4 REASONS I Never Allowed My Kids to Say, "WE ARE POOR!"

Every parent has seen that look on their child's face when they must say "No" to a request for a toy, an outing, or pretty much anything else which costs money. I've experienced it a million times. We all want to give our children wonderful memories. It's no wonder that our minds get muddled with emotions and we forget that having money does not equate with happiness.


If we aren't careful, our children will begin repeating the phrase, "We are poor". I have heard it come out of my boys' mouths - once or twice. However, it was short-lived. Let me tell you why.

I never allowed my kids to say, "We are poor." 

Raising kids on a shoestring budget is not a piece of cake. It's often a series of tough decisions and a whole lot of counting nickels and dimes. But, being "poor" is something that I never allowed in my home. Here's why.

1. The word "poor" sets you up for accepting the status quo. 

Before we go any further, I will admit it. Yes, if you are living and raising children on a minimum wage job, for you, life is an every day reality of trying to figure out how to pay rent and feed the kids all at the same time. I understand.

However, it is also true that what you believe affects your actions. If you believe that you will get sugar diabetes because everyone in your family has this disease, then it makes being overweight and stuffing yourself with white flour carbs and sugar laden treats all the easier to continue to do. But, if you understand that your behavior can make a difference in your future, then your life can have a whole new trajectory.

It's the same way with money. 

• If you believe that you must rely on credit cards to pay your bills, then you will. 

• If you believe that you must take out car loans, then you will. 

• If you believe that you can never be debt free, then you won't. 

So, instead, I want you to: 

• Be careful about your self-talk. 
• Be careful who and what you allow to impact your mindset and your daily decisions.
• Be careful who you allow to "speak into your life".
• Be sure that you have clear goals and that you are working toward them every day. 

Slow and steady does win the race. But, if you believe that you can't finish, then you won't begin the race at all.  

2. The word "poor" does not empower. 

We are all about speaking life-giving words around here. We don't allow for a "poor pity me" attitude. We acknowledge our shortcomings, faults, imperfections, and then we construct a plan to move forward.

Let me give you an example.

 My oldest son has dysgraphia, resulting in difficulties with writing and spelling. At the age of 6, he still could not physically write the letters of the alphabet. This is, by the way, the reason we chose to homeschool. One day he completed a paper for me and it was nearly illegible.  Clearly, he had completed a writing assignment in about 5 minutes, which should have taken him about 30 minutes.

"James, you can do better than this," I said, handing it back to him.

He looked at me as though I had clearly forgotten his sad state in life and replied, "Mom, I have a disability."

My "mama radar" sensed a learning moment was at hand. "You may or may not have a disability. But, what you do have is a responsibility to figure out tactics to deal with it. Together, we will create a plan for you to be an overcomer.  Life throws us all kinds of challenges and you will not use this as an excuse for sloppy work." 

We talked about several ideas for insuring that his spelling was correct and his letters were properly formed and uniform. He completed the paper a second time. His second attempt was much better.

For the record, James received multiple college scholarships. His current college GPA sits at nearly 3.95 and he will graduate debt-free from a small, private Christian university next May. As an added bonus, he actually has decent handwriting now.

So, what does this have to do with finances? Plenty! If you walk around all day in a haze of gloom, repeating to yourself that you are poor, that self-talk with wind up sending you exactly where you really don't want to go - to the "poor house."

Instead, use words that empower. 

Begin a sentence with, "I am" and then add some of these: 

• Transforming
• Thriving
• Abundantly blessed
• Meeting goals
• Changing my future
• Able to bless others
• Confident
• Working my financial plan
• Able to save money
• Able to spend less
• Loved
• Peaceful
• Accomplishing goals
• Thankful

3. The word "poor" allows you to ignore the needy. 

Before I had children, I worked full-time as a production manager at a local Christian radio station. I remember vividly, being eight months pregnant and producing a program for a local rescue mission. As the host gave a list of items that they needed (shampoo, soap, razors, etc.), I cried. I really felt that when I quit work to stay home with my children, that we would not even have enough money to purchase an extra bottle of shampoo to give to the truly needy.

As I sat, pushing buttons in that glassed-in partition, I prayed, "Lord, you know that I'm about to quit this job and cut our income in half. I don't care if we don't have much money. But, I'm asking one thing. Please never put me in a position that I can't give when you tell me to give." 

