Ainsley Arment

Allow your children to experience the adventure, freedom, and wonder of childhood with this practical guide that provides all the information, inspiration, and advice you need for creating a modern, quality homeschool education. Inspired by the spirit of Henry David Thoreau—”All good things are wild and free”—mother of five Ainsley Arment founded Wild + Free. This growing online community of mothers and families want their children to receive a quality education at home by challenging their intellectual abilities and nurturing their sense of curiosity, joy and awe—the essence of a positive childhood. The homeschool approach of past generations is gone—including the stigma of socially awkward kids, conservative clothes, and a classroom setting replicated in the home. The Wild + Free movement is focused on a love of nature, reading great books, pursuing interests and hobbies, making the entire world a classroom, and prolonging the wonder of childhood, an appealing philosophy that is unpacked in the pages of this book The Call of the Wild and Free offers advice, information, and positive encouragement for parents considering homeschooling, those currently in the trenches looking for inspiration, as well as parents, educators, and caregivers who want supplementary resources to enhance their kids’ traditional educations.

Reclaiming Wonder in Your Child's Education

The Call of the Wild and Free

Leah Boden

Discover How Charlotte Mason's Revolutionary Ideas on Home Education Can Change How You and Your Children Learn and Grow Together

Modern Miss Mason

"Ainsley Arment has emerged as one of the most prominent voices in [this] grass-roots community." — New York Times As parents, we dream of creating a magical childhood for our kids, yet it can be so easy to slip into autopilot. Ainsley Arment-- a mother of five, founder of the thriving community Wild + Free, and bestselling author-- is no stranger to the barrage of decisions, opportunities, and daily tasks that each day brings. But what Ainsley has discovered is that the magic of life isn’t found in the hustle and bustle of constant activity but in the intentional ordinary decisions of our days. And when we assume that a family has to look or act a certain way, we miss the opportunity to build a meaningful and fulfilling life together. Drawn from her family's stories and those shared by the Wild + Free community, The Wild + Free Family explores how to create a family culture that breaks the mold by seeking to connect with our children, unleash their gifts, pursue a shared vision together, and redeem generational brokenness, among so much more. Inside these pages are Ainsley’s words of encouragement, honesty, and wisdom, guiding all parents to create a home where families can forge their own path to love stronger, live more fully, and grow closer to each other.

Forging Your Own Path to a Life Full of Wonder, Adventure, and Connection

The Wild and Free Family

The companion to The Call of the Wild and Free: a beautiful, full-color illustrated “boho-chic” workbook, styled in the aesthetic of the Wild + Free brand, offering crafts, activities, essays, prompts, and more parents, educators, and caregivers can use to inspire their children. Wild + Free is an online community started by Ainsley Arment, mom and homeschooler of five, who was inspired by the spirit of Henry David Thoreau: “All good things are wild and free.” The Wild + Free method is grounded in providing children a quality education, but equally important, ensuring that they experience the adventure, freedom, and wonder of childhood. Modeled after the booklets sent to Wild + Free monthly subscribers, and including contributions from others in the Wild + Free community, this full-color supplemental resource is filled with creative and intellectually stimulating ideas and hands-on activities parents , educators, and caregivers can use to nurture their child’s curious spirit and imagination. This visually arresting resource is organized around helpful themes such as “Wander,” “Belong,” “Family,” and more. This modern primer includes 100 beautiful and inviting photographs, thematic essays, how-to activities, crafts, and helpful guided experiences any family can use. This Wild + Free Supplemental book is ideal for homeschooling parents as well as parents and caregivers looking for extra activities and ideas to stimulate the imaginations of traditionally educated children after school, on weekends, or during vacations.

Supplemental Book #1

The companion to The Call of the Wild and Free: a beautiful, full-color illustrated “boho-chic” workbook, styled in the aesthetic of the Wild + Free brand, offering crafts, activities, essays, prompts, and more parents, educators, and caregivers can use to inspire their children. Wild + Free is an online community started by Ainsley Arment, mom and homeschooler of five, who was inspired by the spirit of Henry David Thoreau: “All good things are wild and free.” The Wild + Free method is grounded in providing children a quality education, but equally important, ensuring that they experience the adventure, freedom, and wonder of childhood. Modeled after the booklets sent to Wild + Free monthly subscribers, and including contributions from others in the Wild + Free community, this full-color supplemental resource is filled with creative and intellectually stimulating ideas and hands-on activities parents, educators, and caregivers can use to nurture their child’s curious spirit and imagination. This visually arresting resource is organized around helpful themes such as “Wander,” “Belong,” “Family,” and more. This modern primer includes 100 beautiful and inviting photographs, thematic essays, how-to activities, crafts, and helpful guided experiences any family can use. This Wild + Free Supplemental book is ideal for homeschooling parents as well as parents and caregivers looking for extra activities and ideas to stimulate the imaginations of traditionally educated children after school, on weekends, or during vacations.

