Welcome to the newest installment of the ABC’s of Homeschooling. I am so thrilled to have you join us. Don’t miss out on each of the articles so far. You can find them HERE.
When we started homeschooling 5 years ago (wow!) I knew from day 1 that I didn’t want our journey to be like that of public school. I didn’t want my children to have learning time part of the day and that be all that there is. Instead, I knew that I wanted to infuse each part of our life with learning. I wanted my children to seek a learning opportunity each day.
Simple tips to incorporate homeschooling into all parts of your life:
- In the kitchen: When your children are in the kitchen with you they learn many, many things. Are they cooking? Life skills. Measuring ingredients? Math! Are they washing dishes? Home-ec.
- Outside: When you and your children are outside you have many opportunities to learn. Just taking a stroll through your back yard can turn into a full on unit of study. You can learn about the different trees in your area, when they bloom, how tall they grow, if they bear fruit, etc. You can learn about the birds that are at your feeder, what they eat, when they migrate, how many eggs they typically hatch, etc. You can learn about the garden you are growing and your children can get their hands dirty while helping. You can jump on those bikes that are in your shed and take P.E. on the road.
- In the community: Your children can learn a multitude of things while out and about in the community. Going to a local animal shelter can teach them service and compassion for pets. A tip to the food bank teaches them to be thoughtful of others.
- At a farm: If you do not have the pleasure of living on a farm, take a trip to your local farm. There is so much to learn there. Your children can learn about life cycles, feeding animals, how machines work, where food comes from, and so much more.
- The library: At the library you can teach your children so many things. First of all, respect for others. They must be quiet and thoughtful of others while there. They must take turns and wait in lines. They can learn how to use the Dewey Decimal system. How to use computers for research or to look for books. It is a great place to start.
- Grocery store: At the grocery store there are many ways to teach your children. Start with math… counting items they need, totaling the bill as they go, reading a recipe for ingredients. They can practice reading skills by keeping track of the shopping list.
There are many other ways to incorporate learning into your life. I have barely been able to scratch the surface. Are any of these things you do in your home? I would love to hear what you do.
