Homeschooling the Charlotte Mason Way

I hope you enjoy this post in a series on homeschool methods. Each post is written by bilingual and/or Latina moms who have chosen a particular style in which to homeschool their children. If you are new to homeschooling and are looking to find the right teaching/learning path for your family, perhaps this post on homeschooling the Charlotte Mason way will appeal to you. For a look at other teaching styles, take a look a my Brief Description of Homeschooling Methods, or scroll down to the bottom of this post for links to the other posts in this series.

The following is a guest post by Lauren Stengele, a bilingual homeschooling mom. She shares her journey on BilingualTogether.com. This post contains affiliate links.

The Charlotte Mason Method

Although I have been homeschooling for seven years now, I have come slowly into the Charlotte Mason philosophy of education. I was introduced to her sometime in our second year of homeschool, and dismissed her whole philosophy as “just reading books and looking at nature.”

However, the following year, I picked up Karen Glass’ book, In Vital Harmony, and was blown away with the pursuit of beauty and integration of all learning that characterizes the Charlotte Mason philosophy. If you are looking into Charlotte Mason, I highly recommend starting with this book.

Who was Charlotte Mason?

Charlotte Mason was an educator in England during the late 1800s and early 1900s. She held to radical notions (for the time) that children are persons, and not just empty sponges to be filled with information. She believed that all children can learn, that all children want to learn, and an educator’s job is to spread a feast of ideas for their students.

This feast includes a deep and meaningful study of nature, starting with your local fauna and flora. The feast includes reading good books by great thinkers, “living books” as they are called in Charlotte Mason circles. She believed that “education is the science of relations,” which means that if a child is brought to this feast of education, the child cannot help but draw connections for themselves. They discover how history and math connect in Galileo. Or how geography impacts mythology, when they recognize similar threads throughout the stories of the Americas, but very different threads throughout the stories of Europe.

Other cornerstones of a Charlotte Mason education are narration, habit formation, practical life skills, and handicrafts. And yes, math and grammar are included, too. For time's sake, I won’t get into all of this here. If you are still curious, do pick up In Vital Harmony for an easy but thorough introduction into Mason’s philosophy.

Charlotte Mason Methodology

This sounds great, but what does this look like day-to-day?

As I came to realize the richness and depth of the Charlotte Mason philosophy, I began implementing it more and more in our homeschool. We have always had a literature-based homeschool, but Mason’s philosophy has freed me up more and more to focus on the quality of what we read, rather than the quantity.

In our homeschool, we spend a lot of time reading together, re-telling the stories we have heard, and discussing them. (My children are 10, 8, and 6, for reference). We start with Morning Time, during which time we sing, read poetry, and study composers. 

We move on to our read-alouds which cover history, literature, and science. For example, this year we are studying Medieval History. Since we began school this year, we have read Beowulf, and are currently reading The Twelfth Night by Shakespeare (both a picture book retelling, and the original). In Spanish, we are reading El Cid by Rosa Navarro Duran. We are also reading about birds and bats.

After read-alouds, we move into math and language studies which are one-on-one with each child. When I am working with one child, the other children have independent work. We usually finish our academic work around lunch time.

This leaves lots of time each day for free play and pursuit of their interests. However, it also leaves time for them to join me in the regular running of a household: dishes, laundry, cleaning, and cooking dinner. These life skills are just as essential in the whole education of a child as the academic work is.

Charlotte Mason in a Bilingual Homeschool 

One unexpected blessing of following this philosophy has been the freedom to stop searching for the perfect Spanish curriculum for our homeschool, and simply focus on finding beautiful books in Spanish to read with my children.

Yes, I still love to look at bilingual units and Spanish language resources, but I no longer feel the burden to find (or make) the perfect Spanish-language unit for my child’s interests, or our current history track. Instead, I now search for living books in Spanish on the subject. And we read…

This simple change has made homeschooling in two languages easier and more delightful than I thought possible!

Want to learn more?

Charlotte Mason herself wrote six large books on her educational philosophy. They are slow reading, but well worth it. If you want to start with one, I suggest Home Education. However, I will say again, the best introduction to Charlotte Mason is In Vital Harmony by Karen Glass. Also of note, there is a vibrant Mason community in the Spanish-speaking world, and a great place to start is A Living Education En Español website.

