Should You Join?

Staring at the sign, we couldn't believe it.

Two choices were before us.

Either pay $125 for all six of us to enter the museum and take a guided tour, or
pay $120 to gain admittance for the day with the guided tour and become members for an entire year. Our membership would allow us to revisit anytime over the following year and take select guided tours for free. We would also receive two guest tickets with our membership.

My husband looked at me and said flatly, "We'll save $5 just by becoming members."

"But will we use it?" I asked trying to formulate some counter argument, because I just couldn't believe the pricing.

"I don't care if we ever use it. We'll save $5 by getting it today. Then, if we do want to use the membership, we can. It will already be paid for."

His logic prevailed, and we became members for one year. Over that year, we would visit two more times. On the second and final time, we shared our guest tickets with my parents and took a guided tour with them.

For our family, three visits to this museum over the course of one year for less than the cost of one visit was definitely worth the price.

And, honestly, this wasn't the first time we had gotten such a deal.

We've joined an art museum for a year We timed it to see three special exhibits including Rembrandt and Van Gogh exhibits. Not only did we see the special exhibits at no extra cost, we toured the entire museum of three floors and three wings over the course of that year, one wing at a time.

For several years, we were members of a public garden which we visited throughout the changing seasons. Our children became acquainted with numerous plants and trees, discovering how their appearances changed each season. The garden hosted numerous concerts, fireworks, and cultural events which we attended, because they were free for members.

One year we became members of a science museum. Two visits would have paid for the membership, but we timed our membership to overlap three special exhibits we wanted to see. At this particular museum, members received special pricing for these exhibits. Over that year, we saw some of the Dead Sea Scrolls, artifacts from the Titanic, and learned about espionage in addition to touring the regular exhibits.

A Few Benefits of Becoming a Member

• If used enough times, a membership can more than pay for itself {you must calculate the cost for your individual family}
• Special discounts or tours are often included in memberships
• Sometimes, your family can attend off hours or special hours just for members
• You can plan your visits and see portions of the facility. You won't have to 'see it all' because you can make multiple trips for the same price.
• Some memberships are eligible for a tax deduction (Please refer to the specifics of your membership.)

 

If your family is anything like ours, you don't have an endless supply of money. Where and how you choose to spend it are serious considerations. For each membership, we carefully calculated the financial cost. If we deemed a membership worthwhile, we then researched the best time to join. We want our memberships to be as beneficial as possible. From our experience, I have comprised a brief list of how to select memberships.

How to Choose Where and When to Belong

1. Know your family's interests. If you love paintings, then an art museum may be a great fit for your family, but if you don't it may torture to have to keep visiting an art museum.
2. Look ahead in your children's academic lessons. Will you be studying Ancient History? A museum of archaeology and anthropology may be a good fit for that year.
3. Discover museums in your local area which correspond to your family's interests or your children's academic lessons. Be sure to look for places you will want to visit more than once.
4. Narrow the choices by eliminating those museums which are too far away or too inconvenient. If your family won't, or isn't able to make the trip during the hours the facility is open, then a membership would be foolish. You'll never use it.
5. Research those museums or places on your shortened listing. What does each place cost for membership? What are the specific benefits members receive that one-time visitors don't? What is the upcoming exhibit or future show schedule? Is there anything on the calendar which you would want to see or do? Will these visits and events fit into your family calendar? Can you time the membership to view or participate in all the upcoming events you would like to see or do?
6. Do the math!* I cannot stress this one enough. It still may not be cost effective to join. Perhaps you can visit the museum on a free day, or take advantage of a coupon offer. Sometimes a better deal is available, and a membership is not necessary.
7. Eliminate the choices which don't work well for your family, and pursue those which do on your own timetable.

*When considering the cost of visiting, include the cost of travel, tolls, parking, and food. Also, if you will want some type of souvenir, include this into your cost as well.



All the photographs featured in this post originally appeared on my personal blog. They highlight a visit to a special event at our local art member. We were privileged to attend for free, not because we were members, but because the event and the museum were free to the community that day. It really does pay to research and calculate the costs.

