How to Do Composer Study with Elementary Kids (The Simple, Beautiful Way)

If you’ve ever wondered how to do composer study with elementary kids without a music degree or a house full of instruments, you’re in good company. I felt the same way when I first started homeschooling. Classical music felt intimidating — something for fancy people in concert halls, not a mama in yoga pants trying to get through morning chores while the chickens squawk outside.

But here’s what I’ve learned: composer study is one of the simplest, most beautiful additions to your homeschool. And it requires almost nothing from you except a willingness to press play.

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What Is Composer Study, Anyway?

In the Charlotte Mason tradition, composer study is simply the practice of exposing your children to great music — regularly, gently, without worksheets or quizzes. The idea is that children absorb beauty the way they absorb language: through repeated, living exposure.

You’re not teaching music theory. You’re not drilling facts about time signatures. You’re inviting your kids into a relationship with beautiful music, one composer at a time.

And honestly? It’s become one of my favorite parts of our homeschool week.

Why Composer Study Belongs in Your Homeschool

We live in a world of constant noise — notifications, jingles, algorithmic playlists designed to keep us scrolling. Composer study is a quiet rebellion against all of that. It teaches our kids to slow down, to listen deeply, to recognize beauty when they hear it.

Charlotte Mason believed that music was a birthright, not a privilege. Every child deserves to know Beethoven and Handel and Vivaldi — not because it makes them smarter (though studies suggest it might), but because great music feeds the soul.

Plus, it’s the kind of education that sticks. My kids now recognize Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker Suite when it plays in a store. They have opinions about whether Mozart or Bach is “better” (spirited debates, y’all). That’s the fruit of simple, consistent exposure.

How to Get Started: The Simple Method

Step 1: Pick One Composer Per Term

Don’t overcomplicate this. Choose one composer to focus on for 6-12 weeks. That’s it. We typically follow the school term rhythm, so we study three composers per year.

Some great starting points for elementary kids:

• Vivaldi (The Four Seasons is perfect for nature-loving families)
• Mozart (accessible and playful)
• Beethoven (dramatic and memorable)
• Handel (especially around Easter — Messiah is stunning)
• Tchaikovsky (ballet music captures little imaginations)

Step 2: Play Their Music Regularly

This is the heart of composer study: regular listening. We aim for 2-3 times per week, about 10-15 minutes each session.

When do we listen? During:

• Morning time (while we do memory work or poetry)
• Lunch
• Art time
• Quiet afternoon rest
• While the kids play outside (yes, I’ll put a speaker on the back porch)

You don’t need fancy equipment. A phone, a Bluetooth speaker, and a streaming service work just fine. I like to create a playlist at the beginning of each term so I’m not scrambling.

Step 3: Learn a Little About Their Life

Once a week or so, we read a short biography or picture book about our composer. We keep it simple — maybe 10 minutes of reading aloud.

For elementary kids, I love the “Getting to Know the World’s Greatest Composers” series by Mike Venezia. They’re funny, illustrated, and give just enough information without overwhelming. You can often find these at the library or through curriculum suppliers like Rainbow Resource.

We’ll also look up a portrait of the composer and maybe find their birthplace on a map. That’s it. No reports. No tests.

Step 4: Invite Response (But Don’t Force It)

Sometimes my kids want to draw while they listen. Sometimes they want to dance. Sometimes they just want to build LEGOs and let the music wash over them. All of those responses are valid.

If your child loves to draw, keep a nature journal or sketchbook handy during listening time. A set of Faber-Castell watercolor pencils can make this feel special — we sometimes do “musical watercolors” where the kids paint whatever the music makes them feel.

But honestly? Don’t stress about output. The goal is exposure and enjoyment, not production.

Making It Work in Real Life

Keep It Short

Fifteen minutes is plenty for elementary kids. Some days we do less. Charlotte Mason was big on short lessons, and this applies to music too. Better to leave them wanting more than to drag it out until everyone’s glazed over.

Use What You Have

You don’t need a curriculum (though some families love having one). You don’t need instruments. You don’t need to understand music yourself. You just need to press play and be present with your kids.

Let It Be Background Sometimes

Not every listening session needs to be focused. Sometimes Baroque music is just playing while we eat lunch or while I’m folding laundry. That still counts. Familiarity breeds affection.

Connect It to Nature Study When You Can

This might be my favorite part. Vivaldi’s Four Seasons is basically a nature study soundtrack. We’ll listen to “Spring” while we’re outside observing the birds at our feeder (the Sibley Birds guide gets pulled out a lot during these sessions). Beethoven’s Pastoral Symphony pairs beautifully with a morning in the backyard, watching the chickens scratch around and the dog chase lizards.

Music and nature study together? That’s the good stuff, y’all.

A Sample Composer Study Week

Here’s what a typical week might look like in our house:

Monday: Listen to two pieces during morning time. Brief narration — “What did you notice? How did it make you feel?”

Wednesday: Listen during art time. Kids draw or paint while the music plays.

Friday: Read a few pages from our composer biography. Look at a portrait. Listen to one more piece.

That’s maybe 45 minutes total for the whole week, spread across three days. Simple. Doable. Beautiful.

Resources We Love

For curriculum, Timberdoodle offers some wonderful music appreciation options if you want something more structured. But truly, you can do this with library books, YouTube, and Spotify.

The key is consistency over complexity. Show up week after week, press play, and trust that your kids are absorbing more than you realize.

The Long Game of Musical Education

Composer study isn’t about raising prodigies or checking boxes. It’s about giving our kids a rich inner life — a storehouse of beauty they can draw from for the rest of their days.

I think about this when we’re sitting on the back porch in the late afternoon, Florida humidity settling in, the kids sprawled out with books while Chopin plays softly from the speaker. The dog is dozing. The chickens are doing their thing. And my kids are absorbing something true and good and beautiful without even trying.

That’s the 1990s childhood I’m trying to give them, updated for today. Less noise. More substance. Space to just be with beautiful things.

You can do this, mama. Press play. It’s enough.

Non-Toxic Garage Floor Cleaner Safe for Pets: What We Actually Use

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If you’ve got a dog who tracks through the garage, chickens who occasionally wander in looking for spilled feed, or kids who sit on that concrete floor to put on their rain boots — you’ve probably wondered the same thing I did: What on earth can I use to clean this garage floor that won’t poison everyone I love?

It’s one of those questions that seems simple until you start reading ingredient labels. Or until your labradoodle licks the floor where you just mopped. Or until your free-range hens decide the garage is their new favorite hangout spot.

Y’all, I’ve been there. Let me share what actually works for us.

Why Most Garage Cleaners Are a Problem

Here’s the thing about conventional garage floor cleaners: they’re designed for industrial messes. Oil stains, grease, tire marks. And to tackle those tough jobs, manufacturers load them up with some pretty harsh stuff — petroleum-based solvents, synthetic fragrances, sodium hydroxide, and other chemicals that can irritate skin, damage respiratory systems, and be genuinely toxic if ingested.

For a sterile warehouse with no living creatures around? Maybe that’s fine. But our garage?

Our garage is where our mini labradoodle waits by the door for walks. Where the kids store their bikes and bug-catching gear. Where I keep the diatomaceous earth for the chicken coop and the extra bags of feed. Where — let’s be honest — someone is always barefoot even though I’ve asked them a hundred times to put on shoes.

A space that connected to our living space needs to be treated like living space. Period.

What Makes a Cleaner “Pet-Safe”?

When I started researching non-toxic garage floor cleaners safe for pets, I realized I needed to define what “safe” actually meant for our family. Here’s what I look for:

No Harsh Chemical Fumes

If I can smell it from across the house, it’s probably not great for anyone’s lungs — human, canine, or poultry. Florida garages get HOT, and heat intensifies off-gassing. A cleaner that seems mild in January becomes a fumigation chamber in August.

