Have you ever watched a child explore the world with wonder and curiosity? That's the heart of natural homeschooling! It's a way of learning that lets children follow their interests and discover new things in a fun and engaging way.
But how do you actually do natural homeschooling? How do you make sure your child is learning all the important things without using a traditional curriculum or textbooks?
This blog is your guide to natural learning in homeschooling. We'll explore what it means to learn naturally and how to create a supportive learning environment for your child. We'll also discuss ways to ensure your child is getting a well-rounded education through natural homeschooling.
Before we begin, let’s understand what natural approach to homeschooling is.
Natural Approach to Homeschooling: Learning by Exploring
Natural homeschooling is a different way of learning than a traditional school. It focuses on exploring the world and learning through experiences. In natural homeschooling, children are encouraged to follow their interests and learn at their own pace.
Let’s take a look at the different types of ways for natural homeschooling.
Learning in Nature
Outdoor adventures: Natural homeschooling encourages children to spend lots of time outdoors. They can go on nature walks, explore parks, and learn about plants and animals.
Gardening: Children can learn about science and nature by planting a garden. They can learn how plants grow and what they need to be healthy.
Birdwatching: Kids can learn about birds by watching them outside. They can see where the birds live and what they do.
Healthy and happy: Spending time in nature is good for children's physical and mental health. It helps them feel calm, focused, and connected to the world around them.
Learning in Everyday Life
Life is a classroom: Natural homeschooling sees learning as a part of everyday life. Children can learn from everything they do, like cooking, shopping, playing games, and talking to people.
Flexible schedule: There is no set schedule for learning in natural homeschooling. You can learn at any time of day, any day of the week.
Learning together: Learning often happens naturally as part of family life. You might learn about history while visiting a museum, science while cooking dinner, or math while playing games.
Learning in a Different Way
Following interests: Natural homeschooling encourages children to follow their interests and learn about things they are curious about.
Making connections: It also helps children make connections between different subjects. For example, they might learn about history, geography, and science while studying a particular country or culture.
Natural homeschooling is a fun and engaging way to learn that helps children develop a love of learning and a connection to the world around them.
Want to explore more homeschooling resources that align with a natural learning approach?
Check out our blog post on the 5 Best Secular Homeschool Curriculum Resources. It's full of information and reviews to help you find the perfect curriculum for your child's natural learning journey.
Learning by exploring is just the beginning. To really understand natural homeschooling, you need to know the main ideas behind it.
Core Principles of Natural Homeschooling
Natural homeschooling is a special way of learning that focuses on following a child's interests and letting them learn at their own pace. It's like letting a child explore a garden and discover all the amazing things that grow there!
No Pressure, Just Support
Learning without force: In natural homeschooling, children are not forced to learn things they are not interested in. They are allowed to learn at their own speed and in their own way. This means they can spend more time on the things they love and less time on things they find boring.
Parents as guides: Parents act as guides and supporters, not as strict teachers. They help their children find resources and opportunities to learn about the things they love. They might take them to the library, find interesting websites, or help them connect with experts in their field of interest.
Learning by Doing
Curiosity: Natural homeschooling encourages children to be curious and ask questions. They are encouraged to explore the world around them and discover new things.
Hands-on learning: Children learn by doing things, like exploring nature, conducting experiments, and building things. This helps them understand concepts more deeply and makes learning more fun.
Thinking skills: This helps them develop important thinking skills, like how to solve problems and think critically. They learn to analyze information, form their own opinions, and make decisions.
A Different Way to Learn
Flexibility: Natural homeschooling is very flexible. There is no set curriculum or schedule. This means you can adjust your learning plan based on your child's interests and your family's needs.
Learning in real life: Learning can happen anywhere and at any time. It can happen at home, in the community, or even on vacation. Every experience can be a learning opportunity.
Connecting subjects: Natural homeschooling often combines different subjects, like science, math, and art, to make learning more interesting and meaningful. This helps children see how things they learn in different subjects, like math and science, can be used in everyday life.
