Socialization Anyone? (Plus, a little tip for learning the states and their capitals.)

Because of the crud and the snow and the ice and the snow, we've spent the last 2 weeks in the house. Did I mention the snow? And the ice? If there is anyone who is tired of walking the same halls, sitting in the same chairs, seeing the same scene from the same windows, it is me. And the kids.

"I'm bored!"

"What can we do?"

Those two questions have echoed down the same halls and bounced off the same windows for two weeks because...did I already mention the ice and the snow? Out of all of our years of homeschooling, I would say these two weeks are the only two the big S word (and we're talking Socialization here, not Snow, although there has been a lot of Snow around here) has been an issue.

Because of this, I didn't hesitate at all when a friend asked me to take her 3 kids for the day on Wednesday.



When Wednesday came, the kids were very excited to see some new faces. Of course, on account of the snow and the ice that were still falling outside, we spent the day inside. But at least they got to watch some movies and play games with someone other than their siblings or parents.








We also had fun making our own pizzas for lunch.



I did not schedule any school while our visitors were here, but the rest of our school week went quite well. There is one thing I have started doing in the last couple months that has made a tedious task so much easier.

I use SpellQuizzer for the kids' spelling, and it works marvelously for that. Well, this year it is my goal for the three kids to learn not only what the states and capitals are, but to also to spell the names of the states. So I use SpellQuizzer to quiz them on this so I do not have to engage each of the 3 in the daily tedium of quizzing and recitation.

If you have never used SpellQuizzer, it is very simple. Once a week, you sit down with a microphone and record--in your own voice--the spelling words and a sample sentence...just like if you were quizzing them. Only with this you only have to do it once! So it goes something like this:

Me recording: What state's capital is Hartford?

[When the child hears that prompt, he or she must correctly spell and capitalize "Connecticut" as the answer.]

Me recording: What is the abbreviation for Connecticut?

[When the child hears the prompt, he or she must correctly capitalize the answer "CT".]

So simple! So easy!



For information on SpellQuizzer, click on the link on my sidebar or click here.



Hosted by Kris at Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers.