One of the joys of homeschooling is the flexibility you have in choosing your homeschool activities. It is easy to choose an activity that is fun AND educational!
With that in mind, here are my ideas for individual and group projects to try, with some tips for maintaining balance.
Kids Educational Activities
This website is all about bringing you homeschooling activities for your children to try. If you are looking for specific activities, please see my Ideas index page.
Keep an Ideas Book. This is a great way of keeping track of the activities you have planned - and a life-saver when you are floundering!
We have a page in our book where we list 'Boredom Bashers' - small tasks and activities we can use to fill in moments of boredom. Our books also include a 'Books to Read' list and a 'Things to Investigate' page. It does take some effort to set up - but it is wonderful to have the book at hand when you are trying to decide what to do.
Encourage your children to have hobbies. Simple hobbies that they can get on with alone are essential to the smooth running of a homeschooling household!! One of the best ways to encourage your children is, of course, to have a hobby yourself - and let them see you working at it. Here are some hobbies you could all try :
There are so many opportunities for homeschoolers to socialize. Be sure to pick carefully the activities that you will all enjoy - and will fit with your homeschooling theme.
Your local homeschool group and library will be able to advise what is happening locally, but here are some ideas of groups you could join.
Book Clubs
Drama clubs
Band
Martial Arts
Art Classes
Music Lessons
Sport clubs
Dance groups
Swimming teams
Volunteering
Orienteering
Youth Groups
Church Groups
Homeschool Groups
Gym
Gymnastics
Scouting
Summer Camps
Horse Riding treks
Maintaining Balance
Take care to schedule your activities carefully - too much activity can lead to homeschool burnout. Too few to boredom.
Think about how to keep homeschool and life in balance. You may need to constantly adjust your homeschooling activities to match your (and your children's) energy levels.
One of my favourite ways of deciding on homeschool activities, is to set a theme for the year (or term). If you know what your main priority is to be, then that will help you decide on which activities to include in your homeschooling.
Think creatively on how to include activities into your homeschooling. Some families schedule their extra-curriculum activities on a Friday. Others work for a four-week block - then take a week to relax and unwind.
Watch out for 'being busy for busys sake'! Do you REALLY need to be doing that. Will anyone enjoy it? Down time is just as important in homeschooling. It gives everyone a chance to consolodate knowledge, and re-charge their batteries.
