At this point we are in the full swing of a fall schedule here. However there is still time to sign up for activities, and fun events. I sincerely hope that you will find something on this list to your liking!
Homeschool in NJ Happenings for October 2017
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Stone Soup
Stone Soup is coming on October 13th, with the rain date scheduled for the following Thursday.
Many years ago, a group of homeschooling moms began a tradition of meeting at Skytop Picnic Area in the Watchung Reservation to celebrate our homeschooling life with an event they called "Stone Soup". These moms were true pioneers - they homeschooled their kids before all the resources we have today. They paved the way for all of us - I am grateful. Stone Soup is a story, told in many cultures, about villagers coming together, each with an ingredient, which eventually ends in a delicious soup. It's a wonderful allegory of gathering all we need from the greater group. Please join us, one and all, for our annual gathering on Friday, October 13 from 11 to 3. While we hope that the sun smiles upon us, Thursday, October 19th is our raindate. Bring an ingredient for our soup - we will make one pot gluten free. Kids tend to get DIRTY and play in the woods. Chairs and picnic blankets are recommended. Bring everything your own family needs to share soup - bowls & spoons, etc. Come one, come all - all homeschool families welcome!
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Raritan Learning Cooperative Open House
Raritan Learning Cooperative, a new self-directed learning center in Flemington, NJ, will host three open houses over the next few months. Get a tour of the center and explanation of how the program works. Kids are welcome to sit in on classes. Open houses will be held the following dates and times: September 26, 8:30-10AM, October 24 8:30-10AM, and November 7 8:30-10AM.
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The American Homeschool Model UN Club Conference
The American Homeschool Model UN club is hosting a conference on Saturday September 30, 2017 from 9-6 in Lawrenceville, NJ. Registration is now open. Keynote speaker is Nicholas Emery who is a senior at the University of Pennnsylvania majoring in Economics and Russian. He will discuss Model UN and his experience in college including having studied abroad in St. Petersburg, Russia – followed by a Q & A session. If you’d like to try model UN, this is a great way to experience it once. You do not need to commit to the club for the year. Parents can attend as well.
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Homeschool Bowling
Homeschool bowling at Howell Lanes is back for the season. $2.75 per game, shoes included. Once a month, 2nd Thursday of every month from 12:30 to 2:30 pm. You can come anytime during those two hours, but need to be promptly out by 2:30 pm to free up space for the bowling leagues. No commitment–just show up and bowl when you want. You can bowl as many or as few games as you like. Bumpers available for the younger kids.There is no outside food allowed in the alley.
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Homeschool Soccer in Edison NJ
2017 season of homeschool soccer with Rover Soccer is upon us. The fall session will meet for five weeks. Beginners are always welcome. All families do not need to participate in soccer–some families just come to hang out and play at the park. When: Begins Thursday, September 28 & Ends Thursday, November 9. Please take note of the dates, as they are not consecutive. Dates are 9/29, 10/19, 10/26, 11/2 & 11/9, Rain-dates, if needed, will be on 11/16 & 11/30. Where: Roosevelt Park, Edison, NJ , Grove 2.
Time: 10:30 AM – 11:30 AM (group A, ages 4-6)
10:30 AM – 11:30 AM (group B, ages 7-9)
11:30 AM – 12:30 PM (group C, 10-17, grouped by age)
(Ending times are approximate, as they can sometimes extend past scheduled ending times). Cost: $70 for 5 weeks–For those who cannot commit to the full six weeks, week by week cost is $15 per week. Please bring payment on September 29. Checks can be made payable to Rovers Soccer. If paying by cash, please bring exact amount. -
Environmental Education Center
Environmental Education Center in Somerset County has a lot of offerings, programs, classes and events that are both education and fun! Often pre-registration is required, so hop over to their site, take a look and register for something that will be great for you and your family.
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Fernbrook Farms Environmental Education Center
Fernbrook Farms Environmental Education Center has some of the most amazing classes designed for homeschoolers. Check them out on their website! It is not too late to register!
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The Watershed Monday Homeschool Classes
The classes occur every Monday from 10 am to 11:30 am. There is a $15.00 fee for non members and $10.00 for members. The next upcoming class is this coming Monday, September 25th:
We will explore some of the myths, mysteries and crucial importance of our insect neighbors. The program includes a hike and an insect search. Students will be divided into two groups to ensure the activities are age appropriate.
