learning...from a treehouse!

The great thing about farm life is there are so many opportunities for kids to learn. So many skills for them to have real life experience with. Skills that will help to grow them up into fine farm guys and gals.

The farmboys have been begging to build a real treehouse since we got to the farm, and we finally had an excuse to do so.

I tripped across this unit study, put together by a lovely homeschooling and homesteading mom of almost 20 years, and I knew we'd hit the jackpot. It was the kick in the pants we needed to take our treehouse plans from me saying "Yep, we'll get to it..." to "Let's do this thang!"

Lessons from the Treehouse was a joy for us for several reasons:

1. Besides just focusing on the mechanics of actually planning and building a treehouse, it offered more than 50 hands-on science, math, language and other subject lessons for the whole experience. Who said learning can't be fun? A boy can learn just about anything with a drill in his hand. :)

2. Carol J. Alexander, author of Lessons from the Treehouse, believes that kids can learn a ton from the experiences provided by life on a homestead. Lessons from the Treehouse is part of her Lessons from the Homestead series. It currently includes Lessons from the Henhouse and Lessons from the Seed Catalog. And if you subscribe to her free newsletter or follow her blog you can learn more about the soon to be released lessons as well!

3. The boys had a blast with the unit study, and I was amazed at how many times I was reminded just how much learning there is to be had on the homestead. Sometimes farmish folks forget that, because its our normal "day in, day out". And sometimes we parents rush through our responsibilities because its just faster if we do them ourselves. If there is one thing I've learned from Carol J. Alexander's unit studies, its that I need to make sure the kids are doing the doing...because that's how they're learning. :)

4. You don't have to be a homeschooling parent to enjoy this unit study. Anyone who knows or loves kids and wants them to learn from their life experiences will benefit from Lessons from the Treehouse...or any of the other homestead lessons.

5. You don't even have to live in the country or be planning a real life treehouse to learn from this unit study. There are several activities for all aged kids, and lots of learning and fun to be had...even if you're just dreamin' about the day you CAN build a treehouse.

We really enjoyed Lessons from the Treehouse and look forward to using more of Carol J.Alexander's unit studies. Our treehouse base is completed...

...and we're looking forward to finishing it. Farmboy Iggy thinks it will eventually be a three story treehouse with a zipline connecting to another platform.

Oh, the lessons we will learn. :)

**A different (but equally as glowing!) review of Lessons from the Treehouse is also posted today at my other blog, The Hmmmschooling Mom.