The Winter Olympics are almost here, and if your family will be watching, why not turn that excitement into meaningful learning? In this episode, I share a collection of fun, engaging, and mostly free Winter Olympics resources you can use with elementary through high school students—before and during the Games.

These resources cover history, geography, science, music, critical thinking, and more, with very little prep required.

Official Olympics Website – Milano Cortina 2026
Explore schedules, events, host locations, and track the Olympic torch as it travels toward the opening ceremony.

Athlete365 Stories
Behind-the-scenes articles and videos featuring athlete preparation, Olympic Village life, and what happens before competition begins.

15-Minute Olympics Music Lesson – Music in Our Homeschool
A free mini-lesson exploring Olympic music and official songs—short, engaging, and easy to use.

Science of the Winter Olympics (NBC Playlist on YouTube)
Short, engaging videos explaining the physics and math behind Winter Olympic sports like bobsledding and aerial skiing.
Best for middle and high school, but fascinating for all ages.

Olympics History & Culture Unit Study (Grades 4–8)
A low-cost mini unit study covering Olympic history, culture, and the differences between the Summer and Winter Games.
Web-based, hands-on, and reusable for future Olympics.

Free Digital Olympics Breakout (Escape-Room Style Activity)
A fully online breakout activity where students solve clues to unlock the Google Form and “win” the challenge.
Great for families or small groups. Estimated time: ~45 minutes.

FanSchool Olympics Medal Prediction Game
Students predict medal counts by country and learn geography along the way.
Free to play, with possible prizes for top predictions.

Winter Olympics Bingo (Free Printable)
A fun way for the whole family to stay engaged while watching events, learning flags, countries, and sports.
Use code WINTER (free through February 22).

If you use any of these resources, come join the conversation in the Homeschooling with Technology Community on Facebook and let us know which ones your family enjoyed most!

Subscribe to the podcast so you don’t miss any episodes!

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In this episode, we explore Pixar in a Box, a free, self-paced course created by Pixar in partnership with Khan Academy.

Pixar in a Box gives students a behind-the-scenes look at how Pixar films are made. Lessons are taught by Pixar professionals and connect animation to math, science, art, and computer science.

Start with the short introductory video and watch it together to see if it sparks your child’s interest.

You can access Pixar in a Box:

Through Khan Academy

Through the Pixar website (where the intro video appears on the main page)

Pixar in a Box includes 14 main units (plus an orientation). Families can follow the full sequence or jump around.

Example topics include:

Storytelling and film grammar

Animation and simulation

Color science and lighting

Character and environment modeling

Lessons mix short videos, interactive activities, simulations, quizzes, and some offline projects.

The Lesson Finder lets you filter lessons by:

Grade level (5–6 through 9–12)

Subject area (art, math, computer science, science)

Estimated total time: 25–40 hours

This works well for middle school enrichment or as part of a high school elective. With added projects—such as animation work, film analysis, or career research—it can be extended to a ½ credit elective. You can find trailers and how some shorts were made here.

Take a look at show sponsor, FundaFunda Academy to see what they offer for online classes and web-based unit studies.

Join our Facebook Group especially for the listeners of this podcast! You can ask questions and get advice as you try integrating technology in your homeschool.

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to the show and give a rating and maybe even a review! Subscribing will help you make sure you never miss an episode

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Vibe coding is a brand-new term, coined in early 2025 by former OpenAI researcher Andrej Karpathy, and it describes a radically different way of creating software—by describing what you want instead of writing traditional code.

In this episode, you will learn what vibe coding is, why it’s possible now thanks to large language models, and how homeschoolers can use it creatively and practically with their teens.

You’ll hear real examples, student-created projects, and two free tools you can try immediately.

Vibe coding is the process of building apps, games, or tools by talking to AI instead of manually writing code. You describe what you want, refine it step by step, and let the AI handle the programming behind the scenes.

This approach lowers the barrier to entry while still rewarding logical thinking, problem-solving, and creativity—especially when students understand how computers work at a basic level.