No Residue That’s Harmful If Licked or Walked On

Dogs lick their paws. Chickens peck at everything. Kids touch the floor and then touch their faces. Any cleaner I use needs to be safe once it dries — or better yet, safe even when wet.

Actually Works

I’m not going to pretend that plain water and good intentions will remove a motor oil stain. We need something with actual cleaning power. Non-toxic doesn’t have to mean ineffective.

Our Go-To Non-Toxic Garage Floor Cleaning Routine

After a lot of trial and error (and one memorable incident involving baking soda paste and a very confused dog), here’s what actually works for us:

For Regular Cleaning: Castile Soap + Hot Water

This is the workhorse. I fill a bucket with hot water, add a few tablespoons of unscented castile soap, and mop the whole floor. Castile soap is plant-based, biodegradable, and rinses clean. No residue for paws or bare feet.

I usually do this every couple of weeks, or after we’ve had a particularly muddy week. (Florida rainy season, anyone?)

For Tough Stains: Baking Soda + Vinegar + Elbow Grease

For oil drips or mystery stains — and there are always mystery stains when you have kids — I make a paste with baking soda and a little water, apply it to the stain, let it sit for 15-20 minutes, then spray with white vinegar. The fizzing action helps lift the grime. I scrub with a stiff brush and rinse well.

Is it as fast as spraying industrial degreaser? No. Does it work without making my dog sick? Yes.

For Deep Cleaning: Washing Soda Solution

A few times a year, I do a deep clean with washing soda (sodium carbonate). It’s stronger than baking soda but still non-toxic and biodegradable. I dissolve half a cup in a gallon of hot water and mop the whole floor, then rinse with plain water. This cuts through the built-up grime that regular mopping misses.

Products That Make Non-Toxic Cleaning Easier

I’m all about simple DIY solutions, but I also appreciate when someone else has done the formulating work for me. For household cleaning in general, we’ve been really happy with Grove Collaborative. They make it easy to find concentrated, non-toxic cleaners that actually work, and I can set up recurring orders so I never run out.

For pest control around the garage (because Florida), we use Wondercide sprays. They’re plant-based and safe around pets, which matters when you’ve got a curious dog who investigates every corner.

And that food-grade diatomaceous earth I mentioned? It’s great for natural pest control in the garage too. I sprinkle it in corners and along the walls where bugs like to travel. It’s completely non-toxic to mammals and birds but effective against crawling insects.

A Note About Chickens and Garages

If your backyard chickens have access to your garage — whether by design or by their own stubborn determination — you need to be extra careful. Chickens will eat almost anything, and they spend a lot of time with their beaks on the ground.

Before I let our girls explore the garage (supervised, because they WILL find trouble), I make sure the floor has been cleaned with something completely non-toxic and thoroughly rinsed. No exceptions.

This is also why I store chicken supplies like feed and supplements carefully. Storey’s Guide to Raising Chickens has a great section on keeping chickens safe from common household hazards — it’s one of those resources I come back to again and again.

Making It Part of Your Routine

Honestly, the biggest shift wasn’t finding the right cleaner — it was accepting that a non-toxic garage floor requires a little more intentionality than just grabbing a spray bottle and calling it done.

I’ve built garage cleaning into our rhythm. Quick sweep after outdoor adventures. Mop every other week. Deep clean at the start of each season. It’s not complicated, just consistent.

And the payoff? I don’t worry when my daughter sits on the garage floor to pull on her rain boots before heading out to check on the chickens. I don’t panic when the dog sprawls out on the cool concrete on a hot day. I don’t cringe when the kids dump out their bug collection kits to examine their finds right there on the floor.

That peace of mind? Worth every minute of extra scrubbing.

The Bottom Line

Finding a non-toxic garage floor cleaner safe for pets isn’t about finding some magical product — it’s about simplifying your approach and being willing to put in a little extra effort. Castile soap, baking soda, vinegar, and washing soda will handle almost everything. A few trusted non-toxic brands fill in the gaps.

Our garage will never be pristine. There will always be muddy paw prints, scattered chicken feathers, and mysterious kid-related spills. But it’s clean enough, safe enough, and — most importantly — it’s a space where our whole family can move freely without me worrying about what they’re being exposed to.

And honestly? That’s what non-toxic living is about. Not perfection. Just intention. Making choices that protect the people and creatures we love, one small decision at a time.

Now if you’ll excuse me, someone left the garage door open and I have a chicken to chase back to the coop.

Best Chicken Treats That Are Actually Healthy: What We Feed Our Backyard Flock

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If you’ve ever walked out to your coop with a bowl of kitchen scraps and watched your chickens come running like you’re holding gold, you know the joy of treat time. But here’s the thing — after our first year of keeping backyard chickens, I started wondering if everything we were tossing over the fence was actually good for them. Turns out, not all chicken treats are created equal, and some of the stuff you’ll see recommended online can actually cause more harm than good.

So today I’m sharing what we’ve learned about the best chicken treats that are actually healthy — the stuff our flock goes crazy for that also supports their egg production, feather health, and overall wellbeing. Because just like feeding our kids, I want to be intentional about what goes into our animals too.

Why Healthy Treats Matter for Backyard Chickens

Chickens aren’t just little garbage disposals (even though they act like it sometimes). What they eat directly affects their egg quality, immune system, and longevity. Too many treats — especially the wrong kind — can lead to obesity, reduced laying, and nutritional deficiencies.

The general rule of thumb is that treats should make up no more than 10% of your flock’s diet. The rest should come from a quality layer feed. But within that 10%, you can really boost their nutrition with the right choices.

When I first started researching chicken nutrition, I picked up Storey’s Guide to Raising Chickens and it became my chicken-keeping bible. It goes deep on nutrition, health, and husbandry in a way that’s thorough but still accessible. If you’re serious about keeping a healthy flock, it’s worth having on your shelf.

Our Favorite Healthy Chicken Treats

Leafy Greens and Garden Scraps

This is the easiest category because it’s basically free if you have a garden. Our chickens go absolutely bonkers for:

• Kale and collard greens
• Lettuce (especially the outer leaves)
• Swiss chard
• Cucumber ends and peels
• Zucchini (we have an abundance every Florida summer)
• Watermelon rinds — a lifesaver in our brutal July heat

Here in Northwest Florida, we can grow greens nearly year-round, which means our flock gets fresh produce even in January. If you’re not gardening yet, the wilted stuff from your fridge works great too. Those slightly sad spinach leaves? Chicken gold.

Mealworms and Black Soldier Fly Larvae

Protein is huge for chickens, especially during molting season when they’re regrowing feathers. Dried mealworms are like chicken crack — seriously, they lose their minds — but I try to use them sparingly because they’re high in fat.

Black soldier fly larvae (often sold as “BSFL” or under brand names) are actually more nutritious with better calcium-to-phosphorus ratios. We keep a bag in the feed room and use them as a training treat when we need the girls to go back in the run.

Herbs from the Garden

This is where things get fun, especially if you’re already into a nature-based lifestyle. Chickens benefit from many of the same herbs we use:

• Oregano — natural immune support
• Basil — antibacterial properties
• Mint — pest deterrent and cooling in summer
• Lavender — calming and helps repel insects in the coop
• Parsley — packed with vitamins

I’ll often toss a handful of fresh herbs into the run or hang bundles in the coop. It’s like aromatherapy for chickens, and the kids love helping harvest.

Fermented or Sprouted Grains

If you want to level up your chicken-keeping game, try fermenting their regular feed or sprouting grains like wheat berries or barley. Fermentation increases nutrient availability and adds probiotics. Sprouting creates fresh greens from a bag of seeds.

