Kalalau Valley Story Time 
Montessori Math 
Working with Nature’s Treasures 
Hawai’i Style P.E.
This year we have decided to homeschool our six-year-old son Tamayo. As former classroom teachers, we welcomed the idea of spending the year learning and growing alongside him. Each day brings its own sets of challenges, but overall we are finally getting into the groove of our new reality and making a true adventure out of it!
Here I’ll share a bit about our daily rhythm plus our go-to resources and gear. No matter what you’ve decided on for school, I hope something below will inspire you to make this the year of shared learning adventures.
Curriculum
We are using the first grade curriculum from Blossom & Root for language arts, science, and art. We are thrilled by the easy to follow (and easy to modify) lessons as well as their very intentional focus on nature. Tamayo loves how hands-on his school days are and how much he gets to explore outdoors. This curriculum certainly does an excellent job of inspiring children’s curiosity about the world around them. *Use the discount code kauailife20 for 20% off your purchase through 11:59p.m. HST on 9/30/20!
For math we use Montessori materials. I’ve always found these to help children form a concrete understanding of basic math topics before they move into the abstract world of worksheets. The materials themselves typically don’t come with instructions but nowadays there are endless resources (even youtube tutorials) on the internet! If you want to learn more about this route, feel free to reach out to me. In addition to the Montessori materials, we play plenty of classic card and board games.
We supplement the language arts from Blossom and Root with Move and Play Reading Games from Reading Wave. This Hawai’i based small business created genius materials for direct phonics instruction and beyond. Tamayo is a very energetic child who thrives on movement, these Move and Play Reading Games engage him using common household items (and a sprinkle of imagination).
Lastly, we’ve integrated a simple version of The Daily Five literacy structure into our days. This is when we target key behaviors and strategies for independent reading and writing. If anything, do yourself (and your young reader) a favor by checking out their breakdown of Three Ways to Read a Book and their I-PICK method that teaches children how to choose a good-fit book.
Daily Rhythm
First of all, we generally stick to a Monday-Thursday schedule. We leave Fridays open for excursions and/or special projects (including the art lessons from Blossom and Root. Our typical school day will last 2-3 hours including breaks for snacks and physical movement.
Each day we begin with a basic calendar routine that focuses more on the date and our plans around it, true to the actual purpose of a calendar! At two years old, Melibea usually prefers to join us for the songs here then moves on to activities of her own choosing.
I created the simple chart above to plan our days and to track Tamayo’s progress. I’ll write in the specific science/social studies activities we’ll do. Tamayo will select what he does for each Daily Five and Math round and I’ll jot those down as he decides. I also make notes on when I teach a new math or literacy skill.
We usually do science on Monday/Wednesday and social studies on Tuesday/Thursday/Friday. The latter typically involves studying some aspect of Kaua’i history and/or Hawaiian culture in general hence all of our adventures! *I create this curriculum as I go using a variety of Hawaiian legend books and local area guides.
Whether it’s our backyard, the beach, or the trail, we try to learn outdoors as often as we can. Luckily, both Blossom & Root and Reading Wave make this entirely possible and absolutely enjoyable.
Adventureschool Gear
*Discount codes below are valid through 9/30. Scroll back up for one more from Blossom & Root!
- Boardshorts & clothing they can charge in a la Seaesta Surf use KAUAILIFE for 20% off.
- Little Louie Slings to store all of their tools and treasures a la Walker Family Goods use Kauailife15 for 15% off.
- Playsilks for endless imaginative play a la Sarah’s Silks use KAUAILIFE for 20% off.
- All-terrain cruiser wagon a la Veer.
Want to learn more about how to get started exploring outdoors with kids? Click here for some simple steps you can take this weekend!
Love this! What an awesome place to be homeschooling! We have chosen to homeschool this year as well for my daughters final year of preschool and I am actually a preschool teacher taking the year off.
Author
That’s so awesome! I used to be a preschool teacher as well–it’s such a fun age. Congratulations on your year off to homeschool-wishing you many happy adventures!