Canva Code

Create interactive games

Build matching activities and flashcards

Design simple browser-based games

Examples of Canva Code games:

AI term matching game

Emoji Drawing Game by  Lukas F

Wave Survival Game  by  Zander F

Base44

Examples discussed include:

A hydration tracker app

A book-tracking app with built-in recommendations by Lukas F

Instead of giving AI one massive instruction, treat it like an intern:

Start with a simple request

Add features one at a time

Refine visuals, logic, and functionality step by step

Create educational games to reinforce learning

Let students design games for each other

Build trackers, organizers, and productivity tools

Encourage creativity while still developing computational thinking

Artificial Intelligence for Teens

Scratch

Python

Pick one tool from this list and commit to learning it this year. Then join the Homeschooling with Technology Facebook group and share which tool you chose and why.

Subscribe to the podcast so you don’t miss any episodes!

The post Vibe Coding appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

Choose one tech tool from this list to explore intentionally in 2026.

AI assistants that homeschool parents can use for planning, teaching, and daily life.

Ways to use them include:

Rewriting articles at a child’s reading level

Creating lesson extensions and outdoor activities

Planning school schedules around sports and activities

Generating games, recipes, and choose-your-own-adventure stories

A free PDF with 20 starter prompts is available through the FundaFunda Academy newsletter.

Free, interactive math and science simulations from the University of Colorado.

Great for:

Physics (circuits, forces, motion)

Chemistry (molecules, states of matter)

Math (fractions, number lines, density)

Especially useful for middle and high school students and visual learners.

A collection of free STEM lessons and simulations at learn.concord.org.

Highlights include:

Filters by grade level and subject

Earth science, engineering, and data science resources

Project-based activities that work well alongside existing curriculum

A versatile design tool for students and parents.

Canva can be used to:

Create reports, presentations, planners, and calendars

Design invitations, worksheets, and printables

Explore built-in AI design tools

FundaFunda Academy offers both teacher-graded and self-paced Canva classes.

A free AI study tool that works only from sources you upload, reducing hallucinations.

NotebookLM can:

Create quizzes, tests, and answer keys

Generate study notes and timelines

Produce short audio summaries

Work directly from PDFs, videos, and websites

A strong option for teaching teens effective study skills.

A Chrome extension designed for teachers and homeschool parents.

Key features:

Inspect Google Docs to see how writing was created

Generate quizzes from articles or videos

A tool that turns videos into interactive lessons.

With Edpuzzle you can:

Pause videos to ask comprehension questions

Prevent skipping ahead

Track whether the entire video was watched

Use thousands of pre-made lessons for free

A rich resource for geography, history, art, and culture.

Includes:

Virtual museum tours

Interactive explorations of historical sites

Games connected to art and culture

Previously discussed in Episodes 314 and 315.

A large library of free, self-paced technology lessons.

Topics include:

Google Docs, Sheets, and Calendar

Digital citizenship and online safety

Career skills and portfolio building

Creative projects like comics and digital postcards

One of the most comprehensive free personal finance resources available.

Covers:

Budgeting, banking, and credit

Paying for college

Investing and financial math

Interactive games such as Payback, Spent, and Stax

Teacher-graded semester classes began January 5

Self-paced classes are available at a lower cost

Subjects include Canva, AI, personal finance, and more

Pick one tool from this list and commit to learning it this year. Then join the Homeschooling with Technology Facebook group and share which tool you chose and why.

The post New Year, New Tools appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

This is a rerun of episode 210 – you can find the original show notes here.

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This is a rerun of episode 162 – you can find the original show notes here.

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Learn how to make this an AI-Powered Holiday Season! If the holidays feel overwhelming, especially for moms carrying the mental load, AI can help you offload decisions, plan your days, generate gift ideas, create activities, and more.

Tools like ChatGPT and Gemini can turn a long, overwhelming to-do list into a structured plan.

You can:

Use voice mode to quickly offload everything you need to do

Include specific tasks like preparing guest rooms, decorating, errands, cleaning, or cooking

Ask AI to assign age-appropriate chores to kids

Request a day-by-day schedule or detailed breakdown of today’s tasks

AI can help generate highly personalized, budget-conscious ideas.

Tips:

Provide detailed information: age, hobbies, interests, personality, budget

Ask for alternatives to expensive gifts

Request price comparisons; Perplexity is especially good for this

Use AI to help brainstorm DIY gift options

For personalized items, Canva’s AI tools can help quickly create bookmarks, calendars, cards, or certificates. You can also add an AI-generated poem, story, or even a custom song using SUNO.

AI can plan holiday meals, weekly menus, grocery lists, and leftover transformations.