We do this especially in winter when fresh greens are harder to come by. It takes some planning, but it’s a great hands-on project for homeschool science too — hello, germination lesson!

Pumpkin and Squash Seeds

Every fall, we save the guts from our pumpkins and butternut squash. The seeds are believed to have natural deworming properties (though not a replacement for actual treatment if you have a parasite problem). The flesh is nutritious too, and chickens will pick a pumpkin clean if you let them.

What to Avoid Giving Your Chickens

Not everything is safe. We steer clear of:

• Avocado pits and skins — contain persin, which is toxic to chickens
• Raw or dried beans — contain harmful lectins
• Anything moldy — can cause respiratory issues
• Salty or heavily processed foods — their little kidneys can’t handle it
• Chocolate or caffeine — toxic
• Onions and garlic in large amounts — can affect egg taste and cause anemia

When in doubt, I look it up before tossing it over the fence.

Making Treat Time Part of Your Homeschool Day

One of the unexpected blessings of backyard chickens is how naturally they fit into a Charlotte Mason approach. My kids have learned so much about animal behavior, nutrition, and responsibility just by caring for our flock daily.

We’ve started keeping notes in our nature journals about what treats the chickens prefer, how their egg production changes with the seasons, and which hen is the bravest about trying new foods (it’s always our Buff Orpington, in case you were wondering). It’s real, living science happening right in our backyard.

For families just starting out with chickens, I always recommend A Kid’s Guide to Keeping Chickens. It’s written at an elementary level and covers feeding, care, and even simple health checks in a way kids can actually own. My oldest used it to create her own chicken care checklist.

Keeping the Coop Clean While You’re At It

Healthy treats are only part of the equation. A clean coop matters too. We sprinkle food-grade diatomaceous earth in the nesting boxes and dust bathing areas to help with mites and lice naturally. And we upgraded to a nipple-style chicken waterer last year to keep their water cleaner — game changer, especially in Florida where everything gets algae in about five minutes.

A Few Final Thoughts

Feeding our chickens well is just one small piece of the intentional life we’re building here. It’s connected to growing a garden, cooking from scratch, and teaching our kids where food actually comes from. There’s something deeply satisfying about collecting eggs from hens you’ve raised on good food and sunshine.

If you’re thinking about getting chickens — or if you already have them and want to do better — just start where you are. Swap out the stale bread for some leafy greens. Toss in some herbs. Watch your flock thrive.

And if you need me, I’ll be out back with a bowl of watermelon rinds and a very enthusiastic group of hens at my feet.

Happy homesteading, friend.

How to Keep a Family Nature Journal Together (Without It Feeling Like Another Chore)

If you’ve ever pinned a dozen gorgeous nature journal spreads on Pinterest and then felt guilty about your blank notebook collecting dust, friend — you’re in good company. I’ve been there. The watercolor mushrooms, the perfectly labeled bird sketches, the pressed wildflowers arranged just so. It’s beautiful, and it can feel completely unattainable when you’ve got elementary-age kids, a dog underfoot, and chickens who need feeding.

But here’s what I’ve learned after a few years of Charlotte Mason-style homeschooling in the Florida humidity: keeping a family nature journal together doesn’t have to look like those Pinterest spreads. It just has to be yours.

This post contains affiliate links. I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Why a Family Nature Journal (Instead of Individual Ones)

When my kids were really little, I tried giving them each their own journal. You can probably guess how that went. One got lost under the couch. One became a “drawing book” full of Minecraft-inspired creatures. And mine? Pristine. Untouched. Because I was so busy helping everyone else that I never picked up a pencil myself.

That’s when we switched to a shared family nature journal, and everything changed.

A family nature journal becomes a collective memory book. It captures what we noticed together — the armadillo that wandered through the backyard last spring, the mockingbird nest in the crepe myrtle, the weird fuzzy caterpillar we still haven’t identified. Everyone contributes according to their ability, and nobody’s intimidated by blank pages because there’s always something already in there.

It’s also beautifully Charlotte Mason. She believed in training children to see — really see — the natural world around them. A shared journal invites that kind of slow attention without the pressure of performance.

Choosing the Right Journal

This matters more than you’d think. You want something sturdy enough to handle multiple hands, watercolors, pressed leaves, and the occasional smear of Florida mud. But not so precious that everyone’s afraid to mess it up.

We’ve had good luck with large sketch journals that have thick, mixed-media paper. A quality nature journal with heavier pages holds up to watercolors, colored pencils, and even glued-in specimens without bleeding through. I keep ours in a basket by the back door so it’s always ready to grab when we head outside.

Some families prefer a three-ring binder so pages can be added, rearranged, or removed if someone’s not happy with their work. There’s no wrong answer — just pick what you’ll actually use.

What to Put In Your Family Nature Journal

Here’s where things get fun. And I want you to release any perfectionism right now. A family nature journal is not an art portfolio. It’s a record of your family’s outdoor life.

Simple Things Anyone Can Add

• Quick sketches — They don’t have to be good. Truly. A wobbly drawing of a lizard with “anole – brown one” scribbled next to it is perfect.
• Observations in words — “Found three different kinds of mushrooms after the rain. One smelled bad.”
• Pressed leaves, flowers, or feathers — Tape them right in. Florida’s full of interesting specimens.
• Rubbings — Tree bark, textured leaves, even interesting sidewalk cracks.
• Lists — Birds spotted this month. Bugs found in the garden. What the chickens ate today.
• Questions — “Why do woodpeckers like the dead palm tree?” You can look it up later. Or not.

Tools That Make It Easier

We keep a small nature study kit that lives with our journal. Inside: Faber-Castell watercolor pencils (they work dry or wet, which is forgiving for kids), regular pencils, a small ruler, and a glue stick. That’s really it.

For identifying what we find, our Sibley bird guide gets the most use — we’re in a flyway here in Northwest Florida, so we get some interesting visitors, especially in spring and fall. I also keep a pocket microscope in my bag for looking at feathers, insect wings, and leaf structures up close. The kids fight over it, which I consider a win.

Making It a Habit (Without Making It a Chore)

This is the part where I tell you that we journal every single day like clockwork, right? Ha. No.

Here’s what actually works for us: we aim for once a week, and we give ourselves grace when it doesn’t happen. Friday mornings are usually our nature study time. We head outside — sometimes just to the backyard, sometimes to a local trail or the bay — and we notice things. Then we come back, and everyone adds something to the journal while it’s fresh.

Some weeks, that means elaborate watercolor spreads. Other weeks, it’s a quick pencil sketch and a note about the weather. Both count.

Tips for Different Ages

• Kindergarten and younger: They can draw (scribbles are fine!), point out what to write, or help press flowers. Don’t stress about handwriting.
• Early elementary: Let them write their own observations, even with misspellings. Invented spelling is part of learning.
• Upper elementary: They can take the lead sometimes — researching an animal, writing longer observations, or trying more detailed sketches.

The goal is participation, not perfection.

Our Favorite Nature Journal Moments

Some of my favorite pages in our family journal aren’t the prettiest ones. They’re the ones with stories attached.

There’s the page from last summer when we found a black racer snake skin draped over the fence — completely intact. We measured it (four feet!) and taped a small piece into the journal. There’s the spread about our chicken Ginger’s first egg, complete with a traced outline because my daughter insisted we document the “historic event.” There’s the one from the week we counted seventeen different birds at our feeder during a cold snap.

These pages aren’t Instagram-worthy. But when we flip through the journal together, the kids remember exactly where they were standing, what the air smelled like, how excited they felt. That’s the whole point.