Other Posts You may Enjoy

• Homeschooling the Montessori Way
  
  
• What is Unschooling? How to Get Started
  
  
• A Brief Description of Homeschooling Methods
  
  
• Homeschool Montessori Preschool Program

Written by:

Lauren Stengele is a non-native Spanish speaker, language teacher, and bilingual homeschooling mom. Her blog, BilingualTogether.com, shares homeschooling resources for bilingual families, including free Morning Time plans.

Social Emotional Learning in Homeschool

After the world upheaval of the pandemic during the last two years and the volatile political climate that we've seen, many kids are having a difficult time. Research shows a rising number of kids are experiencing anxiety and difficulty with self-regulation. And after a growing number of school shootings, parents and educators are looking for ways to reach and help children who are struggling. One of these ways is through social emotional learning. It's a foundation that can be worked on both in school and at home. I'm grateful to Dr. Gwen Bass for the following guest post on the importance of developing social emotional learning in children and how to do so in a homeschool environment.

This post contains affiliate links.

What is Social Emotional Learning?

As we head into another post-quarantine school year, many homeschooling parents are thinking about how to support kids’ academic development alongside their wellbeing. One of the best ways to do this is to focus on social emotional learning (SEL) – a framework that supports children in developing competence in the following areas:

• Self-awareness 

• Self-management

• Social awareness

• Relationship skills

• Responsible decision-making

*Learn more about SEL competencies.

© Can Stock Photo / vaeenma

How SEL Helps Children

Positive social and emotional development has been shown to improve academic achievement and social skills. In schools, the SEL model encourages educators to introduce these skills using specific lessons and to reinforce them through “classroom climate.” SEL is often added on to the regular curriculum and taught through short lessons once or more per week, as time allows. 

But we’re learning more about the benefits of integrating SEL into daily activities. This gives children a real chance to practice the skills they are developing and encourages adults to not just teach SEL, but to model it. The more we can show, and not just tell, our kids that social and emotional skills are grown over the course of our lives, the better.

Research on SEL tells us that children are most likely to do well in learning and life when they: 

• Understand themselves

• Regulate their behavior and emotions

• Demonstrate empathy

• Are a good friend and collaborator

• Make thoughtful decisions about how to achieve their goals

It’s important to note that we decide whether or not a behavior is “appropriate” or what “good self-regulation” looks like based on our experiences and our values - cultural or otherwise.  You and I might have different levels of comfort with, for example, a child who is yelling because they’re angry or one who is running around the house excitedly.  We might not react the same way when a child interrupts a conversation we’re having with another adult, or to a child who is shy and not playing with other children. 

How to Teach SEL at Home

When implementing SEL, you want to find a way to do so that aligns with your personal and cultural beliefs.  Think about the ways in which social expectations may vary at home and beyond, and talk with your kids about these.  

As a homeschooling caregiver, you will want to review the SEL competencies and come up with a description of what it would look like for your child to be successful in each of those areas.  Ask yourself: How will I be able to tell if my child has developed this skill?  What will I see them doing, or not doing? 

Here are a few ideas to keep in mind as you incorporate SEL into your homeschool routines:

1. Let your child know what the goal is and create opportunities for them to explore and practice. Talk to your child about the skill you’re helping them develop, explain the importance of that skill, and point out situations where the child can use or practice the skill.  

For example: You notice that your child gets frustrated and leaves the table when learning something new.  

• When they are calm, ask what they feel in their body when a task feels too hard, is just right, is too easy.  

• Together, come up with a few strategies they can use to calm down when they begin to notice they are feeling upset. 

• Throughout your lessons, ask them to check in with their bodies and practice the calm down strategies as needed.

2. Talk about situations that elicit big feelings before they occur.  Anticipate moments that will be most challenging for your child.  Prepare them for what’s coming, talk about big feelings that might arise, and brainstorm strategies they can use to regulate.

For example: You’re getting ready to present your child with a new learning task that you think might frustrate them.