God answered my prayer. My heart was to be able to give to others and He has allowed me to continue being able to do just that. Sometimes, as I doing my weekly bulk cooking, I would feel the Holy Spirit urging me to add extra veggies to the soup pot and bake a dozen extra rolls. Suddenly a neighbor or friend would get sick and need the  healing power that fresh, whole foods brings. I would gather the children together and we would pray over that food, thanking God for allowing us to bless others in His name.

No matter how much money you have, you can be of service and help meet the needs of others.

4. The word "poor" is more about what you don't have, than what you do have. 

In our first home, our kitchen floor had problems. It looked like someone had thrown handfuls of confetti up into the air and let them land on a dark, gray background. It was actually looked much as it had in 1930, the year that linoleum was laid and the house was built. It had also worn like steel. The problem was, the floor physically dipped in some areas, because of underlying imperfections, creating a kind of wavy effect by the back door. 

I remember countless times scrubbing that kitchen floors on my hands and knees and telling my boys, "We may not have the nicest kitchen floor in town, but it will be clean!" 

Saying those simple words out loud always set off a chain reaction for me. I began to look around my kitchen.  

It made me grateful: 

• that we had a floor to walk on
• that we cared enough to clean our floor
• that we had a functioning kitchen
• that we had food in those cupboards 
• that we had a loving family to eat at the kitchen table
• that we had running water
• that we had a working stove

The next time you, or one of your children comes out with the "P" word, remind them that you are not poor! You are rich in love, rich in faith, rich in ideas, rich in energy, and rich in all the things that count , but never poor.

Do you think I'm right or think I'm wrong? If you have thoughts, I'd love to hear them in the comments section.  

Need help with those budget goals? Read these posts!

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Do all to the glory of God, 

Hope

15 FREE, Fun Family Summer Activities!

Summer has arrived. The kids are home from school and ready for some fun. If you are looking for ideas for connecting as a family without breaking the bank, I have FIFTEEN of them for you!

1. Friday Night Picnics

I've mentioned our practice of Friday night picnics in previous posts. For many years, I have packed up whatever I made for supper and we have headed up to the local park overlooking the river. My oldest sons have consistently voted "Friday night picnics" as their favorite memory while growing up. 

Tips for a successful picnic: 

• Keep a picnic basket pre-packed with plates, cups, silverware, a tablecloth, and napkins. 

• We don't use paper plates. Instead we have special Melamine tableware, which is dedicated to our picnic supplies area. It is nice looking and fairly indestructible. 

• Remember to take along a container of wet-wipes for quick clean ups for faces or spills.

• Be sure to pack a couple of plastic grocery bags or a cloth bag (if you don't use plastic) for taking home dirty dishes.

• A few wooden clothespins can be handy for holding down the edges of the tablecloth in windy weather. 

• Stick a pack of plastic storage bags in the picnic basket. This is handy for transporting food back home, especially if a child has part of their pizza or sandwich leftover. 

• If you don't often make dessert (I don't) then this is the perfect time to include  brownies or cookies as a special Friday night treat. 

You can keep nearly anything hot (or cold) for a short time - even in the middle of summer. 

• Make pizza portable by creating homemade pizza pockets instead of a traditional round crust. Take them out of the oven and wrap in foil to keep warm. 

• Transport soup in a crock pot. A slow cooker will keep things hot for a mighty long time. And it ensures less spillage in the trunk or back of the vehicle.

• Wrap cold items in a kitchen towel and then surround them with several layers of newspaper in a cardboard box for transporting. This is a trick I learned from my Mother-in-law years ago! 
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2. Gourmet Popcorn and Movie Night

 

Give your kids the "movie experience" without the cost of tickets and snacks! 

Step 1:

Borrow a movie from your local public library. Alternately, you could also find something that everyone would enjoy on Netflix, Amazon Prime, or any other streaming service that you are currently paying for. I don't generally encourage paying any money for movies. But, I will admit that my 20 year old recently bought a Netflix subscription and I'm finding it a little addictive. But, then again, I'm not paying for it. 

