How to Create More Hands-On Experiences in Your Homeschool

If you are new to homeschooling or even if you have been homeschooling for a while, you may be missing hands-on opportunities in your homeschool. It is common for homeschoolers to get caught up in the curriculum and checking off the boxes each day. But what we end up forgoing are hands-on experiences to enhance our education.

You may be thinking, what are the benefits to hands-on experiences in your homeschool? You may be wondering what do we mean by hands-on? That’s exactly what we are here for! Homeschool Mastery Academy is your resource for making the most of home educating.

 

What is a hands-on homeschool experience?

Projects, crafts, and experiments that allow for your student to not only learn something. But to drive it home by adding an experience that will be hard to forget.

Remembering back to your childhood education, I bet there were activities or projects you participated in that you are sure not to forget.

Hands-on learning promotes learning by doing.

I recall a particular experience during my Kindergarten year (35+ years ago) we made a 5-foot paper mache dinosaur. It was quite remarkable to my five-year-old mind and seemed massive of course. But I will never forget that project, and I still remember to this day the paper mache making process.

On that same day, my teacher made dinosaur “food” on a plug-in skillet in our classroom. These memories are vivid because our teacher chose hands-on activities to engage us in the learning process.

That was so long ago, but it makes sense that I remember those instances so well. Do I remember any of the worksheets, workbooks or textbooks? Nope. But I have always taken an interest in dinosaurs, probably for that reason.

Using experiences that help solidify the lesson and make a memorable impression on the brain are not only smart homeschooling practices but fun!

What are some examples of hands-on experiences?

Science Projects
Sensory Fun
Art Projects
Crafts
Group Activities
Cooking
Games
Tinkering
Handicrafts
Life Skills
Gardening
Nature Study
Using Manipulatives
STEM + STEAM Activities
Music Activities

Because children learn through all of their senses, hands-on learning can be a wonderful resource for various learning styles.

 

How can you incorporate more hands-on learning in your homeschool?

Honestly, many homeschool parents avoid hands-on projects because they fear the mess and stress of hands-on activities at home. There are three possible alternatives to this.

1. Just do it. Your children are missing out on what could be a beautiful experience at real-life education up close and personal. Push past your fear of messing up your kitchen and start incorporating more hands-on activities.
2. Join a homeschool group or co-op and do all the activities that you would rather not do at home in a group. Participating in hands-on learning with a group elevates the fun and the experience.
3. Join a monthly subscription service to receive already prepackaged materials to facilitate an open + go activity. STEM boxes are a good place to start.

Maybe you aren’t doing any hands-on activities because you never have the materials. The subscription boxes are an easy fix for that these days.

You can buy so many different kits that have everything you need inside to create a hands-on learning experience. There is no excuse not to add hands-on learning to your homeschool.

We hope this sparks some inspiration to add more hands-on learning to your homeschool. Choose to plan and prepare some fun in your own home or find a local homeschool group that you can experience learning engagingly and memorably.

If you would like to incorporate more hands-on activities, try our new hands-on craft e-book! Packed with 22 Of The Best Easy Hands-On Crafts For Kids with No Mess.