Garage Gym

Chances are if you have been homeschooling for awhile you have been asked the typical questions… What about socialization? How do you know what to teach? What about physical education? I don’t know why people assume that if you homeschool you’re incapable of living a well-rounded life… Here’s to proving them wrong. Check out my homeschool garage gym to see where we get our sweat on (and you know teach physical education)!

Before

When we purchased our home about three years ago it came with a typical garage… Open rafters, plywood walls, and lots of dirt and grime! On the plus side it is huge. It is technically a 3 car garage, but because of a beautiful old oak tree in our front yard it has a smaller door. Up until recently we have been parking both of our vehicles in the garage, but now that our teenager is learning how to drive we leave the commuter car outside so he doesn’t hit my truck (ha).

Phase One…

The first thing we had to do to make this a space we could use year round was add some insulation, ridge venting, and a ceiling. It is amazing what a difference this made instantly. We have had a fairly hot summer here in Michigan, and the garage has stayed nice and cool.

Phase Two…

Next we painted EVERYTHING white… Let me tell you this was the biggest pain in the butt! We went through 7 gallons of primer and 7 gallons of paint. The ceiling is not a nice solid white like the walls, but after multiples days of painting and hundreds of dollars in paint and supplies we had enough. Even our paint sprayer couldn’t get a nice even coat on this bad boy. However, I don’t mind how we left things. It is so nice and bright in there now! (Umm… Excuse our mess up to this point. Painting and remodeling is a messy process.)

Phase Three…

Finally it was time to move our equipment and reassemble our gym. All I can say is thank goodness for teenagers. Kenten moved 80% of gym stuff back into the garage, and helped my husband put everything back together. 

Since we are no longer parking two vehicles in here we have a large open space for lifting weights in front of the mirrors. This works out nicely because there is enough room for me to stand in front of my children and lift with them while demonstrating proper form. 

All of our accessories  (such as resistance bands, jump ropes, and grips) are stored in bins on the shelves for easy access.

We also included multiple racks to hold all of our weights. There are usually 3-4 of us working out at the same time, so I wanted things spread out and super organized to keep things from getting too chaotic. 

Extras…

Ryan (my hubby) and I want our children to enjoy living a healthy lifestyle and staying fit, so we added a few features to make our space more enjoyable and keep them motivated (especially on cardio days).

Ryan mounted a tv with a computer stick, so we can watch our favorite shows and to have access to the workouts we regularly use. We also purchased an Echo, so we can easily listen to our favorite workout music! The futon that used to be in our homeschool room also found a new home out in the garage for a place to take breaks on.

 

Where to Shop…

Disclosure: “Homework and Horseplay is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.”

We purchased all of our gym equipment and supplies either from Rogue Fitness or Amazon. I tried to link to all of the equipment & accessories that we regularly use.

Rogue Fitness

• Echo Bumper Plates
• Abram GHD 2.0
• Flat Utility Bench 2.0 
• Dumbbells
• Monster Lite Rack
• Women’s Bar- The Bella 2.0

Amazon

• Proform Power 1080 Treadmill (currently unavailable)
• Lifting Straps
• Foam Roller
• Barbell Pad Squat Pad
• Pull Up Assistance Bands
• Curl Bar
• Fractional Plates
• Grip Plates
• Barbell 2 in. Plate Rack
• Jump Rope
• Resistance Band Set
• Cable Attachment Package
• Bar & Bumper Plate Tree
• 3-Tier Dumbbell Rack
• Floor Mats
• Fitness Equipment Wipes
• Gym Towels
• Futon

Thank you for checking out our homeschool garage gym…

It is not perfect by any means, but I am so excited to have space for my whole family to stay active and healthy year round. In the fall we are going to add a pot belly gas fireplace to keep our garage gym warm. I would also like to add an elliptical to our space. Ours recently broke, so it will be making its way to the dump. Do you have a home gym- garage or otherwise? I would love to see where all of you get your workout on!

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{Guest Post} 4 Ways to Commemorate and Celebrate the First Day of Homeschool

This summer has been an eventful one for my family so far… Everything from pool repairs, garage remodeling, family visiting, and now driver’s ed (Umm.. I am still having a hard time accepting this one) took over our lives recently. Now in just a few short weeks it will be time to kick off a new school year! How does the time just keep flying by? Thankfully that last of our new curriculum has been purchased, and the final stages of planning are underway. So now I can move on to the the really fun stuff- First day of Homeschool planning! Check out my {Guest Post} 4 Ways to Commemorate and Celebrate the First Day of Homeschool to see how we like to kick off the new year.

Sneak peak…

It’s that time of year again. The library reading programs are coming to an end. Your children’s summer sports tournaments are going on. And the stores have stocked up piles of back to school supplies.

You have probably spent months researching, purchasing curriculum, and preparing for the upcoming school year.

