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I have such a hard time getting these done! Is there anyone else out there like me? Part of it is they are time consuming and I've got 5 guides going. Now, I really only have to do the projects in two of them, because the older kids do their own. But still, I just hate doing anything "crafty" or "projecty", and it seems to break the flow of the school day, and make it longer! How do I get over this? I want to do more of them, but sometimes I just run out of time and the "will" is not really there to begin with. Any suggestions?

Me too Yet my youngest loves them and really needs them, and he really needs me to be "with" him I'm looking forward to ideas

Could you possibly have the older ones help with one project each, each week? Maybe that would help get a few more of them done?

ha ha - I get it! We are busy and sometimes I am just tired! But I do them because my kids really love them. What keeps me going is my kids excitement. It might not be much but it works for me

I was tempted to skip a science "discovery" today in my 5 year old's LHFHG...we had to make a foil boat, float it in water and add coins to see if it would float. So simple, right? I didn't think he would miss it, or really enjoy it for that matter. But, I did it with him, and he LOVED it. He made the connection with the story of Noah's ark, and the animals and people on the ark. I am so glad I did it. I guess, like Nealewill said, the kids excitement is what drives me. And if they know they have an experiment or art project, they keep me excited by their excitement!

One thing I have considered is doing the art projects during the summer or during breaks or other times when there isn't as much going on... it gives us something fun to do that is productive, plus provides some great review over what they have learned. Maybe that could be an option for some of the projects for you. Or maybe do them on a rainy or snowy Saturday when everyone is cooped up and needs something fun and different.

Last year, I found myself skipping Storytime. I was so busy and it was just a story. I thought I'd leave it to the end of the day when we were all done. But we'd never get to it. If a major subjetc was undone, I'd push for that. But, stories I let slide. I started to see how much we were missing. DD said Storytime was actually her favourite part of the day. So I moved it to first thing. A story to get us easing into the day.

If you find you never get to it or its disrupting the day, what about making it first in the day? Get it done and get on with the rest of the day.

I am not very crafty either and wouldn't chose to do these on my own, but what I saw was it was the thing my son used as a break from all the thinking and reading and he really needed that. To you it might seem to break up the flow of the day, but to them it could be a needed down time or fun time to get up and move or at least use a different part of their brain then they have been using. I do know as a physical therapist that hands on learning is very important and connects different synapses then other types of learning. Maybe if you think of all the positives of these activities it will help you not dread them. The more positive you are the more fun they will have and if you are like me if you see your kids having fun then that makes you more positive so it is a win win.

These are the things my boys want to do the most....they call them "the fun stuff". I usually save them for last so that they have something to anticipate. Then again, I am a 'science' person and also love art.

Wow, thank you all so much for your ideas and encouragement! I really like the idea of doing it first thing. I think I would feel a sense of relief that it was "done". Thank you for reminding me that they are important. I think I need to convince myself of that somehow.

You have all been so helpful. Thank you!

Renee