Supplemental Book #2

The companion to The Call of the Wild + Free: styled in the lush aesthetic of the Wild + Free brand, a four-color book offering crafts, activities, and essays, that parents, educators, and caregivers can use to inspire their children. Wild + Free Handcrafts is a beautiful, four-color resource book for parents, educators, and caregivers to enjoy doing hands-on activities with kids. A handcraft engages one’s hands, requires a level of learned skill, encourages children to do their best work, and produces an end product that is useful. It has been used in homeschool settings for decades as one way to encourage them to work with their hands and discover a skillful craft they love to practice. It also is a great way for traditionally educated kids who are home for the summer, or in afterschool programs, or with their families on the weekends, to do fun activities that will stimulate their imaginations and creativity. This book will feature crafts such as: Felted acorns Paper beads Nature wreaths Cocoa mint lip balm Woven willow hearts Finger knit bracelets Eco-dyed kitchen towels Fairy tale treehouse Flower crowns Bug hotel With the same lush photography as The Call of the Wild + Free, this book includes step-by-step pictures that show parents how to do the craft, and essays on the usefulness and purpose of handcrafts as a tool to spark children’s curiosity and wonder.

32 Activities to Build Confidence, Creativity, and Skill

Wild and Free Handcrafts AFF

Imaginative holiday-themed activities from Wild + Free to spark children's curiosity and wonder and help families connect with each other in the most wonderful season of the year. Wild + Free is a great resource for parents to engage their kids' creativity using festive, holiday-themed crafts, outdoor activities, and essays that celebrate the warmth of the season. Curated by Wild + Free families around the world, this full-color book is filled with creative and intellectually stimulating ideas and hands-on activities parents, educators, and caregivers can use to nurture their child's curious spirit and imagination. With step-by-step instructions, lush photography, and family-tested and kid-approved activities, Wild + Free is a valuable guide to helping children spark wonder in the most wonderful season of the year.

35 Festive Family Activities to Make the Season Bright

Wild and Free Holidays

The companion to The Call of the Wild + Free: styled in the lush aesthetic of the Wild + Free brand, a four-color book offering outdoor activities and essays, that parents, educators, and caregivers can use to inspire their children. Wild and Free Nature is a beautiful, four-color resource book for parents, educators, and caregivers to enjoy doing hands-on activities outside with kids. One of the core philosophies behind Wild + Free is the belief that nature is the best classroom we could ever hope for. It unlocks the imagination and inspires creativity in ways that a schoolroom never could. Being out in nature has a number of benefits. Studies show that children are more likely to interact with kids of different ages and learn to problem solve in natural settings. Being in natural settings stimulates the brain and restores cognitive function. Children who spend time in natural settings also interact better with kids of all ages and learn to solve problems more easily. They build muscle and coordination and fend off obesity. It cultivates a sense of responsibility for caring for the earth, not to mention, encourages imaginative play, curiosity, and other qualities necessary to spark a love for investigation and learning. This resource book will help equip parents and adults who work with children to get them outdoors with activities such as: Build a treehouse in the woods. Cultivate a garden plot. Make land art and nature crafts. Create a mud kitchen in the backyard. Go for a nature walk each morning. Find a secret swimming hole. Go to the creek to learn about the water cycle. Plant a garden to see what will grow in your backyard. Raise monarch caterpillars and feed them milkweed until they transform into butterflies. Set up a birdwatching station in your front window equipped with binoculars, notebooks, and bird guides. Make a wilderness fort with the fallen branches from trees. With the same lush photography as The Call of the Wild + Free, this book includes step-by-step pictures that show parents how to do the activity, and essays on the importance of nature in a child's life.

25 Outdoor Adventures for Kids to Explore, Discover, and Awaken Their Curiosity

Wild and Free Nature

From Wild + Free, a wonderful collection of creative activities for parents, educators, and caregivers filled with engaging and fun ideas to help kids fall in love with literature and reading. Foster a love of reading in your child with Wild + Free Book Club. An invaluable educational resource curated by Wild + Free families around the world, this full-color illustrated book offers imaginative suggestions for creating themed book clubs for kids. Here are hands-on activities, games, food, and decoration ideas inspired by a carefully chosen list of beloved classic novels, as well as discussion questions about plots and themes that engage kids minds and sparks their curiosity. Wild + Free Book Club is filled with fun ideas for each book, including: Anne of Green Gables—host a picnic tea party The Secret Garden—craft a terrarium, a secret garden of your own Charlotte’s Web—host an old-time country fair The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe—turn your front door into a magical portal to Narnia With step-by-step instructions, lush photography, and family-tested and kid-approved activities, Wild + Free Book Club will help parents and educators inspire children and instill a lifelong passion for literature and the joy of books. The Wild + Free Book Club reading list: The Adventures of Tom Sawyer Anne of Green Gables Around the World in 80 Days Black Beauty Charlotte’s Web The Crossover Esperanza Rising The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate Farmer Boy From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler The Green Ember Heidi The Hobbit Island of the Blue Dolphins The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe Little House in the Big Woods A Little Princess Little Women Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH My Side of the Mountain Peter Pan Pippi Longstocking Robin Hood Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry The Secret Garden The Swiss Family Robinson Treasure Island The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street

Ainsley Arment

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