We are using blossom & root K & 4 this year & love it so much! Thanks for sharing the info about Sarahs silks, I’ll definitely be checking them out 🙂
This is such an inspiring and ascetically beautiful blog. Makes my heart long for family adventures and valuable time together
Thanks for sharing your experience with homeschooling! My wife is also a former classroom teacher and has been homeschooling our pre school aged daughter throughout the pandemic. With another baby girl on the way (due any week now) we’re on the hunt for ways to keep our first engaged, entertained and motivated. Luckily for me, my wife is a boss when it comes to these matters. Anyway, thanks again for the insight. 🤞🏻 for the ever gear giveaway too!
This is amazing! I can’t wait to start my homeschooling journey with my tinies
Really awesome that you guys are making it work and seem to have a schedule down! It’s chaotic having to change things and adapt with Covid but also lots of pros to it! My kids aren’t old enough for school yet but we know the chaos and adapting life! We are a military family finally coming towards the end of a deployment with Covid and everything else. You got this!
I can’t wait to implement some of this into our pre-school plans for the year! We are going to bundle up and get outside as much as possible for some hands-on learning!
Homeschooling in Paradise… Love it! Kids gain so much learning outdoors in natural settings. My husband and I teach in public school settings and our kids go to a public school so we try to supplement our children’s education by giving them lots of experiences outdoors… Field trips to the tidepools, camping in the mountains, hiking adventures at our beautiful national parks. Would love to make it back to Hawaii in the near future to do more exploring with the kids!
I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THIS!!! I teach kindergarten and I too have a little one. My baby is only 3 months old but balancing both is tricky. You inspire me!! Reading this made me feel making a routine and setting a schedule can benefit my mind as well as the children I am teaching/raising 🙂
I would love to win a Veer wagon and have been trying to win one for a while now. When my baby is 4, my husband and I was to travel as I home school my baby girl. Veer would be so perfect to use! We want to take her places now, like the beach, and to Arizona to see my family and one day make it Back to our honey moon destination, Hawaii. I would live there if we had the money. But we see any and every place to be beautiful as long as we have an open mind.
Whether or not I win the Veer wagon, (so I too can use it for adventure school) I hope others find your page and get inspired with creativity and adventure!!
Love,
Suzanne
Oh wow. So jealous of your kiddos! Would love it if we had the chance to be able to do what you are doing for homeschooling (adventure school!) it’s so important kids get hands on experience and be out with nature exploring all the endless possibilities of learning. Being stuck at home in this pandemic and now 100% online learning is so hard on both kid and parents 😭 hoping we all make it out of this safely with minimum to no damages. So unsafe here in the states to take kids out nowadays and it’s been so hard on my 5 year old 😭 dreaming of the days we can go back to Hawaii and enjoy the simple breeze and fresh air and just enjoy nature. Been learning a lot of not taking anything for granted even the freedom of just being able to be outdoors!
2020 has brought out so much in us mamas that we never knew was possible or never imagined doing. I love how you include Kauai history/ Hawaiian culture into the kiddos curriculum. That is awesome and so important!!❤️
Super mom!! I live kids but can’t imagine to homeschool them 😳
You are inspiring! My son is 2 and I’m expecting now I’m trying to do motesorri education possible .
Your family is beautiful!
Just found your account and I’m super excited to follow your journey! I teach outdoor school in WA
Wow! This is amazing! Thats an amazing way to live!
I think I am jealous lol I want to be in your homeschool 🤣 I am a pregnant mom of 2 teenagers and a 2 year old (doing algebra 2 in a stuffy house is no joke.) Id love to get out and about during the day! Loved this!
I loved reading about your rhythm and how you organize your days. Such an adventure – but still learning. Great info! Thanks And excited about your adventure giveaway!
So glad to have discovered your blog thru the Veer giveaway! Your blog is so inspiring and I can’t wait to discover more and more of it 😍 your family is beautiful 🤩
I have been following your blog for awhile now. I love seeing all of your adventures! I especially love this post. I am sure your children will have such great memories of their childhood and will always treasure the outdoors.
Thank you so much for sharing all your beautiful photos and homeschooling resources! We are also using Blossom and Root this year and so far are really enjoying it.
