- Put out a blanket on the grass and do your regular curriculum lying down in the sunshine instead of sitting at the table. Simply being outside can improve focus and inspire interest. Professor Mom, a homeschool blog, reviews research by the University of Illinois, which indicates that being in nature improves children’s attention span.
- Blow some bubbles outside and do a Math lesson at the same time! Check out these bubble activities that also teach Math concepts!
- Take a nature walk and have children keep a nature notebook in which they write about and draw what they observe. The Charlotte Mason homeschooling approach offers plenty of guidance for successful nature study. Read about a nature walk from one homeschool blogger who uses the Charlotte Mason approach.
- Practice photography. Spring is the perfect time to pull out the camera and do a unit on photography. Homeschooling-ideas.com offers a variety of photography projects for kids. Visit photonhead.com for basic photography instruction, or check out photographyforhomeschoolers.com for a complete course in photography for homeschool students.
- Plant a garden. Incorporate teaching around the components of soil, plant reproduction and growth, and other science-related themes. As children cultivate and harvest a garden, they learn the source of food, and also gain valuable skills for future sustenance. Homeschoolviews.com offers a variety of ideas for ways to incorporate Math, Science, the arts, and even Politics into your garden experience.
- Check out local homeschool co-ops, churches, or groups (such as 4-H) for outdoor camps that teach special skills or hobbies. These can include day camps as well as overnight camps, which involve children in everything from learning about nature to art.
- Read a History lesson while children swing on the swingset. The movement can help children (especially those with focus challenges) to better pay attention to what is being read.
- Go through the yard and identify the trees there. Use these backyard trees resources to help children identify the different types of trees, including their bark, leaves, seeds, buds and more.
- Begin a nature collection. Find butterflies, insects, rocks, leaves, flowers, or other natural phenomena. Kids can put these items in a box, or even a whole cabinet, if you’re adventurous! Have children identify each item, learn about it, and label it.
No matter what you do outside, or how you do it, taking advantage of the great outdoors will infuse life and energy into your homeschool.
Read Taking School Outdoors, Part 2
[1]http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/07/100715172042.htm
[2]http://www.www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/02/110207165422.htm
Great ideas! I agree that something as simple as doing schoolwork outdoors can make a huge difference. Thanks for all the wonderful links, too! 🙂