On how I finally stopped hating workbooks
Written by Jamie C. Martin of Simple Homeschool
When we first began homeschooling, workbooks represented two things I desperately wanted to avoid: an impersonalized learning system and the idea of fitting all children into the same box/grade level.
We had a few workbooks on our shelf, but I only used them at a child’s request–not very often.
However, as my kids became older, I slowly began to see two benefits that workbooks also have to offer:
1. They leave a paper trail. This comes in handy when you need proof of all the learning, both informal and formal, that happens under your roof.
2. They can calm a mama’s or papa’s homeschool jitters.
Sometimes when you’re homeschooling, you feel completely out of your element. Making a habit of even one workbook page a day can take the edge off those insecurities.
When my kids were littles, my main goal was for them to fall in love with learning. It still is! But I think having the tiniest amount of book work might have settled my own worries just a tad while giving them 95+% interest-led learning freedom.
If this is something you’d like to try, look for a way to encourage your kids to agree to the idea, too, so that even this small minimum will not become a battleground.
Tip: I often tape a $5 bill in the back of a workbook and find that to be quite the compelling incentive! We also use our positivity bean jar to encourage this type of work.
Over the years we have found a few workbooks that worked well for us. So when the opportunity came to partner with Workman Publishing, creators of the colorful Big Fat Notebooks and our favorite Star Wars workbooks, I eagerly agreed to take a peek at their new line of summer workbooks.
Here’s an official overview:
“SUMMER BRAIN QUEST (just released this month) is an exciting new extension of our #1 bestselling Brain Quest brand (with 45 million copies in print).
SUMMER BRAIN QUEST is notable because it offers a one-of-a-kind learning experience that delivers personalized learning to every kid. Personalized learning tailors exercises to each child’s strengths, needs and interests.
Our goal was to empower kids to have a voice in what and how they learn. The workbooks achieve this through their interactive format.
SUMMER BRAIN QUEST is structured like a game; each book includes a pull-out map that guides kids on a learning quest. They fill in their route on the map by earning stickers for completing workbook pages as well as pursuing outdoor activities.”
“The map offers a choice of routes, allowing kids to customize their learning path and pursue what excites them most, and also encouraging them to jump around within the book to follow their curiosity.
Original artwork by video game artist Edison Yan makes every book feel fresh and fun. These are the most visually appealing books in the market.”
A quick guide to what’s covered in each workbook:
Since homeschool families don’t always follow specific grade levels, I thought it would be helpful to show you what’s included in each book so you can choose the one that fits your child best:
Summer Brain Quest: Between Grades K & 1 – phonics, reading, writing, counting, shapes, seasons, habitats, map skills, and more.
Between Grades 1 & 2 – reading comprehension, writing, addition and subtraction, earth science, the seasons, telling time, and more.
Between Grades 2 & 3 – adjectives versus adverbs, reading comprehension, writing opinions, word problems, place value, measurement, map skills, and more.
Between Grades 3 & 4 – writing, reading, number patterns, natural science, timelines, parts of speech, and more.
Between Grades 4 & 5 – reading comprehension, research and informative writing, grammar, multiplication and division, American history, and more.
Between Grades 5 & 6 – reading comprehension, writing essays, ancient history, grammar, fractions and decimals, climate, and more.
In all honesty, I would love these even more if they weren’t categorized by grade levels. I prefer it when workbooks are numbered (like Level 1, 2, 3) but without referring to specific grades–that way they offer more flexibility to homeschool families.
Yet there are many things I find appealing about the Summer Brain Quest series:
– Each page is beautiful, colorful, and well-designed! The gaming concept is fun for kids.
– Each book includes real-life suggestions for the summer, like outdoor games and quests to earn stickers for your map.
– There’s a certificate at the end to give to your child after completing the workbook.
– The back of each workbook features a recommended reading list to take to the library. There’s a little bit of twaddle included here and there, but most of the choices are lovely ones. I appreciate the emphasis on summer reading!
– Many of the activity pages could also be done alongside a parent orally if your child finds writing frustrating.
– Each book contains a section of Brain Quest questions on make-your-own flashcards. I cut several of these out to integrate into our morning homeschool time in a casual way over the months ahead!
This giveaway has ended; thanks for your interest!
To be entered to win, leave a comment on this post answering this question: How old are your kids and what has been your experience with workbooks thus far?
This post is sponsored by Workman Publishing. All opinions are my own!
