Cage Free Monkeys

Nature: We try to experience all different ways of observing, participating, and studying nature. Be it through our garden, exploring the creek, hiking, or camping, we are always involved in nature. Always.

Critical Problem Solving: I love inventing problems and finding answers. The kids look at things critically and develop rational solutions and sometimes inventions to solve problems. In addition to probems within everyday situations, they get to play some video games and computer games that involve solving mysteries and problem solving.

Exercise: We are big on physical activity. Bike riding, trampoline playing, karate, gymnastics free play, hiking—we do it all. It balances our lives by rounding out the day. Our philosophy: if you aren’t tired by bed time—you did something wrong today!

Math: No, I’m not going to start discussing curriculum. We “live” math just as we do the other key ingredients above. I do not look at it really as a subject. It is as fluent in our day as any of the other topics. As we go about our day we speak math, calculate, and study numbers. My kids have learned multiplication—as a logical expression of addition, and division as a way to part out a whole. My kids are 4 and 6. Math is critical to daily living and we learn it and live it that way. No textbooks required on a daily basis.

Language: I read to them daily. This may be SpongeBob on one day and Greek Mythology on another—whatever we are in the mood for. Sometimes it’s a combination—we think of literature as a buffet or salad bar—take what you are in the mood for. The kids also read to me practicing both their fluency and decoding. We discuss all of the key components and comprehension skills as well as reflective reading practices. To me language also means our ability to speak and interact with one another, as well as expanding our language horizons. We are working on learning French and try to incorporate it through out the day when ever we can.

Socialization: Yes the good old “s” word. For us, it almost isn’t even something worth mentioning like breathing—of course you do it! We are part of homeschooling groups and co-ops in our area, we do park days and field trips with our homeschooling friends, we play in the neighborhood with the school kids, we belong to teams and other clubs, we interact with society everyday: the young, the old, those of differing socio-economic status, different cultures, and so on.

Free Play: How else will you learn who you are and what you like?

So that’s it—find your proportions to taste and enjoy.

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