You can request:

Meal plans with specific time limits

Menus without certain allergens or ingredients

A holiday dinner with detailed restrictions

A shopping list pulled from your own uploaded recipes

After large holiday meals, list your leftover ingredients and ask AI for several creative recipes. Kids can vote on their favorite.

AI can streamline travel planning during the holidays:

Suggest scenic detours

Recommend kid-friendly stops

Create packing lists based on your destination’s weather

For long drives, you can request car-friendly games tailored to your children’s ages.

Travel Bingo

Ask AI to generate 30–40 things you might see along your route.

Have it create customized 5×5 bingo cards.

Print and enjoy.

When the family gathers and needs something fun to do, AI can generate:

Indoor or outdoor scavenger hunts

Custom trivia nights

Choose-your-own-adventure stories

Coloring pages

Mini unit studies

Simple STEM projects using household materials

Holiday-themed coding activities

FundaFunda Academy is holding a Christmas Coding Contest for grades 4–12.
Cost: $5 (includes instructional materials)

Levels:

Beginner: No coding experience necessary; step-by-step Scratch instructions included

Veteran: For students already familiar with Scratch

Students create an interactive Christmas scene with a mini-game.

Deadline: December 23

Prizes: Amazon gift cards in both Beginner and Veteran categories

Take a look at show sponsor, FundaFunda Academy to see what they offer for online classes and web-based unit studies.

Join our Facebook Group especially for the listeners of this podcast! You can ask questions and get advice as you try integrating technology in your homeschool.

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to the show and give a rating and maybe even a review! Subscribing will help you make sure you never miss an episode

The post An AI-Powered Holiday Season appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

Code.org has transformed its annual Hour of Code into the Hour of AI, offering a wide variety of free, interactive activities that help students understand artificial intelligence—not just coding. Some of the resources we tried out are:

An interactive, story-driven adventure that teaches real-world Artificial Intelligence applications. Meryl tested the natural-disaster quest on flooding and found it highly engaging and educational.

Students use text prompts inside Adobe Express to design a custom product. A great introduction to generative AI tools—and perfect for creative learners.

A game where students identify real vs. generated images. Available in versions for younger and older students, with multiple difficulty levels.

For students who love programming, the Hour of AI still includes options that blend artificial intelligence concepts with familiar platforms such as:

Minecraft

Roblox

Python

And more

From the team behind Magic School AI, this quest-style activity lets students answer questions, earn points, and deepen AI understanding.

A standout for puzzle-lovers and game designers: students can build a multiplayer puzzle game in under an hour.

Includes a video plus downloadable teacher resources. Some materials note limited-time free educator access.

Several activities highlight “vibe coding.” Meryl will cover this in depth next week, so stay tuned for a full explanation!

A short activity designed to help students learn how to prompt Artificial Intelligence tools more effectively.

A mini-course that goes deeper than a typical one-hour activity—perfect for students wanting more detail on AI fundamentals.

A complete, self-paced unit study covering:

What AI is

Ethical concerns

Responsible use

How AI systems are trained

Hands-on activities

Built-in answer keys

Purchase once—use with the whole family.

A 16-week, asynchronous, half-credit high school course with:

Weekly deadlines

Virtual discussions

Tool-based exploration starting around Week 5

Graded assignments

A deep dive into how AI works, how to use it responsibly, and how to evaluate tools

Hour of AI

Intro to AI Unit Study

Semester-Long AI Class for teens

FundaFunda Education on Instagram (@fundafundaeducation)

Take a look at show sponsor, FundaFunda Academy to see what they offer for online classes and web-based unit studies.

Join our Facebook Group especially for the listeners of this podcast! You can ask questions and get advice as you try integrating technology in your homeschool.

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to the show and give a rating and maybe even a review! Subscribing will help you make sure you never miss an episode

The post Hour of AI appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

Meryl discusses why STEM gifts matter for kids and teens—and how choosing the right ones can build creativity, problem-solving, and curiosity. Whether you’re catching Black Friday sales or shopping any time of year, today’s episode is packed with practical ideas for skill-building gifts.

Early exposure: Starting STEM learning early helps children see it as a natural part of their world—and helps parents become more comfortable with it too.

Builds real skills: In an age when many teens rely heavily on AI tools, STEM toys encourage hands-on logic, creativity, and problem-solving.

