Homeschooling parents: What are your top 5 gadgets you can't do without when HS'ing?

Janis B...

My stab at humor will probably not be as good as your would have been but... anyway...

1 - Metal detector

2 - Drug sniffing dog(s)

3 - Bathroom coupon (only three trips per semester)

4 - Calculator (for "learning" how to do basic math)

5 - A paddle with holes drilled in it and hanging on the wall

----

OK... my real list...

1 - Computer / Internet

2 - Whiteboard

3 - Strunk & White's Elements of Style

4 - My old pickup truck for running my ds around to coop, clubs, etc.

5 - Other homeschool parents (they are some real fancy gadgets!)

When I homeschooled myself for a year in sixth grade, I couldn't go without a:

1. Dry erase board.

2. Computer

3. Hole puncher.

4. Laminator <3

5. Graph paper.

1 Math U See blocks

2 Pencil sharpener

3 Computer

4 Printer

5 Dry Erase board and Markers

My top "gadget" would have to be the computer! Next would be our DVD player (we rent from Netflix all the time!).

All of my kids are interested in created images and web pages, as well as computer programming and networking, so I would consider some of the software as tops on my "gadget list." Things like:

An office suite (I like the free Open Office suite - it does everything the Microsoft suite does and you can't beat the price! Download at http://www.openoffice.org)/

Graphics, Illustration and Web editing software - I like the Adobe products (Photoshop, Illustrator, Indesign) and Dreamweaver and even the newer FrontPage.

I LOVE this question--

1. Computer/printer

a much needed accessory in homeschooling. I use it to create curriculum, grade reports, all sorts of schedules and paperworks. My kids used it to create reports, learn to program, play educational games, etc.

2. dice

When kids are little dice, cards, pennies, and many other items are Math. You can use them to reinforce all sorts of rote learning, comparisons, counting, etc. Wonderful tools.

3. Construction paper/ art accessories

You use them all the way to Highschool. Create all sorts of projects, posters, charts, reports, artwork, etc. From color-coded phonics charts for a 4yo to complex charts and ratios of a 15yo. These are a necessity.

4. Batteries, wires, christmas lights, and other "trash" for science.

What would we do without using christmas lights, 9volt batteries and paperclip (switches) to make series and parallel circuits? My kids made all sorts of "inventions" and did all sorts of physics experiments with household misc that other people see as trash.

5. Balls

You can do all sorts of games to reinforce learning with balls. From pingpong balls to basketballs they are a great learning tool as well as good exercise. My kids learned to add by tossing pingpong balls I had numbered into buckets and adding up the score. Learning is always better when it is done with fun.

Did I tell you how great this question is? I love it.

Since my son is still fairly young, the most important things we use are:

1.http://www.montessori.edu/

2.Children's cookbooks, art supplies, things that help my son "do things himself" (although he is three, he loves being independent.)

3.Torah for Children (religious education is important to us)

4.Overhead machine for showing DVD's and slideshows

5.Legos and wood blocks, help with motor coordination, spatial-temporal reasoning and visualization, and are really fun to play with.

We unschool, so I'm not sure what I'd put down, we don't use gadgets per se, but I have a top five list of things we use a LOT!

iMac with internet (for research) and skype (for the teens)

library (complete with awesome librarians and great hang out)

Ford excursion (for traveling with our friends)

huge backyard (for building and destroying and just Being)

play room with lots of freedom

1. Same as yours

2. Computer and net connection

3. Microscope. (bought this for her for Christmas! She and her public schooled friends spent Boxing Day looking at blood through it! Home school rocks!!)

4. Printer

5. The helpful suggestions I get from here and other home school forums.

1. Our new microscope!

2. My three hole punch

3. Library card (not a gadget, but something I can't live without)

4. Computer

5. Car !

computer

learning cd's

cassette player

hooked on phonics tapes & books

pencil, paper & eraser

dry erase markers & boards are great too!

I want to get some math u see blocks!!!!

what's a comb binding machine?