The Hands-On Homeschooler: How to Embrace Experiental Learning at Home
Homeschooling offers parents so many opportunities, but one of the best ones, I think, is that we have the ability to customize our children’s education. We can choose curricula and tailor lessons to fit their unique learning style. We can be hands-on homeschoolers.
What does it mean to be a hands-on homeschooler?
It means our at-home learning isn’t confined to textbooks but comes alive through real-world experiences, projects, and creative activities. Hands-on homeschooling can transform education into an engaging, memorable adventure.
In this post, we’ll explore ways to integrate hands-on learning into your homeschool.
Why Hands-On Learning Works
Hands-on, experiential learning allows children to grasp concepts by doing rather than merely observing. When kids actively participate in the learning process, this improves their comprehension and retention. This means they learn better and remember longer.
Children who use math manipulatives, perform experiments, or engage in creative projects not only retain more information but also develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills. A hands-on homeschooler will adopt multiple learning styles, which can benefit all kinds of learners.
For example, incorporating hands-on activities into subjects like math can aid children in learning concepts that would otherwise be challenging. Using manipulatives for skip counting or multiplication not only helps children grasp abstract math concepts but also solidifies their understanding through repetition and sensory input.
Practical Hands-On Activities by Subject
1. Science for Hands-On Homeschoolers
Science naturally lends itself to hands-on learning. Simple experiments, like growing plants or even a garden, building volcanoes, or creating circuits, have the power to transform abstract theories into concrete learning experiences.
Older children can create science kits and experimenting with topics like physics, chemistry, or biology. For younger children, exploring the natural world, collecting leaves during a nature walk, or identifying animal tracks can be a great way to learn.
2. Math for Hands-On Homeschoolers
Math, which can feel intimidating, comes alive when children can physically manipulate objects to understand numbers and equations.
Consider using visual aids such as number lines, abacuses, or colorful buttons for skip counting and multiplication. This method for hands-on homeschoolers encourages repetition and helps children see patterns, leading to a better understanding of basic math principles.
There are also plenty of ways your kids can also learn math in the kitchen, math in the garden, or at the beach.
3. History for Hands-On Homeschoolers
Learning about history through timelines about specific historical events such as the holocaust, acting out scenes from history, or even taking field trips to museums brings the past into vivid reality for homeschoolers.
Make history interactive by using dioramas, historical fiction, and documentaries. These activities help children understand historical events in context and relate them to the present day.
4. Art and Creativity
Art is a natural fit for hands-on learning. Our sister site, Only Passionate Curiosity, provides numerous art-based crafts and projects geared toward young children, but with plenty of art projects for older students, too.
Drawing, painting, crafting, doing mixed media projects, and creating sculptures allows children to express themselves creatively while learning about different artists or historical periods. These activities also foster imagination and give them the chance to just have some fun.
Creating a Hands-On Learning Environment
To be an effective hands-on homeschooler, your home needs to be set up to encourage exploration and creativity. This doesn’t require an elaborate classroom—simple adjustments can make a big difference.
You’ll want to have supplies like art materials, science kits, and manipulatives accessible to your children so they can engage in learning without waiting for you to gather materials.
Additionally, allowing space for mess and creativity is essential. Learning by doing often involves trial and error, and our children need the freedom to experiment without fear of failure.
Encourage Autonomy and Curiosity
A key aspect of hands-on homeschooling is encouraging your child’s curiosity. Rather than sticking strictly to a curriculum, allow flexibility for your child to dive deeper into subjects that interest them. For instance, if your child loves dinosaurs, let them build a model, visit a natural history museum, or create their own “dinosaur fossil” dig in the backyard.
It’s so important to nurture a love for learning in our kids and make homeschool more fun by allowing them the freedom to explore their interests through projects, reading, and hands-on activities. When children feel empowered to explore subjects they’re passionate about, learning becomes a joy rather than a chore.
Incorporate Technology
While hands-on learning focuses on physical engagement, technology can be a valuable complement. Many websites and apps provide interactive online educational experiences that engage children in new ways. Virtual field trips, coding activities, and online art tutorials are just a few examples of how technology can enrich hands-on learning.
Don’t Forget the Kitchen!
Hands-on homeschoolers have fun learning in the kitchen with fun and educational projects like making a pizza cell model. Add a homemaking class to your homeschool and let your older students do a semester of making dinner for the household once a week. (Or let them make desserts!)
In summary, being hands-on homeschoolers simply means you put forth an effort to make learning an immersive, inspiring experience for your children. You incorporate activities that involve doing rather than just observing.
By thinking outside the “box” of the classroom, you can create an enriching, interactive homeschool environment where your children learn, create, and master important life skills in the process.
