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Homeschool Outside

101 Reasons to Homeschool Outside

by Ashley Mullen Leave a Comment

While we’re not officially year round homeschoolers sticking more to the traditional school schedules in our area, we don’t stop learning just because “schools out”. Instead we like to turn to homeschool outside in the sunshine.

101 Reasons to Homeschool Outside

101 Reasons to Homeschool Outside

*This post contains affiliate links, please see my disclosure policy for more information.*

One of our favorite things is to grab a blanket, some books and read in the sunshine once the weather turns warm. As an added bonus my kids get a kick out of being outside having fun when the school bus goes by with some of their friends.

My kids would rather be outside playing than inside doing school work, and I’d be willing to bet that most kids are the same way. I say most because I hated it outside as a child and I’m still not the biggest fan of it.

When you take the time to talk to you kids outside, to grab a few books from the library, or even go as far as to plan something, your kids can learn a lot out there.

  • Fresh air
  • Open spaces
  • Trees to climb
  • Trees to identify
  • Change of pace
  • Boost your immune system
  • Exercise
  • Relaxing – lowing stress levels
  • Screen free
  • Learn about greenhouses
  • Fresh air improves sleep quality
  • Use nature to work on counting / math
  • Read signs
  • Learn about astronomy
  • Lay out looking at the stars
  • Great way to use all 5 senses
  • Vacations to new places – ocean, zoos, etc.
  • Nature walks
  • Weather studies
  • Outside art projects – easy clean up
  • Nature scavenger hunt
  • Boys tend to need to move around more while learning

(Keep scrolling for more great ideas!)

color changing flowers
  • Flowers to see
  • Flowers to pick
  • Flowers to identify
  • Flowers to grow
  • All the other plants that can be identify
  • Seeds to be planted
  • Read aloud picnic
  • Science experiments that make messes like a witches brew
  • Gardening
  • Swimming lessons
  • Learning to ride bikes
  • Reading on a swing
  • Reading on a trampoline
  • Reading in the garden
  • Sun gives you a boost of Vitamin D
  • Lemonade stand
  • Vegetable stand
  • Watch bugs – ewww
  • Create a bug hotel
  • Learn about pest control around your garden and home
  • Geocaching
  • Leaf rubbings
  • Practice life skills such as building a fire
  • Target practice – Nerf guns or water guns anyone?
  • Make a solar oven
  • Bee keeping
  • Bird watching
  • Leaves to play in

(Keep scrolling of more ideas!)

10 Places to Homeschool Away from Home
  • Leave about leaves changing colors
  • Measure rain falls
  • Fight the winter blues – get some sunlight
  • Build a fort
  • Build snowmen
  • Blow bubbles to watch them freeze instantly
  • Measure snowfalls
  • Melt ice with salt
  • Tap maple trees
  • Go fishing
  • Go hunting
  • Learning to skate – ice or roller
  • Create a sun dial
  • Physical education time
  • Count rings in a tree – how old is it?
  • Make leaf or flower crowns
  • Create outside theme days
  • Grow a pea teepee – I have been wanting to do this for years!
  • Make a fairy garden or fairy land- get your imagination going
  • Make story stones – art, creative story telling, and so much more
  • Make mud pies – let them get dirty

(Keep scrolling for more ideas on taking homeschool outside.)

let kids be kids outside
  • Keep a nature journal
  • Make a weather station
  • Find letters in nature
  • Find numbers in nature
  • Find shapes in nature
  • Learn about composting
  • Practice photography
  • Hold olypmics of your own while watching learning about the real ones
  • Unschooling outside
  • De-school – you don’t have to be stuck inside, get out of the “school” mindset
  • Learn about reactions
  • Learn about shadows
  • Make S’mores
  • Learn about natural bug repellents
  • It opens up new opportunities to learn
  • Builds character
  • Sketch nature
  • Learn about natural medications – growing aloe
  • Messy sensory play – let them jump in bubbles and play in mud
  • Hit up historical landmarks
  • Visit a local farm
  • Watch butterflies
  • Catch and release butterflies
  • Yoga outside
  • Find shells on a beach, what animal are they from?
  • Build something – construction
  • Take learning beyond curriculum
  • FREEDOM to learn and move and play

Reason #101: To have fun and enjoy your homeschooling time.

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Filed Under: Homeschool, Natural Homeschooling Tagged With: education outside, education outside the classroom, Homeschool Outside

Taking Homeschool Outside this Spring and Summer

by Ashley Mullen Leave a Comment

Homeschooling changes quicker than the seasons change, but it also changes with the seasons here. Now that spring is here, we homeschool outside for the most part. For example, once winter hits and the ice rink is frozen, we get our school work done fast so we can head there. Now that the warmer temperature are here, well, things have changed again. These are some of our outdoor homeschool ideas that we enjoy during the warmer months.

Taking Homeschool Outside this Spring and Summer

Taking Homeschool Outside this Spring and Summer

*This post may contain affiliate links, see my disclosure policy for more information.*

The weather is warm, the sun is shining bright, and who wants to be inside on such a nice day? Not me, and definitely not my children. There is nothing that says you have to be stuck inside in order to be homeschooling and or learning.

Reading Outside this Spring and Summer

Grab some books and a blanket and read. Either quietly to their/yourself, or out loud. These could be pleasure reading or reading textbooks for upcoming work.

Get creative on where you read, change it up. We recently started laying and sitting on the trampoline which is really comfortable. We also just received a lovely platform swing that is going to make a great reading spot.

Science Outside this Spring and Summer

Take science outside. Whether you are setting up a table and doing a science experiment outside or grabbing a magnifying glass and exploring your backyard. Take an up close look at some bugs or leaves, or even dirt.

Garden Outside this Spring and Summer

Planting and growing a garden is an amazing opportunity to learn. There is the plant life cycle to learn about, photosynthesis, the importance of bees, and so much more! Even at 5 my kids were understanding how plants grew, what they needed and why.

Plus, you get a delicious, healthy snack. It is a great way to encourage your children to eat healthy too.

Taking Homeschool Outside this Spring and Summer

Nature Study Outside this Spring and Summer

Under nature study there are a lot of things you can do, that is going to be fun and educational.

Photography.

Nature journal.

Science again.

Do you take your homeschool outside once the weather turns warmer?

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Filed Under: Homeschool, Natural Homeschooling Tagged With: Homeschool Outside, homeschooling, outdoor homeschool ideas, Outside, Spring, Summer, warm weather

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A Little About Me

I'm Ashley, a Canadian secular homeschool mom of 3, living in Nova Scotia.

I share our adventures in homeschooling and parenting.

You can usually find us at the library surrounded by books.
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