5 Ways to Change Your Homeschool Up A Bit
As much as we thrive on routine and being able to anticipate
events in our day, sometimes we all find it refreshing to change things up a
bit.
Homeschooling lends itself to doing things differently every
once in a while. Why change it up? Perhaps to keep your kids guessing---help
them stay engaged, wondering what surprises the day has in store. Perhaps to
foster learning in a slightly different environment. To avoid boredom, same old, same old. Maybe for Mom’s
sanity! Just to be different. Here are 5 ways you might be able to put some oomph!
Or Wow! in your homeschooling
day!
Sometimes just surrounding yourself in a different
environment while doing the same activities can help breathe new life in an old
activity. Horray if you have a beautiful school-room set up with all sorts of
visuals around, but sometimes we all need a change of scenery. For us, it means
going outside, and literally breathing in fresh air, and listening to the
outdoor sounds of Madagascar. Or cuddling in mom’s bed during read-alouds.
Maybe for you it could be your public library, a quiet park on a nice day, or
even McDonalds and reward everyone with treats for a job well done!
2-Play a Game
3-Media
4 -Go to Work
with Mom
As stay-at-home moms we all know that there’s plenty of work to do in
and around our homes. Take your kids on a “work-date” and have them follow you
around and help you out more, cooking or
baking in the kitchen, doing bathrooms, scrubbing floors, organizing closets,
and doing some of those jobs you’ve been putting off for several days or weeks.
Help them understand how important it is to do jobs well, and offer plenty of
positive affirmation.
Skip the book-work today and play some games. Games often
foster learning in a fun/hands-on environment: attitudes, encouragement to
others, counting and math skills, problem solving techniques and strategy
building, even team-work!
I don’t encourage lots
of tv-watching in my household, but sometimes I find tv a helpful tool to re-enforce
a concept we are learning in a book. Sometimes my kids are found watching Magic School Bus, or Bill Nye the Science Guy that
corresponds with a science topic we are studying.
This takes a bit of pre-planning and preparation, but you
can even record yourself reading onto an MP3 player or your Iphone and upload
it to a USB stick and play it for your kids in the car while you’re driving around town
doing errands. Entertain the kids on the road with the read-alouds, and teach
them important shopping/reasoning skills throughout the day too!
As stay-at-home moms we all know that there’s plenty of work to do in
and around our homes. Take your kids on a “work-date” and have them follow you
around and help you out more, cooking or
baking in the kitchen, doing bathrooms, scrubbing floors, organizing closets,
and doing some of those jobs you’ve been putting off for several days or weeks.
Help them understand how important it is to do jobs well, and offer plenty of
positive affirmation.
In the early years of homeschooling, (e.i. before high-school exams and credits for college prep) we are taking advantage of flexibility. Don’t get so caught up in
your curriculum that you don’t feel like you can’t take a day off for no other
reason except to surprise your kids!
Have you found ways to surprise your kids in your homeschool? How have you done it?
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