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Creative Homeschooling Ideas for All Ages

by Abby Parnell | Aug 13, 2018 | 3 min read

When fall rolls around and the school year is in full swing, it can be difficult to find the time to be creative with homeschooling! While I was growing up, my mom used the summer months for fun educational activities that brought out creative, fun, and — sometimes — the competitive side of our family. We experienced field days, bike trips, creative writing activities, and so much more. Creative homeschooling isn’t hard, but it does take — you guessed it — creativity! Here are some of my favorite creative homeschool activities for all ages.

Creative writing

I have vivid memories of storytelling with my mom. I remember sitting next to her at the computer while she told crazy stories I would then type up. When I was done, she would print out the stories and let me draw pictures to illustrate them. This activity not only helped me be creative, it also taught me basic writing skills! So, if you have a strongly verbal student, try this activity! If they struggle with coming up with an idea, Google “writing prompts” to help them get started!

Engineer a toothpick bridge.

During a physics class in college, I had to work with one other person to create a bridge from toothpicks. We competed with other students in the class to see whose bridge could hold the most weight. In theory, it seemed like a relatively easy task, but creating a sturdy bridge proved harder than I thought. Start your child’s study of physics and engineering now by following along with this toothpick bridge YouTube video!

Create your own secret code.

When I was growing up, I was very much into secret messages, spy gear, and puzzles. One day, my cousin and I worked together to create our very own secret code so we could write to each other in “secret.” To this day, I can still write in this secret code. Work with your kids to create your own secret code using pictures, symbols, or even sounds!

Sidewalk chalk games

Another easy way to get your kids’ creative juices flowing is to use sidewalk chalk. Find a place on your driveway or on a sidewalk and have your kids trace their body to learn about anatomy or draw a map of your local area! You can also use sidewalk chalk to play games like foursquare and hopscotch!

Slime

Slime is a fan favorite for all ages and is one of our creative homeschooling go-tos. It’s fun to make, fun to play with, and easy to clean up. There are tons of slime recipes out there that use different ingredients to create different consistencies. So, make it a science experiment and watch how different ingredients react when making slime!
Lemon slime
Crunchy slime
Fluffy slime
Ocean slime

Field day

When I was in school, one of the highlights of my year was field day! You can make field day even better from home by inviting friends and family to participate in your summer homeschool field day! Some of the games you can play include a water relay, bean bag toss, and tug-o-war! For some more ideas, check out how this family created their own homeschool field day!

Bike trips

Getting outdoors is one great way to make homeschooling creative and active. Learning to ride a bike is a fun and memorable activity that everyone should experience! But my family took it a step farther. Each summer, my family took a few days to go biking and camping! We learned how to bike long distances, pitch a tent, make a campfire, and so many other fun things! These trips are some of my absolute favorite memories and I can’t wait to do the same with my future family. If you have the time, check out the biking trails near you and make a trip out of it! Use recreation.gov to plan your perfect trip!

Gardening

Start learning about botany hands-on by creating your own home garden! Learn about the anatomy of seeds, the growth process, photosynthesis, and more, while planting flowers, vegetables, or even succulents! Hip Homeschool Moms has some tips and ideas that you can use this summer for creating your family garden!

Paper boats

Creative homeschooling can and should include math. Do you remember making paper boats growing up? Well, a great geometry project deals with making the strongest or fastest paper boat! Use origamiway.com to find your favorite boat design, create them, then race them down a nearby stream!

Homemade Ice Cream

A lot of interesting science is involved in making homemade ice cream! How do room-temperature ingredients become cold and fluffy? Why does salt lower the freezing point? Use this recipe to make your own homemade ice-cream, then research the chemistry behind it!
What creative homeschooling activities do you experience with your family? We would love to hear!

Abby Parnell
Abby graduated from Bridgeway in 2014 and was one of the first students to participate in our dual enrollment program through DeSales University. She is currently studying to be a physician's assistant at Valparaiso University. Her hobbies include playing instruments, reading, and physical fitness.
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