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Ice Skating and Lessons at Floyd Hall Arena
Wednesdays 11:00-11:30 AM at Floyd Hall Arena at Montclair State University. Public Sessions are from 11 to 2 pm. It is never too late to join. More information in the link above.
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Homeschool Math Club – Edison. NJ
There is two Math Clubs forming in Edison, NJ: for Kindergarten through 1st grade, and 2nd grade through 3rd grade. The math club will meet on Thursdays starting in September and the clubs will run in six week sessions. More about the teacher and what it is all about:
"While I wasn’t always a big fan of math that changed sometime during my early teens. I think algebra and geometry are where I really decided I loved it, especially when it came to equation solving; finding unknown variables using what we are given and sometimes what we can infer… it’s almost like being a detective without the more unpleasant aspects like the crime. In addition to my love of math I stumbled across some really cool alternative methods of teaching the subject and realized it was ten times cooler than I already thought it was. I’ve spent several years studying and teaching these alternative methods and I’m excited for the opportunity to share them with you and your children this fall. The methods I use: The alternative methods I’ve studied make use of manipulatives, and help visually represent different concepts. They are very useful in understanding the simplest to the most difficult of math, and allow even kindergartners to easily do and understand a variety of math from integers to algebraic equations. What we’ll be doing: In these clubs we’ll be exploring fractions, multiplication and division, algebraic problem solving, real life application, and more. The goal of these clubs is to advance your children’s knowledge of math and to clearly show how it relates to the real world through group lessons and exercises, projects, and games, all while having fun. Place and Time we will meet in Edison on Thursday afternoons (please contact for more information). Prices: The Kindergarten-1st grade club will be $36 for the session per child. The 2nd-3rd grade club will be $48 for the session per child. There is a sibling discount, so those with more than one child in the clubs can pay full price for the first or oldest child, then 25% off for the other child(ren)."
You can inquire about it by using the ‘contact us’ form on this website, as I wasn’t comfortable sharing the teachers email publicly. I will forward your message to her. Keep in mind that space in the club is limited.
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South Orange Public Library Homeschool Meetings
South orange public library’s homeschool meetings happen every 3rd Tuesday of the Month in 2017, September – December, 12-2 pm, and every 4th Tuesday of the Month 2018, January – June
12-2 PM. -
North Jersey Homeschool Science
North Jersey Homeschool Science will be offering hands-on science and STEM enrichment classes to homeschoolers starting October 16th. We offer options designed to meet the needs of the homeschool community, with multi-child and multi-class discounts, morning and early afternoon scheduling, and drop-off workshops.
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Philadelphia Museum of Art Homeschool Programs
Homeschool Program: October to June. Make the Museum a part of your homeschool studies. Our homeschool program runs October to June. Classes are designed to serve small homeschool co-op groups or individual homeschool families. Two-hour classes are held on the first Wednesday of the month. The theme of each class changes from month to month. Participants are divided into small groups by age. Each group works with the same Museum educator throughout the year. Classes take place in the permanent galleries. Lessons are interactive and encourage students to examine objects and ideas through a variety of activities, including discussion, drawing, writing, role playing, and games. Families can sign up for as many classes as fit their schedule.
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Rutgers Geology Museum
Rutgers Geology Museum offers a whole slew of exciting activities this fall. Here is a few:
Ecology and Geology Field Trip along the Raritan River aboard the R/V Rutgers. Learn about the process that formed the river and the life that inhabits it and become a citizen scientist as you help collect river data. Register for the field trip here. Cost is $30 per person
Fall Late Nights at the Museum. The Geology Museum will offer a lovely line up of Fall Late Night Events. The first event will be Fossils and Dinosaurs night on Weds. October 4th from 4 to 8 pm.
You can check out their website for a full list of upcoming events.
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The Linny Fowler WillPower Tour
This is what you will find if you join the Linny Fowler WillPower Tour:
The Linny Fowler WillPower Tour is the centerpiece of the Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival's educational programming. Now in its 18th year, WillPower has served more than 174,000 students and has a well-established reputation for excellence -- A professionally directed 80-minute production of Romeo & Juliet with sets and costumes. Trained and experienced actor/teachers delivering compelling performances and quality curriculum. Half-day or full-day programming that meets state academic standards. A classroom study guide specifically tailored to Romeo & Juliet. A post-show discussion with the cast after the performance.
