Homeschool Better Together with Pam Barnhill

In this episode of Your Morning Basket, host Pam Barnhill is joined by Betsy Cypress, the newest Your Morning Basket team member. Pam and Betsy introduce the Wonder World Podcast for kids. Pam records the show with her daughter Olivia each week, while Betsy is the researcher and writer behind each episode. Episodes explore fascinating topics, including historical events, science, and fun trivia. The Wonder World podcast aims to spark curiosity and encourage listeners to learn about various subjects, covering everything from roller coasters and sports to culture and history. Pam and Betsy also share tips for engaging reluctant writers, discuss the benefits of Wonder World, and highlight the power of podcasts in facilitating fun and engaging learning experiences. Join them for a delightful and informative conversation about a new show that will inspire and entertain the entire family.Key Takeaways:The Wonder World podcast covers many topics, including fun holidays, history, science, poetry, jokes, and trivia.The goal of the podcast is to provide education in a fun and exciting way for curious kids and their families.Wonder World is mentioned as a "ready-made morning time" resource that can be listened to during lunch, extending the listening experience.The podcast aims to provide enjoyable learning experiences beyond what can be found in textbooks.Find the Wonder World Podcast here.Find the Wonder Kids Club here.For full show notes and a transcript of today’s episode, head to pambarnhill.com/ymb140To join our free homeschool community, you can create an account right here.Mentioned in this episode:Spring Curriculum Showcase – Fresh Deals Every Week at PamBarnhill.com!Say goodbye to overwhelm and hello to joyful learning! The Spring Curriculum Showcase at PamBarnhill.com/shop is live, featuring weekly spotlights on our most-loved and brand-new resources for the 2025–2026 school year. Discover open-and-go language arts bundles, brand-new middle school resources, geography notebooks, a new photography course for teens, and more! Each week brings a new special you won't want to miss—shop now and find flexible, family-friendly curriculum that fits your real life.Shop

In this episode, host Pam Barnhill explains why homeschooling parents should not try to recreate a classroom environment in their homes. Drawing from her experience as a homeschooling mom and former public school teacher, Pam discusses the limitations and unnecessary structures often associated with traditional classrooms. She explores the freedom and flexibility inherent in homeschooling and encourages listeners to develop their unique structures and approaches that align with their family's needs. Pam also introduces the concept of a morning basket or morning time as an alternative to traditional classroom structures, highlighting its benefits for bringing families together to learn and grow.Key Takeaways1. Homeschooling allows for freedom and flexibility that traditional classrooms often lack.2. Traditional classroom structures do not necessarily serve homeschooling families well.3. Developing unique structures and approaches that work for your family is key in homeschooling.4. Morning baskets or morning time can be a valuable alternative to traditional classroom structures, promoting family togetherness and shared learning experiences.5. Letting go of age-segregated structures and preconceived notions about certain books and materials can enhance the homeschooling experience.For full show notes and a transcript of today’s episode, head to pambarnhill.com/ymb139To join our free homeschool community, you can create an account right here.Mentioned in this episode:Spring Curriculum Showcase – Fresh Deals Every Week at PamBarnhill.com!Say goodbye to overwhelm and hello to joyful learning! The Spring Curriculum Showcase at PamBarnhill.com/shop is live, featuring weekly spotlights on our most-loved and brand-new resources for the 2025–2026 school year. Discover open-and-go language arts bundles, brand-new middle school resources, geography notebooks, a new photography course for teens, and more! Each week brings a new special you won't want to miss—shop now and find flexible, family-friendly curriculum that fits your real life.Shop

Join Pam Barnhill and Heather Tully as they dive into a unique concept for homeschooling mothers - the Mother's Morning Basket. This September, join a virtual gathering of like-minded moms as you feed your mind and soul. This session is all about fairy tales!Not only will this enrich you, but it will also provide inspiration and ideas for your own children's morning time. Heather brings her 20 years of homeschooling experience, demonstrating how to incorporate picture study, music appreciation, nature study, and more into your routine. It's time to embrace the chance to learn, grow, and share together.Key Takeaways:A Mother's Morning Basket is personal time for mothers to nurture their intellectual and creative interests during the home-school year.The Mother's Morning Basket involves activities such as Bible reading, personal poetry reading, novel reading, and self-education.The program allows moms to engage and grow intellectually alongside their children. The aim is to foster an environment where learning and growth are seen as integral parts of life, not just schoolwork.The Mother's Morning Basket is also a teaching tool for mothers. It provides them with techniques to structure their children's Morning Time more effectively.Keep learning activities simple and realistic for consistency.The Mother's Morning Basket sessions are expected to provide inspiration, camaraderie, and practical guidance for homeschooling moms.For full show notes and a transcript of today’s episode, head to pambarnhill.com/ymb138To join our free homeschool community, you can create an account right here.Mentioned in this episode:Spring Curriculum Showcase – Fresh Deals Every Week at PamBarnhill.com!Say goodbye to overwhelm and hello to joyful learning! The Spring Curriculum Showcase at PamBarnhill.com/shop is live, featuring weekly spotlights on our most-loved and brand-new resources for the 2025–2026 school year. Discover open-and-go language arts bundles, brand-new middle school resources, geography notebooks, a new photography course for teens, and more! Each week brings a new special you won't want to miss—shop now and find flexible, family-friendly curriculum that fits your real life.Shop

