My Year of Questions Book Review

As part of the Timberdoodle Blog Team, I have received complimentary access to this product. I have not been compensated for my time reviewing the product and producing this review. I have not been influenced in any way and my opinions on this product are my own.

As a homeschooling parent, I’m all about including easy opportunities for creative thinking & exploration into each and every day. If I can incorporate some sort of memory-making or record keeping into activities (because I’m also all about preserving memories for the future), that’s even better. And, if it’s something that requires little to no effort on my part and is actually fun & easy for my kids to complete…well, that’s a homeschool mom’s dream come true.

As part of the Timberdoodle Blog Team, I’ve recently been checking out the My Year of Questions book that’s included in their 11th grade curriculum kit. Today I’m sharing my thoughts on using this paperback book with my tweens & teenagers and why I really think it deserves a spot on their daily “to-do” list.

About My Year of Questions

My Year of Questions is a paperback book including 365 “activities for curious minds.” Sized at 6 inches by 8.5 inches, this interactive book is about the standard size of chapter books making it feel approachable and not as overwhelming an educational textbook.

All of the pages are printed on a heavier sort of cardstock paper, making the book durable & lesson prone to rips & tears. Each page contains anywhere from 1-4 prompts (another awesome design feature making daily prompt completion feel manageable!) designed to spark curiosity, encourage self-discovery, inspire creativity and more.

While the interior pages are colorful, it’s worth noting that the pages typically contain only one “main” color (purple, pink, blue, orange, or yellow) alongside black and gray. The use of fewer colors is a wonderful, calming feature for all, but can be especially helpful for reducing visual overstimulation for kids that have autism.

My Thoughts on My Year of Questions

You guys, even though I had my 14-year-old son start this book, I’m really thinking I need to get another copy to use with my 11-year-old! Even though My Year of Questions is included in the 11th grade curriculum kit, I really feel like it could be enjoyed by, and helpful for kids starting in middle school and up.

Please note – my son asked me to keep his completed questions private. I am respecting his privacy by not showing any photos of his completed work.

Some of my favorite features of My Year in Questions are:

• the questions: You know I’m all about a fun writing prompt, right? While many writing prompt sets may focus on a main theme, this book includes the full spectrum of writing prompts. For example, question 109 is a question about the infinity symbol used in math. Right after that, question 110 is a question about friendship. I love that this book includes a variety of question subjects to keep the activity fresh & exciting for the kids.
• the art prompts: Yes, even though this is a book about questions, there are a number of artistic prompts. Yay for a range of creativity! I’m all for differentiating instruction & assessment options (hello, former special educator here!) and feel like this feature is a nod to that. Prompt 170, for example, encourages the reader to draw or describe something silly they’ve done. How fun is that?!
• the flexibility: The literal title of this book has the word “year” in it, but I love that it doesn’t specify the parameters of a year. Because the questions are “only” numbered in chronological order, there’s a number of ways in which the questions could be completed. You could use this for a school year (this Jersey girl remembers school years as being September – June. What about you?), for a January–December calendar year…or any other set of 365 days. This is awesome!

• the price point: Like I’ve said before, homeschooling shouldn’t cost an arm & a leg. Raising kids, without the cost of educational materials, is expensive enough! At the current price point ($9.99), I feel like My Year of Questions is very reasonably priced, especially for a resource that will be used for an entire year. For those of you that appreciate a price breakdown, this ends up being just under 3 cents per question. A deal I tell you, a deal!
• the memory making: I’ve got a nostalgic mama’s heart, so I certainly appreciate being able to record small moments in my kids lives that could be enjoyed in the future. From their handwriting, to their doodles, to their prompt answers, I know I will be grateful for this completed book in the future.
• the consistency: I can certainly appreciate an activity that encourages positive habits. Since this book has 365 questions, it’s designed to be used every day in a year. That small habit of completing a quick creative activity could end up being the stepping stone to including other small daily habits – like a 15-minute walk around the block or reading for 30 minutes a day!

Happy Homeschooling!

As you can see, there are many benefits to including My Year of Questions in your homeschool activities!

What do you think? Would your kids enjoy an activity like this? Do you think it could lead to the formation of other healthy, educational daily habits?

I’d love to hear about your plans for including My Year of Questions in your family. Leave a comment below to share with me & the That Homeschool Family community!

Until next time, stay safe & enjoy quality time with your family,