This week’s topic: Feelings and journaling (real life edition) We recorded in the middle of a heatwave, so we’re talking dysregulation, grumpy kids, and how hard it can be to “do the right thing” when everyone’s overstimulated.

• A feelings wheel (free printable) to help kids find more precise words than just “angry/sad”

• A simple empathy prompt: “How do you think your sibling feels?”

• Journaling alternatives for kids who hate writing: drawing feelings, scribble pages, talking, creativity, movement, baking

• A reminder that feelings aren’t just cognitive — sometimes kids regulate best through safe physical outlets

Season 5 Sponsor: Strew (home education logging app)

This week we’re sharing a quick behind-the-scenes feature: Study Points settings.

In the Study Points area you can choose an education style (child-led learning, Waldorf/Steiner, Charlotte Mason, unschooling/deschooling, or general home ed) which can change how the Study Points categories are shown. It’s totally optional, but a handy way to get an at-a-glance view of what you’ve been logging over time. Use code 'bighomeed' if you try Strew. https://strew.app/

In this episode of The BIG Home Ed Conversations Podcast, Kelly and Ashley continue their weekly home education UK “topic challenge” — choosing a theme and exploring it with their children through real-life learning, conversation, and curiosity-led activities.

This week’s topic: Town planning and street furniture — and it turns into a brilliant mix of project-based learning, local community awareness, and practical thinking about how towns work (and who decides what gets built).

Whether you’re home educating, (homeschooling for our US friends), this episode is packed with ideas you can adapt for your own family.

What we cover in this episode:

Town planning basics: how towns evolve, what problems they’re trying to solve, and why infrastructure matters.

Street furniture in everyday life: benches, lamp posts, traffic lights, junctions, road layouts — and the “why” behind them!

A fun “run the town” council game (decision-making, teamwork, budgeting, environment, and community trust.)

Learning through videos and visuals: what’s underneath major cities (including hidden infrastructure) how cities change over time (including a London evolution-style video) how heating, water, and energy systems can work at city scale.

Real-life community learning moments: conversations sparked by local elections and meeting a local candidate talking about leadership, values, and why voting matters (and why kids can’t vote yet!)

Hands-on play: building a town at home using toys (roads, emergency services, zoo, trains, role play and storytelling)

So whether your home education journey is eclectic, unschooling, project led or otherwise - you can draw some great ideas from this episode and as usual - we would love to hear yours too!

Share with us on Instagram or TikTok - @bighomeedpodcast or visit our new website - www.bighomeedpodcast.com

This season is sponsored by Strew, a home education logging app created by a UK home educating mum and her brother. To try Strew, head to www.strew.app or Search “Strew Home Ed app” on your apple or android phone and use code: bighomeedpodcast

In this episode of The BIG Home Ed Conversations Podcast, Kelly shares a powerful interview with Jenn Hodge, founder of Doing Education Differently.

Jenn is a leading voice in neurodiversity and education reform, and has been at the forefront of challenging the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill — which has now become the Act. Together, Kelly and Jenn talk through what’s happening, why it matters, and what families should be paying attention to as the Act begins to come into effect.

This conversation is especially relevant for:

• Home educating families in the UK

• Families navigating “children not okay at school”
• Neurodivergent families and those supporting SEND needs
• Anyone concerned about how policy changes could impact autonomy, rights, and day-to-day home education life

• Who Jenn Hodge is and why her work matters in this space
• The shift from the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill to the Act
• What the proposed changes mean in real life for families (not just in theory)
• Why neurodivergent children and families are often disproportionately affected by education policy
• The importance of staying informed, connected, and empowered (without spiralling into fear)
• How advocacy works behind the scenes — and why community voices matter
• What to watch for next as the Act is implemented, and how families can prepare

Kelly’s intention with this episode: This isn’t about panic or pressure — it’s about clarity, empowerment, and making sure families have access to grounded information as things change.

This season is sponsored by Strew, a home education logging app created by a UK home educating mum and her brother. To try Strew: Search “Strew Home Ed app” (iOS + Android) and use code: BIGHOMEEDPODCAST