have "activity days" for your family's homeschool or your homeschool group. I do not run a support group, but I love having this amazing resource for our family. ~Mrs. Q, Blessed Homemaking.com