I have a 9 year old and 4 year old. Both will, from time to time, grab a workbook from the shelf. We unschool so they aren’t assigned pages, but I think they enjoy the chance to use an activity with a clear start and finish.
My daughter is pre-k so I haven’t tried any workbooks yet. I loved the reasons you gave for using them. Have me confidence since I’m starting to feel that anxiety.
My kids are 9, 7, 6 and 3. They do like some workbooks and like the feeling of accomplishment when finishing one. These look like great for the summer.
My kids are 10 & 13. We use workbooks occasionally but not in a routine way. These look like a fun way to encourage learning over the summer.
My kids are 7, 5, and 1. They love the colorful layouts of workbooks.
Homeschooling two kindergarteners and we love workbooks!!
My kids are 8, 6 1/2, 5, and 3. I love workbooks! My kids go back and forth. 🙂 This seems like a great way to keep the learning up through the summer for kids who don’t like school much.
13, 10 & 6
Typical we’re not workbook people. But we’d be willing to give them a go.
My kids are 8, 7, 4, and 1. We use the workbooks that accompany Story of the World. They enjoy the coloring pages while I read aloud and most times like filling in the map work, as well.
Jamie, once again you have put into words my own dislikes and eventual realizations! With a summer full of travel ahead, I have been looking for an all in one workbook to keep skills up but not take up a lot of space. This looks like the perfect solution!
Our children are 15, 13, 11, &9. Some of them love workbooks, especially our youngest. We have used the workbooks with some limited success. Thank you for the opportunity to win!
My kiddos are 5, 7, and 9. Our workbook use has been very hot and cold; I’m pleasantly surprised when they choose a workbook off the shelf! I love the idea of a summer “quest”…and that $5 bill!! Thank you!
Workbooks have their place in our homeschool, and make it so that I can be more hands-off on a rotating basis with certain subjects on certain days. When the schedule gets derailed, they are a good back-up plan that doesn’t require any prep on my part. My kids are 13B, 11B, 9B, and 7G.
This is such a great giveaway to win not one but all six books. We love these books. Please don’t include me in the giveaway because my children are to old for these work book but I just wanted to comment about the books and the giveaway. I’m going to share it too.
My kiddos are 1, 5, and 7. I love using workbooks each day. My daughters think they are fun. I just randomly assign a page a day. It hits some skills that I wouldn’t think to cover (like how to count a tally chart). They like that they are bright and colorful.
My kids are 5 and 1 so we’re just starting out and we don’t really have an opinion on workbooks yet.
My kids are 10, 6, and 4 and the younger two especially love to work their way through workbooks but I have struggled to find some that are worth it. These workbooks look awesome though.
My son is 6 and in our first year of homeschool, and we haven’t utilized any workbooks yet, I’d be curious to try and see if it is engaging for him.
I have a 7 year old who seems to not like workbooks. Or atleast the idea of them. These workbooks look fun though and I think she would enjoy them. And you are so right that even one page a day makes me feel better 🙂
Mine are 7, 9, 11, 12 & 14. I’ve avoided workbooks until about 2 months ago. I decided to try the Brainquest books, actually, and love them! For all the reasons you posted above, it felt like the right time to introduce workbooks. I do also wish it wasn’t by grade level, since mine are kinda all over the place. I told them to ignore that and just know that each book is filled with new information.
Thank you for the giveaway! I’ve got a 5 year old who we just started homeschooling. Also have a 2 year old who loves to tag along with whatever the 5 year old is working on! My 5 year old actually LOVES workbooks and worksheets. She always begs for more school work! I bet she’d love these!
My kids are 12, 11, 9, 7, 3 & 1, and most of them love workbooks and will eagerly pick out new ones to do on their own. We do assign a little bit of Explode the Code each day until our kids are fluent readers, but other than that they’re mostly for fun!
My children are 7,9,13,15. Typically work books have been a challenge for them, they are boring, bland or generally not laid out well. But my youngest loves to “complete things” so she likes workbooks. I have used them regularly in the summer to keep the learning going.
We use workbooks on and off with mixed results. These look like somethinf I hope to try this summer for our 9 and 7 year olds.
Great giveaway. So far I’ve only used workbooks as a kinda of test or check to see how my daughter is doing. But I bought a regular Brain Quest workbook for her to do if she wants this summer! My kiddos are 7, 5, and 2 1/2.