• Make a schedule so they know what to expect (I’d suggest sandwiching the frustrating task between tasks your child can do easily and enjoys).

• Look at the schedule together and ask your child how they think they might feel doing each of the activities listed. 

• Together, come up with a list of strategies they can use to manage any big feelings (e.g., deep breaths, a walk outside, or a special signal they use to let you know they’re upset).  Remind them that you are there for support.

3. Have your child help you come up with examples and non-examples. Be explicit about what it looks like to demonstrate a specific SEL skill.  Together, make a list of behaviors that align with the goal, and a list of behaviors that don’t. 

For example: Your child is getting ready to have a friend over, so you want them to think about being a good host.

• First, have your child identify how they are feeling about having the friend over and ask them how they think the friend might be feeling about the playdate.

• Have them name a few strategies they can use to keep themselves regulated during the playdate so they can have fun. 

• Talk about how they could help their friend feel safe and welcome (e.g., picking out a few games the friend likes, showing them where the bathroom is when they arrive) and a list of things they could do that would NOT make their friend feel welcome (e.g., hogging all of the toys, not offering any snacks).  

4. Model positive social skills and emotion management.  Children take their cues from adults, so we need to walk our talk when it comes to SEL. This doesn’t mean we need to get it right 100% of the time. When kids see adults making mistakes, taking responsibility for them, and trying to do things differently the next time, they learn to do the same.

For example: Your child sees you get upset and raise your voice to someone in the household.

• Name the emotion you’re feeling, find a strategy to self-regulate (take a walk, a deep breath), and tell your child “I’m feeling ___________ so I’m doing ___________ to calm myself down.”

• Once you’re calm, remind your child that it’s okay to have all kinds of emotions and explain how your emotions affected your behavior (e.g., “I was getting really mad and it was hard for me to control the tone of my voice.”)

• Talk to your child about how you will repair the situation or what you hope to do differently next time.

As a homeschooling parent, it’s important to build your own self-awareness and empathy so you can offer your children the guidance they need to grow as social and emotional beings.  However you choose to incorporate SEL into your school and home life, be sure that it aligns with your household rhythms and your family’s culture, otherwise it will feel inauthentic and forced. Think about how you might adopt some of these ideas and SEL competencies, along with your own values and traditions, to help your children reach their goals.

Picture Books that Teach SEL

There are many wonderful books that you may use in your homeschool lessons. Here are just a few that we recommend...

The Way I Feel 

by Janan Cain

My Mouth is a Volcano! 

by Julia Cook

What Were You Thinking? A Story About Learning to Control Your Impulses
by Bryan Smith

No Fits, Nilson! 

by Zachariah O'Hora

A Quiet Place 

by Douglas Wood

---------

Dr. Gwen Bass is an educational consultant, parenting coach, and member of the EQuip Our Kids! speaker bureau.  Her work focuses on social-emotional learning, trauma-informed education, culturally responsive teaching, positive identity development, and special education.  She is deeply invested in supporting learning and wellbeing, especially for those who experience learning difficulties, mental health challenges, and/or who are coping with trauma. Dr. Bass provides consultation for educators and caregivers. For more information or to schedule a session visit:  www.drgwenbass.com

Homeschooling the Montessori Way

Montessori. Some homeschool mamas read that word and turn tail and run because how could they possibly incorporate Montessori approaches into their homeschool when Montessori schools themselves are taught by specially-trained teachers and cost more money than typical families can afford?

“I can’t afford Montessori training,” they say. 

“I can’t afford Montessori materials,” they say. 

“I can’t even wrap my head around what Montessori is!”

Although having Montessori training and beautifully crafted Montessori materials can absolutely be helpful when trying this approach in your homeschool, it is NOT mandatory. Like all things homeschooling, this is NOT an all-or-nothing methodology. You, the homeschooling parent, can make it work for your homeschool family and you do not need gobs of money to do it. Be ready to customize to suit the needs for your family and whether you settle on creating a simple Montessori-inspired shelf for your homeschool or end up buying an entire Montessori curriculum, just know that all you truly need is an eager mind and open heart. But first, what is the Montessori Method? To answer this, we need to first learn who Dr. Montessori was. 