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Dorie and her drummer husband, Jerry, began their homeschooling journey over ten years ago. Currently, they home educate four children ranging from early elementary to high school. Dorie can be found at Homeschooling Just Next Door, Facebook, or Pinterest.

Growing Your Homeschool . . . Co-op

Tuesday, the kids and I went to our final day at the homeschool co-op until the spring semester. The girls loved their classes this semester as they embarked on exciting journeys in classes, like World Missions, PE/Health, Backyard Critters, and Art.

Our homeschool co-op has been such a blessing. It is  new co-op, this semester only being it's second program, and we've been involved since the beginning. I even taught a creative writing class this semester (and plan to teach one next semester, along with another class).

These are the ways my family have benefited from attending a homeschool co-op:

1. Meeting new friends: We've only been in Kentucky for about 16 months now, and at the time we started with the co-op, it had only been 7 months. We live outside the city limits, so there are very few opportunities for any of us to make friends, outside of going to church. The homeschool co-op gave us the chance to connect with people who have similar lifestyles and were going through the same things we were.

2. Our homeschool is pretty laid back, so it was a great place for the kids to learn without feeling pressure to "do well." They just had fun, but learned a lot in the process. You should hear the girls talking about the animals they learned about (or got to hold) in their Backyard Critters class, or the ways they can better take care of themselves after a fun Health class.

3. It gives the kids a chance to learn from other teachers. When they grow up, or if they ever go to school,
Mommy will not be their teacher. Other people will not teach the same way I do, and the kids need to realize that. Also, there are things other people can teach with more expertise than I have. What a joy that we can share our strengths with others. For the older kids, I am able to share my knowledge of writing and fiction, helping them to draw on their creativity and life stories.

4. Some weeks, we may not go out otherwise. I don't know when it happened, but at some point I became kind of a homebody. It probably happened when I had two tiny girls, who were practically twins. It made going out to do simple stuff like grocery shopping such a chore. Then, I just got used to being home a lot. The co-op gives me an obligation to get out and do something.

5. Field Trips! We get some great deals either because we're a large group or because we are specifically a homeschool group. Our Field Trip coordinator has awesome ideas. We've been to Dinosaur World, the Creation Museum, a couple of different kinds of farms, visited an Amish community, and just gone to the park to have some fun.

There are many other smaller blessings, but those are the main ones.

Now, am I saying every homeschool family needs to rush out and join/start a homeschool co-op? NO! Co-ops are not for everyone. If you are looking at homeschool co-ops, make sure to find one that fits your family. Although a co-op is a conglomeraation of different types of people/families, some tend to be more formal, some less formal, some focus on academics while others offer "extras" (like sewing, instrument lessons, cooking, etc.). We subscribe to the "a little bit of something or everybody" motto.

*The top photo is the kids with some friends on the last day of co-op. The second is one of the other moms doing a science experiment with soda and mentos... And the last is my family at the Creation Museum, one of the many fun field trips we've done with the co-op.

Seeds of Wisdom - Favorite Field Trips

Field trips add something special to well crafted lesson plans.  For history, they can help a child recognize that the people or event really happened.  For science, a field trip may help a student understand a concept or apply a theory better.



So, today, we are asking: What was your favorite field trip?


Jessica ~ Our favorite field trip was to the Steamboat Arabia Museum in Kansas City. We were studying the same time period in history so the children were even more interested than they would have been otherwise. We have never had a field trip we didn't love, but those that are closest to things we are working on are always the "meatiest" in terms of take-away value.


Beth ~ At the time, I didn't really consider this a field trip per se. But it was! We were in a transitional time and so we did a lot of education on the go! When we first moved to Hawaii, we got to visit the Waikiki Aquarium. This is a link to my post which has pics and info about our visit, but is actually a science experiment post!


Dorie ~ Our field trips are always a highlight of our school year. We look forward to the planned time of hands on learning and personal observations. Even just seeing a historical location in person puts a more personal spin on what we are learning. However, one of the best for all of us was an unplanned day. In September, we went camping for a weekend and ended up with a surprise field trip as we covered history, geography, and science in one day. The children navigated our hike, we observed flora and fauna, elevation, rock formation and erosion, evidence of glaciers, and even learned about the CCC.



