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homeschool family chore routines

Homeschool Family Chores (Free Printable Checklist)

Shortly after the new year, I sent the Musical Memory email readers an email about how we’re trying to start the year off right. In it I mentioned our cleaning chores systems and that seemed to strike a chord with people. I got several responses to the effect of: So, I figured a response was …

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skip counting by 8 activities chart song

Skip Counting by 8 with a 24 Second Song

Skip counting by 8 is one of the harder times tables to learn. First, there is the process of just memorizing the next number in the eights number sequence. Then, for older children, there is the ability to turn the skip counting number sequence into memorized multiplication facts. Finally, there are many higher level thinking …

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skip counting familiar tunes songs

The Best Skip Counting Songs on the Internet (Short Familiar Tunes)

Skip counting to familiar tunes is a great way to learn to skip count. Learning to skip count at a young age is the best precursor to mastering the multiplication facts. I started having my kids listen to our skip counting songs in kindergarten. We just cycle through our 33 math songs each school year, …

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how long does it take to homeschool?

How Many Hours a Day Should You Spend Homeschooling?

The short answer is: much less time than traditional school. If you’re asking specifically about how much time sitting at a table, working on book work, then here are my recommendations. We’ve been homeschooling for 6 years as of this writing and our 4th kid is in kindergarten now! Hard to believe!! All 4 of …

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Musical Memory Gift Guide 2022

Categorized Kids’ Gift Guide (Updated for 2023)

Oh gifts. They’re so fun to pick out, but quality items add up quick ($$$) and whether you have 1 kid or 12, the amount of things in your house can pile quickly. Just today, my 9 year old said, “The bad thing about having a big house is it takes more time to clean.” …

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how to teach phonograms with phonogram list

7 Best Tips for How to Teach Phonograms with Complete Phonogram List

Today I’m going to explain exactly how to teach phonograms to your child at home so you can teach them to read. Phonograms are the building blocks of the English language. The phonogram tips, resources & activities in this post are the main tools I’ve used to help our children learn to read between ages …

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how to teach reading at home simple approach

How to Teach Reading at Home with Phonics & Phonograms

Once your child has learned the first 26 basic phonograms, he or she is likely ready to start reading or spelling. You can totally use a done-for-you curriculum, but I’ve found it’s actually easier to start with teaching phonograms and a couple simple activities at home. Once your child has the basics, you can dive …

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is my child ready to read

Complete Reading Readiness Guide for Homeschool Moms

You can teach your child to read at home. You don’t need fancy curriculum or expensive toys. You don’t need a professional education either! Once you understand 3 simple keys to reading readiness, you can teach your child to read at home. The 3 keys are: print awareness, learning phonogram sounds, and learning auditory blending. They’re all …

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skip count by 2s song worksheets

Short & Sweet Skip Counting by 2 Song & flashcards

This skip counting by 2 song is so short & easy to learn! The familiar tune is a portion of She’ll Be Comin’ Round the Mountain When She Comes. Skip Counting by 2s (mp3) We practice basic math songs every school year for review, regardless of the child’s grade level. One day, my 3.5 year …

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Top Homeschool Math Curriculum Options Prek-5th (2022-23)

There are so many great math curriculum options out there for homeschoolers. It can be very overwhelming to choose. In this post, I’ll explain why we landed on Singapore Math and also review a great alternative. First, I want to encourage you that there is no ‘best’ math curriculum. I’ve looked through many of them, …

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