God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. Genesis 1:31 NIV
God has blessed us with a beautiful world from which we can grow and learn. In our family, we find that the out-of-doors is an essential part of the homeschooling process. We not only take advantage of nature in its pure form, but we also interject some of the items we learn with within the home into the beautiful, outdoor classroom.
Initially, our outdoor classroom is the world at large without the addition of what man has created. There is certainly no need for store-bought equipment to enjoy oneself while outside. In fact, imagination and a love of nature can be born simply by engaging in the world around you without the use of structures, toys, or equipment. Every insect, tree, flower, blade of grass, animal, or changing weather pattern provides a myriad of lessons.
But beyond this wealth of knowledge, there is much to be gained by rethinking conventional ideas of how things should be played with and where with which a child should play them. Our current society has created a culture which tends to imprison the child within the home whether for safety, because of busy schedules, convenience, or to focus upon rigorous learning schedules. Whatever the reasons, our society is desperately in need of a return to a more active and outdoor lifestyle, especially for children.
Because a parent at home engaging their child each day might be interested in inspiring more interest outdoors or simply wants to switch up the way they do things, I have listed a few ways we have been able to this. Essentially, almost anything you do inside the house can be done outside in the fresh air from reading, prayer, and worship to work, play, and learning.
Here are just samplings of ways we try to think outside of the box of convention:
- Bring the easel outside- your child will enjoy an abundance of inspiration from God's creation.
- Lunch on the lawn- there is nothing like enjoying the blessing of a good meal in the fresh outdoor air (it is easy clean-up too).
- Finger painting on the driveway- again, there is no better inspiration than God's own coloring book and children appreciate the freedom of being creative without worrying about messes. Simply roll or place paper on the driveway, set out the pots of paint, and let your child enjoy!
- Create a zoo or safari- no need to leave the home for an animal adventure! Let your child pull out some of the abundance of stuffed animals he or she has acquired and set up vignettes of animals in the grass. Bright sunshine kills dust mites on stuffed animals and a new adventure will give new life and joy to stuffed animals. You can use cardboard boxes or shoe boxes as cages or platforms. You may also scatter them about for a more natural "habitat" for a safari.
- Beans and rice, very nice- Drag out some of the dried products in your cupboard like rice and/or beans, pour them in bowl or basins and grab some measuring cups and spoons. Your child will adore scooping and pouring and it provides a learning opportunity for basic measurements like ¼, ½, ¾, and 1 cup. Doing this outside allows for calm and focus and most importantly an easy clean up!
- Plastic toys will weather the storm- Any plastic toys will fare well outside. Don't hesitate to bring a box of Duplos or Legos outside for play on the driveway. If there are many pieces, spread a blanket to maintain a boundary to aid with clean-up. Your child will appreciate the new setting for play and it may reignite interest in a toy long forgotten.
