If anyone were to ask me for my best homeschooling advice, it would be to get out there. Get out in the woods, in a field, meadow or prairie, a bog, down by a creek or on the lakefront. Get out of the house, away from noise, away from structured time, play structures, classes, activities, and mind sets of what should be or needs to be done. Lather, rinse, repeat. Repeat, repeat, repeat.
Don't let weather, time constraints, to-do lists, team sports or reluctant participants stop you from getting out on a regular basis. Put it on the calendar, a no excuses date with the outside world, the natural environment. Or do what I did and form a scheduled activity, thereby committing myself other families to get out there. Your children will thank you - although maybe not out loud. You will thank you.
It's amazing what a little open space can do for you and for your children. Today we had 14 children aged 4 to 14 out in the woods, burning a brush pile we had made earlier in the year at a forest preserve. Don't get me wrong, in real life these are iPod-wearing, nintendo-playing, dvd-watching children. They all have the benefit of being homeschooled, so they are used to being in mixed company. They also have the ability to get together a couple of Fridays a month to get out there and enjoy themselves.
They worked together sawing logs, lopping off branches, tending the fire. They packed snow around logs that were too thick to burn in the time allotted. They roasted hot dogs and marshmallows. Then they sauntered off to play in the snow. The had a snowball fight, made snow forts and a snow men. Left to their own devices, with no input and no direction, they climbed fallen branches, made snow forts out of brush, followed deer and rabbit tracks and had a great time together.
It's so easy for us to stay home to "get work done." Or to fill our schedules with all the wonderful activities and classes our Chicago homeschooling community provides. But what our kids really need is to reconnect with the natural environment, with their own imaginations and creativity, with themselves and with each other. This morning, getting my three out of the house and into the cold was the last thing in the world I wanted to do. After all, getting out means four snow pants, 8 boots, 8 gloves or mittens (matching not necessary), 4 hats, 4 coats and someone who has to pee as soon as all this is put on. But I had a date, written on my calendar, with 9 other children, 3 great moms and 2 wonderful and accommodating volunteer stewards of the Forest Preserve, so off we went. And then it turned out to be the only thing I wanted to do today.
Don't let weather, time constraints, to-do lists, team sports or reluctant participants stop you from getting out on a regular basis. Put it on the calendar, a no excuses date with the outside world, the natural environment. Or do what I did and form a scheduled activity, thereby committing myself other families to get out there. Your children will thank you - although maybe not out loud. You will thank you.
It's amazing what a little open space can do for you and for your children. Today we had 14 children aged 4 to 14 out in the woods, burning a brush pile we had made earlier in the year at a forest preserve. Don't get me wrong, in real life these are iPod-wearing, nintendo-playing, dvd-watching children. They all have the benefit of being homeschooled, so they are used to being in mixed company. They also have the ability to get together a couple of Fridays a month to get out there and enjoy themselves.
They worked together sawing logs, lopping off branches, tending the fire. They packed snow around logs that were too thick to burn in the time allotted. They roasted hot dogs and marshmallows. Then they sauntered off to play in the snow. The had a snowball fight, made snow forts and a snow men. Left to their own devices, with no input and no direction, they climbed fallen branches, made snow forts out of brush, followed deer and rabbit tracks and had a great time together.
It's so easy for us to stay home to "get work done." Or to fill our schedules with all the wonderful activities and classes our Chicago homeschooling community provides. But what our kids really need is to reconnect with the natural environment, with their own imaginations and creativity, with themselves and with each other. This morning, getting my three out of the house and into the cold was the last thing in the world I wanted to do. After all, getting out means four snow pants, 8 boots, 8 gloves or mittens (matching not necessary), 4 hats, 4 coats and someone who has to pee as soon as all this is put on. But I had a date, written on my calendar, with 9 other children, 3 great moms and 2 wonderful and accommodating volunteer stewards of the Forest Preserve, so off we went. And then it turned out to be the only thing I wanted to do today.
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