Childhood is beautiful. It holds within it a few magical, fleeting years of beauty, and then it is gone. At Idlewild, we believe that childhood should be safeguarded and nurtured - that we as parents should feed the lovely fancies and simplistic joys of our children during these precious years of wonder.

 

The Whimsy Studies was created to bring vibrancy and life to your child’s early years and spark a fire of interest and learning in them, while staying true to what childhood should be.

 

To accomplish this, The Whimsy Studies uses a spine of whimsical children’s stories to provide the foundation for each unit. Pretend play and imagination-rich activities weave through each gentle learning unit, uniting an organic unfolding of factual information with each fanciful tale.

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Books

 

Books provide a natural way to learn that is pleasant and breezy. Generally young children do not love to sit down and be expected to memorize and absorb drilled information – it is against their natural inclination. Books provide the foundation for learning in this course so that as your child embarks on a lifetime of learning, their first experiences are enjoyable. To learn, you will read together! Your child’s enthusiasm as a student, and your confidence as their teacher, will soar as you both realize that when you have the right tools, learning is effortless.

 

This course requires the use of core books that we recommend purchasing, as well as unit-specific books that can be checked out from a library or read using YouTube. (The books that are available on YouTube will be indicated on the booklist so you can plan accordingly.)

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Home

 

Children’s lives revolve around home. Home is comforting, and provides an anchor that will support your child all throughout their life. The Whimsy Studies seeks to enhance this bond by exploring topics that are close to home. Although there are a few far-flung topics covered, like aurora borealis and polar bears, much of the time is spent focusing on the familiar. You and your child will learn about family traditions, holidays and seasons, trees and birds, ladybugs and dirt, berries and jam, and where milk and bread and butter and clothes come from. Because the most profound learning connects to our lives and our personal stories, The Whimsy Studies seeks to help your child learn more about their world, not just the world.

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Seasonal & Nature-Based Learning

 

Nature grounds us and brings deep joy. This earth is a wonder, and its intricacy and perfection inspire natural curiosity in all of us. Much of The Whimsy Studies is focused on the natural world, so that your child’s learning is infused with that sense of grounding, curiosity, and joy. 

 

The Whimsy Studies was written to reflect what your child is experiencing seasonally, and enhance what they see in the weather and world around them. Although it can be used any time and in any way that works for your family, the seasonal-based format of this course mirrors a fall-to-spring school timeframe in the Northern Hemisphere.

 

The Whimsy Studies was also created to provide a perfect foundation that leads your child into The Organic Studies, if you so choose. Written to be related products that work in tandem, The Whimsy Studies was designed to begin your child’s nature-based learning, and lead you smoothly into the next level up: The Organic Studies. After using The Whimsy Studies, your child will be ready for The Organic Studies, and will encounter new information within that course.

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Play

 

Children learn through play, and play is an integral part of The Whimsy Studies. This course endeavors to create experiences that invite your child to play, and encourage you to join in! Playing and pretending will contribute deeply to your child’s happiness and development, as well as strengthen their emotional bonds with you.

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Art

 

Children often have a genius for creativity, and know how to create for the sheer joy of it. To support this outpouring of joyful creativity, The Whimsy Studies includes projects that encourage free expression through child-led artistic experiences.

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A Dual Purpose

 

True to our mission here at Idlewild, The Whimsy Studies is also designed to tutor you as the parent in organic and natural learning within the walls of your home. The simple open-and-go style is intended to beautifully guide your child in learning, while simultaneously teaching you how to teach and lead your homeschool. We want to instill confidence in you as you recognize how simple learning at home can be. Homeschool does not have to be complicated to be meaningful and provide depth.

 

One hundred percent of Idlewild parents polled reported that their confidence in being able to homeschool grew after using our products! You are capable of beautifully and confidently leading your homeschool, and we believe learning on the job and as you go is an amazingly effective way to gain the skills you need.

 

 

Secular and Spiritual Options

 

The Whimsy Studies can provide a secular OR Christian homeschool experience for your family. Used alone, The Whimsy Studies is completely secular. For Christian homeschool families, we have written and created The Seed Studies. The Seed Studies is a complementary Bible study course that works with The Whimsy Studies to help parents connect their children's nature-based learning to the God that created it all. 

 

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