Building a child’s character leans heavily on the learning experiences that they have. What they see, who they interact with, and how they percieve the world is all a result of past experiences that they have had. As a homeschool teacher who is constantly trying to find activities that can prove educational for your homeschool student, consider the following three often overlooked ideas.
Pets
Every child can learn a lot of responsibility by owning a pet. If you have space constraints you can consider getting a goldfish, a bird or a hamster, instead of the larger choices like a dog or cat. Looking after a pet’s needs can instill a lot of positivity in a homeschool student. This will translate to developing good non-verbal communication as the child studies the pet’s body language, compassion for the pet, and empathy in the child for others. Plus it will give them a friend and companion who is always willing to listen.
Geocaching
All children enjoy hunting for burried treasure. Geocaching is essentially a hike leading to digging up your own treasure. It can be used to introduce the homeschool students to new nature parks around your home. The activity also teaches them to go prepared to dig up the treasure, and add their own stamp to it. They will also learn about the basics of first aid, and how to act responsibily in nature. It’s an activity that the full family can get behind as a field trip which can be also taken as a part of the homeschooling curriculum.
Busman’s Holiday
Traveling is a great way to widen horizons for children. As a homeschooling family on a tight budget, it may not be possible for you to take frequent holidays and road trips. However, you can still play tourist in your own town. Take a tour of the historical part of your city with a guide. Go sightseeing to popular tourist destinations in town and take family photos in front of the more popular monuments. Watch a local sports team play a home game and cheer them on. There are so many possibilities here.
