Home-schooling and Recreation
by Mimi Rothschild
Home schooling doesn’t have to be all work and no play. In fact, a departure from straight book learning is one of the fundamental principles in home schooling. There are a lot of fun recreational activities that you can give your kids to help them learn every subject imaginable. Not only will they build great memories of having fun in school with you, but they’ll remember what they learn as well because you are utilizing more senses than just visual (reading) or visual and aural (reading aloud while they follow along; videos). Computer programs take it a little bit further by engaging the tactile sense – they use their fingers to key in answers and move the cursor. But how fun is that?
Science
Science is the easiest subject to include fun and recreational projects. Teach plate tectonics and stratification with Milky Way candy bars. Let them see photosynthesis demonstrated by planting a garden outside and then potting a few plants under the kitchen sink. Gardens teach so many different things that no home school should be without them. Kids can learn the plant names, plant reproduction, nutrition, cooking and even values like patience as they wait for the plants to grow and produce fruit or the concept of giving and sharing by baking zucchini bread with their homemade zucchinis and giving them away to the neighbors.
Math
Teach infinity with grains of sand at the beach or by studying astronomy. Stars and math are embedded within each other and the first makes the second a bit more interesting. Estimation is fun when played by guessing the number of jelly beans in a jar and then using the candy to demonstrate exponents, basic arithmetic – though division and fractions might be better shown on a slightly larger treat.
English
Churn your own butter and learn hand sewing and paper making to make your own notebooks for other work as you go through the Little House on the Prairie series. Experiment with writing plays to enact exciting scenes from favorite books. Use poetry magnets to teach syntax and make your own letter and punctuation magnets to teach punctuation.
Social Studies
Learn other cultures by cooking their staple dishes, re-creating a few of the ancient clothes or jewelry they wore, or comparing customs. For example, compare ancient Christmas traditions between various countries and time periods.
Another idea is to keep up with current events. If there is a drive to build a new playground in the neighborhood, get involved. Start a little home school newsletter and send it to family and friends – even just a few issues by your child will teach her how much work is involved in keeping up with events in the house, reporting facts versus opinion, and deciding what is important to print and what is not.
Field Trips
When there’s a new play in your area, even if it’s done by a local high school, use it to study elements within it. West Side Story offers an opportunity to discuss race relations and prejudices, Puerto Rico, immigration and international relations.
When a new panda comes to the zoo or a baby lion is born, take your child to see it. Keep up with it in the paper as it grows and visit it occasionally, taking pictures to mark its progress. Study lions, where they’re from and their behaviors.
The changing exhibits at museums can help lead you into units as well. Recreate old relics with papier-mâché, dress up as famous historical figures that relate to the exhibit – anything that elucidates what you learn at the museum. Often times, the gift shop can give you ideas. Postcards from your exhibit will serve to memorialize the experience and also make great flash cards for learning.
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