Thinking Outside the Library Aisle

The library is my number one tool for homeschooling. My kids know the children's section at our local branch like the back of their hand. It has become automatic to walk into the library and head to our favorite sections in the children's section. But, as so often happens in life when things become routine, we came across a problem that resulted in a new way of doing things.

The problem? My son got bored.

He'd read about animals, robots and knights. Then he read about mars, dinosaurs, and volcanoes. Then he read about more animals, more robots and more knights. Then he became bored. the problem was that he'd already looked through most of the books on the subjects he was truly interested in and he wanted more.  It got to the point that he no longer wanted to go to the library. He stopped asking for books because he didn't see anything new.

The solution? The adult nonfiction area.

I decided to take him to "my area" and let him see if there was anything he liked. We walked a few feet and he stooped to check out some books that I don't often pay much attention: the huge coffee table books on the bottom shelf that are to big to shelve with the regular books. Most of these books are beautiful and full of pictures and information about a particular subject. He chose a book full of real pictures from Mars. The next weeks brought books of shells, windmills, and bird eggs. We have to be very careful with the giant books because I fear the day I have to replace one of these works of art, but the way they have re-sparked my son's interest in books is worth it!

Breaking out of Boredom: 4 ways to shake up the learning

1. Board Game Day

Gather up your board games and play them one by one for a day. Are you missing any pieces? Can you make them yourself? Was the game fun? With as many educational games we homeschoolers collect, the day will be full of learning and fun! If the kids didn't like any of the games (complete games only!) then pass them on or consign them. No use letting them take up valuable shelf or closet space!

2. Chefs for a Day

We all know that a kitchen is the heart of the home. It can be the heart of home learning too! Start the day with each child coming up with something they would like to bake or cook for the day. You may have to help them with this so you don't end up with three or four desserts and no meal after cooking all day! Have them look up recipes and ingredients. Make a list of what you need and head to the grocery. Looking for labels, fresh produce, and bargains will be more fun when they know that they are doing this for their own dishes. I have found that it is better to have one main chef with a sous chef on standby if needed. If the smallest of my crew gets bored, I let her play with Play Doh (her favorite) at the table  while I focus on the chef. Lots of learning goes on in a day like this. If you have the time to plan a bit more, check out some cooking themed books for the kids to look through during the down times.

3. Go for a Walk

I know, it's cold. I know, it's rainy, snowy, windy, gray.... it's February for goodness sake! Go outside anyway! Unless it is storming, dress for it and head out! Take a camera. Look for signs of spring. It doesn't have to be all day and it doesn't have to be a power walk, just stroll. Keep pace with your slowest child and enjoy the moment.

4. Be the Student

Tell the child that they will teach you for a day. For my oldest, this means I usually get a lesson in Ancient Egypt or Japanese culture. I enjoy trying to stump her throughout the day with my questions for the teacher. My middle child enjoys setting up school and playing and my youngest enjoys being a student with mom. With some creative questioning, we usually learn a lot.  This game helps my children be more empathetic to how much effort goes into a day of learning.

Forced Fall Break

This week is fall break. I didn't realize that until Tuesday. Life just got in the way of formal schooling. On the other hand, life has its own methods of teaching and boredom can be a wonderful tool:

bored bored bored

• My youngest had a slight fever which made her extra clingy. The older two were just going to have to manage on their own. They were bored but they soon learned how to entertain themselves. They worked on a lot of unfinished projects. The violin and calligraphy pens were used often. My son's Lego skills got a workout as he tried to shape his own planet/space ship. (Yes. The boy is crazy about Star Wars) The increased down time was just what my son needed to crack open a chapter book and really take off reading. We were all pleased at his huge strides in this area. 
• My eight-week -old nephew was taken to the hospital last week. I spent a lot of time there as we waited for information. (He's going to be just fine). Hospitals are boring. Even just waiting for me to come back from the hospital was boring for them but they learned something anyway. This ordeal taught my children about being there for others in a time of need, hospital etiquette, and how lucky we are to have our health.  It also taught them about the digestive system, the liver, the gall bladder and what happens when these things aren't running smoothly.
• Extra games of hide-and-seek resulted in my oldest helping her baby sister count high into her teens while the older two practiced counting in as many languages as they could. I heard Spanish, Latin, and Japanese. 

• The computer got a lot of use too. PBSkids.org is a favorite because the littlest has a lot of fun just watching the others. My son later brought up a discussion about asthma after playing a game from the site. 

Homeschooling is often full of activities, books, writing, and field trips. It has allowed me to fill our life with activities of our choosing. But there is the other side to homeschooling that I think is just as valuable as all of that. Homeschooling allows for downtime.  Downtime is a rare luxury in today's overly scheduled world. For kids, learning how to be alone, working on a large project without rushing through it, and breaking up boredom on their own develops skills that most kids don't have. I can't help but hope it will give a sense of balance to my kids.