Let the Race Begin!

We're quickly coming to the end of my scheduled school year.  Our last unit for social studies is Washington State.  I have an information-packed generic book about Washington from the library and I read a chapter every day.  Today we read about living in Washington State. 

There is a beautiful moment in homeschooling when one discovers the best way their children learn, the best way one teaches, and finds that sweet spot between learning and play...

...my method is to let them watch so much TV their brains go numb, read to them, and then lock them outside.  Just kiddin'.  I teach them all most of the day and when I turn them loose, all the knowledge comes back out in the form of play.  I've actually found that taking them to afternoon activities (sports, etc) inhibits their learning because they don't process the information in the same way as they do when they are home.

As we were finishing up the chapter on living in Washington this morning, we talked about some fun events that happen in our state.  Like Bumbershoot in Seattle.  And the Puyallup Fair in Puyallup (where else?).  And The Slug Festival held in Eatonville.  When my kids heard about the slug races, they decided to capture and train their own slugs for races.

M and I bought this book when we were first dating.  Aren't we fun?  I can see where our kids get their zany ways.  As IJ went running out the door with my book, I asked that they use the book to find what kind of slugs they had and the appropriate habitat elements for them.

I don't think this guy is ready for the big race, do you?  Lucky for us, the festival is only three weeks away.  Plus, the school district provided us with a family membership to Northwest Trek! What a perfect field trip!