In today's episode, we examine the world of morning time and its incredible potential for young learners. We'll be joined by Rachel Monreal, a homeschooling mom who has discovered the magic of morning time and how it has transformed her homeschooling journey with her preschool and elementary-aged kids.We'll explore Rachel's journey through the challenges of homeschooling young children, finding balance amidst the pressures of traditional education, and rediscovering the joy of learning for both parent and child. Rachel will share her insights on including toddlers in morning time, adapting curriculum, and ultimately creating a structured plan that aligns with her family's core values.Rachel shares her practical tips for implementing morning time, her favorite resources from our "Little Explorers Plan," and how she manages to prioritize consistency in her educational routine. Let's dive in!Key Takeaways:Morning time can be a rich and enjoyable educational experience for preschoolers.Morning time provides an opportunity to align education with core values, such as faith, family relationships, language learning, and skill development.Consistency is key for a successful educational routine, and creating a structured plan can help achieve this.The "morning basket" or "morning time" approach in homeschooling can bring joy, closer relationships, and less stress to the learning experience.Morning time can be adapted to fit the needs and ages of children in a flexible and adaptable manner.For full show notes and a transcript of today’s episode, head to pambarnhill.com/ymb137To join our free homeschool community, you can create an account right here.Mentioned in this episode:Spring Curriculum Showcase – Fresh Deals Every Week at PamBarnhill.com!Say goodbye to overwhelm and hello to joyful learning! The Spring Curriculum Showcase at PamBarnhill.com/shop is live, featuring weekly spotlights on our most-loved and brand-new resources for the 2025–2026 school year. Discover open-and-go language arts bundles, brand-new middle school resources, geography notebooks, a new photography course for teens, and more! Each week brings a new special you won't want to miss—shop now and find flexible, family-friendly curriculum that fits your real life.Shop

In this episode of the Your Morning Basket podcast, host Pam Barnhill discusses the importance of creating a flexible homeschool schedule that aligns with your family's values and goals. Pam shares practical tips and tools for overcoming the challenges of feeling overwhelmed by all the subjects, avoiding falling behind and building margin into your homeschool schedule.Pam encourages listeners to embrace rabbit trails and unexpected learning opportunities, as well as to build in margin to allow for emergencies or unexpected events. She also introduces the concept of a minimum viable day and loop scheduling to maintain structure and balance in your homeschool routine.If you want to create a homeschool schedule that aligns with your family's values and goals, this episode is a must-listen. Check out this Your Morning Basket podcast for more practical tips and tools for your homeschool journey.Find the shownotes for this episode at https://pambarnhill.com/ymb136Mentioned in this episode:Spring Curriculum Showcase – Fresh Deals Every Week at PamBarnhill.com!Say goodbye to overwhelm and hello to joyful learning! The Spring Curriculum Showcase at PamBarnhill.com/shop is live, featuring weekly spotlights on our most-loved and brand-new resources for the 2025–2026 school year. Discover open-and-go language arts bundles, brand-new middle school resources, geography notebooks, a new photography course for teens, and more! Each week brings a new special you won't want to miss—shop now and find flexible, family-friendly curriculum that fits your real life.Shop

In this episode of the Your Morning Basket podcast, host Pam Barnhill discusses how to assess learning in your homeschool morning time. She explains the importance of setting goals, self-assessment, parent observation, and real-world application in evaluating your children's progress. Pam also shares practical tips on how to incorporate morning time activities into traditional assessment models, including issuing transcripts for high schoolers. However, she emphasizes that non-traditional methods of assessment, such as building relationships and fostering a love for learning, are just as important in evaluating the success of your morning time routine. If you're looking for ways to measure your homeschooling progress beyond traditional tests and grades, be sure to tune in to this insightful episode!Find the show notes for this episode at https://pambarnhill.com/ymb135Mentioned in this episode:Spring Curriculum Showcase – Fresh Deals Every Week at PamBarnhill.com!Say goodbye to overwhelm and hello to joyful learning! The Spring Curriculum Showcase at PamBarnhill.com/shop is live, featuring weekly spotlights on our most-loved and brand-new resources for the 2025–2026 school year. Discover open-and-go language arts bundles, brand-new middle school resources, geography notebooks, a new photography course for teens, and more! Each week brings a new special you won't want to miss—shop now and find flexible, family-friendly curriculum that fits your real life.Shop