Start Where You Are

If you’re reading this and thinking, “This sounds great, but I still don’t know where to begin,” I get it. So here’s your permission slip: start ugly. Start small. Start today.

Grab whatever blank notebook you have around the house. Take your kids outside for fifteen minutes. Notice one thing together — a cloud shape, a bug, a weed growing through a crack. Draw it badly. Write a sentence about it. Date the page.

Congratulations. You’ve started a family nature journal.

You can always upgrade to nicer supplies later. You can develop your own system and traditions over time. But the most important thing is to begin — to show your kids that the natural world is worth paying attention to, worth recording, worth remembering.

And honestly? In a world full of screens and schedules, sitting together with pencils and a shared journal, noticing the small wild things in your own backyard — that feels a little bit like the 1990s childhood I’m trying to give my kids. Unhurried. Curious. Real.

So grab that notebook, head outside, and see what you find. I’d love to hear what ends up on your first page.

Florida Homeschool Convention: What to Expect Your First Time

If you’ve got your first Florida homeschool convention circled on the calendar and you’re feeling equal parts excited and overwhelmed, I get it. I remember walking into my first one thinking I’d just “pop in and look around.” Three hours later, I was carrying two tote bags stuffed with curriculum samples, had signed up for four email lists, and somehow agreed to consider Classical Conversations (spoiler: we didn’t do it, but the enthusiasm was contagious).

Whether you’re heading to the big FPEA convention in Orlando, a smaller regional gathering, or one of the faith-based conferences scattered around our state, here’s what I wish someone had told me before I walked through those doors.

This post contains affiliate links. I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Why Even Go to a Homeschool Convention?

Honest question, right? We live in the age of YouTube reviews and Instagram curriculum hauls. But there’s something about flipping through a math curriculum with your own hands, asking a vendor a specific question about your kid who hates writing, or sitting in a workshop and realizing you’re not the only one who feels like a hot mess by Thursday.

For our family, conventions have become less about buying all the things and more about:

• Getting re-inspired when the February slump hits hard
• Connecting with other homeschool families (especially helpful if you’re newer to Florida or just feeling isolated)
• Seeing curriculum in person before committing your PEP scholarship funds
• Hearing from speakers who remind you why you chose this path

What to Expect at a Florida Homeschool Convention

The Exhibit Hall

This is the main event for most of us. Picture a massive room filled with booths — big publishers like Sonlight and Apologia, smaller Charlotte Mason-aligned companies, co-op representatives, and everything in between.

A few things to know:

• It’s loud and crowded, especially on Saturday mornings. If you’re overstimulated easily (hi, me), aim for early Friday or late Saturday afternoon.
• Vendors are enthusiastic. They want to talk to you. This is great if you have questions, but feel free to smile and keep walking if you’re just browsing.
• Bring a big tote bag. You’ll collect catalogs, samples, freebies, and probably a few impulse purchases.

I always make a point to visit the Rainbow Resource booth — their catalog is legendary, and their in-person prices are often the same as online with no shipping wait.

Workshops and Speakers

Most conventions offer a full schedule of breakout sessions. Topics range from “Teaching a Reluctant Reader” to “Homeschooling Through High School” to “Nature Study on a Budget.”

My advice? Pick one or two that speak to where you are right now. Don’t try to attend everything. You’ll burn out before lunch.

If you’re Charlotte Mason-curious like us, look for workshops on nature journaling, living books, or habit training. I’ve found some of my favorite resources this way — including the simple nature journal we use almost daily in our backyard.

The Used Curriculum Sale

Many Florida conventions have a used book sale area. This is gold, y’all. You can find gently used curriculum for a fraction of the price — and sometimes discover a gem you wouldn’t have tried otherwise.

Get there early. Bring cash. And don’t be afraid to dig.

What to Bring (and What to Leave at Home)

Bring:

• A notebook or your phone for jotting down titles, booth numbers, and thoughts
• Comfortable shoes — you’ll be on your feet for hours
• Snacks and a water bottle — convention center food is overpriced and underwhelming
• Your PEP scholarship approved vendor list if you’re planning to make purchases (more on this below)
• A friend, if possible — it’s more fun and you can divide and conquer

Leave at Home:

• Your kids, at least for the first visit. I know, it sounds harsh. But you’ll think more clearly without breaking up arguments over who gets to hold the free pencil.
• The pressure to buy everything. Seriously. Take pictures. Grab catalogs. Go home and think.

Making the Most of Your Florida PEP Scholarship

If you’re using the Florida PEP scholarship like we are, conventions can be a smart place to spend some of those funds — but only if the vendor is on the approved list.

Before you go, check ClassWallet for approved vendors. Many big publishers are on there, but not all convention booths will qualify. I’ve learned the hard way to check before I fall in love with something at a booth.

That said, I’ve picked up things like Math-U-See manipulatives and nature study supplies at conventions and submitted receipts without issue.

Florida-Specific Convention Tips

Our state is big, and conventions pop up in different regions throughout the year. Here are a few to know about:

• FPEA (Florida Parent Educators Association) — the largest, held in Orlando each May. This is the big one with national speakers and hundreds of vendors.
• Teach Them Diligently — rotates locations, sometimes comes through Florida
• Regional and faith-based conferences — smaller but often more intimate. Great for connecting with local homeschoolers in your area.

If you’re in the Pensacola or Northwest Florida area like us, the drive to Orlando is a haul. I usually make a weekend of it — and yes, I may or may not have texted my husband multiple updates about the chickens while I was gone. (They were fine. They’re always fine.)

A Few Resources Worth Looking For

Every family is different, but here are some things I always keep an eye out for at conventions:

• Nature study tools — things like the Sibley Birds guide or a pocket microscope for outdoor exploration
• Art supplies — especially quality watercolors for nature journaling
• Charlotte Mason-aligned publishers — Simply Charlotte Mason, A Gentle Feast, and others often have booths
• Hands-on science kits — perfect for elementary-age kids who learn by doing (and getting messy)

You Don’t Have to Do It All

Here’s the thing no one tells you: conventions can be overwhelming because there are a thousand ways to homeschool, and every single one of them will be represented in that exhibit hall.

You’ll see the classical booth and wonder if you should be doing Latin. You’ll pass the unschooling table and question everything. You’ll meet a mom whose kids are three grade levels ahead and feel like a failure.

Take a breath. Remember why you chose to homeschool. For us, it’s about raising kids who play outside until dinner, who know where their eggs come from, who have space to wonder and wander. That doesn’t require the fanciest curriculum or the most packed schedule.

Conventions are a tool — a really fun, really exhausting tool — but your homeschool is built at home, one slow morning at a time.

Final Thoughts

If you’re on the fence about attending a Florida homeschool convention, I’d say go — at least once. Walk the exhibit hall. Sit in a workshop. Buy yourself an overpriced coffee and people-watch for a bit.

You’ll come home tired, probably with a few new ideas and maybe a bag full of free bookmarks. But more than that, you’ll come home reminded that you’re part of a bigger community — thousands of Florida families doing this same wild, wonderful thing.

And when you get back, the chickens will still be waiting. The dog will still need a walk. And your kids will still be learning, whether you bought the shiny new curriculum or not.

Happy convention-ing, friend. You’ve got this.

Best Nature Journaling Prompts for Elementary Kids: Simple Ideas That Actually Work

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If you’ve ever handed your kid a blank nature journal and watched them stare at it like it was a pop quiz, you’re not alone. I’ve been there — standing in our Florida backyard, surrounded by live oaks and singing birds, wondering why my kids suddenly had nothing to say about any of it.

Here’s the thing: nature journaling doesn’t have to be complicated. It doesn’t require perfect sketches or eloquent observations. It just requires a little nudge in the right direction. And that’s exactly what good prompts do — they open the door so your child can walk through it on their own terms.

