Using magazines as a teaching resource is a wonderful way to add creativity and excitement to your homeschool life. Monthly and seasonal issues provide new ideas and super additions to your current lesson plans.

The Mailbox Magazine is one I love. Each issue features seasonal and timely ideas, as well as skill based lesson enhancements. I use Intermediate Mailbox Companion, and there are books for all grade levels, including Pre-K. Each magazine typically contains a variety of resources, including reproducibles for Math, Language, Reading, Science and Social Studies. The worksheets are not typical, they have puzzles, games and stories that are very appealing to children. We completed a worksheet/game recently on place value. We needed dice and crayons to complete the game board filled with place value problems, geared for grades four through six. My son and I had a blast using the dice and attempting to color a winning row. This was a great addition to our textbook place value lesson, and it was a game I never would have thought of! There are many other resources in each issue also, like bulletin board ideas (for your homeschool classroom too), and seasonal patterns for art and crafting. The subscription also enables you to access their online resources, which include past issues and bonus material. This is a magazine you will definitely want to try.



Scholastic Parent and Child is another amazing resource for teachers. There are creative ideas for lesson enhancements, and wonderful ideas for you to teach your child in an educational way. Scholastic offers links to download or get via US mail, for lesson plans to complement their books. There are links from many of their partners in education to obtain free materials, posters, downloads and ideas for teaching. What I love about the articles is that many of them center on activities to do with your child, like a nature scavenger hunt or a vacation scrapbook. The creativity of the writers will amaze you and inspire you to try new and exciting lessons at home!

Please check out the links for the magazines. You will not only be inspired to try new ideas, but you will also enjoy learning alongside your child.