The following post contains affiliate links.

Who was Dr. Maria Montessori?

Full Disclosure: The following may turn into an entire paragraph of me fan-girling over Dr. M because she is a rock star and I want to be just like her when I grow up (I’m currently 39 so I suppose that should be soon, oh well.)

Italy 1892, a young Maria Montessori, having already studied mathematics, went to the University of Rome to study medicine. During her medical training at an asylum for children, Dr. Montessori’s life would change. She observed these children, children society had discarded because they were “retarded” or “insane,” playing with crumbs. The nurses dismissed this behavior as “greed” because they thought the children wanted more food. The compassionate heart of Dr. Montessori, coupled with her brilliant scientific mind, observed something completely different. Dr. Montessori hypothesized these children just wanted something to play with. Their minds needed something to play with. Children need to play. The first Montessori schools were established in the slums of Rome where she was able to observe children and refine her method. Fast forward over hundred years later and Dr. Montessori’s methods and school still impact education all over the world and over the last few decades have trickled into the homeschool sphere. Dr. Montessori’s story is fascinating and I strongly recommend reading her own words and story through her books, particularly The Montessori Method and Maria Montessori: Her Life and Work by E. M. Standing. There is also an adorable children’s book about her from the Little People, Big Dream Series, Maria Montessori by Ma Isabel Sanchez Vergara. 

What is the Montessori Method?

The main goal of the Montessori Method is to promote the joy of learning through a hands-on and step-by-step approach that emphasizes repetition. The method is based on the belief that children should be free to succeed and learn without restriction or criticism.

In the early years, children are taught to develop their observation skills through a variety of hands-on activities that explore the senses, movement, and coordination. The child is provided with a safe but stimulating environment where they can explore and learn without fear of harm.

Grade school children are allowed to proceed at their own pace, exploring the subjects of math, science, reading, and writing in such a way as to develop their abstract thinking ability. There is a great emphasis on encouraging the child to absorb their environment and culture.

In Montessori education you will find that standard subjects like math, language arts, culture, science, etc., but you will also find that Dr. M also felt sensory learning and life skills are incredibly important to the development of the child. Therefore, you will find Montessori education treats Practical Life and Sensorial Learning as their own subjects. 

I would also like to focus on two other aspects of Montessori instruction: the  absorbent mind and sensitive periods.  Because Montessori emphasizes observation of the child and respect to their development, it is important to understand that children have what Dr. M calls an “absorbent mind” and in fact she wrote an entire book about The Absorbent Mind.

Children cannot help but learn from everything that’s going on around them. You have probably experienced it when your small child embarrassingly repeats something you said when you thought they weren’t listening…That would be their lovely absorbent mind. So, teaching things like grace and courtesy for example, a hallmark of Montessori instruction, would be easily taught because they learn what they see anyway. Montessori at Home or School: How to Teach Grace and Courtesy is a helpful book to help you address just that.

Regarding sensitive periods, these are the stages of development where the child just jumps ahead at a new skill. For example, there is usually a moment in a toddler’s development where they go from speaking a few words and phrases to suddenly talking all-day-long. Right there, that’s the moment they are in a sensitive period for language.  That is your que to talk right back, ask questions, read lots of books, sing lots of songs, and do what you can to nurture their language development.  Living Montessori Now has a wonderful post on encouraging your child's sensitive periods.

How To Start Implementing the Montessori Method in Your Homeschool

Allow me to make this as easy as possible for newbies to Montessori to get started by recommending books, blogs, and ready-made Montessori programs for homeschooling. After years of searching and researching, these recommendations are, in my humble opinion, solid Montessori in approach, have the best reviews from experienced parents, and offer the best support for families.

Books

Begin first by reading a couple of books about the Montessori Method.  Aside for Dr. M’s own books these are the authors I recommend reading because of their experience training, teaching, and advocating for Montessori education:

Elizabeth G. Hainstock, author of Teaching Montessori In the Home: The Preschool Years and Teaching Montessori In the Home: The School Years

Paula Polk Lillard, author of Montessori: A Modern Approach: The Classic Introduction to Montessori For Parents and Teachers and Montessori From the Start: The Child At Home from Birth to Age Three

Tim Seldin, author of How to Raise An Amazing Child the Montessori Way 2nd Edition

There are other nice looking new books on the market but these are the ones I recommend for purchase whereas, I recommend checking out any others at the library before purchasing. 

