preschool: at the farm

I'm about 95 percent committed to homeschooling until (and through?) high school, for reasons good and bad, selfish and selfless.

Here are some good reasons:

We took our lessons on the road last week: homemade stickers used to make our own farms, inspired by the farm we were visiting. Goats swam across duck ponds, pigs wallowed in the mud, and many paths were made for little feet and animal hooves, across paper bridges and through paper fields.

We tested the adage that goats will eat almost anything! by feeding the goats some beyond-the-pale vegetables. Goats may eat almost anything, but aren't exactly fans of days-old broccoli rabe.

We listened to the difference between duck quacks and goose honks and imitated. And tried to teach Thomas how to honk like a goose. (And tried to teach Thomas that the geese will bite you!)

It's not much. It's not much different from what we'd do on a typical farm visit, anyway. But it's so much more than: sitting inside, being classroom-managed, asking to use the restroom, waiting for snacktime, and standing in line.