Now we are wondering, what was your favorite field trip?

Five Tips For A Good Beginning

Many homeschool families school year-round, and many follow a calendar similar to their neighborhood schools.

Those who take a summer break probably have or are gearing up to start a brand-new year.  Here are some ideas for a positive  beginning:

1)  Be excited, and let your enthusiasm show.  Attitudes are contagious, so be sure your children are catching all of your good feelings.  Marketing is very important!

2)  Prepare several weeks of materials ahead of time.  My family uses a packaged curriculum, so a great deal of the organization is done for me.  I typically use Sunday afternoons as my preparation day, but when we first begin I like to have looked over and gathered the enrichment materials for the next month or so.  This allows me to focus on the children rather than the material.

3)  Do something fun or unusual during your first few weeks.  While everyone is readjusting to your routine, add some favorite activities (or some new ones!) to keep everyone feeling excited.  In our first few weeks, my oldest son started band classes at our local public school, I took the children on a 'book scavenger hunt' at our library, and we went with cousins on a field trip.

4)  Talk about what everyone is learning.  My children love to talk. Period.  I encourage them to tell others (like their father, other family members, friends and interested adults) about what they are studying.  It helps with their retention, make them feel proud of their work, and can be a great tool to show individuals without exposure how effective homeschooling is.  Discussing what they are learning with you helps them practice for whenever those opportunities arrive.

5)  Take it easy.  Don't try to get everything done.  Freeze some meals ahead of time or plan on grilled cheese and soup for supper.  Watch your children instead of your curriculum.  It is your prerogative to avoid the pressure and stress that children face in institutional schools so take advantage of it.


And don't forget to take a few pictures!  Best wishes on your new year from all of us here at Growing Your Homeschool.

Free {or almost} Field Trips and Activities

As a child, my parents taught me to seek out deals and sales.  If there was a coupon or discount for a product, we used it.  When something we needed, or used regularly, went on sale, we bought it. 

There are many ways to apply this mindset to homeschooling as well, especially with field trips and activities.  A few ideas or ways to find free, or almost free, field trips and activities include... 

Free...

Field Trips -

• Attend open house days at various places - Near us, a group of ten museums open their doors to the public free of charge one day in February.  Though the crowds are plentiful, it is a great way to visit a museum and determine if your children are interested in a second visit or not.
• Check schedules for customer appreciation days, these are sometimes sponsored by the place itself or a nearby business.  In our area, the art museum is free on Sundays.
• Ask businesses for a tour - We took a free tour of a bakery.  Post offices, donut shops, and stores offer free tours in our area.
• Visit county, state, or national parks - These are often free, but check their websites first.  Many parks have historical information centers or nature centers that can be toured. 

Activities -

• Ask the librarian - our library invites area businesses and companies to sponsor free programs for the public.  We have listened to a classical music concert, complete with a discussion about the instruments and have participated in a hands on history lesson about pioneer life at our local public library.
• Consider church activities - area churches can put on some great free programs.  Close to our community area churches, including our home church, have hosted art camps, VBS, and family fun days.  Our church has a theatrical group who perform plays for the community for free.
• Community days - small cities often have community days which bring the community together in a variety of festivities.  Parades, fairs, agriculture days, festivals, and fireworks are some of the activities families can participate in at local community days.
• Park programs - local parks often offer visitors a variety of activities for free.  During the warm months, our parks offer free musical festivals, concerts, hawk watches, nature hikes, and butterfly counts for the monarchs migration.

Almost Free...

Field Trips -

• Dollar Days are popular during the summer months.  An industrial museum, natural history museum, and a zoo all offer admission for one dollar on special days during the summer.  It is typically a weekday when admission would normally be low.  However, generally, dollar days are very popular.  Websites often have the dollar days listed in the schedules or calendars. 
• Homeschool Days are gaining popularity in our area.  A few places of historical interest even include additional programing for homeschoolers during homeschool days.  We have visited a farm, learned about farm animals, and made butter during one homeschool day.