But do you have a plan to make the first day of school memorable for your kids this year? If not, maybe you’d like to try one of these four ways to commemorate and celebrate the first day of your homeschool year. It doesn’t take elaborate preparation to make the day special. It merely takes a little thought. 

Head over to BookShark to find out four different ways we have celebrated the First Day of Homeschool!

Thank you for checking out my {Guest Post} 4 Ways to Commemorate and Celebrate the First Day of Homeschool…

How do you like to celebrate your First Day of Homeschool? I am always looking for fun new ideas to try, so feel free to comment below with how you plan to celebrate the first day of your 2018-2019 school year.

Did you miss my past guest posts?

• How to Manage Multiple BookShark Programs in a Single School Year
• How Homeschooling Helps Me Manage My Bipolar Disorder
• 4 Reasons BookShark is Perfect for My ASD Child
• 3 Reasons I Treat My Homeschooled Teen as an Adult
• 3 Homeschool Picnic Ideas to Take Your Learning Outdoors
• How to Manage Your Time While Homeschooling

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15 Banned Books Every High Schooler Must Read

Banned books get a bad rap, but I say bring them on. This year when deciding what 10th Grade Homeschool Curriculum to purchase for Kenten I couldn’t find a great literature program to fit our needs, so I decided to make my own. Check out my booklist: 15 Banned Books Every High Schooler Must Read!

Disclaimer: “Homework and Horseplay is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.”

1. Night by Elie Wiesel

Elie Wiesel shares his experience in Nazi concentration camps at Auschwitz and Buchenwald in 1944–1945 with his father. This tale of brutality and lost life with leave you heartbroken, but wanting to read more. 

2. The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck

In The Grapes of Wrath, Tom Joad and his family leave their far by force in the Depression-era Oklahoma Dust Bowl and set out for California along with thousands of others in search of jobs, land, and hope for a brighter future.

3. Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck

In this story two migrant ranch workers, George Milton and Lennie Small,  move from place to place in California in search of new job opportunities during the Great Depression in the United States.

4. Uncle Tom’s Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe

This tale begins with the Shelby family having to sell two of their slaves, Uncle Tom and Harry, because of economic troubles. The novel follows Uncle Tom and Harry’s journey after being sold, and the characters they meet. Uncle Tom’s Cabin shows the stark reality of slavery, and is regarded as one of the causes of the Civil War.

5. The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne

Hester Prynne, an adulteress, is forced to wear a scarlet A to mark her shame. Her lover remains unknown, but lives in constant guilt all while Hester’s husband seeks revenge. Nathaniel Hawthorne’s masterpiece is a classic example of the human conflict between emotion and intellect

6. 1984 by George Orwell

This novel is set in the year 1984 when most of the world population has become victims of war, government surveillance, and public manipulation. The protagonist, Winston Smith, is a rank-and-file Party member, but he soon rebels and enters into a forbidden relationship with a fellow employee.

7. Animal Farm by George Orwell

Animal Farm is based on Joseph Stalin’s betrayal of the Russian Revolution. This novel follows a group of animals who rebel against the humans who run the farm they live on and run it themselves with hopes of being equal, free, and happy. In the end, however, the new rule becomes a cruel tyranny of its own led by the pigs.

8. Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card

Ender’s Game is a 1985 military science fiction novel by American author Orson Scott Card. Set at an unspecified date in Earth’s future, the novel presents an imperiled mankind after two conflicts with the Formics, an insectoid alien species which they dub the “buggers”.

9. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

The Great Gatsby is a novel written by American author F. Scott Fitzgerald that follows Jay Gatsby, a young millionaire with an obsession for a former debutante, living in the fictional town of West and East Egg on prosperous Long Island in the summer of 1922. 

10. Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

Fahrenheit 451 is a masterwork of twentieth-century literature set in a bleak, dystopian future. Television rules and literature is on the brink of extinction, and firemen start fires rather than put them out!

11. Lord of the Flies by William Golding

Lord of the Flies is a 1954 novel by  William Golding. The book focuses on a group of British boys stranded on an uninhabited island and their disastrous attempt to govern themselves.

12. Catch 22 by Joseph Heller

Captain John Yossarian, a World War II bombardier, is stationed on the island of Pianosa. Captain Yossarian seeks to protect his own life by fleeing to the hospital, but a “catch-22” in the Air Force regulations is preventing him from obtaining a leave.

13. The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood

The Handmaid’s Tale is a dystopian novel set in a near-future New England, in a totalitarian state, which has overthrown the United States government. Due to dangerously low reproduction rates, fertile women are turned into Handmaids to bear children for elite families. This story follows Offred and her life at the Rachel and Leah Re-education Center and with the Commander. 

14. The Lottery by Shirley Jackson

In a fictional small there is an annual ritual known as “the lottery”, but this isn’t a lottery you would want to win. What could the prize be?