Blogs

Next, begin to follow Montessori blogs and social media accounts.  There are thousands and you might get lost and highly discouraged by many of them because all those Instagram accounts are, shall we say, a wee bit too pretty.  Let me cut through the noise and recommend these fabulous ones:

Living Montessori Now - This is THE blog.  If all you did was read through this blog and get ideas for your homeschool, you’d be set. Deb Chitwood homeschooled her own children and she knows ALL you need to be successful as a Montessorian and as a homeschooler. 

Carrots Are Orange - I really like her “Beginners Guide to Montessori Theory” and feel like it’s a brief yet fantastic guide to Montessori education. 

Natural Beach Living - This blog is not completely devoted to Montessori, but she offers “200+ Amazing Montessori Activities and Printables” for free on her blog.  Nice!

The Helpful Garden - Speaking of free, this blog has soooooo many freebies.  The reading printables alone are worth visiting the site. Bookmark it on your browser. 

Montessori Curricula

Ready to dive right in but still want the support of reputable Montessori programs designed for homeschoolers?  These are very well reviewed, have been around for years, and have parental support, Facebook groups, customer service, online classes, etc.  Everything a homeschool mama would need to get started with a Montessori homeschool.

Right Start Math: Solely a Montessori-based math program but trust me when I say, it has so much.  If you are just starting out with littles, Right Start Math and a solid reading program would be enough.  Right Start Math is also a spiral math program for those learners that prefer that approach and offers all levels of math to cover elementary and middle school. 

Shiller Learning: Originally started as a math company, Shiller has expanded to offer Montessori-based Language Arts and activity packs for social studies and science.  Lessons are scripted so as soon as you familiarize yourself with the kits, it is open and go.  

Keys to the Universe:  Montessori albums and mentor support.  This is truly a small business, so if you prefer a personal touch, I recommend this vendor. 

Honorable Mentions:

The following programs are not Montessori, per say, but they are multisensory, systematic, incremental, and used by homeschoolers who want the feel of Montessori-learning but either cannot afford Montessori materials or do not feel like making their own. Don’t worry, we’ve all been there. 

• All About Learning
• Logic of English
• Handwriting Without Tears
• Math U See

You may also prefer to buy Montessori albums, manuals, and materials through training organizations and vendors such as these:

• NAMC's 3-6 Montessori Homeschool Program
• Alison's Montessori
• Montessori Services
• Montessori for Everyone

Not enough? If you’re like me, you might want to throw your whole heart in Montessori training and these are the two programs I recommend looking into.

• AMI Training
• North American Montessori Center

But if you’re also like me, you do not have the money for the official training programs. This certificate program is pretty comprehensive.  I took Karen Tyler’s Montessori Certificate Program years and years ago when there were no Facebook groups and all we had were Yahoo Groups.  It was still an unforgettable experience.

For FREE training demonstrations in the Montessori Method, try Montessori World.  It is intended for classroom teachers, and is NOT intended to replace a certificate program. However, it features video lectures with Margaret Homfray, who trained directly under Dr. Montessori herself! You can watch the videos and get links to written lessons as well. 

Montessori In My Home

After reading Dr. M’s book, The Montessori Method, I was entirely convinced to homeschool and went all in with my oldest 2 kids (at the time I only had 2).  We used Montessori math and Montessori reading techniques and found them to be outstanding.  In fact, I credit Montessori techniques with teaching my kids to read fairly easily despite their dyslexia.  We now use another program - you can read about Barton Reading here. But guess what? It still has major Montessori influences, as Orton-Gillingham based programs do.  

