Homeschool Favourites | November 2016

It's November, and it's time for another Monthly Homeschool favourites!

In these blog posts, I share with you some of the products and resources we have been enjoying in our homeschool this month. 

As some of you may have noticed, we didn't do an October Favourites video! Whoops! Actually, my family and I went travelling around Kenya and U.A.E that month. So we took a 3 week break from formal homeschooling, and allowed the children to benefit fully from their new experiences abroad. If you'd like to see some of our holiday photos, you can see them on my Instagram account.

This month, I have so many fun and exciting new products I want to share with you! This includes a really cool electronics kit that my kids adore, some great books we've been enjoying, and a gratitude journal for Muslims.

As usual, we have a GIVEAWAY running this month, so if you'd like to enter, scroll down to the bottom of this post, and enter with the Rafflecopter widget.

HOMESCHOOL FAVOURITES | November 2016

To take a closer look at all the products mentioned in this blog post, 
WATCH THIS VIDEO!

Cambridge BrainBox Electronics Kit

My children have really enjoyed using this Electronics Kit from Cambridge BrainBox. 

I was looking for an electronics kit to supplement our science lessons. This one was significantly cheaper than everything else on the market, and I think it's great!
It really well-made, and is easy for the kids to use independently.

This kit covers most of Key Stage 1 and 2; working brilliantly as an introduction to electricity for children.

There is an easy-to-follow manual included, that not only explains how to set-up each experiment, but also explains what it shows.

The components are very easy to fit together and your children will have new circuits set up in minutes! 
If you don't believe me...WATCH THIS VIDEO!

If your children are interested in electronics, or you are planning to look at electricity as part of our homeschool curriculum, I would highly recommend this Electronics Kit by Cambrdige BrainBox.

The "Making Science Fun" kit is their most basic package. They also have kits to make boats, cars and all kinds of fun projects for your children!

Pinocchio

Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi has been an absolute joy to read with my children. This is the original version, that is so different to the Disney movie!

It is full of rich vocabulary, beautiful illustrations and a deep undercurrent of good moral teaching runs throughout the book. It is a feast for the imagination and so much fun! 

My eldest always asks me to keep reading from it when I finish a chapter. He has NEVER done that before with any book! mashAllah!

I would recommend Pinocchio for children aged 4-9.

Fitra Homeschool Journal

Finally! A homeschooing journal for the Muslim homeschooling community! 

The Fitra Homeschool journal publishes articles written by homeschooling families all around the globe; bringing their perspective and opinions to print. They have articles about homeschooling methodolgies, personal accounts, resource reviews and a plethora of homeschooling information and inspiration.

The Fitra journal is available in both print and digital versions from Amazon. 

This issue if no.1, and focuses on "Getting Started"; with articles about organization, budget planning , advice for reluctant parents and self-care tips. It was both informative and really really interesting! I love hearing about how other families approach home-education!

If you are new to home-education, or even if you are very experiences, I think that you will find the Fitra journal a really enjoyable and a useful resource. 

 

365 days with Prophet Muhammad

We LOVE this Seerah Book for Kids!
The 365 Days with Prophet Muhammad has become our new favourite. The book divides the Story of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) into 365 sections; one for each day.

I love the idea of dedicating part of each day to learning the Seerah of the Prophet. We read our copy bed, in the hope that these stories and meanings will fill my children's dreams, insha'Allah.

365 Days with Prophet Muhammad is available from Ibraheem Toy House.

Gratitude Journal

Children growing up in the West often face the risk of becoming "entitled" and forgetting how Blessed they truly are. 

Keeping a gratitude journal is a beautiful way to nurture shukr in your children's hearts. 

We are ordered by Allah (SWT) to be grateful slaves, and this is something we must teach to our children:

"Then remember Me; I will remember you. Be grateful to Me, and do not reject Me" (Al-Baqarah 2:152).

We have been using the Softcover Gratitude Journal for Muslims - #AlhumdulillahForSeries.

This little book is filled with the most incredible water-colour illustrations of examples of things to be grateful for.

There are several lined-pages where you are invited to write down something you want to say "Alhumdulillah for" for each day.

If you are looking for a journal with lots of space to write, this is not the right fit for you. However, I think this journal is perfect for busy people (or for children) who want to develop a habit of gratitude, and would like to simply write down a list of things, or short sentence.  

Finding time in our busy lives to reflect on the Blessings in our lives, is a very beneficial practice to teach to your children, and I would urge you find a way to begin this in your home. 

Some families simply ask their children to say thank you to Allah before they go to sleep, others make impressive wall-art to display. I recently saw one mother who had made a Gratitude Tree, and on each leaf was written something to be grateful for. 

The Gratitude Journal for Muslims is available in Softcover, Hardcover and as a Download. 
You can purchase it from the Ayeina Website, or find your local distributor.

GIVEAWAY

It's GIVEAWAY Time!

This November I am thrilled to be able to share TWO of my favourites with one of you!!!

I will be giving away:
- 1 Softcover Gratitude Journal for Muslims – #AlhamdulillahForSeries from Ayeina.com (RRP: £12)

- 1 Fitra Journal: The Muslim Homeschool Quarterly: Issue#1(RRP: £7.56)

The November 2016 Favourites Giveaway will run until Wednesday 7th December 2016 at 12AM GMT. 

The giveaway is open Internationally. 

All entrants under the age of 18 must have parental permission to enter.

Please aware that if entering from overseas, you may be liable to pay customs tax (or the equivalent), so please check beforehand.

You can enter by following the directions in the Rafflecopter widget posted below (click HERE is you would like to know more about Rafflecopter). 

I’ll announce the winners on THIS blog post and contact them directly through email. 

The winner has 24 hours to respond, otherwise I will have to select another winner.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I hope you found it useful to see what we've been enjoying in our homeschool this month. 

I'd love to know what your family has been using this November :)
Please let me and all my lovely readers know in the comments below!

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See you next month insha'Allah!

In need of your duaas.

Peace and Love xx