Step 2: 

Get the snacks ready! For that full movie experience, I recommend freshly popped popcorn. Popcorn is inexpensive when you purchase it in bulk. We get 50# at a time from SAMS for under $50. Air popped popcorn is so easy and fast to make! You'll want to get out some fancy toppings for that bowl of goodness! 

Gourmet Popcorn Ideas!

• Mexican Fiesta (a mixture of chili, garlic, and onion powders)  

• French Toast (cinnamon and powdered sugar) 

• Taco Deluxe (taco seasoning, cheese powder, and lime zest) 

• Peanut Butter Cup (powdered sugar, PB2 powdered peanut butter, and cocoa) 

• Spicy Indian (curry powder, a touch of cinnamon, and hot sauce) 

• Cherry Delight (cherry Kool-aid mix and powdered sugar) 

3. Attend a free or inexpensive concert!

There are a plethora of opportunities to expose your kids to great music at no or low cost throughout the summer. We have listened to everything from Bach to the Blues! 

*For many more ideas and a list of ways and places to find free musical experiences, read this post: "Music Appreciation for Little or No Money" 

4. Have a fight! (with Nerf guns) 

Our oldest two sons sent this photo was sent to my husband and I after we challenged them to a Nerf gun fight.

They included this note: "Challenge accepted! Thursday night at 6pm. We are faster. We are smarter. The adults are goin' down!"

Our response was: "We are more experienced. We are sneakier. Game on!"

I am serious when I tell you that having a family fight has never been more joyful! As a bonus, it won't cost you a penny!

Use the brightly colored Nerf bullets. It's makes it easier to find the "bullets" after the "war" is over. Otherwise, you'll find orange foam pieces scattered all over the yard the next time you mow. *I may, or may not, know this bit of trivia from actual experience. LOL! 

5. Have a "you are the artist" night

Get out watercolors, markers, colored pencils, and art paper. Stream a Youtube art tutorial. Everyone creates their best rendition of the art technique being shown by the artist on the screen. Be sure to have awards to hand out at the end of the evening. 

6. Write a play and then perform it.  

You are the star! Let the kids write a short play and then everyone acts it out. You may choose a theme that you have been discussing with them. You could also begin by giving them a moral dilemma that their play needs to showcase. It helps kids brainstorm how to use drama to depict real life issues like lying, stealing, gossip, jealousy, and more. 

7.  Perform an "act of service" together.  

There are a multitude of opportunities for your family to serve others! From experience I will advise you to call the person or agency whom you'd like to serve and make sure that it's okay to bring along the kids. Many places like food banks have a minimum age to be able to volunteer. Also, new mothers sometimes like you to leave small children at home if they are having a particularly difficult adjustment period. So, be considerate to those whom you wish to bless and call ahead to let them know of your intentions.

Here are a few ideas for your consideration: 

• stock the shelves at a local food bank

• purchase inexpensive items for needy children

• send greeting cards to the sick, elderly, or shut-ins from church

• Take dinner to a family who has just had a new baby

• Offer to mow and trim the church lawn

• Visit a local nursing home 

8.  Go visit a local cemetery

Okay, I know that some people would not find this either exciting or something that they would choose to do in their spare time. But, my family has always been fascinated by history. You can find out a whole lot about history and spend time in a very peaceful place when you hike at cemeteries. In fact, one of our local historic cemeteries is quite the attraction. It's filled with beautiful places of rest and families, joggers, and hikers can be found there year-round. 

9.  Attend a free day at the local zoo or museum

I've mentioned this before, but it bears repeating: nearly all attractions have free days scattered throughout the year. Find out when they are and mark them on your calendar. That way you won't forget that family fun can be had for FREE on that day! 

No free day on the weekend you have time to explore as a family? Ask at your local library. Sometimes they have free passes that you can check out to go to local zoos or museums for free!

10. Listen to a book on tape together 

This is a nice change from a read-a-loud. In this case, you get to sit while a professional reads the book out loud to you. There is something different about the experience, sort of like listening to old time radio programs together. If you've never tried it, do give it a try. 

11. "Trade" music 

I got this idea because one day I found out that my oldest son had no idea who the Rolling Stones were! How could I have missed this critical element of his education?! Believe me, I quickly remedied that situation! Although, I must admit that I'm not sure he saw the beauty of the Stones in the same way that I did.