Wow! What a beautiful place to start homeschooling. My daughter is still young for school but my husband and I are strongly considering to do homeschool for her once she’s ready. He’s an educator and I worked as Teacher Assistant for 15 years in my home country. Teaching is everything to me but right now I am dedicated to my little one. I’m happy to followed you! x
Thank you so much for sharing your homeschooling schedule. I’ve been thinking about switching to homeschooling off and on for a few months now. At first I didn’t think I was capable of teaching our keiki, but since quarantine started I’ve discovered that I can handle A LOT more than I previously thought. Yay for self discovery and confidence building!
I also love the treasure bags and will definitely get my keiki their own. My pockets fill up too fast!
Lastly, I am so happy you partnered up with Veergear! We have one ourselves and LOVE it!
It might sound strange to people living in the offline world, but the readers of your blog often become genuine friends. Awesome blog and keep it up. I love boss moms! Follow me on IG #jsboxerbruno (veer giveaway)
It’s so amazing to read about & see more amazing people doing homeschool! Thank you so much for sharing you & you beautiful babies story!
My son was diagnosed with Brittle Type 1 Diabetes at 5 years old, 4 months into his kindergarten year 😭
Sadly we had to take him from his private school due to them not having the right aid at school to accommodate him & with it being 30 minutes away, homeschooling was the best option.
Shortly after that my baby girl Hanalei who was 13 months old was also diagnosed with Brittle Type 1 as well. & had her first seizure in January. So she will need to be homeschooled as well.
My son is having a hard time with it. So All these resources & tricks I’m going to be using & doing!
Mahalo for your sharing your journey! So glad I came across your profile. I can live through you & your beautiful family being back home in the water. 🙏🏻💕
This is such an awesome post! Thanks for sharing about your homeschool!
Thanks for sharing your resources! Homeschooling is something I am considering for my little one.
Love this! We had flights booked to Kauai last March but our trip was cancelled because of covid. We’ve since found out we’re pregnant with our first and now get to take baby with us later this year! Looking forward to sharing the experience as a family and have been eyeing Veer wagons as the ultimate travel accessory. Great post!
What an inspirational classroom. The great outdoors is the greatest classroom.
My oldest is 3 and I’m really considering home school!! Thanks for these amazing resources!!!
Love all of your creative ideas! Having 2 boys I’m starting to learn what I want and realizing more and more being outside is best. Nature is the best for these little growing minds.
Thanks for sharing your insightful ideas with us ❤️❤️
Nature is the best teacher, and Kaua’i is such a great classroom! 💚
This is such a sweet set up for homeschool. I love these ideas. We are also homeschooling my preschooler and remote learning for Kindergarten. We started 3 weeks ago, but our KG teacher is pretty chill about lesson plans. We only have 2 zoom sessions that last about 15 mins each. Mostly calendar, songs, little dance and reading. The rest is mostly reading, writing, art, some fun math. I’m trying to incorporate homeschool ideas, because its a very relaxed schedule. We have family in Maui and Big island that we visit every summer, so we were bummed about cancelling travel plans this year. However, we spent a lot of time together hiking, going to beach, and taking small road trips in our state. Adventure school sounds pretty great, hoping to incorporate some of these into my own homeschool plans.
This is so awesome! Thank you for sharing wish we could homeschool like this!
wpw, i know if i was a kid and had to be homeschooled i would want to go to school everyday. what a great teaching experience for both you and your kids. this is so much better than being stuck indoors and trying to keep your mind on things.
Montessori math materials are amazing! We use those, too!
I love this! There’s something so therapeutic about being outdoors and I knew this before but it’s so much clearer now experiencing it with my boys as well! Beautiful post!❤️
It’s been so helpful to have a glimpse into your homeschool/adventure routine!
So many good ideas! We decided to homeschool our boys this year as well. With both of us working from home it’s been going very well! It was a tough decision as one of our boys has special needs but he is doing amazing with one on one teaching! A Veer wagon would be so perfect for him since he can’t walk unassisted and this would allow us to go on more adventures where his walker and wheelchair can’t go!
This is such an amazing resource for those that are homeschooling.. thanks for sharing! I love following all of your adventures as a family on the beautiful island of Kauai.
Thank you so much for the helpful blog post and for the chance to win! I’ve been lucky to visit Maui and Honolulu and I loved it there! I actually have a few friends planning to homeschool so I will pass this information to them! Instagram @nola_ames
I am currently in the credential program to become a multiple subject teacher in California! This is so inspiring and I love how you implement your culture into core subject areas!