Mental Health Days

Ok, we're only three weeks in, and thankfully I don't feel a need for a mental health day yet (knock on wood) but I found this list on another blog and thought I would share it. I'm sorry, did I say share it? I meant save it, because there's an off chance it might come in handy for me later in the year. :)

I’d like to suggest some productive-but-not-text-book-related ideas for those days when everyone could just use a break:

1. Watch a documentary.  (science, history, nature study)
2. Watch The Magic School Bus.  (science)
3. Go outside and play.  (P.E.)
4. Clean house.  (life skills, cooperation, problem solving)
5. Bake together.  (home economics, math, reading, following direction)
6. Plan next week’s menu.  (home economics, health/nutrition)
7. Take your menu and go grocery shopping.  (economics, comparison shopping, personal finance)
8. Go on a nature walk.  (science, nature study, art)
9. Paint, make collages, sculpt with clay, make crafts. (art)
10. Cuddle up in bed and read together.  (reading)
11. Build with Lego’s, Kinex, Lincoln Logs, blocks. (spatial reasoning)
12. Write a letter to a relative or friend.  (writing, reading, spelling)
13. Build a sugar cube tower 5 feet high — yes, I saw that on The Biggest Loser. (spatial reasoning, problem-solving skills)
14. Spin the globe, select a random country and look it up on the Internet or in an Encyclopedia. (geography, research skills, reading)
15. If they’re old enough, let the kids cook the day’s meals. (home economics, life skills, health and nutrition)

And by the way, I found this website that has tons of free documentaries. I haven't watched any of them yet, so they could be horrible, but they look interesting!

Here's to mental health and enjoying homeschool!