Pick and convenient time to play some tunes together as a family. Grab some snacks and some LPs. Well, as close as you can get to LPs anyway! Youtube has all the hits of a few decades ago. All you need to do is Google the title. Let your kids introduce you to their favorite music! Then have them tell you why they like it and what message they believe the music is trying to promote. Then, you get to do the same! Reach waaayyy back! Grab that disco sound and then watch their faces! Bonus points if you once danced to this music together - especially if you actually dated your spouse in high school.

12. Cook dinner together 

13. Let the kids create a "restaurant"  

This is a unique take on cooking together. In this case, the kids do the planning, cooking, and serving. The adults are the "customers" at their restaurant.

 My older boys loved doing this when they were younger. They took over the kitchen and created a menu based on items we already had in the house. They even had a logo for their eating establishment!  They named their restaurant and then used the computer to create a customized menu. The table was set with our nicest dishes and candles were lit. We were then invited to enter the restaurant and have a seat. One son stayed in the kitchen to plate our choices, while the other dressed in an apron and became our chef for the night. 

We always asked the chef to come in so we could compliment him on how amazing the food tasted. We tipped them both liberally and then the adults did the dishes, while the kids relaxed. Please understand that I have never owned a dish washer. So, my boys wash and dry the dishes every single night. Having us take over this task for them for the evening was a tremendous treat for them. 

14. Charades (on the front lawn if you are brave) 

Bonus points if you get the neighbors to join in! 

Charades are so much fun and it is amazing how quickly the little ones catch on! I have been delighted by how creative some of the youngest members of our family can be! 

15. Create a back yard obstacle course 

My older boys and I spent an entire day doing this when we were learning about physics. We decided to use all of our yard equipment to make an obstacle course, which would move a large ball from one end of the yard to the opposite end. We had to use a lot of science and spatial relationships to get it to work. When we were finally successful, I whooped and hollered, only to see the neighbor across the street standing in her front yard and laughing at my obvious enthusiasm. I yelled over that we were having a "ball" and we proceeded to high-five each other and figure out if we could reconfigure the course and get it to work again.

BONUS IDEA! -  Plan a "media free" month

When I mentioned to my oldest son that I was writing this article, he told me that the most impactful thing we ever did was to have a media free month. At one point, we realized that we were not connecting as a family in enough meaningful ways. So, we unplugged for 30 days. No computers, no television, no social media. It was amazing! After about one week, we were coming up with all sorts of interesting and enjoyable ways to be together! We absolutely loved it! So, maybe this summer is just the time for you to deliberately unplug from anything that requires a cord to run it and plug into spending time together! 

If you enjoyed this post, you might also like reading: 

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Do all to the glory of God, 

Hope

TEN Inexpensive Ways To Teach Children Art Appreciation!

Living under the median doesn't mean that our children will never have the pleasure of seeing and experiencing great art.  There are plenty of opportunities to expose your children to famous artists and allow them to try their hand at creating artwork for little or no money.  

"Soul Warrior" - by: Daniel - age 13

 

Reflect on these quotes about the importance of art:

• Ralph Waldo Emerson. “Every artist was first an amateur”

• Henri Matisse. “Creativity takes courage”

• Pablo Picasso. “Every child is an artist."

• Ansel Adams. “You don't take a photograph, you make it”

• Hope Ware. "Great art touches your soul and changes you."  

Okay, that last person on the list is maybe not quite as famous as the others.  But, my point is, even though our personal tastes may differ, we all have a connection with art.  Art can be stunning, disturbing, inspiring, and thought-provoking all at the same time.

Let's take a look at how you can give your child an appreciation for good art without breaking the bank.  I'll give you a list of some of my recommendations at the end of this post.

(Posts on my blog may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through my link, I will receive a small commission at no additional charge to you. Thank you.) 

1.  The Public Library 

Let's begin with what you all know by now is my favorite "go to" place for nearly everything - your local library. 

My nephew, Josh, learning shading

Stop by your local library and pick up their monthly activity guide or check on-line to download a copy.  You can find plenty of chances for arts and crafts.  My nephew enrolled in a series of art classes geared toward middle school students at absolutely no cost.  Supplies were included too!

