The flexibility of homeschooling allows homeschool students to pick up more than the mandatory subjects prescribed for their grade level. Whether it is picking academic topics of their interest which may not be covered in the basic syllabus, or extra curricular activies that they want to try their hand at, homeschool students don’t need to wait till high school to pick their electives or hobbies.
It may be difficult to narrow down to a few that actually make sense to the kids and parents alike, but these three basics are usually considered a must for a well rounded personality. Given here are some ideas that homeschool teachers may wish to try out with their children.
A Foreign Language
Knowing a language other than English is always a good way to increase horizons. Picking what language could be left to the child’s interests. If they like Manga, they may want to pick up Japanese. If they are interested in historical events, the language of their ancestors would be a good idea. Looking for the most widely spoken languages after English? French and Spanish would be a good bet.
A Musical Instrument
There is a whole generation of piano players out there, who may not have had much talent, but know how to tap out the Do Re Mi. They may no longer play the piano, but they know exactly how well someone else is playing it when they hear a musical recital. Learning an intrument is also good for self discipline, motor skills and hand eye coordination. The benefits of learning to play a musical instrument abound for the homeschool student, although the homeschool teacher may be advised to get a pair of earmuffs during the initial practice sessions.
A Sport
There’s so much choice here in this category. The sport can be outdoors or indoors. A team sport or an individual one. As long as it involves some amount of physical activity and interaction with others outside the home, it’s a good idea. The workout helps with burning off the excessive energy children have, and the social interaction keeps them grounded with the outside world.