After a few years, it became very clear that military-life and frequent moves are not conducive to keeping a large amount of “official” Montessori materials which would end up broken or lost. I’ve had to say goodbye to some beautiful sensorial materials. Wah! It also became clear that I wouldn’t always be in a house that I could fit my carefully curated Language, Math, Sensorial, Culture, and Science shelves. So, in my situation I incorporate one beautiful Montessori-inspired shelf in our homeschool space. In each little cubby I try to keep sensorial materials, whole-hand and fine motor materials, language materials, culture materials, and math/science materials. Sometimes, I use a theme to decide what materials to place on the shelf, and this is where I have lots of fun! Here is a pic of my Winnie the Pooh Shelf (I have a very healthy obsession with Pooh Bear).  This is where I encourage an overwhelmed homeschool mama start.  Pick a theme, pick some picture books and age-appropriate activities, and place them on a shelf the child can reach.  Let the child enjoy it. Living Montessori Now will have lots of ideas. 

Montessori Practical Life is my jam and this is how I have incorporated Montessori approaches in my parenting. At the appropriate ages, my husband and I teach the kids to “do it themselves” meaning we teach the kids many practical life skills. Our kids fold their own clothes, clean their own rooms, fix their own snacks and lunches, load and unload the dishwasher, clean their bathrooms, vacuum, dust, clean windows, and care for their younger siblings. Our kids care for our pet dog, and offer to help the neighbors with pet-sitting and baby-sitting. While it may sound like I am bragging about my children (and I am a little bit), I am trying to demonstrate how much children are actually capable of doing. It is our ultimate goal as parents that our children do not need “adulting” courses because we have taught them to do things like laundry and cook meals early on. We have taught them to “do it themselves.” 

Hopefully, this post inspires you to take a deeper look at Montessori education and leads you down the happy path of homeschool curriculum shopping for this new school year! Don’t forget to check Mommy Maestra’s Montessori Planner for your planning needs. 

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Other Posts You may Enjoy

• A Brief Description of Homeschooling Methods
  
  
• What is Unschooling? How to Get Started
  
  
• Homeschooling the Charlotte Mason Way
  
  
• Homeschool Montessori Preschool Program
  
  
• Your Stories: Mi Escuelita Montessori
  
  
• New Complete Montessori Homeschool Curriculum Now Available
  
  
• A Montessori PreK 9-Month Planner

Image Credits: 

© Can Stock Photo / Kabachkiphoto
© Can Stock Photo / trendsetterimages

Ctmontessori, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

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Written by:

Stacie Servantes Farias is an Army wife and mom of 6 with a “very healthy” obsession for Snoopy, Disney movies, Audrey Hepburn, Dr. Pepper, Whataburger, books, and homeschooling. Originally from Mission, Texas, Stacie and her high-school sweetheart hubby live with their kids and dog in a different home every few years, because that is the military life. She has big plans to write a book exploring her theory that La Llorona drowned her children because they would take their socks off all over the house and then would complain that they never had clean socks! Stacie also thinks she is really funny, but she is mostly lame awesome.

Día Craft: Make Your Own Family Keepsake Book

This week, we continue our series on Día inspired crafts. These are literacy-based crafts that kids can put together. And these are fun activities that promote a reading culture at home. Today's craft comes from guest contributor and artist Denise Cortes, who originally wrote this for L4LL. If you enjoy this tutorial, check out her other one: DIY Book-Inspired Sports ID Tag.

We hope your children enjoy this tutorial for making their own DIY family keepsake. 

This post contains affiliate links.

Día de los Niños Craft: Bookmaking

My kids are really sentimental when it comes to family photos. One of our favorite things to do as a family is to thumb through their baby books and photo albums. We all laugh at the memories and by the end, I’m usually in tears. Why must childhood be so fleeting?

I wanted to teach my daughters how to make a DIY family keepsake book so they could collect photos, small notes and drawings, keeping alive the tradition of documenting our family.

This craft project is inexpensive and fun for everyone! 

Materials:

• Brown paper bags
• Scissors
• Decorative edge scissors
• Glue stick
• Patterned & solid color scrapbooking paper
• Black marker
• Jute twine or yarn

Directions:

What I love most about this project is we’re repurposing an inexpensive brown paper bag. It’s as simple as folding a bag or two in half, sandwiching them together, poking a few holes on one side and threading a piece of twine or ribbon to bind them together. After trimming one side with a pair of decorative edge scissors, you will have a “book” with pockets, similar to an accordion.



