Teaching math beyond basic counting at home can seem daunting. But these simple activities show that it can be easy and fun. These hands-on ways to introduce counting and other basic math skills are great.

Deciding how your child will receive his education is a choice that can impact the rest of his life. While your decision may depend on personal factors such as your time and availability and your child's personality, evaluating studies and statistics can also provide information you can include in your decision making process.

Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, authorized by Congress in 1966, is located approximately 50 miles southeast of Chicago, Illinois in the counties of Lake, Porter, and LaPorte in Northwest Indiana. The national lakeshore runs for nearly 25 miles along southern Lake Michigan, bordered by Michigan City, Indiana on the east, and Gary on the west. The park contains approximately 15,000 acres, 2,182 of which are located in Indiana Dunes State Park and managed by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources. Miles of beaches, sand dunes, bog, wetlands, woodland forests, an 1830's French Canadian homestead, and a working 1900 era farm combine to make the national lakeshore a unique setting for studying humans and their impact on the environment. Dr. Henry Cowles conducted his landmark ecological studies in the Indiana Dunes. Indiana Dunes is ranked 7th among national parks in native plant diversity. Research conducted over the last two decades has revealed 1,418 vascular plant species within park boundaries, of which over 90 are on the state of Indiana's threatened or endangered list.

National Driver Training is a nationally certified program that offers parent taught driver education materials. Their approach is Graduated Driver Licensing, beginning with classroom instruction and behind-the-wheel training, and moving into additional hours behind-the-wheel. They measure achievement and graduation on performance skill and experience, not on a training clock.

Colleges and universities frequently ask two questions about home schoolers: (1) Are home schoolers eligible for financial aid without obtaining a GED or passing an ability-to-benefit test? and (2) Can a university admit a student with a home school high school diploma who is under the age of compulsory attendance and still retain its eligibility for federal funding? The answer to both questions is “Yes.” This analysis of the Higher Education Act Amendments of 1998 explains what post-secondary schools could require of home school applicants and how homeschooled students are eligible for financial aid.

Imagine touring through all 50 states without driving, flying, taking a bus or train. The US50 consists of concise, important and meaningful information about each of the 50 states in the U.S. You'll find information on history (general history and historical figures), geography (location and state map), the outdoors, historic sites, tourist attractions, state links, state information (agriculture, industry, flag, flower, bird etc.), and state products .

A homeschooling mom of seven children shares her approach to successfully home educating in a large family. She emphasizes routine over schedules, taking advantage of teachable moments, and resisting the temptation to over-control.

If your children could tell you what they really want to do for vacation, you might find out that your meticulous plans to keep them occupied this summer is all for naught.

Tristan is mom to eight children whom they homeschool.