Why Nature Journaling Matters (Especially Now)

In a world where screens are everywhere and attention spans are shrinking, nature journaling is one of the most powerful tools we have. It slows kids down. It teaches them to see — really see — the world around them. Charlotte Mason called this “the science of relations,” and I think she was onto something big.

When my kids sit on the back porch with their journals, watching the chickens scratch around or spotting a Gulf fritillary butterfly on the passionflower vine, they’re building connections. Not just to nature, but to patience, wonder, and the kind of deep attention that serves them in everything else.

This is 1990s childhood the way I remember it — dirty fingernails, caught bugs, and hours spent just being outside. Nature journaling is simply putting that experience on paper.

Getting Started: What You Actually Need

You don’t need much. That’s the beauty of it.

We use a simple nature journal with blank pages — nothing fancy, just sturdy enough to handle being dragged outside regularly. Some families prefer lined pages, but I find blank works better for elementary kids who want to draw, doodle, and paste things.

Add some quality watercolor pencils that can handle a little water brushing, and you’re set. We keep a small kit by the back door so it’s always ready to grab.

And if your kids are anything like mine, they’ll want a pocket microscope for examining beetle wings, flower petals, and whatever interesting things they find in the yard. It adds a whole new dimension to their observations.

The Best Nature Journaling Prompts for Elementary Kids

Here’s where the magic happens. These prompts work for kindergarteners through fifth graders — just adjust your expectations based on age. A five-year-old might draw three wobbly circles and call it a bird, while a ten-year-old might spend thirty minutes on feather details. Both are perfect.

Observation-Based Prompts

• Draw something smaller than your thumbnail. This forces them to look closely. An ant, a seed, a tiny flower.
• Find three different shades of green and color them in your journal. Living in Florida, this one never gets old — we have green all year round.
• Sketch a bird you see today. What is it doing? We keep Sibley’s bird guide nearby for identification. Even if the drawing is rough, naming what they see matters.
• Draw the same tree or plant once a month for a year. Seasonal changes are subtle here in Northwest Florida, but they exist — and tracking them teaches patience.
• What does the sky look like right now? Draw it and describe it in three words.

Sensory Prompts

• Close your eyes for one minute. What do you hear? List every sound.
• Find something that smells interesting. Draw it and describe the smell. Our chickens make this one… memorable.
• What does the air feel like today? Humid? Breezy? Heavy? Florida kids understand humidity on a molecular level.
• Touch three different textures outside. Draw what you touched and describe how it felt.

Curiosity and Question Prompts

• Draw something you’ve never noticed before.
• Find something you don’t know the name of. Sketch it and write three questions about it.
• What do you think this bug/plant/bird eats? Draw your guess.
• If you were this small creature, where would you hide? Why?

Creative and Imaginative Prompts

• Draw a map of your backyard from a bird’s-eye view.
• Create a “field guide page” for an animal you see regularly. My kids love doing this for our chickens — each hen gets her own page with personality notes.
• Write a tiny poem about something you observed today.
• Draw the same flower or leaf from three different angles.

Seasonal Florida Prompts

• It’s summer: Draw something that’s thriving in the heat.
• Find evidence of an animal (tracks, feathers, droppings). Sketch and investigate.
• Draw a cloud and try to identify what type it is.
• After a Florida afternoon rain, what changed in the yard? Sketch the difference.

Tips for Making Nature Journaling Stick

Keep It Short

Fifteen minutes is plenty for elementary kids. Some days we do five. The goal isn’t marathon sessions — it’s building the habit of paying attention.

Go Outside First, Prompt Second

Let them wander a bit. Poke at things. Watch the dog chase a lizard. Then, when they’ve settled, offer a prompt. Forcing journal time before they’ve had a chance to be in nature usually backfires.

Don’t Correct the Art

I know. I know. But nature journaling isn’t art class. If your child draws a chicken with three legs, let it be a three-legged chicken. The point is observation and connection, not accuracy.

Use Resources as Springboards

We love having a good chicken-keeping guide for kids on hand — it sparks so many journal entries about our hens. Same with our bird guide and any field guides specific to Florida wildlife.

Let Them Collect

A bug collection kit is wonderful for catching specimens to sketch before releasing them. Feathers, interesting leaves, even snail shells can be taped directly into the journal. It becomes a real record of their discoveries.

What If My Kid Resists?

Some kids take to nature journaling like ducks to water. Others… don’t. If your child is resistant, try these adjustments:

• Journal alongside them. Kids are more likely to engage when they see us doing it too.
• Make it part of a routine, not a random request. We do ours after morning chores and before the real heat sets in.
• Let them choose the medium. Some kids prefer colored pencils. Some want to paint. Some just want to write words. All of it counts.
• Start with their interests. If they’re obsessed with bugs, lean into bug prompts. Chickens? Let them document the flock.

A Little Encouragement for the Journey

Nature journaling isn’t about creating museum-worthy field guides. It’s about teaching our kids to slow down in a world that’s always rushing them forward. It’s about muddy boots and wondering why that flower only blooms in the morning. It’s about raising children who notice things.

Some of my favorite moments happen on our back porch — the kids sprawled on the deck, journals open, our mini labradoodle snoozing nearby, chickens doing their chicken things in the yard. It’s nothing fancy. But it’s real. And it’s ours.

If you’re just starting out, grab a simple journal, head outside, and try one prompt. Just one. See what happens. You might be surprised at what your kids see when they finally have the space to look.

Happy journaling, friend.

Charlotte Mason Homeschool Evaluation for Florida PEP: What Actually Happens (And Why It’s Not Scary)

If you’re sitting there with a cup of coffee wondering how on earth your beautiful, messy, nature-table-covered Charlotte Mason homeschool is going to look to an evaluator — I get it. I’ve been there. That first year with the Florida PEP scholarship, I was genuinely nervous about how our days of nature journaling, living books, and backyard chicken observations would translate into an official evaluation.

Here’s the good news: it went beautifully. And yours can too.

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Understanding the Florida PEP Evaluation Requirement

First, let’s talk about what Florida actually requires. With the PEP (Personalized Education Program) scholarship — formerly part of the FES scholarship programs — families must complete an annual evaluation. You have options: a licensed teacher review, a standardized test, or a portfolio evaluation by a certified teacher.

For Charlotte Mason families, the portfolio evaluation is often the most natural fit. Why? Because we’re already doing the documentation. Those nature journals, copywork samples, narrations, and handicraft projects? That’s your portfolio, friend.

The evaluation itself is typically a relaxed meeting where a certified teacher reviews your child’s work samples, asks a few questions, and writes up a brief assessment. It’s not a judgment of your homeschool philosophy — it’s simply verification that education is happening. And trust me, if your kids can tell someone about the life cycle of a chicken or narrate back a chapter from a living book, education is definitely happening.

What to Include in Your Charlotte Mason Portfolio

Here’s where I think Charlotte Mason homeschoolers actually have an advantage. Our method naturally produces tangible evidence of learning that evaluators love to see.

Nature Study Documentation

This is where our family shines, honestly. We keep nature journals year-round — my kids have documented everything from the mockingbirds nesting in our crepe myrtle to the changes in our backyard chickens’ feathers during molting season. A good nature journal filled with observations, sketches, and notes is worth its weight in gold during an evaluation.

I also keep a simple log of what we’ve studied. When we spent three weeks learning about Florida shorebirds — using our Sibley Birds guide and visiting Pensacola Beach — I jotted that down with dates. Evaluators appreciate seeing the breadth of what you’ve covered.

Language Arts Samples

For Charlotte Mason families, this typically includes:

• Copywork samples (showing handwriting progression)
• Dictation passages
• Written narrations (for older elementary kids)
• Any creative writing or poetry

I save one sample per month in a simple folder. You don’t need everything — just enough to show growth and consistency.

