Carson Valley Homeschool Weekly | May 24-30, 2026
Issue: #04
Hi Carson Valley Homeschool Weekly Friends!
We hope you’re all soaking up these last weeks of spring and enjoying the longer days, warmer weather, and all the opportunities to get out and explore together.
Whether you’re looking for a fun family outing, hands-on learning experiences, outdoor adventures, or new ways to connect with other local homeschool families, we’ve gathered some great events and activities happening around Carson Valley and nearby communities this week.
We’re also excited to continue growing this little community together. Thank you for being here, sharing the newsletter, and supporting local programs, businesses, and events that make homeschooling in our area so special.
Here’s what’s happening for the week ofMay 24th–May 30th, 2026!
📅 This Week’s Activities
The Great Puzzle Hustle: 750– Wednesday, May 27 • 12:30 PM–3:30 PM
📍 Recreation & Aquatics Center, South Lake Tahoe
💲 $40 per team of four
👥 Ages 16+
👉Fast-paced team puzzle competition where groups race to complete a 750-piece puzzle in two hours. All puzzles are provided, and teams keep their puzzle afterward. There will also be a community puzzle swap, making this a fun social outing for teens, parents, and puzzle-loving homeschool families.
H.I.S. Co-op Market Day– Friday, May 29 | 10:00 AM–1:00 PM
📍 Gardnerville - High Sierra Fellowship -1250 Gilman Ave, Gardnerville, NV 89410
💲 Free
👥 All ages
👉 Shop student-made goods, handmade crafts, and one-of-a-kind creations while supporting local homeschool student entrepreneurs. Families can also enjoy carnival games, Italian sodas, iced coffee, and a fun community atmosphere. A great homeschool-friendly outing for the whole family!
Kids Expo Tahoe 2026– Saturday, May 30 • 10:00 AM–2:00 PM
📍 Lake Tahoe Community College, South Lake Tahoe
💲 Free
👥 All ages
👉 Large outdoor family event with hands-on activities, performances, community booths, kid activities, and interactive exhibits. This is one of the strongest homeschool-family events happening in Tahoe next week.
Wildfire Safety Expo – Saturday, May 30 • 10:00 AM–2:00 PM
📍 South Tahoe Middle School
💲 Free
👥 School-age kids and families
👉Interactive community expo focused on wildfire preparedness and safety. Good educational outing for homeschool families with demonstrations, emergency vehicles, and hands-on learning opportunities.
Teen Trip to Defy Trampoline Park Glow Hour– Friday, May 29
📍 Carson City departure
💲 Starts at $25/Registration required
👥 Ages 11–18
👉A supervised teen outing that includes transportation, trampoline park admission, pizza, and glow-hour activities. Nice social opportunity for homeschool teens heading into summer.
Steam Train Rides– Saturday, May 30 • 10:00 AM–3:00 PM
📍 Nevada State Railroad Museum
💲 Around $6
👥 All ages
👉Classic steam train rides are back for Memorial Day weekend. This is one of the best hands-on local history outings for homeschool families and usually a big hit with younger kids.
Share an Upcoming Homeschool Friendly Event
🎨 Ongoing Classes & Programs
Gardnerville
Douglas County Community Center - Youth Programs
💲 Varies by class 👥 All ages (family-friendly + teen-friendly options)
Douglas County 4-H💲 Varies by club/program 👥 Ages 5–19
Trail Life USA💲 Contact for details 👥 Boys ages 5–17
American Heritage Girls💲 Contact for details 👥 Girls ages 5–18
Minden
DCPL Library Crate (Quarterly Book Box)💲 Free 👥 Ages 10–25 📅 Quarterly
Minden Guitar Club💲 Free 👥 Ages 12+ 📅second Saturday of every month.
Teen Miniature Painting Club💲 Free 👥 Teens 📅 every Wednesday.
The Mythos Society💲 Free 👥 Ages 13+ 📅 every Saturday.
Library Choir💲 Free 👥 14+ 📅 second Saturday of every month.
Game On💲 Free 👥 Teens 📅 2nd and 4th Friday of every month.
NEW!!Kids Tennis Classes in Carson & Minden (Love Love Racquet Club)
📍 Carson City & Minden
Locations: James Lee Park & Johnson Lane Park
💲 Monthly membership
👥 Ages 4+
📞 775-546-0601
📧[email protected]
👉Love Love Racquet Club offers year-round tennis classes and summer camps for kids ages 4 and up. No prior experience is required, and equipment is provided. Families can try a free first class to see if it’s a good fit. Classes are offered six days per week withhomeschool-friendly daytime options.
South Lake Tahoe
💲 Free 👥 Teens & Adults / All skill levels welcome 🗓 Fridays • 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM
💲 Free 👥 Ages 16+ 🗓 Monthly • Usually the 4th Wednesday at 5:30 PM
💲 Free (Registration Required) 👥 Ages 18 & under 🗓 1st Mondays of the Month • 3:00 PM – 4:30 PM
Share an Ongoing Class or Program for Homeschoolers
🌟 Community Spotlight
Nevada State Railroad Museum
📍2180 S Carson St, Carson City, NV 89701
📞 (775) 687-6953
🌐Nevada State Railroad Museum
What It Is
The Nevada State Railroad Museum is an interactive history museum featuring restored locomotives, historic rail cars, working train rides, and exhibits focused on Nevada’s railroad history and mining era. Families can walk through real train cars, explore outdoor displays, and experience living history in a hands-on environment.
