There are some subjects that a classic, well-written book just won't cover sufficiently, and one of those subjects is homeschool health. While it's great to teach your child the basics of health, unless they are actively participating and improving their health, it's a little like knowing how to manage your money, but being terribly in debt. 

This year, I learned about the F.O.R.M Curriculum for health, and I knew it was the perfect timing to add it into Hadley's 5th grade homeschool year. This Christian health curriculum focuses on functional fitness, and encourages children, and anyone else joining them, to move their bodies and care for them well. 

The F.O.R.M Curriculum 

The F.O.R.M Curriculum is built around four pillars of health, which can be explained with an acronym-

F- Functional Fitness

O- Optimal Nourishment

R- Rest and Recovery

M- Multiplied Maintenance

These topics are taught from a Biblical perspective through a series of short, animated videos. Each module has an animated segment to teach about the component of health, and then is followed up by three exercise sessions: a warm-up, a main workout, and a cool-down. 

The course is available in an elementary version and homeschool version. Each version has an introductory lesson for each of the four pillars, and then 8 lessons for each pillar, as well as additional follow-up segments. 

The homeschool version, which is directed towards middle school and high school students, also has a devotional to work through as you use the course, so that your child can learn what the Bible says about taking care of their bodies. 

Trying out this Homeschool Health Curriculum

Hadley was really excited to begin this curriculum. We generally eat well and exercise as a lifestyle, but I've always been hesitant to put too much importance on food and exercise, knowing it could lead to negative relationships with them.

The very first lesson we watched from this curriculum inspired Hadley to think and ask questions. It gave an analogy between our bodies and homes- each requires many working parts to run smoothly. This seemed like a really smart way to explain it to children, and it kept our interest. After watching the segment, we did the exercises. They got our hearts pumping and gave us a chance to stretch. The workouts don't require any special equipment- just your body as resistance and a little bit of floor space. 

After our first lesson with The F.O.R.M Curriculum, Hadley had a really positive opinion of it, and was excited to do the next lesson and exercise sessions. I appreciated that it cultivated a positive attitude towards these subjects, and that she learned exercises that will benefit her for the rest of her life. 

Teaching Health Sensitively

Before we started the course, I had the chance to talk with Ashton, the creator of The F.O.R.M Curriculum, and ask how sensitive the program is to the potential of eating disorders in pre-teen and teenage girls. His answer (I'm paraphrasing, here!) was that while creating the curriculum, he had input from someone who formerly had an eating disorder, in order to make sure that it focused on taking care of our God-given bodies and not looking a certain way or achieving a standard of beauty. That was a huge relief to me. 

After watching a few of the videos and workouts, I could tell that what Ashton said was true. The program gives a reason for taking care of our bodies, and that is so that we can do everything our bodies were designed to do, and use them to help others. That is what the whole first pillar, Functional Fitness, is about. I don't think there could be a better way to approach health with children!

Click below to learn more about and buy this important, award-winning homeschool curriculum! 

It's that time of year where we have to make decisions about NEXT year, and sometimes it feels unfair that we're already forced with big decisions when all we really want is a break. 

One of these decisions that our family faces this time of year is regarding homeschool enrichment programs. We have typically spent one day a week outside the home in a charter school program. But some years, it has worked out better than others. Whether you're exploring a charter school, private school, or co-op, I've gathered some helpful guidelines for choosing a program that's right for you. 

Related: The Key To Homeschooling For Christian Moms

1. Does the program align with your values and homeschool philosophy?

We once joined a homeschool community that on paper sounded like just what we wanted, but then when we got there, it wasn't at all what we thought. Although it was fun for my daughter, it didn't actually enrich her learning. Instead, it felt like we were giving up a day of valuable learning time. When searching for a homeschool program, make sure that it fits so well into your life regarding values and philosophy that it feels like you aren't sacrificing anything to get there. 

2. Is the program well-organized? 

A good teacher should be well-organized, but a good principal should be extremely well-organized. If the leader of your homeschool program isn't well organized, it will show. No one wants to drop their kid off to chaos, or stick around and witness it all day. Scope out the level of organization in the program, and don't dismiss it as just a small issue. 

