Below follows a list of useful resources that we’ve come across over the years. Some we have used, some are still on our wishlist. Some are free, some are not. This list is by no means complete! And it will be updated as needed, so check back regularly. Please feel free to share with us any other resources not mentioned that you have found particularly useful in the comments below…

Teaching Helps

Bible Felts (for Bible lessons)

SA Toy Trade (various teaching helps)

Sonlight Education Ministries (a true education homeschool curriculum using the bible, nature and character)

Moore Academy (another excellent homeschool curriculum)

My Bible First (Bible lessons – similar to Sonlight Family Bible Lessons – and fantastic teaching helps eg. bible posters/timelines etc) Abundant Life in South Africa prints and distributes certain My Bible First products for Africa. Contact Laurie (South Africa) for more information +27 78 967 5929.

Adams Synchronological Chart (amazing historical timeline showing 6000 years of history!)

Character-building

Character building is the most important work ever entrusted to human beings, and never before was its diligent study so important as now. Never was any previous generation called to meet issues so momentous; never before were young men and young women confronted by perils so great as confront them today.

Here is your work, parents, to develop the characters of your children in harmony with the precepts of the Word of God. This work should come first, for eternal interests are here involved. The character building of your children is of more importance than the cultivation of your farms, more essential than the building of houses to live in, or of prosecuting any manner of business or trade – CG 169

A key point in character training is to remember that it isn’t behavior modification you are after – that is just a change in behavior. You need to reach the heart of the child – this goes much deeper than just outward behavior.

Ladder of Life Series (books with mp3s)

Rod and Staff (character-building books)

Character First (lessons on various character traits shown in nature with activities)

The Power of True Success (excellent book on character building)

Institute in Basic Life Principals (character building resources)

Scripture Memorization

Song is one of the most effective means of impressing spiritual truth upon the heart.—The Review and Herald, June 6, 1912.

If it was essential for Moses to embody the commandments in sacred song, so that as they marched in the wilderness, the children could learn to sing the law verse by verse, how essential it is at this time to teach our children God’s Word! Let us come up to the help of the Lord, instructing our children to keep the commandments to the letter. Let us do everything in our power to make music in our homes, that God may come in.—The Review and Herald, September 8, 1904.

Saturate your day in the sweet melody of your favourite Scripture Songs and watch your home become a pleasant dwelling place where even ministering angels care to linger!

Scriptures Songs for Worship (youtube channel – use own discretion in choosing which songs)

Sing a Bible Verse (audio cd)

Thy Word Creations (audio cd with accompanying colouring book)

The Bible in Living Sound (dramatized audio bible stories)

Draw to Learn series (meditate on scripture while drawing about the scripture)

Nature

Calendar of Firsts (great idea recording all the firsts of nature for the year)

Nature Notebook (Good & the Beautiful) (beautiful nature journal to encourage nature exploration and appreciation)

Bob Ross (The Joy of Painting) (youtube channel teaching you to paint beautiful nature scenes)

Parenting Helps

Doorposts (helpful parenting charts and resources)

Restoration International (audio, video for family/parenting)

Empowered Living Ministries (books, video, etc for parenting)

Cinda Osterman: (really useful helps and ideas for parenting)

Youtube Channel   Cinda Osterman – Training Children for Eternity
Other YouTube VideosUnderstanding Your Teaching Style Part 1 (ignore Portuguese subtitles)
 Understanding Your Teaching Style Part 2 (ignore Portuguese subtitles)

Language Curriculum

Jolly Phonics (free checklists/guidelines/resources for using the Jolly Phonics curriculum)

Jolly Phonics Song (YouTube video for learning the 42 phonics sounds)

The Good and The Beautiful (free language curriculum with other nice supplementary subjects/teaching helps)

Creation Reading Course (multi-sensory Bible-based reading/writing course)

Maths Curriculum

South African Maths-U-See Curriculum (amongst other things)

Afrikaans Curriculum

Trumpeter Publishers (available at PNA)

Piano

Mary Jo Moore (piano course – books & cds – using hymns)

Hoffman Academy (free online piano lessons)

Kids in the Kitchen

Kids Cook Real Food (fantastic online course on teaching kids how to cook in the kitchen)

Cook30 for Kids (youtube playlist from 3ABN)

Good Wholesome Books (for older children)

True-to-life biographies, character building stories and mission stories are best. Some of these links may become broken over time as many point to books on Amazon. Google the book’s title to search for free pdfs or a cheaper source.

TEMKIT (ebook library and many other resources)
– character building library
– mission stories
– wildlife stories
– nature & creation stories

Pilgrim’s Progress – John Bunyan
Eric B Hare – mission stories etc
Whirlwind of the Lord  biography of Sarepta Mirenda Irish Henry
That Book in the Attic – Helen K. Oswald
People of That Book – Mary Farley Willis
Flee the Captor – Herbert Ford
As the Stars Forever– Hazel McElhany Greer
The Shining Way – Norma Norris
A Thousand Shall Fall – Susi Hasel Mundy
Tiger and Tom (and other stories for boys) – J E White
The King’s Daughter (and other stories for girls) – J E White
Making Home Happy –  L. D. Avery-Stuttle
Ellen – Trial and Triumph on the American Frontier – Paul B. Ricchiuti
Margie Asks Why – Laura Rocke Winn
Stories of My Grandmother – Ellla M Robinson
Scrapbook Stories – Ernest Lloyd
The Man that Rum Made – JE White and LD Avery-Stuttle
Titus – A Comrade of the Cross – Florence Morse Kingsley
Happy Hours at Home – Isabel C. Byrum
Notable Women of Spirit – John G Beach
I Saw God’s Hand – E L Martin
The Story of Mary Jones and her Bible – Mary Emily Ropes
Taught by A Tiger, Singer on the Sand, Nyla and the White Crocodile, Fire on the Mountain – Norma R Youngberg
Curse of the Voodoo Gods – Joyce Rochat
Jungle Thorn – Norma R Youngberg
Dookie, Sookie, and Big Mo – Alice Mertie Underhill

The following publishing houses have good books for youth:

Sewing

Easy Girl’s Skirt Tutorial (our favourite free sewing pattern at the moment)

Board Games

Wildcraft (co-operative board game teaching children about herbs)

Pilgrim’s Progress (board game based on the book by John Bunyan)

Camp (learn fun facts about the great outdoors)

Go Ye (adventist discipleship board game)

Adventist History

Pathways of the Pioneers (audio dramatized stories)

TEMCAT (historic document archive)

Tell the World (YouTube dramatized feature film of Adventist history)

Lineage (YouTube series – history of the churches through the ages)

Bible Study for Kids

 Amazing Adventure (Youtube Series for Kids by Amazing Facts)

 Revelation for Kids (YouTube series on Revelation)

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