A few years ago, anyone who had kids was forced to jump headfirst into the world of homeschooling. What an experience that was! But one thing became clear, it can be tough to get them to focus. But we all got a little taste of what it takes to teach our kids, and some of us want to keep it going to help supplement the education that they are getting at school. So how can we get our kids excited about their education? Here are some ideas to help grow their brains.
Think outside the box
This is probably one of the things that you hear the most when discussions start about schooling. But what does this mean? Simply, it means teaching your kids in a different way from their teachers. During the day, they have to follow the lesson plan of a teacher. At home, you are free to use any method that you want! This can mean baking biscuits as a way to engage with maths, comic books for art and language, and your pets for science (but keep them alive and learn about the type of animal that they are). Being creative in how you teach them can make a huge difference in the amount of knowledge they take in.
Get outside
The great outdoors is one of the best places to learn about the world. This means putting on your walking boots, grabbing a backpack, and making sure your phone has a full battery. Heading into nature, even if getting into the garden, can help teach your kids about the natural world. There are so many animals, especially birds, that are abundant in your local area. Bird spotting, tree identification, and searching for mini-beasts are some ways that nature can help you.
Use your interests
Fun fact about kids, they will imitate what they see. So if you have any interests that could be considered “educational”, then you can tell your kids about them. This could be anything from cross stitch to Pokemon. This might not seem like a good idea but you will be surprised how they can apply these interests to other areas of their learning. For example, I have some friends who love Warhammer, the tabletop war game. Although this is based on fantasy, it can help your kids with logic and using history.
Consistency is key
Getting your kids into healthy habits can be more than teeth brushing. Healthy habits can be setting a time for reading a story, having a day of the week to head to the library, or just having a consistent schedule for learning. Kids thrive when they know what they are doing so don’t be afraid to set out a schedule. Get the kids involved and discover what you can do together to enhance their learning. This is even possible if you work full-time because you set boundaries too. Work around your own schedule to create a consistency that suits everyone.
Local history unlocked
Ask yourself this, what do you know about the local history of your town? Probably not that much. Getting out to your local area and paying attention to what is around you can help start a discussion about the local history. However, if you don’t know where to start, local historians and history groups tend to be happy to help. Museums can be found all over the country, and you don’t need to head to a big one to learn something. Smaller local museums have a wonderful collection of interesting artefacts that can teach your kids things they will never forget.
As you can see, there are a few ways that you can support your kids learning outside of school and get them excited about learning. Hopefully, this will inspire a lifelong love of learning.