I also wanted to mention that using audio books might be helpful every once on a while. You can all listen while doing chores, drawing, folding clothes, or knitting/crocheting, etc.
Music appreciation can be done similarly. We added symphony tickets for our daughter as a “junior” last year. It was expensive for the two of us to go, but we looked forward to it and learned so much. An hour before the performance, the conductor would teach a class on something related to the symphony. Then, he’d introduce the guest soloist(s) for a time of Q&A. Our younger children will do something similar, but I’ll be more careful about spending that much $! We found out halfway through the season that each year benefactors donate to allow students and their parents to attend for free (up to 4 tickets, with additional tickets to be purchased at $5 each)! I’ve also seen one of the Great Courses at our library on how to listen to opera. That includes lectures and parts of various operas.
Our children use Saxon math with the DIVE dcds available if they get stuck. We also have Harold Jacob’s Geometry and the Dr. Callahan’s DVDs. I am actually going to study geometry this year as I barely made a C in it in highschool 25 years ago. It will be a nice challenge! I want the kids to see that even adults can go back and pick up things they didn’t master or never studied at all.
We have friends that have utilized Netflix for all sorts of subjects. That requires Internet now. But, I believe Blockbuster still has the mailing option. I’m not sure of the selection. But there are really nice guides for using movies with your studies. I like the one written by Beth Holland called Learningvwith the Movies: A Guide for Education and Fun.
Apprenticeships are nice and so are jobs, if you keep a handle on the time involved away from studies. Our kids also go through Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University. Our eldest 3 took it with us. Our youngest 2 will take it as “freshmen,” if not in junior high.
I will post more as ideas come to me.
Blessings,
Becca<><