Susan Fuerst

Thanks, Pam, I really LOVE this idea. I am currently racking my brain
for a facility like this in our area. Being in the Midwest, it would be
best to have an indoor facility so the weather is not an issue. Did you
use the facility weekly, monthly, every other week?

We did have local skating rink that opened just for hsers once a month
before schools let out. But attendance crept down (all those
school-at-homers get wrapped up in their need to do academic work) and
they began to invite school groups. This was a real turn off for most
homeschoolers....who have a tendency to avoid school groups, day camp
groups, etc.

Anyway, thanks again for the idea. A friend has recently approached me
with the fact that she is burnt out on structured school-at-home, and
trying to open her mind to another approach. Maybe I can get her to
work with me in finding a place.

Susan

Date: Sun, 29 Aug 2004 18:51:45 EDT
From: Genant2@...
Subject: Re: Digest Number 1369

In a message dated 8/29/2004 3:57:46 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
fuerst@... writes:

I also like the idea
of a weekly play plan, though vaguely tried that last year...it
fizzled;<<<<

Another thing that we (me and an unschooling friend) was to start a free

day. WE started out calling it that because the kids wouldn't come
there to
study. We found a local boys and girls club, they have after school
programs
for school kids but the facility wasn't used during the day. They had
a gym
and gym type equipment, pool tables, computers, fooz ball table, table
hockey,
games, tables and chairs, bumper pool. We hammered out arrangements
for
price per child and basically we had the gym to ourselves with the
agreement that
we would be out in time for their after school program and we would
clean up
after ourselves.

It worked out great. WE opened it up to all homeschool kids and found
that
unschoolers were the only ones with a free enough schedule to come.
LOL it
started off slow but by the end of the year we had 30 kids coming. The
thing
that was better than a park day was that we came even if it was
raining, and
even older kids enjoyed. It was so nice to see all ages playing
together.
The kids would go from one game to another as they liked. We had no
preplanned games or activities it was up to the kids what they did.
Some kids would
draw while others would just shoot the basket ball around. Then more
would
join in on the basketball and some would go play something else. Very
free and
nice. I drove about 25 minutes but we had some that would drive about
1 1/2
hours to come.

Just another thought,
Pam G

[email protected]

In a message dated 8/30/2004 12:59:35 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
fuerst@... writes:

Thanks, Pam, I really LOVE this idea. I am currently racking my brain
for a facility like this in our area. Being in the Midwest, it would be
best to have an indoor facility so the weather is not an issue. Did you
use the facility weekly, monthly, every other week?<<<<<

We started out having it twice a month, but after a couple of months it grew
and we changed it to every week. It started out with just me and one other
unschooler though for about a month.

Word of mouth is important. We kept talking it up on lists and people would
come to check it out and love it.

We had to search high and low though for a facility that offered a little
variety. This year we are having it at a State Rec Center, about an hour drive
for me. A friend and I had to call and visit many places to find a big
enough, flexible enough facility that would basically let us have the run of the
place during the day.

Benefit to them is that they do not have to staff it for us, no child was
dropped off and left without the parent or someone to watch/help them. And it
did bring in some extra money for the facility.

Pam G





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