Related: Guidelines for Making Big Homeschool Decisions

3. How's the timing? 

Like many other activities we do, if the timing doesn't work out, then this will just not work out. Don't try to cram it in there and make it fit like a spatially unaware toddler playing with a shape-sorting toy. If it doesn't fit, it doesn't fit. 

4. What are the extra commitments like? 

Will you be asked to volunteer? Are there a lot of extra activities to join in, or responsibilities you'll have to pick up surrounding this homeschool program? Sometimes, these things can sneak up on you, so it's best to ask first.

One year, the homeschool program we did requested 20 volunteer hours! That's quite a bit for a one-day-a-week program! I had to bring two little boys with me to make copy after copy of worksheets, only to realize that loading kids up on worksheets is my least favorite teaching style! In a way, spending more time in the classroom like this taught me that it wasn't a good fit! 

5. Who else is doing this program? 

If you're going to be at the program weekly, or send your children there weekly, you'll want to know the other families. Unless it's a brand new program, a good amount of families is an indication that the program is healthy and thriving. A smaller program also might be the perfect fit, but it's also possible that it will get cancelled more often, have trouble lining up volunteers and teachers, etc. 

We are so blessed to live in a time when there is an abundance of homeschooling options, and I hope that this helps the decisions that come with that blessing a little bit easier on you! 

Every year right around April, I start to panic that we haven't met our state's "civics" requirement for homeschoolers. Sure, we read plenty of books about presidents and history, we talk about current events (to an extent) and we experience the real world, where civics is actually taking place, but I always wonder if I should be a little more intentional in this area. 

This year, Miss H asked me if we could celebrate holidays and special observances a little more intentionally than normal. That's when it occurred to me that some of these minor holidays were the perfect opportunity to bring in areas that we needed to learn more about. Constitution Day, September 17, suddenly took on a new light. 

Constitution Study

I didn't find out that public schools were legally required to teach about the Constitution on or around September 17 every year until I had been teaching for at least a couple of years. Yet, this became law in 2004 and is supposed to be a part of every public school curriculum if the school accepts public funding.

Since I didn't know or understand the Constitution very well myself, I always struggled to meet that requirement. Thankfully, after years of paying closer attention and learning about how our country works, I felt confident enough to make a resource that I wish I had been able to use as a teacher. My Little Robins' Constitution Study was a part of a homeschool bundle earlier this fall, and now is available to you! 

What you'll find:

• 26 page study with watercolor illustrations
• Diagrams to demonstrate concepts
• Primary-source text of the constitution, as well as summary for brevity
• Questions to guide narration
• Copywork 
• Memory work, to solidify learning of the Preamble 
• Insight into the founding fathers 
• A break down of the Bill of Rights
• Primary source letter explaining the context of "Separation of church and state" 
• Book suggestions to further your study 

It will only take you an a couple of hours to do this study. Finish it all on one day (September 17 or any other day!) or break it into several lessons. The page labels will help you with that! 

This study doesn't share any opinions, and therefore is non-biased. It contains religion as far as a primary source letter describing the context of the idea "separation of church and state." 

Welcome to part 2 of my Favorite Things roundup. If you haven't had a chance to look at the Homeschool Mom edition, you can read it here.

This post will be organized a little bit differently: instead of by price point, I'll be organizing these subscriptions by type. 

We've had a lot of fun with subscription boxes. I think our love of them started during the pandemic, when we were looking for fun things to do with our young children and picked up a deal for a Raddish Kids cooking box. Since then, we've found many other subscription boxes that supplement our homeschool, or just are enjoyable. 

As well as subscription boxes, I've included magazines and other subscriptions we've loved in this post. 

Some of the links I've used to share these great products are affiliate links or referral links. You can learn more about these links in my policies. 

Subscription Boxes For Mom

Fab Fit Fun- My sister gifted me this box during the pandemic, and it was so much fun! Four times a year, I got makeup, accessories, and home goods delivered to my door. As a VIP member, I could choose most of the items I got each time, so I knew it was something I wanted and needed. 