15. The Call of the Wild by Jack London

The Call of the Wild is a short adventure novel by Jack London published in 1903 and set in Yukon, Canada during the 1890s Klondike Gold Rush, when strong sled dogs were in high demand. 

 

 

Thank you for checking out my booklist: 15 Banned Books Every High Schooler Must Read…

What is your high schooler reading this year? Feel free to leave a comment below with your booklists!

Want more booklists?

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2018-2019 Homeschool Plan

It is hard to believe it is almost time for a new school year… As always I have spent months obsessing over curriculum, and I have finally figured out what everyone will be studying! Check out our 2018-2019 Homeschool Plan to find out what the Raiche crew will be up to during the new school year. 

Jack- 6th Grade Core

Last year Jack completed the BookShark Level 3 All-Subject Package (read our end of year review here). Although we really enjoyed BookShark, I decided to go a different route this year.  Jack and Julia will be working together on their history and science materials to make our schedule run smoother. Jack will be studying the following topics for 6th grade:

• Horrible Histories & Geography
• Language Arts 6 & Reading Intervention
• Math 5
• Astronomy and Geology

Julia- 8th Grade Core

Julia completed the BookShark Level 7 All-Subject Package during her 7th grade year (read our end of year review here). As I mentioned above, Jack and Julia will be working together through a few subjects this year.  Julia will be studying the following topics for 8th grade:

• Horrible Histories & Geography
• Literature 8
• Pre-Algebra 
• Astronomy and Geology

Kenten- 10th Grade Core

Just like Jack and Julia, Kenten used BookShark for the first time for his 9th grade year (read our end of year review here). Kenten told me this was his favorite homeschool year in a long time. He worked independently for the most part, and he loved being able to knock out his work at his own pace. Sadly, BookShark does not have the next level available so we had to look into something new for him as well. I did not find a boxed curriculum that I thought would be a great fit, so I went rogue and purchased a few materials and made my own for other subjects. 

• World History
• Literature 10
  (Homemade curriculum- Banned books here we come!)
• Geometry
• Chemistry

Electives

All three of my children will be taking three electives this year:

• Foreign Language
• P.E. & Weight Lifting
• Home Economics or Art

For the P.E. & weight lifting elective we will not be using a curriculum. I will use a mix of free exercise plans to lead my children through 30-60 minute workouts. I am so excited to get the kids back into weight lifting now that we have finally finished remodeling our garage. Coming soon- garage gym tour!

Homeschool Partnership

For the past two school years we have been part of a new homeschool partnership in our area. This past year did not go as smoothly as the previous one. I won’t get into all of those details… However, at this time I do not plan to return to the partnership.

By making this switch we will have some much needed flexibility in our schedules. I regularly watch my cousin’s babies during the week. There were times this past year that it was hard to get all of the day’s lessons done. I am very happy with the possibility of a true 4-day schedule. Let me tell you- I can’t remember what it is like to have a free day during the week.

Thank you for checking out our 2018-2019 Homeschool Plan…

Are you interested in hearing more about our upcoming curriculum programs? Make sure to check back for our 6th Grade, 8th Grade, and 10th Grade curriculum picks for the 2018-2019 school year to see all the details.

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Dinosaur Sensory Bin

Are you ready for a roaring good time? To keep the fun and learning going through the summer, Jack and I are revisiting all things dinosaurs. Check out our Dinosaur Sensory Bin to get inspired to make your own dinosaur land today!

Homework and Horseplay’s Dinosaur Sensory Bin

Sensory bins are a great learning activity for your children to quieting work on while you do read aloud time! Although I create these bins for the little ones I babysit even my special needs 11 year old will sit down and play with them while I am reading his lessons to him.

To create this Dinosaur Sensory Bin I used:

• Moss rocks
• Faux grass/plants
• Brown potting cup
• Toy dinosaurs
• Dried split peas
• Brown rice
• Blue rice

Helpful Hint:
Purchase a vinyl tablecloth to put on the floor under sensory bins. I have a rule that ALL sensory materials must stay on the tablecloth. This helps prevent a major mess since some sensory materials are quite small. When your child is done playing you can pick up the corners of the tablecloth and pour everything back into the bin. I also highly recommend using a bin with a lid for easier storage.

How to Make Colored Rice

To make your own blue (or any other color you might want) rice you will need the following supplies:

• 1 c. of rice
• Food coloring (the more you add the deeper the color you will get)
• 1 tsp. of vinegar
• Ziplock bag
• Baking pan
• Wax paper

Directions:

1. Line baking pan with wax paper.
2. Add rice, food coloring, and vinegar to ziplock bag and seal. 
3. Shake the bag until the color is spread evenly on rice.
4. Pour rice onto baking with line with wax paper.
5. Let dry for 1-2 hours.

Thank you for checking out my Dinosaur Sensory Bin…

I hope your children enjoy this sensory bin idea, and have a roaring good time in dinosaur land!

Are you looking for more sensory bin ideas?
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