Saturday Spot: So What’s Inside a Sonlight Box…

I always show you our box day, but I don’t always show you all the wonders inside the boxes. For those of you who aren’t Sonlighters I thought you might like to take a peak…

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And no it’s not kids, not even grubby faced kids… the kids are really here already!!!

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Those boxes contain books and lots of them:
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Math Books…
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Grammar books and Hand-writing books…
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And some fun…
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That couldn’t be resisted…
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And did I say books…
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History books…
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And Classics…
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And gotta read now books…
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And art materials…
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That couldn’t be resisted now…
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And Bible books…
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And science kits, that frankly look like party boxes packed with balloons and straws and cups and things!!! Things like magnets and batteries and … I pretty much have to hold these boxes down else they would vanish to the depths of those shelves I have been decluttering!!!
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And did I mention books… the bottom book is already bound for “Book of the Week” status.
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And files, and Instructors Guides to sort and collate before you get going when you prepare for a school year with Sonlight. I’d show you a photo of them too but alas… I forgot to put them on my order!!! So hear I am with all the books and no magical Instructors Guides packed with schedules and notes and comprehension questions and maps and project ideas. Basically Sonlight does all the preparation and packs them in a file… and I forgot to order them. Don’t mind my brain I think I have lost mine. ARRRGGHH…

26 Replies to “Saturday Spot: So What’s Inside a Sonlight Box…”

  1. I loved reading about box day -thank you! So sorry you forgot your special how to organise it all books though! Everytime I read about Sonlight I feel excited about homeschooling – all those wonderful books! Thank you for the glimpse into the boxes and what you will be reading this year. I am anticipating the day when my babies will be reading and we can share books like that. Reading the sonlight website I had thought it might be hard with a big family as the recommended amount of time to spend with each child seemed like a lot – how do you find it with a large family?

  2. Hi Sherrin, That is a question folks often ask… the easiest way to keep a whole lot of kids in one place at one time is to read to them!!! AND Sonlight books are such fabulous classic books that can be read again and again and again, without the mother person getting tired of them!!! The amount of reading, certainly for the younger grades is not phenomenal: a bible story, two pages of a bible study book, a double spread of a science and history book and a chapter of a read-a-loud. I have their piles of books at the ready and whenever I have a moment then I read a double spread or two. My older kids do most of their own reading and we discuss and discuss and discuss what they read… I usually start with the youngest scholar so that he can finish first and get on with his important business of play. And then onto the next scholar and so on up the chain. Here is a typical schedule, with heaps of time for reading: http://www.se7en.org.za/2009/02/27/se7ens-sonlight-school-schedule-a-school-day-in-the-life-of-se7en Feel free to ask any questions I love answering homeschool questions!!! Have a great day!!!

  3. thanks for sharing…all those new books..look so inviting….maybe a trip to the library…will be a good idea…today..

  4. Oh Jenni. I know what you mean!!! I was just sitting looking at all these books last night wondering when on earth I will have time for school this year – I have so much wonderful reading to do!!!

  5. Those lovely books! Many bring back lovely memories, when I read them years ago.
    ENJOY!

  6. Oh No …. no IG!

    I just ordered a used Core 100 and Core 5. I hope we love it as much as you all do!

    Mrs. H

  7. We just ordered our first Core (Core 1/C) yesterday, and we can’t wait for Box Day! Your blog really encouraged me to take the plunge! What’s your take on the new catalog?!

  8. How wonderful!!! Those books look so fabulous 🙂 I hope they bring lots of joy to you all. They look all ready to sink into. I am so AMAZED that you left the books alone while you finished the decluttering. I definitely do not (yet) have that kind of self-control 🙂 How frustrating about the IG! At least you can download the first 3 weeks?… love,Karyn

  9. I am really enjoying your blog and the glimpses into your daily life. And I miss Sonlight! We used it for 1 year and I really enjoyed all the read-alouds…BUT we had a baby and a toddler and it was always noisy in here every time I tried to read, so we decided not to continue with the next year (that was when we had 5 children). My youngest is 2 1/2 now though so maybe we’ll give it a try again next year for my 5-11 yr olds. Thank you also for all the art information, you’ve really inspired me to provide more creative opportunities for my children.