If you want to make the “book” thicker, use more than one paper bag. I used two, which allow me to have four pockets for sliding in photos and keepsakes.

To bind the paper bags together, make three holes along the edge that is opposite to the opening side.

Now you are ready to decorate your book. Find a few patterned sheets of scrapbooking squares. Cut them down to size so they can fit properly.



Glue down each piece of scrapbooking paper onto the “pages” of your book. Add a smaller piece of solid color paper and glue it on top of the scrapbooking paper, toward the bottom. This space is for any captions such as: My Family, Mama, Papa, Brother, Sister, Abuelita, etc. Remember, you are celebrating family!



The final step is to thread the book with a piece of jute twine, to bind all of the pages together. Be sure to tie a tight knot.

Now you can fill up your keepsake book with pictures, notes, and photo booth pictures!

Other Día Posts You May Enjoy:

• Ways To Celebrate Día de los Niños, Día de los Libros/Children's Day, Book Day
  
  
• 10 Ways to Celebrate Día at Home
  
  
• Día Craft: DIY Book Tutorial
  
  
• Día Craft: DIY Book-Inspired Sports ID Tag
  
  
• Día Craft: Music-Themed Magazine Holder
  
  
• Reading Challenge & Passport
  
  
• New Books to Celebrate Día
  
  
• Día de los Niños Activity Packet

Día Craft: Music-Themed Magazine Holder

Here is another fun craft that nurtures a reading culture in your home. Today's tutorial comes from guest contributor Dariela Cruz of MamiTalks, who originally wrote this for L4LL. 

Magazine holders are so useful. I never think of them for the kids’ room, but even if the kids don’t have any magazines, they always have coloring books, reading workbooks, math workbooks, or notebooks that can definitely be organized better inside a magazine rack.

This post contains affiliate links.

Día de los Niños Craft: Themed Magazine Holder

This magazine rack is made out of a cereal box, some scrapbooking paper, and stickers. It is very easy to make and the kids can help, too. 

This one has a musical theme and can be very useful for storing sheet music and/or music notebooks. But let your child choose the theme that appeals to them the most. There are many wonderful designs of scrapbooking paper available for each kid’s preference. 

Guide them through this craft and they will love making something useful for their own room!

Supplies:

• a cereal box wide enough to fit a magazine
• 2 sheets of scrapbooking paper colored or themed 
• decoupage glue such as Mod Podge (matte finish or gloss)
• paintbrush
• scissors and/or a craft knife
• ruler
• permanent marker
• musical stickers or whatever theme your child likes

Instructions:

Grab the empty box of cereal and place a magazine on top of it.

Make marks with the permanent marker on one side of the box a little bit higher than the magazine height and on the other side make a mark a little bit lower than the half of the magazine’s total height.

Draw a line joining both marks then continue on the other side with the help of a ruler.

Carefully cut the box with scissors (or with a craft knife) along the marked lines.

The structure of the magazine holder is done. Now to decorate it!

Use the first scrapbooking paper and lay the box on top of it. NOTE: it will cover only two sides of the box. 

With a pencil mark the paper leaving space for flaps on every side and the top and bottom, they don't need to be precise, just make sure you have them all, then cut along your marks with scissors.

Once the paper is cut, apply the glue with a brush to all its areas.

Glue the paper around the two sides of the box.

Mark, cut, and glue the second scrapbooking paper the same way as the first but don’t leave flaps on 2 sides so that the border of the paper is exactly aligned with the edge of the box.

Once the whole magazine holder is wrapped with paper, apply the decoupage glue all over it and let it dry for a couple of hours.

Cut a small rectangle of scrapbooking paper and place it on the inside of the back of the magazine holder. This part will show even when the magazines are inside.

OPTIONAL: You may want to cover all of the inner sides and spine.

Now, it’s time for the fun part! 

Let the kids use the stickers and have fun decorating the magazine holder! Use them on the thin sides of the holder, which are the ones that will show more often when it’s in use.

Books that Celebrate Music:

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