love2learn.net

Brendan is a homeschool graduate and runs the Humanities Program site.

Cat Hodge's bio is pending and will be added here.

Melissa Wiley is a homeschool mom of five and the author of a number of children's books, including the Charlotte and Martha prequels to the Little House series by Laura Ingalls Wilder. Melissa blogs at Here in the Bonny Glen.

Our study and discussion questions for the Chronicles of Narnia.

Laura Ingalls Wilder lived in the late 1800's on the frontier of the United States. She wrote a whole series of books about her own childhood in which she chronicles pioneer life. Through the series we are taken from her early childhood (approximately age 5 in Little House in the Big Woods) all the way into early married life (The First Four Years). She is a very gifted story-teller and includes many details of everyday life that are particularly fascinating to us today who are so removed from that lifestyle.

Current Book Giveaways:

Ten years ago, my friend Jen e-mailed me, asking about my favorite homeschool resources. My husband (he's an engineer, what can I say?) turned my response into a website and love2learn was born. Ten years later we have over twenty reviewers, nearly a thousand reviews and a lot to be grateful for - God is good!

And so, a few thanks are in order (in addition to my husband and Jen!):

• All praise and thanks to God for His graciousness. If there is anything good and helpful here it is surely because of Him!
• For the assistance of the special patrons of our website: Our Lady of Guadalupe, St. John Vianney, St. Thomas Aquinas, St. Maximilian Kolbe, St. Ignatius Loyola and St. Therese of Lisieux.
• To Suchi Myjak who is responsible for the new website (and has agreed to be our technical administrator)
• To my 14 and 12 year old children who are very diligently moving the reviews from the Love2learn Blog to the new site (this process will probably be continuing for the next week or so)
• To my dad who came up with the love2learn name for us. And to numerous family members who have helped out in many ways.
• To my wonderful review and advisory team.
• To our advertisers who have kept our site financially afloat - especially to Catholic Heritage Curricula and Thomas Aquinas College who have been with us for many years.

• To all those who have supported our site through the years with their prayers and their encouraging notes - these mean a lot to us!

We will be celebrating throughout the month of January with book giveaways each week on the Love2learn Blog. Click over there to be entered in the current drawings

The following authors, publishers and retailers are donating books for our giveaways.

• Catholic Heritage Curricula
• Maureen Wittmann
• Hillside Education (Margot Davidson)
• Elizabeth Foss
• Bethlehem Books
• Family-Centered Press
• Cay Gibson
• Nancy Brown
• Sacred Heart Books and Gifts
• Regina Doman
• Ye Hedge School (Mary Daly)
• Danielle Bean
• Adoremus Books
• Alice Gunther
• Emmanuel Books

We have received such generous donations of books for our celebration that we are unable to accept any further donations.

Thank you and God Bless you!!!

Alicia Van Hecke
webmaster

1. Go outside and look at the stars together. Learn the names of a few of the constellations.

2. Play with your children – sports, legos, board games, hide-and-seek, etc.

3. Educational DVDs & videos can be a good way to get them interested in a new Science or History topic.
(use the “pause” button to stop and chat)

4. Children love “real” things. Let them help you with real jobs and house projects.

5. Play “the stair game” – quiz your children on anything and let them take a step forward with each correct answer.

6. Go to the beach (forest, pond, desert) and draw pictures of what you find.

7. Attend a concert -- community orchestra or band types are especially family friendly!

8. Attend sports matches – especially community ones.

9. Plan ahead for an art museum trip by introducing each child to a beautiful painting they can search for once you arrive.

10. Spend time with other families who love learning.

11. Shoot a game of pool and discuss the geometry you are using.

12. Pop a batch of popcorn and sit down to a good family read aloud.

13. Go on an adventure walk in your own neighborhood. Bring water bottles and magnifying glasses!

14. Have Grandpa or Grandma teach you a new card game.

15. Set up a book club with a couple of friends and their moms or dads.

16. Choose a country and find recipes native to that place. Invite several friends to do the same, and get together for a day of ethnic cooking.

17. Take a class yourself -- community college? online? -- and share what you are learning with your children.

18. Join another family for an afternoon of crafts or board games.

19. Learn to count to ten in a foreign language.

20. Plant a garden. Have a contest to see who can grow the tallest sunflower.

21. Visit museums, zoos and libraries together.

22. Have some special outings with one child at a time.

23. Talk about their studies around the dinner table.

24. Hang maps on your walls.

25. Let your children see that you love learning too.