Dump the writing program (& other tips for spring learning)

Written by Kris Bales of Weird Unsocialized Homeschoolers

I don’t know how it is where you live, but in my neck of the woods, spring has sprung! The sun is shining, the temperatures are in the low-sixties to mid-seventies, and everything is blooming, including the Bradford pears that are killing my kids’ allergies, but let’s not focus on that.

It’s spring!

And, because it’s spring, the last place that any of us want to be is cooped up inside doing school.

I know I’m not alone, so let’s look at some creative ways to embrace spring and still educate your children.

1. Dump your regular writing program.

Aw, come on. You’re probably wrapping up your school year in May. You’re only talking about a few weeks. Instead, do some creative writing.

• Write fictional stories.
• Use journal writing prompts (and let your artistic kids take time to illustrate them).
• Write descriptive paragraphs about the changes going on in nature – the budding trees, the birds on your feeder, or the butterflies visiting your flowers.

April is National Poetry Month. Spend some time delving into poetry.

• Learn about the different types of poetry.
• Try your hand at writing poems.
• Read books of poetry
• Try reading aloud a novel in verse.
• Study the lives of your favorite poets.
• Incorporate poetry with history by learning about the poets who were famous during the time period you’re studying.
• Try something really unique like creating found poetry from old books or magazines.

If you can’t bring yourself to put your writing curriculum on the shelf completely, consider splitting your time with it and these creative writing and poetry ideas.

2. Catch up on P.E.

Physical education is one of those subjects, for lack of a better word, that often gets overlooked with homeschoolers unless your kids are active in sports. Now that the weather is nice:

• Go on walks or hikes.
• Take a family bike ride.
• Try the Couch to 5K program and sign up for a race as a family.
• Plan a field day for your homeschool group.
• Try a new outdoor sport as a family – maybe tennis or disc golf.

Take advantage of the beautiful weather! It allows you to be more active later in the day without worrying about getting dehydrated, giving you more flexibility in scheduling your outdoor time.

3. Switch your science.

Spring is a fabulous time of year to use nature study as your core science “curriculum.” Spring nature study themes could include:

• Birds
• Bees (or the birds AND the bees since there is plenty of that going on, too!)
• Trees and flowers
• Butterflies
• Insects
• Ponds
• Farm animals

Even a high school student may be able to incorporate some nature study into his or her regular science program, particularly if the student is studying biology. It’s also an excellent time of year to study the stars for a simple astronomy lesson.

Photo by Guy Dickinson

4. Get creative with art.

Art is often considered an elective, rather than a core subject, but opportunities for kids to express their creativity should be more than just an “if you have time for it” subject.

Not only are the gorgeous spring colors inspiring for art, but the warmer weather means that you can take art projects outside, thereby overcoming the “art is messy” argument.

Try a variety of artistic styles and mediums, such as:

• Sculpting
• Collage
• Painting
• Sketching
• Oils
• Chalks (Yes, sidewalk chalk counts!)
• Watercolors
• Acrylics

If you regularly do artist and art study, consider taking a break from that in order to delve fully into the creative aspects.

Spring is such an exciting time of year with new life and warmer weather, making it difficult to remain focused on book work. Get outside and take advantage of the unique learning opportunities that the season offers.

What are your family’s favorite ways to breath a bit of fresh air into your homeschool in the spring?

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