Outdoor schooling can begin in your own backyard. The amazing thing about nature is that you can take a journey through the seasons without leaving your backyard. Begin with observing whatever you can from your backyard and notice how things change. Even in places with mild climates, you can notice changes throughout the seasons. For example, there are times of the year when you see lots of migratory birds or butterflies.
Your children can also pay attention to the weather. When it rains, they can experiment with measuring rainfall. It’s very exciting for younger children and doesn’t require much more than a measuring cup. If you live in a place that gets snow, give your children time to catch snowflakes and examine them before they melt. If thunderstorms are common in your location, you can observe lighting and thunder. And if you hang a simple thermometer by your window, your children can log outside temperature without stepping out of the house.
Throughout the year, your children can observe what happens with the plants and trees in your backyard. It’s very exciting to find the first buds in spring or to keep track of a ripening fruit in the summer. Of course, there are also birds and insects, and perhaps other animals, that visit your backyard.
Such explorations and observations can take place on a daily basis. Once or twice a week, you might want to venture farther. You can take your children to local nature parks and bodies of water. When they are old enough, ask them to keep a nature journal to record what they see. (We will discuss nature journals in more detail in a future blog post.)
Many nature centers offer docent-led tours, often free or low cost. These tours are a great opportunity for our children to learn something new from experts who are knowledgeable and passionate about what they teach.
Older children can join homeschool hiking groups. These are especially helpful for families with both younger and older children. The older children might be ready for more intense hikes than you’re able to offer them when you bring your baby or toddler along. These hiking groups allow the older children some independence, as well as an opportunity to spend time with and learn from their peers.
When the whole family is on vacation, I highly recommend trips to national parks. (And if you happen to have a fourth grader, you get free admission for the whole family with the Every Kid Outdoors pass.)
When my son was officially in fourth grade, we went on an amazing road trip and visited Yellowstone National Park and the Grand Canyon, among other places. We saw landscapes and formations we’d never seen before and were awed by their beauty. My kids still talk about that trip, several years later.
Such trips and experiences are educational, as well as a bonding opportunity for the whole family. In addition, they provide material for more learning once you get home. Of course, we prepared for our trip in advance by researching where to go and what to see. But during the trip, questions came up that we didn’t have answers to. At home, we read books and watched documentaries that answered these questions.
Look out for more tips on outdoor schooling on this blog next week!
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