Hey hey hey…. did I happen to mention, we’re heading down to the Great Homeschool convention?
We’ve been to two homeschool conventions in the past. When I calculated it, I realized our last homeschool convention was 5 years ago. So we are pretty excited about going, especially since we’ve never done a Great Homeschool Convention.
Since we now live in WI, we do have to travel a bit further to get to a convention. This year we will be heading to the Great Homeschool Convention in St. Charles, MO. This is the first time we will be taking kids with us (just our older two, the youngest gets a weekend at “Gramma Camp”).
Why go to a convention?
You don’t NEED to go to a homeschool convention, but they definitely are an oasis for the weary homeschool mom. A time to re-charge, re-focus and get your hands on tons of different homeschool curriculum.
While I appreciate the internet and all it has to offer with connecting with other homeschoolers and checking out curriculum online, it pales in comparison to “in the flesh”.
This blog post contains affiliate links and any purchases made through these links will result in a small commission for me (at no cost to you!)
Packing List
As with any trip, going to a homeschool convention requires some preparation.
Here are some of the staples we are bringing:
Audiobooks for car – I’ve been stocking up on a bunch, but we’ll probably start with On the Banks of Plum Creek ( the Little House Audiobooks are just amazing!) If you’re curious where we find audiobooks without breaking the bank, check out this post.
Money – One of the coolest things about homeschool conventions is the exhibit hall where you get to check out all sorts of homeschool resources and curriculum, and often there are discounts. At our last homeschool convention, we discovered one of our favorite devotional books – Long Story Short.
Comfy shoes – For all the walking around from “to and fro”.
Water bottle – Save $$ and bring your own!
Backpack – Leave the purse behind! Put it all in your backpack!
Journal & Colored Pens – I have to take notes in order to remember things I’ve learned. And I love using these journal planner colored pens to do so!
Cooler and snacks – The hotel provides breakfast and an evening “reception” each day, but we have to provide our own food beyond that. We stocked up on cold cuts, cheese, and lots of snacky stuff from Aldi. Our family likes to eat, so we want to be prepared! 🙂
Who I’m Excited to Meet and Hear
Colleen Kessler -I’m probably most excited to hear (and meet!) Colleen Kessler from Raising Lifelong Learners speak. She is an expert on differently-wired kids and her podcast has given me great encouragement. I’ve also been doing her “Crash Course for Homeschooling THAT Kid” which has been very helpful.
Kathy Koch – I first heard Dr. Kathy speak in South Korea in 2003. The next time I heard her was at a Hearts at Home conference in 2015. She is one of the most encouraging and motivating speakers I’ve heard. With a combined passion for children and a degree in educational pyschology, she is a (positive) FORCE to be reckoned with. As many of you know, I was also on her recent Book Launch team for Start With the Heart, which is an invaluable resource about motivating your kids, with loads of practical tips for parents.
Sarah Mackenzie – I’m not sure we’ll make it to one of Sarah’s sessions, though my son specifically asked if we will meet her (I told him it’s likely!) 🙂 Her website – Read Aloud Revival, is an extremely helpful resource for finding great read aloud selections. I hope to at least visit her booth in the exhibit hall.
Concerts
We’ll be going to two concerts while we’re there.
Andrew Peterson – Andrew Peterson has grown to be one of our favorites. We have his Behold the Lamb of God Christmas album and have been listening to his Resurrection Letters, Vol. 1 album too. This past fall, we devoured his first novel On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness and LOVED it. Yeah – he’s a writer AND a musician, a true creative soul. We’re all pretty stoked to see him in concert.
Slugs and Bugs – We have listened to Slugs and Bugs since the kids were itty bitty, so they do not remember a time without Slugs and Bugs in their lives. This concert is sure to be a treat. We love the way Slugs and Bugs fuses the silly and the serious in a sweet, sweet way. The kids are really hoping to hear some songs from the Under Where? album. We also love his Sing the Bible albums, where he puts scripture to music.
Other Highlights
I mentioned the exhibit/vendor hall which is a big draw to any homeschool convention. With modern technology and the internet, you can research a lot of curriculum online, but seeing it and getting your hands on it is SO much better!
Last but certainly not least, the kids will be going to day camp type event Giant Cow while we attend the sessions, which they are pretty pumped about!
You can find my 5 Takeaways from the Great Homeschool Convention here.
C
