Time to Learn?!??

As the leaves change and people being to think of Back to School.

I had a bit of an odd question today. A family member asked is Bobo was excited to get to start learning. I was momentarily confused and thrown off. You see Bobo starts kindergarten this year, but seeing as we homeschool it's not like he is off on some major adventure.  Sure this year there will be a few new books for him, but he got those last year. Sure he will be in a few different classes but he attended some last year as well. Really I think the only difference is he will be in Beavers this year and maybe 1-2 other classes that he wasn't old enough for last year.  The the extra funding and reporting for me which really isn't something that will be noticed by him.


So it go me thinking a bit. How many other people think that learning starts once they enter into formal schooling. Not that anything we do is really formal, but that aside. Bobo has been learning since he was born just like everyone else. Now he is a bit more methodical than his older brother. He likes activities that he sits and quietly focuses on a task. He like to write, read and play with lego. He is a thinker, he likes to process the world going on around him. Lets be honest he is really pretty much done with the requirements of kindergarten in the province, Bug saw to that over the last year.

Bobo will continue life as pretty much the same he will talk to our Learning Consultant over the year and tell her about the things he does. He will play and enjoy life. Sure we will read and he might just start doing it more himself but I'm not worried. See I know he is learning I know there is no start or end time to the wonders of his little brain. He is still be just who he is, my sweet, quirky, opinionated little guy. He'll learn and what he doesn't learn today he will learn tomorrow.

Creative learning

One of the biggest advantages to homeschooling is learning can take place anywhere and at anytime. Math puzzles can be done while snuggling on the couch. Language Arts discussed while swinging on the swings. The seasons and environmental questions can be asked in nature, where these questions are best answered.


It is easy to get creative with learning if you stop thinking about learning. Think about fun things and exciting things to do stop expecting learning and allow experiences to come. They will come with doing :)



Here bug is just trying to make the most number of pie pieces with 4 cuts. Does he realize he is learning fractions? Nope. Is he having fun? For sure. He is spending time figuring out a puzzle. there was no wrong answer. He didn't have any expectations other than try and figure out the puzzle he picked to do.

Marsh mellows and toothpicks make for lots of fun that everyone can get into. Sure it's geometry but they don't care they are making shapes and trying to get the to stand up.

Life is full of wonder and so much fun. Get creative! 

Force and motion

Don't you just love how learning can happen anywhere at anytime? I find it truly amazing how smart my boys are. They can figure things out pretty easily for themselves. Then what they don't know they ask questions. Questions are wonderful tools to facilitate learning. Questions start conversations, and conversations can lead to amazing learning.

I have found that a lot of newer parks are full of amazing pieces of equipment that allow children to explore the use of their bodies through force and motion. Recently we were at a park with this interesting device. I have this thing with hopping on playground equipment before examining what it is going to do. This looked harmless enough right? WRONG! I felt a teeny bit nauseated after this but as I was spinning in circles clinging on for dear life, the boys got interested. They wanted to know how it worked. So while I was trying very hard to not toss my dinner Darling Hubby showed the boys how it worked. Then asked Bug a wonderful question. "Why do you think it works like that?"  " Energy and gravity!" Bug shouted. Gee what smart little boys they have. Darling Hubby is very much into Science and did well in school with all that stuff. He is the go to guy in the house for the advanced math and science things. He did a little explanation and demonstration for the boys and we continued playing. Who knows what they retained but learning by life is so much more fun than learning from a book.

Look for learning options embrace them and let life teach you. The kids are little sponges when they are young. They learn so much just by answering questions.