In this episode, we talk to Barbara, a homeschooling mom who shares her experience with implementing Morning Time into her homeschooling routine. Barbara talks about her journey to discovering Morning Time and how she initially struggled with finding resources to use. She shares how Morning Time has helped her create a connection with her children, and how it has become a grounding and warming up exercise for the day. Barbara also talks about how she uses Morning Time to bring in other aspects of learning, such as grammar and history.For full show notes and a transcript of today’s episode, head to pambarnhill.com/ymb134To download a sample of our free Month of Morning Time plans visit us here.To join our free homeschool community of Morning Time moms, you can create an account right here.For a done-for-you Morning Time experience complete with over sixty sets of Morning Basket plans, live events where we teach your kids, and support with your new Morning Time habit join Your Morning Basket Plus today!Mentioned in this episode:Spring Curriculum Showcase – Fresh Deals Every Week at PamBarnhill.com!Say goodbye to overwhelm and hello to joyful learning! The Spring Curriculum Showcase at PamBarnhill.com/shop is live, featuring weekly spotlights on our most-loved and brand-new resources for the 2025–2026 school year. Discover open-and-go language arts bundles, brand-new middle school resources, geography notebooks, a new photography course for teens, and more! Each week brings a new special you won't want to miss—shop now and find flexible, family-friendly curriculum that fits your real life.Shop

In this episode of the Your Morning Basket podcast, host Pam Barnhill interviews Mystie Winckler, creator of Simply Convivial and author of The Convivial Homeschool. They discuss the importance of creating a convivial atmosphere in the home while homeschooling and how it leads to greater enjoyment and success in learning. Mystie emphasizes that the atmosphere of the home is the atmosphere of homeschooling and that it is essential for mothers to put a smile on their faces and enjoy homeschooling to create an enjoyable atmosphere. They also discuss practical tips for adding joy to your homeschool days.Mentioned in this episode:Spring Curriculum Showcase – Fresh Deals Every Week at PamBarnhill.com!Say goodbye to overwhelm and hello to joyful learning! The Spring Curriculum Showcase at PamBarnhill.com/shop is live, featuring weekly spotlights on our most-loved and brand-new resources for the 2025–2026 school year. Discover open-and-go language arts bundles, brand-new middle school resources, geography notebooks, a new photography course for teens, and more! Each week brings a new special you won't want to miss—shop now and find flexible, family-friendly curriculum that fits your real life.Shop

Yep, we're going there. Being a good homeschool mom is an important responsibility that involves creating a consistent, balanced, and flexible educational atmosphere according to the family's values and beliefs. It also entails having the courage and determination to do what is right, even in challenging situations. Join Laney and me as we chat about what being a good homeschool mom even means, how YOU have to define it, and some tips that help you know when you are on the right track -- all delivered with a dose or realism and encouragement. We also discuss how Morning Time can help create family connections and provide structure so that homeschool moms can be more effective in their work. For full show notes and a transcript of today’s episode, head to pambarnhill.com/ymb132To download a sample of our free Month of Morning Time plans visit us here.To join our free homeschool community of Morning Time moms, you can create an account right here.For a done-for-you Morning Time experience complete with over sixty sets of Morning Basket plans, live events where we teach your kids, and support with your new Morning Time habit join Your Morning Basket Plus today!Mentioned in this episode:Spring Curriculum Showcase – Fresh Deals Every Week at PamBarnhill.com!Say goodbye to overwhelm and hello to joyful learning! The Spring Curriculum Showcase at PamBarnhill.com/shop is live, featuring weekly spotlights on our most-loved and brand-new resources for the 2025–2026 school year. Discover open-and-go language arts bundles, brand-new middle school resources, geography notebooks, a new photography course for teens, and more! Each week brings a new special you won't want to miss—shop now and find flexible, family-friendly curriculum that fits your real life.Shop

So many of your homeschool problems can be solved just by building the habit of consistency in your homeschool. In fact, I think being consistent is more important than choosing just the right curriculum when it comes to being successful at educating your kids. Morning Time is one of those keys that can help you be more consistent in your homeschool and benefit. Listen on to find out more.Key Takeaways:Taking unplanned days off can interfere with consistency, but planned days off can be beneficial.Consistency is key to homeschooling success as it can help build trust between parents and their children.Morning Time is a great way to begin school days the same way each day and add consistency to homeschooling.Consistency helps solve many homeschool issues and foster trust.For full show notes and a transcript of today’s episode, head to pambarnhill.com/ymb131To download a sample of our free Month of Morning Time plans visit us here.To join our free homeschool community of Morning Time moms, you can create an account right here.For a done-for-you Morning Time experience complete with over sixty sets of Morning Basket plans, live events where we teach your kids, and support with your new Morning Time habit join Your Morning Basket Plus today!Mentioned in this episode:Spring Curriculum Showcase – Fresh Deals Every Week at PamBarnhill.com!Say goodbye to overwhelm and hello to joyful learning! The Spring Curriculum Showcase at PamBarnhill.com/shop is live, featuring weekly spotlights on our most-loved and brand-new resources for the 2025–2026 school year. Discover open-and-go language arts bundles, brand-new middle school resources, geography notebooks, a new photography course for teens, and more! Each week brings a new special you won't want to miss—shop now and find flexible, family-friendly curriculum that fits your real life.Shop