2. Books, Games, and DVDs

Games are the perfect tool for teaching children about great art!

 For years my older boys and I toted home large tomes of famous artwork from the local library every week.  You can also borrow DVDs, which discuss the life and work of famous artists.

We have also bought inexpensive art books, supplies, and games at second-hand bookstores and garage sales over the years.  We spent hours playing the board game "Masterpiece". It featured high-quality postcards of famous works of art. But, one was a forgery. You had to buy, sell, and trade art in order to find out which of your opponents was holding the dreaded forgery! Great fun!


We have a bookshelf dedicated to art books. There are books on drawing, art history, specific artists, and crafts.

Dover is a great source for inexpensive art books and postcards.

some of the books from my art shelf

*A NOTE ON NUDITY.  

Every family has their own opinions and standards on nude artwork.  For the sake of modesty, I always previewed art books before my sons saw them.  I found that simple, inexpensive paper clips sufficed to stick questionable pages together so that young eyes did not see what I did not wish them to see.  There were plenty of other photos to look at together.  I also previewed websites before we visited them and bookmarked the appropriate pages for them.  However, in my opinion, there is an age at which nudity in famous art and sculpture can and should be studied in a mature and sober-minded manner. 

   

   3.  On-Line Resources 

ΙΧΘΥΣ (ichthys) - by Philip - age 11

My son, Philip, drew this symbol of the early Christian church using an on-line tutorial as his guide.

Google beginning art lessons and you'll find a plethra of information.  There are videos, tutorials, and websites, which will vary in quality, but your kids can learn introductory concepts and techniques quite well for absolutely nothing.

You'll find information on the lives, work, and methods of famous artists.  You can show your children everything from a simple color wheel to world famous masterpieces.

Most of the art tutorial sites are going to offer you the chance to sign up for a more extensive paid version. But, there is plenty that you can learn without opening your wallet.

This was harder than it looks! We all drew a ziggurat - following the on-line tutorial.

4.  Art and Sculpture Walks

There are two sculpture walks in our area, both with unique and interesting artwork.  Generally you can either download a walking "tour guide" on your phone or there are printed guides available.  Every year new pieces are brought in by new artists.  So, this can be a FREE yearly event for your family.  

5.  Architectural Tours

Architecture is a part of art!  Our town has a self-guided tour through our historical district, filled with grand, old Victorians.  As you walk, you can read the history of the homeowners, the construction, and details about the homes. 

I see education as being very multi-faceted and very cross-curricular.  So, really art can include math, architecture, history, and more!  That's the beauty of encouraging a love of learning in children! 

6.  Free Museum Days

 

 We have taken advantage of free days at both local and regional museums.  Check websites for dates and times. 

 


 Yearly Museum Family Passes:  When my children were young, we bought one premium family membership per year.  One year it was the zoo, another a local wildlife park, and a couple of years it was a museum.  At that time it was about $50 for a yearly family pass.  It's at least twice that amount now.  But, if you have a large family, it's worth it.  You may consider asking Aunts, Uncles, or Grandparents for a membership as a Christmas gift.  That way, the children can enjoy it all year long!

A NOTE ON CHILDREN AND MUSEUMS:  

When my children were young, we took them to museums and artist open houses.  We dressed them nicely, talked to them about manners in social settings, and kept our visits brief.  We did not tax them beyond their ability to behave well.

One of the first times I took my two older boys to a museum my oldest son, James, reached over and touched a 200 year old quilt hanging on the wall!  I leaned down on eye level with James and said, "When we touch things in a museum we leave the natural oils from our fingers on them.  It can damage fabric items over time.  You could also accidentally knock something over or put a hole in it.  That guard is here to make sure that  everyone can enjoy seeing these items for a long time to come.  You don't want to make him nervous and anxious that you may touch something."  After James told me that he understood and I had him apologize to the guard for touching the quilt, we left.  I wasn't angry. I told James that we would go back another day ... and we did!  Each time we went, we were able to stay a little longer.  But, for a long time, our visits were short and sweet, but frequent.

7. Virtual Museum Tours

My oldest son introduced himself to our local historical society staff when he was 15 years old. He procured himself a year long internship, cataloguing and entering information on artifacts on their on-line data base. Basically, he was creating links for anyone in the world to be able to see what our historical society had to offer. 

