Playful activities support homeschooling programs

Written by: Wendy Smolen

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Time to read 6 min

Even before the pandemic sent kids home from traditional classrooms, many parents opted to take charge of their child's education by homeschooling. Teaching your kids at home provides the opportunity to tailor a learning experience to your child's individual needs and pace. But to work, homeschooling requires careful planning and dedication. A combination of accredited curriculum, structured lessons, a strong support system, and engaging activities can make a homeschool program effective and exciting for both parents and kids. 

Rebecca Horace, Ed.D., a former public elementary school teacher who recently earned a Doctorate in Education with research centered around the intersection of play and popular media with literary components, has been homeschooling her 6th grader son and 2nd grader daughter since they were in kindergarten. “I was unhappy with the lack of inquiry projects and free play that their school was offering,” she says of her decision. 

  1. Traditional Homeschooling: Parents design their curriculum based on state or national standards, using textbooks, workbooks, and educational resources.

  2. Online Homeschooling: Utilizing online platforms and resources, parents can enroll their children in accredited virtual schools or use educational websites and apps.

  3. Co-op Homeschooling: Families come together to share teaching responsibilities, resources, and expertise, creating a collaborative learning environment.

  4. Charter Schools: Some states offer homeschooling charter schools, which provide funding and resources while allowing for more flexibility in curriculum design.

  1. Set Clear Goals: Establish clear educational goals for each academic year. This will help you create a focused curriculum and track your child's progress effectively. The Lane’s strategy is to follow the state standards and guidelines on what is to be taught per grade throughout the school year, then to create units from the subjects and topics that are in the state standards.

  2. Create a Structured Routine: Children thrive on routines. Develop a daily schedule that includes dedicated time for lessons, breaks, and extracurricular activities.

  3. Use Diverse Resources: Incorporate a variety of educational resources, including textbooks, online courses, educational games, and field trips, to keep learning engaging and dynamic. The programs the Lanes use vary between technology-based paid resources, free websites and resources, and local resources, classes, and programs.

  4. Stay Flexible: While a structured routine is important, be open to adjusting it as needed to accommodate your child's evolving interests and needs. “There’s a lot of give and take and learning how to plan, organize, strategize,” explains Lane. “But these translate into lifelong skills needed for inside and outside of school well into adulthood.”

  5. Assess Progress and Give Feedback: Regularly assess and discuss your child’s progress and offer constructive feedback. This helps identify areas that require additional attention. Look for a curriculum that makes your job easier by providing guidance to your state’s standards as well as the ability to test your student throughout the school year and track progress with regular diagnostics testing, insights, and recommendations that meet their grade level for every concept and subject. There are several programs and resources that include individual state department of education websites and provide exactly this type of information.

  6. Stay Connected: Join local homeschooling groups or online communities to connect with other homeschooling parents. Sharing experiences and resources not only assists with curriculum questions, but they also provide a social outlet for kids.

"I incorporate play and various media to strengthen my children’s learning and literacy skills.”

Rebecca Horrace, Ed.D.

Types of Homeschooling Programs for Elementary School Kids

Before diving into homeschooling, it's essential to understand the available programs. Several approaches can be adopted. Both the Horace and Lane families use a mix of programs and resources.

Tips for Homeschooling Elementray School Kids

Homeschooling elementary school kids comes with its own set of challenges and rewards. “At the beginning, it was finding what schedule and curriculum worked for me and my children,” explains Dr. Horace.  “Coming from a school environment, I had to loosen my flexibility a bit regarding how I knew school to function. The beauty of homeschooling is that it can happen anywhere—at the park, in your backyard, while you’re grocery shopping—you learn to make everything a lesson! Of course, we still have our school time and core subjects.” Jessica Lane, a parent who homeschools one daughter, but sends her son to public school, adds her challenges. “My biggest challenge as a homeschool parent is balancing all the activities with the school day and still maintaining a schedule. That is more of a personal challenge for me because I'm a little bit more spontaneous in my day and my daughter enjoys and requires more structure.”

"Together we create a daily and weekly schedule that works for both of us."

Jessica Lane, Homeschooling parent

  1. Set Clear Goals: Establish clear educational goals for each academic year. This will help you create a focused curriculum and track your child's progress effectively. The Lane’s strategy is to follow the state standards and guidelines on what is to be taught per grade throughout the school year, then to create units from the subjects and topics that are in the state standards.

  2. Create a Structured Routine: Children thrive on routines. Develop a daily schedule that includes dedicated time for lessons, breaks, and extracurricular activities.

  3. Use Diverse Resources: Incorporate a variety of educational resources, including textbooks, online courses, educational games, and field trips, to keep learning engaging and dynamic. The programs the Lanes use vary between technology-based paid resources, free websites and resources, and local resources, classes, and programs.

  4. Stay Flexible: While a structured routine is important, be open to adjusting it as needed to accommodate your child's evolving interests and needs. “There’s a lot of give and take and learning how to plan, organize, strategize,” explains Lane. “But these translate into lifelong skills needed for inside and outside of school well into adulthood.”

  5. Assess Progress and Give Feedback: Regularly assess and discuss your child’s progress and offer constructive feedback. This helps identify areas that require additional attention. Look for a curriculum that makes your job easier by providing guidance to your state’s standards as well as the ability to test your student throughout the school year and track progress with regular diagnostics testing, insights, and recommendations that meet their grade level for every concept and subject. There are several programs and resources that include individual state department of education websites and provide exactly this type of information.

  6. Stay Connected: Join local homeschooling groups or online communities to connect with other homeschooling parents. Sharing experiences and resources not only assists with curriculum questions, but they also provide a social outlet for kids.

Recommended Activities for Homeschooling Elementary School Kids

Engaging activities are key to keeping elementary school kids excited about learning. Here are some recommended activities that can enhance your homeschooling experience.

  1. Hands-On Science Experiments: Conduct simple science experiments at home to pique your child's curiosity and understanding of scientific concepts.

  2. Nature Walks and Outdoor Learning: Explore the outdoors and turn nature walks into learning opportunities. Identify plants, observe wildlife, and learn about the environment.

  3. Art and Creativity: Encourage artistic expression through drawing, painting, and crafts. Incorporate art into history lessons by studying famous artists and their works.

  4. Cooking and Math: Teach math concepts through cooking and baking activities. Measuring ingredients and following recipes can be a fun way to reinforce math skills.

  5. Literary Adventures: Read aloud to your child, explore various genres, and create a cozy reading nook. Encourage your child to write their own stories or keep a journal.

  6. Virtual Field Trips: Take advantage of virtual field trips to explore museums, historical sites, and landmarks from the comfort of your home.

  7. Music and Movement: Introduce music lessons and physical activities to promote a well-rounded education. Dance, play instruments, or learn about the history of music.

Don't Forget to Play!

“Play is how children learn and make sense of their world,” says Dr. Horace. “As a play advocate, I give my children the freedom to play every day, which teaches them to regulate emotions, learn rules, develop independence, and learn how to inquire and be creative. All of these traits, in turn, assist in their homeschooling. One of my favorite things about homeschooling is the open attitude toward imaginative play and experiential learning. As an educator, I understand the importance of children’s participation and agency in their learning, so we make time for them to do what they want and have fun in the process.” 

smART sketcher(r) 2.0 projector Makes Learning Fun!

High tech and high touch play together with this hands-on projector that uses curriculum-based content and national education standards to teach letter writing, early spelling, math and more. Choose theme-based cartridges to enrich your child’s interests. Take pictures and learn to draw them. The possibilities are endless! 
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