Math Documentation

Even though Charlotte Mason emphasized living math, evaluators do want to see math progress. We use hands-on approaches and I keep samples of completed work. If you’re using a curriculum like Math-U-See, save a few worksheets from different points in the year showing progression.

The “Extras” That Make CM Shine

Don’t underestimate the power of showing the whole picture. I bring:

• Handicraft projects or photos of them
• Art samples (my kids love their Faber-Castell watercolors for nature illustrations)
• A simple book list of what we’ve read aloud
• Photos of field trips, nature walks, and hands-on science

One year, my daughter brought her chicken observation journal where she’d tracked egg production and sketched our hens. The evaluator was genuinely delighted.

Finding a Charlotte Mason-Friendly Evaluator in Florida

This matters more than you might think. Not every evaluator understands — or appreciates — the Charlotte Mason method. Some are looking for workbooks and grade-level checklists. You want someone who gets it.

Ask in local homeschool groups (Facebook groups for Pensacola and Northwest Florida homeschoolers are great resources) for recommendations. Look for evaluators who specifically mention experience with classical, Charlotte Mason, or eclectic homeschools. Many will do evaluations via Zoom now, which opens up your options statewide.

When you contact an evaluator, be upfront: “We follow a Charlotte Mason approach with an emphasis on living books and nature study. Are you familiar with this method?” Their response will tell you a lot.

Preparing Your Child for the Evaluation

Here’s something I wish someone had told me: prepare your kids, but don’t stress them out.

I tell mine that we’re going to meet with a teacher who wants to hear about all the cool things they’ve learned. We practice a simple narration or two — maybe retelling a favorite story or explaining something they’ve studied (my son could talk about chicken breeds for hours, bless him).

Most evaluators will ask your child a few gentle questions:

• What’s your favorite book you’ve read this year?
• What are you learning about in science?
• Can you tell me about something you made or built?

Charlotte Mason kids are typically great at this because narration is already part of their daily rhythm. They’re used to telling back what they’ve learned.

Keeping Records Throughout the Year

The easiest evaluation is the one you’ve prepared for all year long — not the week before. Here’s my simple system:

Monthly: Save 2-3 work samples per subject in a folder. Take photos of nature study, projects, and field trips.

Quarterly: Update your book list and any curriculum progress notes.

Ongoing: Keep your nature journals current and accessible.

I also keep a simple planning resource from Rainbow Resource that helps me stay loosely organized without feeling like I’m boxed into a rigid schedule. It’s been a sanity saver.

What If Your Year Looked “Different”?

Maybe you had a new baby. Maybe you moved. Maybe you spent an entire month learning about hurricanes because, well, you live in Florida and one was headed your way. Life happens.

Evaluators — the good ones, anyway — understand this. Charlotte Mason herself believed in short lessons and generous free time. If your kids spent significant time in free play, building forts, helping with the chickens, or exploring your backyard with a pocket microscope, that counts as education too.

Be honest about your year. Show what you did do. Most evaluators are homeschool-friendly and aren’t looking to catch you doing something wrong — they’re looking to confirm that your children are learning and growing.

The Bottom Line

Charlotte Mason homeschooling and Florida PEP evaluations can absolutely work together beautifully. Your nature journals, living books, narrations, and hands-on projects aren’t just busywork — they’re evidence of a rich, real education.

The evaluation is one meeting, maybe an hour of your year. It’s not a referendum on your homeschool or your parenting. It’s a simple checkpoint that, honestly, can even be encouraging. Hearing an evaluator affirm that yes, your kids are thriving? That’s a gift, especially on the hard days.

So take a breath, mama. Gather those nature journals, stack up those beloved books, and trust the process. You’re doing a good thing here — raising curious, grounded kids who know what a magnolia smells like and can tell you the difference between a heron and an egret. That’s the kind of education that lasts.

And if your evaluator happens to ask why there are chicken feathers pressed into your child’s nature journal? Just smile. That’s the good stuff right there.

How to Teach Kids to Identify Backyard Birds in Florida: A Nature-Based Approach

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There’s something magical about watching your child’s face light up when they spot a bird and actually know what it is. Not because they Googled it or asked Alexa, but because they’ve spent time watching, listening, and learning the old-fashioned way. If you’re a Florida family looking to bring more nature into your days — whether you’re homeschooling or just trying to get everyone outside more — backyard bird identification is one of the easiest and most rewarding places to start.

Here in Northwest Florida, we’re blessed with an incredible variety of birds year-round. From the Northern Cardinals that hang out by our chicken coop to the Great Blue Herons that occasionally grace our neighborhood, there’s always something flying around worth noticing. And the best part? You don’t need to be an expert to teach this. You just need to be willing to slow down and look up.

Why Bird Identification Is Perfect for Kids

It’s Accessible and Free

You don’t need a nature preserve or a special field trip. Your backyard, your front porch, even your car window in a parking lot — birds are everywhere. Here in Florida, we have resident species all year and migratory visitors that pass through in spring and fall. That means there’s always something new to discover.

It Builds Observation Skills

Charlotte Mason called this “the art of seeing,” and bird watching is basically a masterclass in it. Kids learn to notice details: the flash of blue on a jay’s wing, the way a mockingbird tilts its head, the difference between a dove’s coo and a cardinal’s chirp. These are skills that transfer to everything — science, art, reading, even relationships.

It Gets Them Outside

I don’t know about you, but I’m always looking for ways to make outside time feel natural and purposeful. When my kids know there might be a Painted Bunting at the feeder or a woodpecker drumming on the oak tree, they want to go check. No convincing required.

Getting Started: What You Actually Need

Here’s the good news — you don’t need much. A few simple tools make bird study richer, but you can absolutely start with just your eyes and ears.

A Good Field Guide

We keep a copy of the Sibley Field Guide to Birds on our back porch. It’s comprehensive without being overwhelming, and the illustrations are gorgeous. My kids love flipping through it even when we’re not actively birding. For younger children, the pictures are clear enough that they can match what they see to the page with a little help.

A Nature Journal

If you’re doing any kind of Charlotte Mason-inspired learning, you probably already have nature journals going. If not, now’s a great time to start. A simple sketch journal works beautifully. We use ours to draw birds we’ve spotted, note the date and weather, and sometimes press a leaf or flower from wherever we were sitting.

Don’t worry about artistic perfection — this is about noticing and recording. My kindergartener’s bird drawings look like potatoes with beaks, and that’s absolutely fine.

Watercolors for Nature Journaling

Once kids get comfortable sketching, adding color makes it even more engaging. We love Faber-Castell watercolors because they’re high quality but still kid-friendly. There’s something special about trying to mix the exact orange of a Baltimore Oriole or the soft gray of a Tufted Titmouse.

How to Actually Teach Bird Identification

Start with the Common Ones

Don’t try to learn fifty birds at once. In Florida, start with the birds you’ll see almost daily:

• Northern Cardinal — hard to miss with that bright red
• Blue Jay — loud and bold
• Mourning Dove — that soft, sad cooing sound
• Northern Mockingbird — Florida’s state bird, and a show-off
• Carolina Wren — tiny but LOUD
• Red-bellied Woodpecker — look for the zebra-striped back

Once your kids know these reliably, they’ll start noticing when something different shows up.

Use Your Ears as Much as Your Eyes

Birds are often heard before they’re seen. We play a little game where everyone freezes and counts how many different bird sounds they can hear. Then we try to match sounds to birds. The Carolina Wren’s “teakettle teakettle teakettle” call is a favorite around here.

There are apps that can help with bird calls, but honestly, just spending time outside consistently is the best teacher.

