This is usually the time of year parents are clinging to the promise of Spring: sunny weather, short sleeves and lots of outdoor play. Our littles might be going slightly stir crazy in the dormancy of winter, but there’s so much we can teach them in the expectancy of a new season…hope, joy in the now, and preparation are just a few things that come to mind.
And while this is a prescription for parents in any season of life, it is especially true for homeschool parents. Rather than trudge in the desire to move past a season, we are offered opportune moments where we can teach to life. We can share anticipation in new and good and what’s about to evolve. And in that preparation, we can include our children to show them what it actually takes to prepare and how to lean into intentional decision-making.
All that to say, today I’m going to share with you how my family prepares for a new season of homeschool with Treehouse Nature Study: Spring. This will be our second cycle of the course, and I think I’ve got the organization simplified to most efficiently welcome in the Spring units.
Below are seven steps to organizing a new season of this course, along with my notes, links, and some budgeting tips. Note, that this is a 13 week seasonal course. You can also purchase all seasons in one bundle here. Code SMITTYFAM will save you sitewide at Treehouse Schoolhouse.
1. Review the seasonal calendar and themes. Having a general consensus of the topics covered in this nature study is a good first start. If you already own the course, these topics are outlined in your parent guide. We cover most of the themes provided as a family, and sometimes break from the order. The course is fairly adaptable if you wish to switch the order up a bit. You might also choose to start with a favorite of the themes listed, so knowing the topics covered ahead of time will allow you and your children to make any adaptations to the schedule.
2. Gather books you already own. You might have a bunch of books on hand covering the topics you've already looked over, so it is a good idea to check your book collection before buying anything new. I usually keep the books on our shelf in order of the themes or in a wooden crate in our homeschool space. When I am in prep mode, I often create piles throughout the floor to organize them. Prep can sometimes be...untidy when I am pulling books with the kids. Hold realistic expectations and organize in a way that best suites your home. I also highly suggest the App "Book Buddy" where you can catalog and search books you own based off of topic, title, or author.
3. Gather Play Resources, especially if you have littles joining in on nature study lessons, or have children who love hands-on play. I cannot recommend lifecycle pieces (for the Spring season especially) enough. Safari LTD has many options of lifecycle toys, such as butterflies, the plant lifecycle, ants and more. My children also love the felt lifecycle toys that shop Mymy&Me carries (use code SMITTYFAM10) in your carts there! This small shop also has a bunch of nature-themed finger puppets that are so fun to add to the Hand-Rhymes you will do each week. Sensory kids will absolutely love themed kits from Little Chickadees Club, too. We have been subscribers for a few years and often pull from past sensory kit themes to include with our nature lessons. Otherwise, grab a good magnifying glass, maybe a live butterfly kit, and you're good to go!
4. Read the Parent Guide...maybe twice! Getting a good feel for the weekly lesson formats will help you feel prepared. I usually read the guide in its entirety once before the season, then I spend a few minutes re-reading it the week ahead. The guide is very easy to follow, and the format mirrors week by week for the most part. You’ll also get a good idea of additional supplies you might need for activities, such as notebooking materials, art supplies, and items for experiments. The company’s Youtube channel for Hand-Rhyme demonstrations is also listed in the parent guide; be sure to save or favorite that link!
5. Print + Prep Printables for your child's morning menu. We love these menu folders! Each week I switch out the printables from the Student Sheet files. Our Menu holds the hand rhymes, poetry, folk song lyrics, artwork, and a diagram. I use separate page protectors for the included copywork. Print just one copy of the student sheet per menu....we usually share, but be sure to print enough copywork sheets and other writeables for all children participating. You can print by week, by month, or the whole season at once. I recently added all of the seasonal printables to a one-inch three-ring binder separated by week into page protectors for safe keeping. Each week’s pages fit into their own page protector, so you will only need 13 protectors per season. I keep a highlighted book list (see #7) and the print out of themes tucked inside the binder, too.
6. Add weekly resources to a basket to keep organized in your homeschool space. A basket keeps everything you need in one space and gives your children a specific place to return back books and resources after lessons. I find that switching materials out on Fridays/after our last lesson of the week is the most efficient time. I also add watercolor paper for notebooking to our basket, as well as dry erase markers for the copywork. This is an opportune time to switch over menu pages for the following week, too.
7. Check the calendar (again) and create a monthly budget for any new books you desire. You do not need every single book, promise. You can build a library slowly and intentionally, particularly if you plan to cycle through this course a few times over. Each season, I print off the book list and highlight books we already own in one color. Then, I add books to my cart on Amazon, B&N, and Target to see who has the best price. I'll take a look at the price and select 2-3 books to purchase for each topic we plan to cover and highlight those selections on the list in a different color. I usually do my buying one month at a time to keep my spending manageable. Sometimes, we have enough books (such as the Spring week), so I do not have to buy books for that topic. Additionally, you could take this list to the Library or search Thriftbooks.com for used (but in great condition) titles. Youtube also has tons of read alouds in video format. This year I am trying to be conscious of the variety of books I purchase, being sure to balance fiction and nonfiction, so that may be something else to keep in mind.
Be sure to follow along on my Instagram as we learn our way through Treehouse Nature Study: Spring and to see the course in action. I also have some Spring favorites linked in my Amazon folders. Happy (almost) Spring!