Want a curriculum that's flexible, engaging, and connects learning to the real world?
The School House Anywhere (TSHA) offers a refreshing approach to education with its American Emergent Curriculum (AEC).
Here's what makes the AEC special:
Child-centered learning: The AEC follows your child's lead, adapting to their interests and needs.
Hands-on exploration: We believe that children learn best by doing. That's why the AEC is packed with hands-on activities, engaging projects, and opportunities for exploration and discovery.
Interconnected learning: The AEC weaves together different subjects, helping children see the connections between ideas and develop a deeper understanding of the world around them.
Real-world connections: We bring learning to life by connecting it to children's everyday experiences, making learning more relevant and meaningful.
Ready to give your child a learning experience they'll love?
Natural homeschooling is a great way to help children develop a love of learning and become independent thinkers.
Once you understand the main ideas of natural approach to homeschooling, the next step is to figure out how to let your child lead the way in their learning.
How to Implement a Child-Directed Learning Environment
In natural homeschooling, children get to choose what they want to learn and how they want to learn it. This is called child-directed learning. It's like letting your child choose their own adventure in learning!
Choosing What to Learn
Learning materials: Think of books and other learning materials as tools that your child can use to explore their interests. In natural homeschooling, you don't have to make your child learn things they aren't interested in.
Instead, you can give them lots of different books and materials and let them choose what they want to learn about.
Following interests: If your child is interested in something, help them find books, videos, and activities about that topic. For example, if they love dinosaurs, you can find books about dinosaurs, visit a museum with dinosaur exhibits, or even make dinosaur crafts together.
Making it personal: This makes learning more fun and exciting for your child. When children are interested in what they are learning, they are more likely to remember it and want to learn more.
Learning Through Exploration
Asking questions: Encourage your child to ask questions and explore the world around them. Curiosity is a key ingredient in learning! Help them find answers to their questions through books, online resources, or by talking to experts.
Hands-on activities: Provide opportunities for your child to learn through hands-on activities, like experiments, projects, and nature exploration. This helps them learn in a more active and engaging way.
Combining subjects: Help your child make connections between different subjects. For example, if they are interested in animals, they can learn about science by studying animal habitats, reading books about animals, and writing stories about animals.
Flexible Learning
No set schedule: You don't have to follow a strict schedule in natural homeschooling. You can learn at any time of day and any day of the week. This allows you to be flexible and adjust your learning based on your child's energy levels and interests.
Learning at your own pace: Your child can learn as fast or as slow as they need to, and they can take breaks whenever they want. This helps prevent them from feeling overwhelmed or pressured.
Learning in Real Life
Everyday activities: Connect learning to everyday activities, like cooking, gardening, and playing games. This helps your child see how learning is relevant to their life and makes it more meaningful. For example, you can practice math while baking cookies or learn about science while gardening.
By letting your child lead the way in their learning, you can help them develop a love of learning and a sense of curiosity that will last a lifetime.
Want more ideas for creating engaging learning activities for your child?
Check out our blog post on Preschool Education Lesson Plans for inspiration and tips! It's full of ideas for fun and educational activities that you can adapt to your natural homeschooling environment.
A child-directed learning environment works best when paired with a thoughtful learning space.
How to Create a Learning Space for Natural Homeschool Learning
Creating a natural learning space for your homeschool doesn't have to be complicated. You don't need a lot of fancy materials or expensive equipment. The key is to keep things simple and focus on nature.
Simple and Flexible
Less is more: Don't clutter your learning space with too many things. Keep it simple and organized, so your child can focus on exploring and learning.
Change things up: Change the materials and activities in your learning space regularly to keep things interesting. You can do this based on your child's interests or the seasons.
For example, in the fall, you might have leaves, pumpkins, and pinecones in your learning space. In the spring, you might have seeds, flowers, and gardening tools.
Following Your Child's Interests
New discoveries: As your child learns and grows, their interests will change. Be ready to change your learning space to match their new interests.