Let's Make Art- I started painting during the pandemic, and after a few months of just doing Let's Make Art's free tutorials on YouTube, I began getting the monthly subscription box. Each month, I received the tutorials before their release, paper, paint, and a cute painting supply surprise. 

Rocksbox- This jewelry rental site is so much fun! Each month (or every other month) I received a box with three pieces of jewelry in it (well, more if they were earrings!) and then I decided if I wanted to just "rent" the jewelry and wear it for the month, or buy it. Usually, I ended up buying one thing each time. 

StitchFix- I've been getting StitchFix pretty regularly for years. I probably only do three or four boxes a year, but now that I've found a sylist who is perfect for me (Diane!), I usually buy everything in the box. This means I do a whole lot less shopping, which helps with the budget and saves me time. You can get $25 off of your first box using this referral code.

Simply Earth Essential Oil Recipe Box- If you follow me on Instagram, you've probably seen me post about this amazing box! Each month, I get four high-quality essential oils in the mail, and then recipes and supplies to make things with the oils. This is huge for me, because like a lot of other people I know, sometimes it's hard to decide what to do with essential oils, besides defusing them. I've made some really useful household products and toiletries; cleaning spray, shaving lotion, and face balm have been some of my favorites! When you subscribe, you can get a $40 gift card to use on future purchases.  

Subscription Boxes for Kids

Kiwi Crate- We first subscribed to Kiwi Crate for three months when Hadley was three or four. It was so much fun to make new science-based projects each month! Last year, we bought our middle son, then six, a Kiwi Crate subscription for Christmas. He has made some really fun projects, like a grabber (similar to a claw in an arcade game!) and an optical illusion bank, where mirrors made it look like the money disappeared. 

Koala Crate- While big brother got a Kiwi Crate, little brother got a Koala Crate. This subscription, also from Kiwi Co, is geared towards children ages 2-4. Each month, there's a theme, and little ones create things around that theme. We loved the barnyard theme, where we made little animal puppets and a barn to put them in! 

Tinker Crate- After seeing her little brothers get SUCH FUN crates in the mail for months, Miss H decided she wanted Tinker Crates for her birthday. These Kiwi Co boxes are more focused around STEM learning. Amazingly, H was able to do all of these on her own, with just a little help sometimes. 

Raddish Kids- We've subscribed to Raddish kids for more than two years now. Each month, we get a box with great recipes, activities, conversation cards, and a kitchen tool in it. Originally, this seemed to expensive for us, and we thought we would buy a cook book and work through it. That never happened. There's something about the excitement of getting a box in the mail every month that motivated H  (and sometimes her little brothers) to get cooking. We've discovered some favorite recipes through this subscription, and it has introduced out family to new foods that we don't typically eat. 

Think Outside Boxes- A few years ago, I reviewed Think Outside Boxes, a subscription focused on helping children build a survival backpack and learn how to use the tools. These tools have come in handy, and the fact that it inspire us to learn about nature was so refreshing! You can read my review here.

Health Subscriptions

Mary Ruth's Organics- We take a lot of vitamins in our house, and finding the most effective, highest-quality vitamins is important to me. This referral code gives you $15 off of your order (although I'm not sure if there's a minimum!) 

YourSuper- This company sells superfood powders that have different purposes. I ordered about four times a year for two years, and was really happy with the options! When I collected too many, I stopped subscribing but still use their products! You can save 20% off of your order with my referral link.

Magazine Subscriptions

Eden and Vine Magazine- This is a beautiful Christian living magazine that a friend told me about. There is a heavy focus on natural elements like herbs, gardening, and tea, which I find so inspiring and relaxing. I cherish each edition, even though it only comes four times a year. 

Ranger Rick, Jr.- My science loving son has gotten Ranger Rick, Jr for more than a year, and he loves learning about animals in each volume. As a plus, this magazine is really affordable! 

Clubhouse Magazine- We subscribed to Clubhouse, Jr. Magazine by Focus on the Family for our youngest child, and we enjoyed it so much that we got the original Clubhouse for our older two. It is filled with games, fun crafts, and ideas that you want your child to be taking in.

Have you tried any of these subscriptions before? Let me know your favorites!