Make It a Routine

We do “bird check” most mornings while the kids are eating breakfast. Someone looks out the window and reports what’s at the feeder. It takes two minutes and keeps birds on everyone’s radar. Over time, they start noticing patterns — which birds come early, which ones are bullies at the feeder, which ones only show up in winter.

Connect It to Your Chickens (If You Have Them)

Okay, this might be specific to us, but our backyard chickens have actually made our kids better bird watchers. They understand bird behavior in a way they wouldn’t otherwise — how birds communicate, establish pecking order, forage, and react to predators. When a hawk flies over and our hens freeze, the kids notice. When the rooster sounds an alarm call, they recognize it as similar to how wild birds warn each other. It’s all connected.

If you’re raising chickens and want to lean into bird science, A Kid’s Guide to Keeping Chickens is a wonderful resource that bridges backyard poultry and broader bird knowledge.

Florida-Specific Tips

Watch for Seasonal Changes

Winter brings us beautiful visitors like Yellow-rumped Warblers and American Robins (yes, they migrate to Florida — we’re the warm destination!). Spring and fall migration can bring surprises. Keep your eyes open during those transition months.

Check Near Water

Even if you don’t live on a lake, Florida’s humidity means birds congregate near any water source. Birdbaths, puddles, retention ponds — these are great spots to watch. We’ve seen everything from herons to kingfishers just by paying attention near water.

Don’t Forget the Beach

If you’re near the Gulf like we are, shorebirds are a whole other world to explore. Sandpipers, pelicans, terns, and gulls offer plenty of identification practice. Pack some non-toxic sunscreen, bring the field guide, and make a morning of it.

Making It Stick: Ideas for Ongoing Learning

• Keep a backyard bird list — tally every species you identify in your yard over a year
• Participate in the Great Backyard Bird Count — it happens every February and kids love that their observations “count” for real science
• Set up a feeder station — different feeders attract different birds; experiment and observe
• Read living books about birds — Charlotte Mason style; look for real stories, not textbooks
• Visit a local Audubon center — here in Northwest Florida, we have some beautiful spots for guided bird walks

The Bigger Picture

Teaching kids to identify birds isn’t really about birds. It’s about teaching them to pay attention to the world around them. It’s about slowing down in a culture that wants to speed everything up. It’s about giving them the kind of childhood where they know the difference between a cardinal and a tanager, where they can sit quietly and watch something wild, where they feel connected to the place they live.

That’s the 1990s childhood I’m trying to recreate for my kids — not perfect, not Pinterest-worthy, but real and rooted and full of wonder.

So grab a field guide, pour yourself some coffee, and go sit outside with your people. See what flies by. You might be surprised how much there is to notice when you finally start looking.

Happy birding, friends.

Non-Toxic Oven Cleaner Safe for Your Family Kitchen: What We Actually Use

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Let me paint you a picture: it’s 9 PM, the kids are finally in bed, and you open your oven to preheat it for tomorrow’s meal prep. That smell hits you — the burnt-on remnants of last week’s casserole disaster mixed with who-knows-what from that pizza that bubbled over. You reach under the sink for the oven cleaner and suddenly you’re reading a label full of warnings about ventilation, gloves, and keeping children away for 24 hours.

Friend, I’ve been there. And in a home where we’re intentional about what touches our food, our skin, and the air our babies breathe, those warning labels just don’t sit right with me anymore.

Why I Stopped Using Conventional Oven Cleaners

When I started looking into what’s actually in those foaming spray cans, I was honestly a little horrified. Most conventional oven cleaners contain sodium hydroxide (lye), monoethanolamine, and a cocktail of other ingredients that require you to basically evacuate your kitchen during use.

Now, I have a science background, so I’m not one to panic over every chemical name I can’t pronounce. But here’s the thing — we eat food that comes out of that oven. My kids stand on step stools at the counter right next to it while we bake cookies. Our mini labradoodle camps out on the kitchen floor hoping for scraps. The fumes from harsh cleaners don’t just disappear; they linger in a space where we spend hours every day.

In Florida, we keep our houses pretty sealed up for a good chunk of the year because of the heat and humidity. That means less natural ventilation and more reason to be thoughtful about what we’re spraying inside.

What Makes an Oven Cleaner “Non-Toxic”?

Before I share what we actually use, let’s talk about what to look for (and avoid) when choosing a non-toxic oven cleaner safe for your family kitchen.

Ingredients to Avoid:

• Sodium hydroxide/lye (extremely caustic)
• Monoethanolamine (respiratory irritant)
• Butane/propane propellants
• Synthetic fragrances
• Anything with “danger” or “poison” on the label

Ingredients That Actually Work:

• Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate)
• Washing soda (sodium carbonate)
• Castile soap
• White vinegar
• Citric acid
• Plant-based surfactants

The good news? You don’t have to sacrifice effectiveness for safety. It might take a little more elbow grease or time, but your oven will get clean.

Our Go-To Non-Toxic Oven Cleaning Methods

The Baking Soda Paste Method (Our Favorite)

This is what I use about once a month, and it works beautifully for regular maintenance.

You’ll need:

• 1/2 cup baking soda
• 2-3 tablespoons water
• White vinegar in a spray bottle

Here’s how:

1. Remove your oven racks (I clean those separately in the bathtub with the same paste)

2. Mix baking soda and water into a spreadable paste

3. Coat the entire inside of your oven, avoiding the heating elements

4. Let it sit overnight — or at least 8-12 hours

5. Wipe out with damp cloths

6. Spray any remaining residue with vinegar (it’ll fizz!) and wipe clean

It’s satisfying in that same way nature study is satisfying — slow, intentional, and you actually see the results of your patience.

For Tougher Jobs: Adding Washing Soda

If you’ve got serious baked-on grime (no judgment — we’ve all been there after holiday cooking), add a tablespoon of washing soda to your paste. It’s a bit stronger but still completely safe.

Store-Bought Options We Trust

Listen, I’m all about DIY when it makes sense, but sometimes you just need to grab something off the shelf and get the job done. When that’s the case, I look for brands that align with our values.

I actually discovered some great non-toxic cleaning options through Grove Collaborative — they carry several plant-based oven cleaners that actually work. What I love is that they vet products for ingredients, so I’m not standing in the cleaning aisle trying to Google every chemical on the label.

Making It Part of Our Rhythm

Here’s a Charlotte Mason principle that applies beyond homeschooling: habit formation makes everything easier. I’ve built oven cleaning into our monthly home rhythm, right alongside other intentional tasks like refreshing the diatomaceous earth in the chicken coop and doing a deep clean of the kids’ nature study supplies.

When you clean your oven regularly with gentler methods, you never get to the point of needing harsh chemicals. It’s the same philosophy behind wiping down the stovetop every night — small, consistent effort beats big, overwhelming projects every time.

What About Self-Cleaning Ovens?

I know, I know — it seems like the easy button. But hear me out. Self-cleaning cycles heat your oven to around 900°F, which can:

• Release fumes from any residue (and from the oven’s coating itself)
• Potentially damage the oven’s electronic components
• Create a fire hazard if there’s significant buildup
• Make your whole house smell like burnt everything

In our Florida home with windows closed and AC running, that’s a hard pass from me. The manual method takes more time, but I feel better about it.

A Note on Oven Racks and Accessories

Those racks can be the worst part, can’t they? Here’s my lazy-but-effective method:

1. Put them in the bathtub (lay down an old towel first to protect the tub)

2. Sprinkle generously with baking soda

3. Cover with hot water and a splash of dish soap

4. Let soak for a few hours or overnight

5. Scrub with a brush and rinse

This also works great for the drip pans from the stovetop. I usually do this while the kids are doing quiet reading time — multi-tasking at its finest.