Example: If your child suddenly becomes fascinated by bugs, you can add books about bugs, magnifying glasses, and bug-catching nets to your learning space.
Using Technology Wisely
Technology as a tool: Technology can be a helpful tool for learning, but it's important to use it wisely. It's like using a hammer – it's a great tool for building things, but you wouldn't use it to eat your soup!
Balance: Make sure your child spends plenty of time playing outside and learning in nature, not just looking at screens. Spending time in nature is important for children's health and well-being, and it helps them connect with the world around them.
Helpful websites and apps: There are many websites and apps that can help your child learn about nature, like National Geographic Kids and iNaturalist. These can be great resources for learning about different plants, animals, and ecosystems.
Digital Journal: Your child can use technology to create a digital journal or portfolio to keep track of their learning. They can take pictures, write notes, and even make videos about what they are learning.
Looking for a screen-free approach to learning?
The School House Anywhere (TSHA) offers a unique curriculum that encourages hands-on learning, exploration, and creativity – all without relying on screens!
Our American Emergent Curriculum (AEC) is designed to help children learn and grow through real-world experiences, like playing outside, doing experiments, and creating art.
Learn more about the AEC and our screen-free philosophy on the TSHA website!
By following these tips, you can create a natural learning space that is both fun and educational for your child.
While the learning space plays a big part, the parent’s role is equally important.
What is Parent's Role in Natural Homeschooling
In natural homeschooling, parents are very important. They help their children learn, but they don't teach in the same way that teachers do in a traditional school. Instead, they help their children learn by providing them with resources and opportunities to explore their interests.
They also help their children understand what they are learning and make connections between different subjects.
Guiding, Not Teaching
Following your child's lead: Instead of teaching your child in a traditional way, you will be more of a guide. This means you will help your child explore their interests and learn in their own way. You might provide them with books, materials, and opportunities, but you won't be giving them traditional lessons or tests.
Trusting your gut: You know your child best. Trust your instincts and follow your child's lead. If they love to build things, provide them with blocks, LEGOs, and other materials to explore their creativity.
Making it fun: Help your child learn in a way that is fun and interesting for them. This might involve going on nature walks, visiting museums, doing science experiments, or playing games.
Finding Balance
Don't do it all: It's important to be involved in your child's learning, but you don't have to do everything yourself. You can ask other family members to help, like grandparents, aunts, and uncles.
Get help: Ask other family members to help with homeschooling. You can also join a homeschooling group or co-op to get support from other parents. These groups can provide you with resources, advice, and a sense of community.
Take care of yourself: Make sure you are taking care of yourself so you can be the best parent and teacher for your child. This means getting enough sleep, eating healthy foods, and taking breaks when you need them.
By following these tips, you can create a positive and successful natural homeschooling experience for your child.
Wrapping Up
Natural homeschooling is an exciting adventure that allows children to learn and grow in a way that feels natural and fulfilling. It's like turning the whole world into a classroom, where learning can happen anywhere and at any time!
Natural homeschooling gives you the chance to create a learning environment that is tailored to your child's unique interests and needs. You can follow their lead and help them explore the things they love most. This makes learning more engaging and enjoyable for your child.
If you're looking for a way to make learning more fun and exciting for your child, natural homeschooling might be the perfect fit! It's a great way to help your child develop a love of learning that will last a lifetime.
Want to learn more about natural homeschooling and how to make learning fun for your child?
The School House Anywhere (TSHA) is here to help! We offer a variety of resources and
support for families who are homeschooling or considering natural homeschooling.
Here are some ways TSHA can support you:
Curriculum Guidance: We can help you find learning materials that your child will enjoy and that fit with what your family believes is important.
Community Connections: We can connect you with other homeschooling families in your area who are passionate about natural learning.
Parent Support: We offer workshops, resources, and support groups to help you on your homeschooling journey.
Ready to discover the wonders of natural homeschooling?
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