Parents know the frustrations of keeping their little ones engaged when homeschooling their kids. Wearing two hats, one for the parent and one for the teacher, can sometimes make things stir crazy.
Just like in a traditional classroom, you can see their attention span slowly start to wane as you lose them to momentary stares out the window. Don’t worry, it’s not a reflection on you or your teaching skills.
It only means it’s time for a break. While keeping within a routine, homeschooling breaks can provide a few fun moments for the kids and you. So, without further to do, let’s dive into some creative activities to break away from the boredom of the school day.
#1. Plan in Advance
Any activity or trip requires meticulous planning. Depending on the break activity, you’ll probably have to book well in advance.
Many parents and tutors with years of experience will tell you a homeschool planner has been their lifesaver. From homeschool budget to family and student goals, these nifty classroom helpers are key to adding some order to your already chaotic homeschool year.
A few online stores have customizable homeschool planners with valuable benchmarks already taken care of. All homeschooling moms have to do is fill in the information.
For instance, a homeschool section will include resource pages for lesson planning and record keeping. Plum Paper recommends purchasing a homeschool planner where additional sections can be ordered to allow for individual planning and reporting for the school year.
#2. Go on a Nature Walk
Up the ante by taking them out of their normal environment and spending recess at a local public space with walking trails.
Sometimes, we forget that we live in one of the most scenic countries in the world. A walk outdoors will do wonders for their muddled brains. The same goes for you.
Dr Thomas Frieden, former director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), touts walking as “the closest thing we have to a wonder drug.” He says it boosts the immune system and protects during cold and flu season.
Nature walks also provide the perfect opportunity to take learning outside the classroom. Euka suggests taking advantage of the Great Outdoors by making a science and nature lesson out of it. Some nature trails may even offer education programs as part of their outreach community projects.
#3. Get Them Cooking
If cleaning up after messy gremlins makes your tummy turn, some companies have cooking studios.
Once again, it’s a chance for you to do something fun together as a family. Or you could invite other homeschooling chapters in your area. The more, the merrier!
A cooking or baking class is not just about getting messy; it teaches young kids basic kitchen skills such as peeling vegetables or measuring ingredients. And who knows, you might have a little culinary genius on your hands.
#4. Visit a Museum
Kids should learn about their heritage from an early age. The local museum provides ample moments to start a conversation on the history of their city or culture.
A museum visit can be tricky for teachers and parents with younger kids. Whether natural history or art, be sure the focus points are age-appropriate.
A few museums are willing to conduct educational tours with smaller groups and center the programs around engagement and learning. A few words of advice from a former teacher: visit a museum you are familiar with, and if the kids aren’t interested, move on to the next exhibition.
#5. Build a Fort
The Pomodoro Technique is a time-management system that ADHD experts swear by. It organizes the day into 25-minute windows, separated by five minutes of activity.
If you allocate one of your 25-minute increments into your schedule just for the kids to take a time out, it could help everyone reset. Twenty-five minutes is all you need to realign your center.
While you’re doing this, let them do a supervised activity like building an indoor fort using cushions and old sheets. Chances are, after the lesson, they’ll return to their fun project to add some improvements.
Encourage them to be creative, and help with their housewarming endeavors by including fairy lights and other knick knacks.
The key to successfully homeschooling your little ones is balance. All work and no play make for a grumpy mom and bored children.
Sometimes, an activity won’t go according to plan leading to a complete breakdown or even worse, a tantrum. That’s also fine; just keep on trying until you hit the sweet spot.