Thanks to the internet, you don't need to leave your home in order to experience the thrill of visiting some of the most famous museums in the world! Art appreciation is available at the flip of a switch and the stroke of a keyboard. Just Google, "Virtual Museum Tours" and you will find a whole host of possibilities right before your eyes! 

Need help getting started? Here are a couple of links: 

https://www.virtualiteach.com/single-post/2017/08/20/10-amazing-virtual-museum-tours

http://mentalfloss.com/article/75809/12-world-class-museums-you-can-visit-online

My oldest son's favorite for quite a while was the British History Museum's on-line suppository. 

8.  Artist Open Houses 

Yep!  Take your children to actually meet the people who do the work that they admire.  My children have love the opportunity to interact with enthusiastic, creative, and genuinely nice artists in our community.  

    9.  Art Festivals

 These events are often less formal than an artist open house.  Often outdoors, they have an almost "fair-like atmosphere" and often offer art booths for children to make something to take home with them.  There is a huge art festival in our town on the riverfront every year.  Admission is generally very reasonable to these family friendly events. 

 

10.  Low Cost Classes 

  

Check the following places for art classes.  You can find drawing, painting, and sculpture classes for all ages.  These are great fun and often you can take the classes as a family, so everyone goes home with a momento of your time together!   

• Local Park Districts

• Local Art Guild 

• Local Pottery Shops

• Local Art Studios

• Art and Craft Stores

As you can see, there are many ways to create, experience, and enjoy good art with your children and you can do it even while living .... under the median!

Other posts in this "Love Learning" series: 

This is the third in a series of posts on how to help your children fall in love with learning. 

Be sure to also read: 

Learn to Love History for Little or No Money

Music Appreciation for Little or No Money 

My Recommendations: 

*NOTE: I take great care in making recommendations to you that are good value, high quality products. I have personally used each of these art products and my children have enjoyed them. 

 

I LOVE the Draw and Write Through History books! They are so well done! These photos are of my personal copy of the Middle Ages book. 

There are several books in the series. So, no matter what time period of history you are delving into, you can find a Draw and Write Through History book to supplement that study. The illustrations and steps are super easy to follow - even I can do it.  (Ages 7-13)

The Art Book for Children is a great introduction to famous artists and their works! It encourages children to look for details in paintings. 

I own The Art Book for Children - Book Two.  (Ages 4-12)

Art Masterpieces to Color. Dover is a wonderful company! Their coloring books are absolutely top notch for a very reasonable price. Here's an example of their art masterpieces coloring book. What a great way to give your children a primer on artists and artwork!

We own the first book in this series, "Art Fraud Detective". Sadly, it is no longer available new. However, there are a lot of copies available used and it's such a great book that I wanted to be sure that you were aware of it. You can find copies on the used market.

 *Keep reading! The second volume in this series IS available new and I have a link for you below!*

We loved, loved, loved this great mystery book. We spent hours pouring over the pages. Here's the set up. One of the paintings in the art museum is a fraud. As you go through the book, you must look very closely at the original artwork, comparing it to the exhibits in the museum to figure out which painting is a fraud. Along the way, you learn about the artists, their techniques, and their most famous works.

Here's the second book in the series, The Great Art Scandal, which is available new and is priced at under $10.00!

Sister Wendy's The Story of Painting. Published by DK press, this book is on the expensive side, but you could easily use it for junior high school high school. I love the way it is laid out and it contains a LOT of information. You'll refer to it again and again.

*You can easily find a copy of this book used for a more economical price.

Your turn!

I'd love to hear your ideas about how to introduce children to great art and artists. Leave your thoughts in the comments section.

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Do all to the glory of God, 

Hope

Learn and Love History for Little or No Money!

 

History is one of the easiest and most interesting subjects to explore with your kids and you can do it for next to nothing! 

Our family is absolutely, positively, and passionately in love with history!  I can assure you that:  

• You do not have to travel far to enjoy history.
• Every single one of these events and places was within a one day drive of our home.  
• Nearly all of them were free!  
• The most we spent on any of these ideas was $2.00 each!  
• You do not have to homeschool to do these things!    

Borrow books from the library!  

