Five Fun Lesson Plans For Homeschooling

Submitted: March 13, 2010 | Author: Melissa Murdoch | Posted in: Homeschooling: Doing It Well

One of the advantages of homeschooling is that you are not obligated to follow a strict lesson plan. The structure of your schooling at home is totally up to you, and you are free to follow the interests and learning style of your child. There are, however, some very fun lesson plans that are designed to put your child at the helm of their own educational experience.

One fabulous way to bring learning to life is to visit your local, or even not so local, museums. Start with the subjects that most interest your child, such as science or history, and go to those museums. Suddenly, subjects that were only known to your child in books are made more visually real, stimulating your child’s natural desire to learn. And exploring the museum is an adventure that will not be forgotten quickly.

Nature hikes are another way to broaden your child’s experience with science and nature, learning about the flora and fauna of your local area. Most cities or towns have a nature trail that is typically free to visitors and might even come with a guided hike at no extra cost.

Baking at its best is another great lesson plan for kids to gain an awareness of their creativity in the kitchen. They are encouraged to be creative and if things do not taste so great, it teaches them how to solve the problem of taste by experimenting with different spices or methods of cooking. Baking also integrates math because measuring requires them to get familiar with fraction adding, for doubling recipes, as well as units of measure.

Art in free form is also another great tool to help with just about any lesson or subject. It helps to take a trip to the hobby store and load up on all kinds of different things that can be made into an art project. Then, let your child select the things they would like to use to create with. This assists with spatial skills, hand-eye coordination, as well as giving them a hands-on experience where they control the project outcome.

Going to the library is a resource that should never be underestimated, especially if you are homeschooling. you can, however, utilize your library’s resources even further. An example of this is to regularly attend readings by authors. This is a wonderful way to show your child that reading is very fundamental skill and can be extremely exciting. At most libraries, when an author agrees to hold a reading, they make it into an event, including refreshments. Also, who knows the author’s intent and expression better than the author themselves? It is very worthwhile and entertaining to hear a book read by its own creator.

With these ideas, you can both have lots of fun and be able to enjoy each other all while learning in the process. And, who knows, you might also learn a thing or two that you didn’t know in the process!

Melissa Murdoch has a passion for life span development and education, and believes wholeheartedly that a healthy society begins at home. For further information on how to get started in homeschooling, please visit YourHomeschoolCommunity.com.