Why Homeschool Families Love It
Homeschool families appreciate that the museum feels active and engaging rather than overly formal. Kids can move around, ask questions, climb aboard select exhibits, and experience history in a memorable way. The seasonal steam train rides are especially popular and make it easy to turn a regular weekday into a meaningful family outing.
Homeschool Value
The museum naturally supports:
Nevada history
Westward expansion studies
Engineering and mechanics
Transportation history
Industrial technology
Hands-on experiential learning
It works especially well for mixed-age homeschool groups because younger kids enjoy the trains while older students can dive deeper into history, engineering, and primary-source learning.
Share a Homeschool Friendly Business
🛍️ Homeschool Classifieds & Teen Services
We’re creating a simple way for local homeschool families to buy, sell, share, and support one another within our community for FREE.
Have something to pass along or promote? We’d love to include it in the newsletter.
Examples include:
Curriculum & books
Classes & clubs
Sports gear & instruments
Tutoring
Free items & swaps
Handmade goods
Businesses & services
And more
✨ Teens are welcome to submit their own small businesses and services for FREE, including:
Peer-to-peer tutoring
Babysitting
Mother’s helper services
Pet sitting
Yard work
Tech help
Art commissions
Music lessons
And other family-friendly services
Want to be included? Submit your listing below 👇
📚 Item for Sale
Beautiful Feet Seasons of Afield Science Curriculum
📍 Carson City
💲 $125
📧 Contact:[email protected]
📞 775-790-3540
Literature based nature curriculum for Primary grades. This lot includes the teachers guide and 8 of the 15 nature books. Books included are listed below. Overall good condition :) Owl Moon - hard cover Albert - hardcover Winter Sleep - hardcover Fall Walk - hardcover Snowflake Bentley - hardcover Pond - hardcover Miss Maples Seeds - hardcover Brambly Hedge- hardcover Entire set retails for $275 Thanks for your interest :)
🥚 Local Goods
Coming Soon
🎒 Service Offered
Coming Soon
🧑🔧 Teen Opportunities
We’re working to connect homeschool teens with small, local opportunities in our community. Keep an eye on upcoming issues for new listings.
Please remember that families are responsible for doing their own due diligence and using their best judgment when participating in opportunities or connecting with individuals featured in the newsletter.
Have something to share or want to be featured? Submit it below 👇
💼 Jobs & Side Gigs
Yard Work Help Needed
📍 Topaz Ranch Estates
💲 Paid per task
👥 Ages 12+
📧[email protected]
Local family looking for help with yard work and small property projects in Topaz Ranch Estates. Great first-job opportunity for teens wanting to earn money, build responsibility, and gain hands-on work experience over the summer.
🤝 Volunteer Opportunities
NEW!!Spread the Word Nevada Volunteer Opportunities
📍 Reno
👥 Teens & Families
👉 Spread the Word Nevada offers meaningful volunteer opportunities for teens who want to give back to the community while building leadership and service experience. Volunteers help support childhood literacy programs through book drives, event support, organizing books, and community outreach. This is a great fit for homeschool teens looking to earn volunteer hours, develop workplace skills, and make a real impact for local children and families.
Horse Grooming & Bathing
📍 Minden
💲 Volunteer
👥 Ages 12–18
DCPR Volunteer Opportunities - Team Sports
Washoe County Library Volunteen Program
📚 Skill Building
NEW!!Christine Kaplan Coaching
📍 Reno/Online
💲 Private coaching programs available. Contact for current pricing.
👥 Teens
👉 Christine Kaplan is an ADHD life coach and licensed therapist who helps teens build real-world skills like time management, organization, confidence, goal setting, communication, and stress management. Her coaching programs are designed to help students feel more capable, motivated, and successful both academically and personally.
Firearms Safety Training for Teens
📍 Battle Born Training Center – Carson City
💲 See website for pricing
👥 Ages 14–18 with a parent present
Stop the Bleed Training/Certification
📍 Battle Born Training Center – Carson City
💲 Contact for pricing
👥 Ages 14–18 or by instructor permission
🎓 Scholarships & Tips
👉The Work Ethic Scholarship Program
👉Nevada Federal Tax Credit Scholarship Program
👉College Level Examination Program (CLEP)
👉El Dorado County Library College Information
👉Western Nevada College Dual Credit Program
💡 Tip: Start a simple “skills portfolio” for your teen this summer. Include volunteer work, projects, certifications, photos, leadership roles, and part-time jobs. It makes future scholarship and college applications much easier.
Share a Scholarship Opportunity or Tips for Homeschoolers
🤝 Etiquette Corner (The “Lost Art”)
This Week’s Tip:Waiting Your Turn in Conversation
Why It Matters
Long before classrooms and meetings, good conversation manners helped communities work together peacefully. Waiting your turn to speak shows respect and helps everyone feel heard. It also teaches patience, listening skills, and self-control, which are important in friendships, family life, and future jobs.
A Simple Example
Instead of interrupting with:
“WAIT, I HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY!”
Try:
“Can I share something when you’re done?”
Cute/Funny Story
One dad said his kids got so excited during family dinner conversations that they started raising their hands at the table like they were in school. Technically unnecessary… but surprisingly effective.
Try This This Week
Pick one family meal or outing this week and practice:
listening without interrupting
making eye contact
waiting for a pause before speaking
Bonus challenge:
See if you can remember one thing each person said before it’s your turn to talk.
📣 Want To Get Involved?
Know about an event, class, or teen opportunity?
👉Click hereto fill out our newsletter submission form and we’ll include it in an upcoming issue.
👉 Feel free to share this newsletter with another homeschool family. :)