Let's begin with one of the most obvious choices for free material on history.  In the past two decades we have read countless books related to history.  Weekly, we borrowed a huge stack of books from the local library.  We alternated between fiction and non-fiction until we made our way through the entire stack.

While we read, we filled three ring binders with:

• fact pages
• coloring sheets
•  drawings
•  notes
• written papers
• diagrams

 

 

 

 

 We worked on:

James' 8th grade project on Stonehenge

 

•  posters 
• designed timelines
•  made food from various time periods and geographical locations.
•  created huge maps
• dioramas and models
• Presentations

In short, we had a blast!  

But, wait!  There's more!!

Here's a look at some additional ways in which we have discovered and experienced history together.

  Free museum days!

Keep your eyes open!  Most museums offer free days throughout the year.  If it's not a free day and you homeschool, often you can ask for and receive field trip rates for your visit.  Do call ahead and ask.  Sometimes you need to make reservations to receive the special rates or go during certain times. Before you visit, always look for on-line discount coupons on tickets!   

Route 66 Museum in Pontiac, IL

Bishop Hill State Historic Site

Peoria Riverfront Museum

 

Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago

New Salem State Park

  Community events.

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   Christmas open house Flanagan House, Peoria, IL

•  Communities often open up their historic buildings or museums for free or low cost tours during festivals and holidays. Even if adults are changed, often children are free.  

• Look for self-guided tours!  Our city has a lovely historical district with permanent signs, which allow you to stroll, read, and learn all about the history of the homes.

Springdale Cemetery, Peoria, IL

• Walk through cemeteries.  It's not creepy!  Our family often heads to a local historic cemetery to walk on weekends.  You can learn a lot about local history just by reading the tombstone inscriptions.  For instance, we noticed that a lot of the stones in the section for children were labelled with 1917 or 1918.  Siblings were often buried within weeks of each other.  It was then that we realized that the national flu epidemic about which we read in books had brought grief to a number of Peoria families.  

About 200 Stearman planes participate every year!

 The National Stearman Fly In (Galesburg, IL) We had a blast and got to see the planes up close!  Free admission.

Our dear friend, Don Jackson

 

 Black to the Future, a local production about the African American experience in Peoria.  It was just $2.00 per ticket!!

 

 

 

 

  Reenactments!

Not only have we attended them, our family has participated in several!  It's a blast to get involved!

Daniel and Philip as members of the Wide Awakes - circa 1840. 

James and his friend, Sophie as Abe and Mary Todd Lincoln

 

  Antique Malls

I know!  This may seem unusual.  You can learn a LOT about history through visiting antique malls.  Our kids call them, "Museums with price tags."  Interestingly, our children have also developed a taste over the years for collecting vintage items - maybe because they hung out at places like this so often.  

When you find a coat identical to yours at an antique mall!

When the items for sale like you a little too much!

 

Tips:

I seriously could not show you all the photos of places we have been or the nooks and crannies we have explored for absolutely free or nearly free!  It would take up way too much space and you would tire of seeing me and my family in goofy poses.  So, let's end with some tips on how you can do what I have done.  There are treasures in literally every single locale.  It doesn't matter where you live, you can fill your life and that of your child with a love of history. 

1.  Ask your friends.  There have been so many fairs, festivals, and events about which I was just unaware.  But, your friends have probably unearthed quite a few.  So, ask them.  You'll be amazed what you'll find out about. 

2. Join a local Facebook Group.  Most communities have a presence on social media.  Follow them and you'll be sure to find out about upcoming events well in advance!

3. Sign up for mailing lists and e-mail lists.  When you are looking on line and find a page dedicated to a place or event which you find intriguing, them give them your info.  I know!  It's a drag to get a huge amount of e-mails.  That's why I recommend creating a separate e-mail account specifically dedicated for e-mails of this sort.  When my oldest was looking for colleges we created an account called Jamescollege2014 (or something like that).  So, get a Gmail account (you can have several) and set up one for educational opportunities, vacations, and events.  How about welovehistory@gmail.com? 

4.  When you go, ask questions!  Guides and docents particularly love it when eager young people ask great questions, take the time to listen to their answer, and then converse.  You'll find fantastic opportunities to see relics up close and talk to those who love them!  

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