Activities -

• Consider bartering or trading - one time my daughter wanted to learn ballet.  We could not find a short (six week) class to try ballet before we signed, and payed, for an entire year.  A family friend offered to teach her ballet for six weeks in exchange for a six week Spanish class for her children. 
• Volunteer your time to teach, lead, or help with the activity - often children of teachers, leaders, or helpers can take the class or participate in the activity for a very small price or even free.  It will cost you time in preparations and actual teaching time. 

Discounted...

Field Trips -

• Get a group together and take advantage of group rates.  Many places offer group rates, and sometimes the grown up chaperones can get free admission, which cuts the overall cost even more. 
• Consider visiting during off times - sometimes places discount admission rates during evening hours or off days.  Always check the website for discounts and coupons before your visit. 
• Homeschool days aren't always free, but are often discounted greatly.  Be sure to check under educational opportunities on websites.  This is where I have often found out about homeschool days.

Activities -

• Places that have activities and sports for school aged children are typically deserted during the weekdays.  Consider getting a group of interested participants together and approach the businesses for a discounted time during these times.  In our area, an ice skating rink, skating rink, bowling alleys, and gymnastic centers offer daytime hours to homeschoolers for a discounted price.

These ideas are all ones my family has used in our homeschool journey.
I am quite confident there are even more ways to find free,
or almost free, field trips and activities.

What are some other ideas you have for finding free or almost free field trips and activities?

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Dorie enjoys being outside, photography, art, writing, a strong cup of coffee, and good conversations seasoned with much laughter. She and her drummer husband, Jerry, share a life built on faith in Jesus, love, and grace. They have been blessed with four active children. Each day, whether easy or trying, is a wondrous part of this grace filled journey, and Dorie blogs about them all at These Grace Filled Days. Their homeschooling adventures can be found at Homeschooling Just Next Door.

Five Tips for Successful Field Trips

Visiting a museum, historical site, zoo, nature preserve, or local business can be a fantastic way to enhance your children's learning.

Last autumn, our science co-op spent an afternoon visiting a local museum. For a few months we had studied coral reefs and ocean life. A scheduled tour called Underwater Appetites, designed to teach oceanic food webs, was an ideal field trip to conclude our unit.

While it was not our family's first group field trip, it was the first multi-family field trip I had planned and organized.

During that same month, our family visited an aquarium on a family vacation. Knowing the younger children had extensively studied underwater life, it was another great field trip for them, and the older children benefited from the learning experience as well.

Planning and having a successful field trip for a group or for your individual family can be easy. There are a few ways to get the most out of your field trip that I have learned over the years. 


Getting the most out of field trips...

1. Build interest and excitement - If you've been there before talk about the past trips. Show pictures, your own or online pictures, and read books to build a background knowledge. Down load online information, maps, and pictures to familiarize yourself and your children about the place you will visit.
2. Plan the specific date and time - Whether you go on a weekend as a family, with fellow homeschoolers during the week, or by yourselves, plan the day, and select a rain date, if needed as well. If possible, plan specific times that suit your family's schedule best. If you are going to be gone over a meal time, decide if you will pack or buy a meal while on the trip.
3. Plan not to see everything - Most likely you won't be able to do or see everything. The majority of places we have visited have had incredible amounts of exhibits, special talks, and scheduled activities. Generally, there are too many options to do it all. Instead, we decide ahead of time what exhibits and events we definitely want to participate in or observe. Then, we choose what items would be nice to see, but are not a 'must.' We plan our day and movement through the museum or place accordingly. Having a map of the place and a schedule of that days scheduled events ahead of time are extremely helpful.
4. Remember who the field trip is for: the children - Though there are some places I thoroughly enjoy visiting, they may not be as interesting or all I hoped they would be. The same is true of our children.  During these times, we can try to generate interest by finding items according to our children's likes or dislikes. Or, if this fails, we simply move onto the next exhibit or event.
5. Engage the tour guides - When visitors ask questions and show interest in particular things, tour guides generally extrapolate on these topics. Encourage your children to ask questions and speak with the guides. At an industrial museum, my children asked all sorts of questions of life during the 1800's.  Later, the guide added an few rooms to the tour, because she thought the children would like to see them. These rooms weren't part of the regular tour. She only added them into the tour because of our children's interest. We have also acquired extra written information (for free) to take home from other places, because of the questions we've asked.