  10. Love love Sonlight! I would homeschool with Sonlight just to be able to read all those great books for myself!

  11. Oh Mrs H, I hope you love it too!!! Core 5 Is awesome… the traveling around the world is just totally brilliant!!! Lots of projects and things to explore and think about!!! We are about to start Core 100 I have a young man chomping at the bit!!! Have a fun week!!!

  12. Hi Jennifer, I am sure you will love your box day, what’s not to love!!! And hopefully you will have heaps of fun with your Sonlight school!!! As for the new catalogue, I am a purest and will only consider it to be mine when I have it in my hands and I can pore over it and discover all the new bits and pieces!!! Can’t wait!!!

  13. Hi Karyn, I am amazed at our restraint myself… but all resistance has crumbled this week and all you can hear around our house this week is the gentle turning of pages!!! Our IG problem is being resolved and life it appears will continue thanks to Sonlight!!! Have a good week!!!

  14. Hmm. All those lovely new books. I’m sure that I would have been diving in and reading. You, undoubtedly, have great self control. Thanks for the insight into homeschooling. We don’t, but if we did, I think this would be a really interesting route to go down. Its not going to stop me having a look at the sonlight site.

  15. Hi FloridaMom2Se7en, I realized that as I was unboxing the other day that most of our kids have been born into our family while Sonlighting… for them it really is a way of life!!! I am so glad you enjoy our blog and stopped by to say hi!!! Have a good week!!!

  16. Oh Jacki, When I opened this years boxes I thought to myself: “I should give up blogging and just read for the year…” Really!!! Imagine reading straight through every single Sonlight book… lovely!!! Bring out the hammock!!! Have a fun week!!!

  17. Hi Cheryl… I think if we didn’t homeschool, I would still buy the books just to read for myself… O love these books they are a gathering of books I read as a child and they bring back great memories!!! Hope you are enjoying some spring!!!

  18. Hi, looks great! I’m glad you got the IG issue worked out. Hope they come soon. My #1 is enjoying 100 and looking forward to 200 next year. Will you give us an update on what the Hoods will be up to this school year? Or maybe continuing the goals for Sonlight years? I realize that’s two whole posts. I’m just curious. I also enjoy your posts on your fun excursions and Celebrity Chef things among others. (I have a 13 year old chef son also, which is very nice! Mine likes to make a yummy Saturday breakfast). I just comment on the school stuff. Thanks for sharing. I love your blog and it really inspires me to be enthusiastic with my kids. Lillian

  19. Hay Lillian… And there I thought our readers would tire of hearing about school!!! Good to hear 100 is going well… my young man is chomping at the bit to get in there!!! I lve this you visit and comment on our school happenings, it is so encouraging!!! Hope you have a great day!!!

  20. Hay Lillian… And there I thought our readers would tire of hearing about school!!! Good to hear 100 is going well… my young man is chomping at the bit to get in there!!! I love that you visit and comment on our school happenings, it is so encouraging!!! Hope you have a great day!!!

  21. Glad to hear the IG issue was resolved, Se7en. I’m only now catching up on everything now (what with the website updates and all, I haven’t had time). Love this post! Thanks for sharing [smile].

    ~Luke

  22. Hay Luke, I can’t believe you are taking time to read blogs right now!!! I just want to say thank-you, thank-you, thank-you to you and Karla… I am once again the happiest Sonlight blogger in the world, my IG’s are sitting on the kitchen counter, good to go!!! Can you believe that!!! Better than brilliant customer service and deserves it’s very own post, probably early next week!!!

  23. We received our first box today but I somehow ordered a big binder without tabs! Rather random question, but do you have any advice on a ‘diy’ binder tab solution? Or should I just bite the bullet and order from Sonlight?

  24. Hi Nicola, just to reassure you, I have never managed a Sonlight order without leaving our something vitally important. Ever!!! One year I even left out all the IG’s. So you are in good company… If you find you just can’t live without them, then order away. We can buy file dividers over here, but it is quite awkward because we have two ring files and the Sonlight ones are three ring files. You might find that if you have your IG’s sorted into a big file for the year and you take out just the pages you need for the week and pop those in a small file then you could possibly do without them. Up to you, see how it goes. All the best!!!

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