At the final school day for our homeschool coop recently, our kids did this painted clay pots project. It was a really fun one for them, and it’s something I actually like having around — rather yet another “paper creation” that I have to find space for (or quietly throw away once they’ve forgotten about it).
This painted clay pots project works for kids as young as 2 (with adult supervision) and older kids like it too. Now’s a great time of year for it, too!
Painted Clay Pots
You will need:
- 1 clay pot (or more)
- Tempera paints in all colors
- Paint brushes or small sponges
Directions:
Step 1: Put small amounts of paint on a paper plate or other “palette” to make it easy to use.
Step 2: Allow your child to be creative with a paint brush, sponge, or even fingers, to paint the outside of the pot as desired.
Step 3: Let it dry completely (it only takes about 10 – 15 min.).
Step 4: Add some dirt to the pot, and plant seeds or small plants, as desired.
My daughter planted stevia, and my oldest son planted cantaloupe. They’re both excited to watch their plants grow in their painted clay pots! It’s a great experiment, and teaches kids to take care of the plants — how often they need to water them, pulling weeds, cutting off herbs to dry, harvesting fruits or veggies, etc. It’s pretty cool!
When the stevia’s ready, we’ll be making our own extract. Look for a post on that in a couple of months!
Final Day for Awesome Homeschool Sale
Now that my pre-baby to-do list is basically done, I’ve turned my focus to my kids’ school materials for next year. We unschool, but I’m always interested in quality items to have around that may catch their interest! I’m working to get the “school” area re-stocked right now with more paper, crayons, glue, etc. so they have plenty to entertain them once the baby comes and I’m a little busier for awhile.
Anyway, I don’t like to spend a whole lot on our materials. I frequent dollar stores and other “deals” type stores for the best books, games, etc. for a low price. But right now, there’s an online sale that offers real projects, curriculum, and more — super cheap. (Like 70% off or more.)
Here’s the deal. There are 19 different themed bundles (boy, girl, secular, preschool/K, 1 – 3 grades, 4 – 6 grades, middle, high, mom’s, and more) to choose from. Several are under $20. Of course, if none of these pre-made bundles are quite the right fit for you — for example, if you have kids in multiple age groups, like I do — you can actually build your own bundle. For real. Pick and choose the materials you want, for the price that works for you.
The build-your-own option has three different choices:
- Choose 5 (under $19.99 per item) for $25
- Choose 10 (under $19.99 per item) for $39
- Choose 10 premium (1 item of unlimited price; 1 item up to $29.99; 8 items under $19.99) for $59
I chose the final option. No, I don’t get copies of the materials as a contributor, and yes, I bought a bundle (actually two). That final option allows me to grab Human Body Detectives Go Into the Immune System, a full kid-friendly immune system curriculum (complete with activities, stories, Jeopardy-style review games, labs and experiments, and more), which by itself is normally $97. Plus, I grabbed “Warfare by Duct Tape” for my kids to ‘fight’ in a safe and historical manner (okay, I got two of the versions — there are at least 6), and “Simply Charlotte Mason Business Math” since my daughter really wants to start her own little business. (There’s a guide to homeschool coop activities, and as a leader in our homeschool coop I know I’ll use it!)
The best thing about this bundle? You only pay for what you really want. You get to pick and choose your materials, and you can choose bundles with as few as 5 resources, or some with more than a dozen. It’s not overwhelming, and not filled with a whole bunch of books you won’t ever use.
And you can grab 50% off a bunch of premium products (like PetraLingua language course, Youngpreneurs membership, Applecore record-keeping service, and more).
And you will get a “bundle of bonuses,” which will offer you free or majorly discounted bonuses on related items! It’s actually a pretty awesome collection. Like:
- ESA Reading and Math program online (free)
- 96 Family Dinner Table Conversation Starters (free)
- Baroque and Classical Composers Curriculum (free)
- Math Mammoth Division 1 Worktext (free)
- History of Holiday: Tips, Tricks, and Projects (free)
- Proverbs LEGO Challenge (60+ pages of LEGO projects) (FREE!!) (I already downloaded mine!)
- Green Kid Crafts Discovery Box (free)
- Keyboard Classroom (50% off)
- Tradishen meal planning premium membership, 3 months (free)
- Map Trek Ancient World (free)
- Live and Learn Press (50% off)
- Plan It! Editable Weekly Planner and Preschool Plan (free)
- 5 Joyce Herzog Audio Seminars (free)
- …and a whole bunch more
There’s just so much awesome to this. Really. You kind of can’t afford not to take advantage of it. 🙂
If you do have a lot of kids, like me, and yours are older (like you have some in elementary, middle, and high school), you can do a “buy 2, get 1 FREE” deal on the bundles. Grab a bundle of materials for each of your kids and save even more! (And if you don’t have a bunch of kids, maybe you and a couple friends can go in on this together.)
Anyway, today’s the last day to grab this deal. You don’t want to miss out on your chance to grab top-quality books and curricula for a great price. See the details here, and grab yours now.
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