With a little practice, you can make anything count as educational.
First you find an old map in your in-laws’ storage room (which happens to be in your house). Cover it with contact paper, and use it as a gigantic place mat.
Then, while blogging, you show your child pictures of your friends halfway across the world, like Susie in New Zeland or Mel in South Africa, friends you only know because of blogging.
Then you connect it to something concrete.
Where does Susie live?
Very good.
How about Miss Mel?
That’s right! She wants to know if there are volcanoes there. I told her we’d have to look that up.
Then you could bring them a little closer to home. They can “meet” some little friends on the domestic front.
After she puts together her puzzle ask her, “Where do Abby and Emily live?” She can’t remember so you tell her it’s an orange state…
There you go!
When you’re talking about deserts, you show her some pictures from Andie’s blog.
Hooray! You found New Mexico. (You give this one credit even if she thinks New Mexico is pink on every map, says “Dat where Mama born” (I wasn’t; I was born in CO), and really doesn’t know what she’s doing.)
Now they both want to visit.
What about Francesca?
Yep, she’s in California. (And give her double credit when she says that’s where the giant setoyas (sequoias) are.)
See, blogging is making my children smarter. I do it for my family. It’s all about them.
How about you? Where are you from? Tell me and I’ll show my girls your little spot on the map.
You can tell them you have a reader from the great state of Texas!
~mattie
My name is Diane and I live in Russellville, Arkansas. I have enjoyed your blog ever since I found out about it in “Country” magazine.
Oh my goodness! I’m about rolling off my desk chair at your wonderful, all about your kids, heart! ha, ha, ha, ha…..
(excuse me while I pick my self off the floor!)
Oh my! gasp! sigh! YOU are just too funny! But oh how I’m going to steal your idea! 😉 ‘Cause you just KNOW I’m all about suplementing my kids education here at home. And I’m sure Abby’s teacher will be thrilled that Abby will know where all my blogging friends live. 😀
Hi! I started reading your blog after you all were in Country magazine! And we live in Tucson, AZ! 🙂
What a great geography lesson. Okay, I’ll get in on this. I live in CT.
Southern Massachusetts- right on the CT. line. We live about 15 minutes by car from where Clara Barton was born and raise. And we hang out at a lke with the longest name ever- it’s original Indian name:
http://unpinklife.blogspot.com/2008/07/lake-chargoggagoggmanchauggagoggchaubun.html
I love the idea and where am I from? Iowa Iowa Iowa! It’s a good state, isn’t it? (We’re in Cedar Rapids- home of the vast amounts of water in June)
Very cute! You can add Maryland to you list of places you have readers!!
That’s so cool! We’re in Ohio, not very far from ya’ll.
Diane…I “met” this sweet family a year ago because of “Country” magazine, too!
Love it 🙂 of course, when you homeschool, everything has the possibility of being educational. It is all how the teacher presents it! I also love the dresses, my how you dress up for school!
Hi! I have been reading your blog for about a year now, and am from Orlando, FL (Think Disney Princess )
Oh what a wonderfully fun idea! Let them know you have a blog friend on the east coast of the U.S. in Richmond, Virginia. We often vacation at Virginia Beach, and this year, we are going to San Diego! Find the three points kids!
(Have fun Mom!)
That’s so funny…and a great idea. I just might try that with my kids. Oh and btw, I’m from Rochester, NY. 🙂
Hey Jessica! We live in NJ! At the tippy top!
Danielle
you’re so funny. we have a world map and a us map as placemats, which have actually been really, really amazingly benefitial. the setoyas- that was funny!
Megan
Texas here, and I’m quite impressed with your selflessness! I need to learn from you! 🙂
And further south, check out Miami, FL!
i am reading your blog all the way from OKLAHOMA!
not sure if your kids are old enough but it might be fun for you, it was for me. and boy, do i need to polish up on my states. check it out….
http://www.pibmug.com/files/map_test.swf
Sweet! What a great idea! I was about to put up a map so that we can talk about where Daddy is and this will do even better!
I live near Mt. Rainier, WA. Mt. Rainier is 14,411 feet tall and is the second tallest mountain in the US (behind Mt. McKinley) if I remember correctly. Compare that to Newport, RI where I lived for two years. The highest point in RI is about 850 feet. A mere speed bump in comparison. 🙂
And holy cow – our families are close in dates! Nice to meet someone else who takes even numbers as seriously as I do. We took it a step farther though and even have all even months. Feb (birthday), April (birthday) June (anniversary), August (birthday), October (birthday) and December (birthday). hee hee
LOL~ what a GREAT idea!!!!
Tell them a lil’ boy named Josh from Pennsylvania says HI!!!
LOL. I love your blog so flipping much. You make my day and I wish I was your IRL friend!
Hugs from Cape Town (right at the tip of South Africa!)
Right now I live in Chesapeake, Virginia….I’m about to move to Two Rivers, Wisconsin…and I am actually ‘from’ Lewiston, Maine(that’s where I was born and where my family origionates) I’ve lived all over the country and even in a foreign country though,since I was 5 years old..military brat and military wife..
Well, I live in Kentucky.
We also started reading your blog after the “Country” article. We live near Mt. St. Helens, WA, which erupted on May 18, 1980, MDH’s birthday.
-Amy
What an absolutely brilliant idea. I love it. And as an added bonus, we are mentioned in the post..what fun! Thanks for the blog love.
Your idea made me think of another. A way to continue the transcontinental theme. I’ll e-mail you later today when my kids are napping with more details.
Great post!
I’m in Freeport IL
I have just been reading your blog for a little while now, and really enjoy it!
Love your idea. I homeschool my little girl. She is 5 1/2 and we just started this year. So I am learning a lot as I stop in and read so many homeschool blogs.
So to answer your question, I was born and raised in north cenral Iowa! Until I got married and now I no longer live there, but I still reside in the Midwest…in the state of Indiana.
-Tammy
So cool! We are just north of Dallas, in the great state of Texas! (Mattie said it right!)
Also a reader from “Country” magazine. Actually this was the first blog I started following closely…so technically I blame you for all my late nights spent reading blogs. Yours got me addicted 🙂 Thanks! I live in West Memphis, Arkansas, and drive across the Mississippi River to work in Memphis, TN – home of Elvis’ Graceland
You are one smart Mama!
Love your new “blurb” about how you love comments!!!
Hi Jessica,
Love the creativity of you.
South Africa