Long-lasting value: Unlike many novelty toys, high-quality STEM kits and building sets are used again and again, often across multiple ages.

Did you know Advent calendars aren’t just chocolate anymore? Meryl shares several STEM options your kids will love opening every day in December, including:

National Geographic Advent Calendars (fossils, gemstones, science experiments)

Kiwi Co Mechanical Ornaments Advent Calendar – gear and lever–based mini builds

LEGO Advent Calendars – including themed sets like Frozen

Purple Cow “Shocking Science” Advent Calendar

Exit the Game Advent Calendar – a daily escape-room-style puzzle

Clixo  

A magnetic, flexible building toy (ages 4–99!) that encourages creativity, spatial reasoning, and engineering thinking. Great for travel.

Mbot Robots

Affordable, buildable robots ideal for introducing teens to robotics and coding.

Math Board Games

A fun, screen-free way to strengthen mathematical reasoning. (Search “math board games” at homeschoolingwithtechnology.com for a full episode.)

Classic Building Toys

K’Nex

LEGO (including Power Functions to integrate mechanics)

Keva Planks for bridge-building and other architectural challenges

Circuits Kits

Snap Circuits Junior / Classic – perfect for younger learners and still engaging for older kids

Expanded circuit board kits for those who master the basics

Chemistry & Forensics Kits

Hands-on experimentation for budding scientists—everything from volcano-making to mini forensics labs.

Educational Advent Calendars

STEM Gifts Under $50

Take a look at show sponsor, FundaFunda Academy to see what they offer for online classes and web-based unit studies.

Join our Facebook Group especially for the listeners of this podcast! You can ask questions and get advice as you try integrating technology in your homeschool.

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to the show and give a rating and maybe even a review! Subscribing will help you make sure you never miss an episode

The post STEM Gifts That Build Skills appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

In this episode, Meryl van der Merwe talks with Matt Dalio, founder of Endless Studios, about why game creation—not just game playing—can equip teens with powerful, real-world skills for future careers.

Matt shares:

How early experiences living in China and working with orphans shaped his desire to create worldwide access to digital skills.

Why technological literacy today is lower than literacy in the Dark Ages, and why that must change.

His belief that millions of young people can gain job-ready technical skills through creating games.

Uses real professional tools such as Unity, Unreal, Godot, Blender, and GitHub.

Teaches computational thinking, teamwork, project management, design, and coding.

Mirrors real-world workflows used in startups and tech companies.

Allows kids to shift from consumers to creators.

All of these are free to download:

EndStar
Endless Studios’ tool built on Unity, designed to take students from Minecraft-level skills to professional-level game engine skills. It includes wiring systems, logic blocks, and gradual scaffolding into real scripting.

Godot
An open-source engine that runs well on low-end computers. Endless Studios is building scaffolding tools on top of it, including block coding and collaborative editing features.

Roblox Studio
Ideal for kids already using Roblox. Uses Lua scripting and has a large online community.

Scratch
A simple entry-level environment that helps absolute beginners understand basic logic and design principles.

Matt also recommends courses on Udemy, Coursera, and similar platforms for structured learning. Many students, like past podcast guest Matthew, have taught themselves professional-level skills using these resources.

Matt emphasizes that students learn best through collaboration. Platforms like GitHub allow students to contribute to real-world projects, receive mentorship, and learn modern software development workflows. This form of apprenticeship is one of the most effective and scalable ways to build proficiency.

You do not need to know anything about game design to support your child.

Game creation teaches real workforce skills, even for students who never plan to work in gaming.

Encourage your students to shift from playing games to building them.

The motivation and joy that come from creating something they love are powerful teaching tools.

Matt welcomes interest from parents.  Email: [email protected]

Linkedin:https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattdalio/

Endless Studios: https://endlessstudios.com

EndStar: Free download from Endless Studios

Godot Game Engine: https://godotengine.org

Roblox Studio: https://create.roblox.com

Scratch: https://scratch.mit.edu

Udemy: https://udemy.com

Coursera: https://coursera.org

Take a look at show sponsor, FundaFunda Academy to see what they offer for online classes and web-based unit studies.

Join our Facebook Group especially for the listeners of this podcast! You can ask questions and get advice as you try integrating technology in your homeschool.

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to the show and give a rating and maybe even a review! Subscribing will help you make sure you never miss an episode

The post Learning Real-World Skills Through Game Creation appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.