Books and linkys

Ok, taking a break from philosophising for a minute, I want to share some really great books I have bought the boys in the last few months for those moments when they're not talking about Pokemon, watching Pokemon, playing Pokemon, drawing Pokemon characters, inventing new Pokemon characters, or just generally consumed with Pokemon! Getting them interested in anything else has been a challenge. Even with Christmas in the middle of all that! So what is a mother to do?

We actually have probably over 2,000 books in this house, which are all very interesting in their different ways, but I can't recommend every single one on here, it would take too long. They all help to build up a picture of the world, so they're all useful in our home ed arsenal. But these are just the one's I'm picking right now. So there.

So anyway what are these books? Well Herb has just spent the last three hours reading this really great book:

"This book is extremely funny and its all about the earth's history and all the different time periods. It's cool because it's all in cartoons"

He has also been seen with his nose buried for hours on end in this book...

This is really great. It encourages you to think in mathematical ways, to see the maths inherent in everything. A brilliant unschooly book to really get you thinking without making maths boring. Lots of fun experiments to try and puzzles to solve. Homeschool gold.

Next is another good book I bought as toilet reading. Oooh I am sneaky.

These books below are possibly even better, and highly recommended for a dyslexic, since the information is given in short sentences, generally one or two per page with fab colour photos. A highly visual book. They contain genuinely interesting facts and statistics about all sorts of things - pretty random!

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This next one could save you in a spot of bother someday. 

The front cover tells you how to survive "Tsunamis, Sharks, Lightening Strikes, earthquakes, airplane crashes....and 65 other hair-raising scenarios!" What's not to like about a book that could save your life one day?! Given the super scary plane landing we had coming back from Spain (trying to land in gale force winds - barrrf), I'm in the right frame of mind to be looking at such books! 

Next up, well Horrible Histories is the Daddy in terms of the nouvelle vague of all-singing all dancing educational books. And here's the 2012 annual, which is full of the usual HH goodies. Thank you Terry!

One we've had for a while but worth a mention anyway, is this book, which is also lighthearted enough not to make the kids want to run a mile. The DVD makes it more accessible still, especially if your guys are better with visual aids than wordy tomes.

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So what are Mama and Papa feeding their minds with? That the kids end up absorbing by proxy? Well again, its hard to pick out one single thing, since we read non-stop, and well, are alive! Surely that's learning enough right? Everything feeds into our learning like pieces of the most gigantic puzzle, and it comes together a piece at a time. But something we're really getting a lot of enjoyment from is 'The British History Podcast'.

This is a really brilliant breakdown of the history of Britain and the guy who does it (He simply calls himself Jamie) talks in a really easy-going american accent. He tells it in a very friendly and non-boffin way. So far we've listened to 30 episodes, and are just about done with the Roman's in Britain. Really enjoyable, easy listening. You can download it on itunes or go direct to the website.

We're also loving 'Mark Steele's in Town' on bbc iplayer. He basically tours round Britain poking fun at different towns in a loveable way, after researching the town's history and meeting various interesting characters along the way. The audience get treated to a history of their town they probably never heard the likes of before and usually laugh their asses off.

Whilst putting together this blogpost, we have been listening to the velvety smooth 'Jarvis Cocker's Sunday Service', also on iplayer. What a joy this is. A musical journey each week which is enlightening, funny, psychedelic, soothing, educational, and pure music to my ears. No other radio show does it for me as much as this.

So that's a tiny snapshot of what learning looks like in our house at the moment, when we're not out and about causing mayhem and mischief of one kind or another!

What's big in your house at the moment?