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Zombie Prom
Zombies are coming and you should be one of them!Zombie Prom will be hosted at White Sands in Point Pleasant, NJ on October 28, 2017. Zombify an old prom outfit and join for dancing, food and fun.
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Pinnacle Parkour Classes
Pinnacle Parkour in Princeton, NJ offers a membership for homeschoolers on Wednesdays and Fridays. More info can be found here. You can also fill out a waiver before joining here.
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Parent Workshop and AP Prep In South Orange/Maplewood
South Orange Maplewood Adult School is collaborating with Family Academy and Homeschool Informational Services to offer workshops for parents and AP prep classes for High School Homeschoolers. Check their website for the complete list of offerings. There are some amazing things being offered. Questions that I so often hear from parents that want to homeschool. Things like: Homeschooling: How To Do It?, and How To Choose a Curriculum?, Homeschooling Through College, Homeschooling Through Elementary Years, and more!
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Maplewood Memorial Library Homeschool Mondays
Maplewood Memorial Library has a weekly homeschool get together once a month on select Mondays from 12 to 2 PM. Here are the dates for 2017: October 16, November 13, December 11. Dates for 2018 are as follows: January 8, February 12, March 12, April 16, May 14, June 11. Check their calendar of events for more information.
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Could You Be The Next Governor at Morven Museum
Homeschool program offered by the Morven Museum. Could You Be New Jersey’s Next Governor? The Governors at Morven: A Look Into New Jersey’s Executive Officer. Mondays, 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. October 2 through November 6 (no class on October 9, Columbus Day) at Morven Museum & Garden.
Ages 8-11: 5 week homeschool sessions, 1.5 hours per class. $125 per student; limited to 10 students. -
Lenape Day
Lenape Day will take place on October 7th in the Great Swamp Education Center from 12 to 4 pm. “Celebrate the Lenape culture and history with a traditional drum circle, dancers in regalia, historic tools and artifacts, a wigwam replica, demos, and fun, hands-on activities. Take a guided walk on the wooded trails to discover even more about the Lenape. This event is sponsored by Whole Foods Market. Rain or Shine!”
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Morris Museum Homeschool Days
Learning to Look: Thursday, September 28, 1:00 PM. Look, learn, and draw! Students will examine Ysabel LeMay’s striking collages and learn to describe, analyze, and interpret various artworks of the Museum’s Collection. The program concludes with a sketching activity in the main gallery where the exhibition WOW: Wonderful Other Worlds is presented. Cool Chemistry!: Thursday, October 26, 1:00 PM. Join us in celebrating National Chemistry Week in our BASF Kid’s Lab. The BASF Kid’s Lab is a global program for children to raise their interest in chemistry through safe and engaging, hands-on experiments. The students will be introduced to the super science world. This Home School Discovery Program is made possible in part by BASF. Animals of the Amazon: Thursday, November 30, 1:00 PM. Take a trip to the Amazon Rain forest with the Morris Museum. Students will learn about the diversity of the rain forest and the animals that live there. Students will investigate the endangered and extinct animals of the Amazon rain forest as well as how the students can help protect the rain forest and its animals. The program includes an activity on the rain forest in the classroom. Members: $10 per child/Adults FREE Non-Members: $10 per person entering the Museum.*
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Liberty Science Center Homeschool Workshops
Liberty Science Center has fantastic workshops for kids. We have done several, and they are well worth the price. Take a look at what is being offered on their website.
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Monmouth County Weekends in the Park
Monmouth County offers some very exciting activities in their parks for families.
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Valley Forge Homeschool Days
The upcoming fall day is Thursday October 19th, 2017.
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Glencairn Museum Homeschool Days
Tuesday, December 6 and Thursday, December 8, 2016, 9:30 am – 12:30 pm, $5 per person; children 3 and under free.
“No reservations necessary. Come enjoy exclusive access to this season’s exhibitions, World Nativities and Christmas in Pennsylvania. Participate in exhibition-based quests and win a prize, learn more about the art and history of the crèche through a special documentary viewing, engage in festive hands-on activities, and more!”
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***Disclaimer: Please know that TheHappyHomeschooler is NOT affiliated with any of the schools, businesses or groups mentioned in this article. We are NOT being reimbursed for anything said here. All the opinions are ours alone and do not reflect the opinions of the organizations mentioned here, unless explicitly stated otherwise. ***
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