The Bigger Picture

Switching to a non-toxic oven cleaner safe for your family kitchen might seem like a small thing. But honestly? These small things add up. They’re part of the same intentionality that leads us to choose nature study over screen time, backyard chickens over grocery store eggs, and slow mornings over rushed ones.

I want my kids to grow up knowing that we don’t have to accept “that’s just how it’s done” when it comes to anything — cleaning products included. The same curiosity we bring to identifying birds in the backyard or examining creek water with our pocket microscope can apply to reading labels and asking questions about what we bring into our home.

Keep It Simple, Mama

If you take nothing else from this post, remember: baking soda, water, time, and a little elbow grease will clean almost anything. You don’t need fancy products or complicated systems. Our grandmothers knew this, and somewhere along the way, we got sold on the idea that cleaning had to involve hazmat suits and chemical warfare.

It doesn’t. Promise.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got a paste to wipe out of my oven and a dog who’s convinced it’s time for her evening walk. Here’s to kitchens that are clean enough, safe enough, and full of good food made with love.

Y’all take care.

Backyard Chickens Brooder Setup for Beginners: A Simple Guide From Our Florida Homestead

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So you’ve ordered your first batch of chicks—or maybe you’re standing in Tractor Supply watching those fluffy butts waddle around under the heat lamp, trying to convince yourself you don’t need six of them. (Spoiler: you probably do.)

I remember that exact moment a few years ago. I had done all the research, watched all the YouTube videos, and still felt completely unprepared when we actually brought those babies home. The good news? Setting up a brooder is genuinely simpler than the internet makes it seem. And once you’ve done it once, you’ll wonder why you were ever nervous.

Let me walk you through exactly how we set up our brooder here in Northwest Florida—what worked, what we changed, and what I wish someone had told me from the start.

What Even Is a Brooder?

Before we dive in, let’s get on the same page. A brooder is basically a safe, warm space where baby chicks live until they’re old enough to move outside to the coop. Think of it as a temporary nursery. In the wild, a mama hen would provide warmth and protection. Since most of us are getting chicks from hatcheries or feed stores without a broody hen, we become the mama—heat source and all.

Chicks typically stay in the brooder for about 4-6 weeks, depending on the weather and how quickly they feather out. Here in Florida, our mild springs mean we can sometimes transition them a bit earlier than folks up north, but we still follow their lead.

Choosing Your Brooder Container

You don’t need anything fancy. Honestly, our first brooder was a large plastic storage tote from Walmart. It worked beautifully.

Good Brooder Options for Beginners:

• Large plastic storage totes (at least 50 gallons for 4-6 chicks)
• Galvanized stock tanks
• Large cardboard boxes (free but need replacing as they get messy)
• Kiddie pools with high sides (great for larger batches)

The key is having enough space. Chicks grow fast—like, blink-and-they-doubled-in-size fast. Plan for about 1 square foot per chick to start, and more as they grow. Crowding leads to pecking, stress, and nobody wants that.

We keep our brooder in the garage where it’s protected from our Florida humidity swings but still gets good airflow. A spare bathroom, laundry room, or covered porch works too. Just make sure it’s safe from curious pets. Our mini labradoodle was very interested in those peeping sounds at first.

The Heat Source: Your Most Important Decision

Baby chicks need external warmth because they can’t regulate their body temperature yet. This is non-negotiable. You have two main options:

Heat Lamps

The traditional choice—a 250-watt red or white bulb in a clamp lamp. They work, but I’ll be honest: they make me nervous. The fire risk is real, especially in a garage or barn setting. If you go this route, secure that lamp with something beyond just the clamp. We used wire to attach ours to the ceiling.

Heating Plates (Our Preference)

These radiant heat plates mimic a mama hen. Chicks can duck underneath to warm up and come out when they’re comfortable. They use way less electricity, have virtually no fire risk, and help chicks develop a more natural day/night rhythm. We switched to a heating plate after our first batch and never looked back.

Temperature guidelines:

• Week 1: 95°F
• Week 2: 90°F
• Week 3: 85°F
• Continue decreasing 5°F each week until they’re fully feathered

But here’s the real secret: watch your chicks. If they’re huddled directly under the heat, they’re cold. If they’re pressed against the far walls panting, they’re too hot. Happy chicks spread out evenly and move around freely.

Bedding That Works (And What to Avoid)

You need something absorbent on the bottom of your brooder to manage moisture and droppings. We use pine shavings—they’re affordable, absorbent, and easy to find at any feed store.

Avoid cedar shavings. The oils can be harmful to chicks’ respiratory systems.

For the first few days, we lay paper towels over the shavings. This helps brand-new chicks learn to find their food without accidentally eating bedding. After 3-4 days, once they’ve figured out what food is, we remove the paper towels.

We also sprinkle a thin layer of food-grade diatomaceous earth under the shavings to help with moisture and as a natural pest preventive. Just don’t overdo it—a light dusting is plenty.

Food and Water Setup

Chicks need constant access to fresh water and chick starter feed. Simple as that.

For water, a basic chick waterer works fine when they’re tiny. As they grow, we transition to a nipple waterer system because it stays so much cleaner. Chicks love to kick bedding into open water dishes, and in Florida’s warmth, that can get gross fast.

For feed, use a chick starter crumble (medicated or unmedicated—your choice, we go unmedicated). A basic feeder keeps food accessible without too much waste. We do add a sprinkle of grit once they’re a week or two old, especially if we’re giving any treats.

Brooder Setup Checklist

Here’s your quick reference list:

• [ ] Brooder container (tote, tank, or box)
• [ ] Heat source (lamp or plate) with thermometer
• [ ] Pine shavings for bedding
• [ ] Paper towels for first few days
• [ ] Chick waterer
• [ ] Chick feeder
• [ ] Chick starter feed
• [ ] Optional: diatomaceous earth, chick grit

Making It a Learning Experience

This is where my Charlotte Mason heart gets excited. Raising chicks is such a rich opportunity for nature study. We keep our nature journals nearby and sketch the chicks at different stages. The kids notice details I would have missed—how their wing feathers come in first, how they practice roosting on the edge of the waterer, how their peeps change tone.

If you want to go deeper, A Kid’s Guide to Keeping Chickens is a wonderful resource written at an accessible level. My elementary-age kids reference it constantly. For us grown-ups, Storey’s Guide to Raising Chickens is my go-to for more detailed questions.

There’s something about watching a tiny chick grow into a full-fledged hen that connects kids to the rhythm of real life. It’s slow. It’s daily. It requires responsibility. And honestly? That’s exactly the kind of childhood I want for my kids—less screen time, more living things to care for.

A Few Things I Wish I’d Known

They’re messier than you expect. Like, truly impressive amounts of mess for such small creatures. Plan to spot-clean daily and do a full bedding change at least weekly.

They grow out of the brooder faster than you think. Have your coop situation figured out before the chicks arrive. We learned this the slightly frantic way.

The smell is manageable if you stay on top of it. But if you let it go, especially in Florida humidity, it gets intense quickly.

You’ve Got This, Mama

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by all the information out there, take a breath. People have been raising chickens for thousands of years without YouTube tutorials or Instagram-worthy setups. You need a warm, safe space, food, water, and a little bit of attention each day. That’s truly it.

Our chickens have become one of the best parts of our homeschool life. The kids check for eggs every morning like it’s Christmas, and even our dog has learned to coexist peacefully (mostly). It’s messy and imperfect and completely worth it.

If you’re in the Pensacola area and see someone at the feed store looking slightly bewildered in the chick aisle—come say hi. I’ve probably got bedding in my hair and strong opinions about heating plates.

Happy chick raising, friend. You’re going to love it.