5 Homeschool Activities That Will Make for a Fantastic Day

We enjoy homeschooling so much more when we step back and stop trying to make it look like what we grew up with in public or private schools. There are so many beneficial, educational activities you can incorporate into your days that don’t require computer screens, textbooks, or workbooks. Consider making these homeschool activities a regular part of your routine or schedule.

Homeschool Activity #1: Poetry Teatime

Poetry teatime is an easy activity that yields big rewards for your homeschool. On its most basic level, you and your children sit together enjoying some tea and treats while reading poetry. 

You can make the time as simple or elaborate as you want, though. Nibble on store-bought cookies or make something homemade, brew a pot of tea or grab a jug of milk out of the fridge, set up a weekly teatime or do it once a month—the possibilities are endless.

Why Should I Incorporate Poetry Teatime into our Homeschool?

Poetry teatime is beneficial for several reasons. It’s a homeschool activity that:

• Cultivates a love for, or at least an appreciation of, poetry without the pressure of analyzing it. So many of us as homeschooling parents don’t enjoy poetry. Our main memories of it from school were all about trying to figure out meter and rhyme schemes and the “deeper meaning” behind the poet’s words. We never really had the opportunity to simply sit and enjoy the musical quality or the epic stories or simple verse. 
• Nurtures family relationships. Poetry teatime is designed to be relaxing and enjoyable. And times around the table with family often prompts good conversations. When we make something special our children remember those times not just because of the activity, but because of the relationships that surrounded the activity. 
• Develops language skills naturally. Students hear beautiful literary language, learn to read aloud with expression, practice listening skills, and more. You’ve heard the phrase that many things are “caught, not taught.” Just like how your children learned to speak simply by listening to the language around them, you kids will learn so many language arts skills without formal lessons about them. 

Homeschool Activity #2: Nature Study

Nature study and children are made for one another. Children’s desire to explore and discover while getting a little messy along the way makes the elementary years a perfect time to study nature.

When we began homeschooling I had no idea why so many homeschoolers seemed so enamored with nature study. “Why is it such a big deal?” I thought. Since then I’ve learned that nature study builds a solid foundation for the rest of their science studies.

Why Should I Incorporate Nature Study into our Homeschool?

When building a house, you always start with the foundation. Then comes the framework, plumbing, electricity, sheet rocking, cabinets…you get the idea. Like a house, all good science studies start with a strong foundation based on two things: curiosity and observation. Nature study capitalizes on both! 

Elementary students (and even older students too) are naturally curious. When kids observe nature and not just read books about it, they will want to know more. Children ask questions. By starting with curiosity, when they do go to the books for answers, they will remember the information much better. 

Nature study is about observation. By keeping a nature journal, kids will carefully look at and draw what they are seeing. They’ll collect things like plants and rocks or stare at a trail of ants. They develop this skill—careful observation—and will use it for the rest of their science education.

Homeschool Activity #3: Arts & Crafts

So many times, homeschooling parents think of arts and crafts as the thing you get to only when the more “serious” studies of language arts, math, science, and history are completed. Because of this, it’s often neglected all together.

Why Should I Incorporate Arts & Crafts into our Homeschool?

Besides developing their fine motor skills, kids benefit from doing arts and crafts in a variety of ways. It gives them a chance to be creative, express themselves, and simply have some fun. 

Arts and crafts time isn’t about perfection, but allowing your kids to create according to their ability and skill level. 

Homeschool Activity #4: Cooking & Baking

People often refer to homeschooling as life-schooling or talk about developing a lifestyle of learning. Why wouldn’t we include cooking and baking as a regular homeschool activity? We ALL have to eat!

Another great part of cooking and baking—going to the grocery store to get all the ingredients. I know there aren’t many moms who get excited about grocery shopping with their kids, but for the lifestyle homeschooler it’s another learning opportunity.

Why Should I Incorporate Cooking & Baking into our Homeschool?

There’s so much more to cooking and baking with kids than just getting to eat the final result (though that’s a great reason too!). Cooking and baking:

• Teaches kids math and science skills and helps them practice those skills in real life. Measuring, doubling fractions, mixing ingredients—so many applied skills. 

• Develops a life skill they will literally need for the rest of their lives. So many people eat out all the time. Teaching your children to cook and bake means you will help them save money in the future, and hopefully learn to be more healthy. 
• Serves the family and helps kids see they are an important part of it.

Homeschool Activity #5: Learning Outdoors

With more and more kids playing video games and spending time in front of a variety of screens, it’s no wonder that they need to be outside more. Think of it as getting all the benefits of learning with a healthy dose of sunshine! 

Why Should I Incorporate Learning Outdoors into our Homeschool?

• Keeps things fun. Go to a park or sit in the backyard. Set up school on a picnic table or pop up a tent in the backyard. Read while sitting in a treehouse or by a creek. The possibilities are endless!
• Being outside benefits their health. Sunshine triggers our bodies production of vitamin D, increases the feel-good hormone serotonin, helps kids sleep better, and so much more!
• Encourages the reluctant learner. Changing things up keeps learning interesting. And by “doing school” in a different place, you’ll get to see how much the environment affects your children’s motivation to learn so you can make adjustments as needed.

The Right Homeschool Activities Set a Home Education Apart

Research has shown it over and over again: homeschooling gives kids a great education. One of the strengths of homeschooling though is the creative ways kids can learn apart from sitting in front of screens and textbooks for hours at a time. 

Homeschool activities make learning fun for both you and your kids. And there’s no one who doesn’t learn better when they are enjoying not just what they are learning, but how they are learning!