Spring is here, trimester 3 has begun, and we’re all adjusting back to school routines after a glorious break. Has “Spring Fever” hit your home? If and when it does, know that it’s perfectly natural and normal, and that there are a few things you can do to deal with the listlessness, laziness, or restlessness that you and your kids may be experiencing.
One way to shake things up is simply to get out of your house! Some of us are better at doing this on a regular basis than others (me, not so much). But even if you don’t usually plan outside school time, spring is the perfect time to start implementing this strategy.
Today we have a Tuesday Ten list of ways/places you can take your home day assignments outdoors (or at least out of your house):
1. Your backyard
Let’s start with the easiest and most obvious choice – you don’t even have to leave home! Kids love the option of taking some school outside into the backyard, onto the front porch, on the trampoline, under a tree in the yard, in the tree house (if you’re lucky enough to have one), etc. Or set up a tent in the yard and let them do school in there. Even if you just head outdoors for one subject, it can give you a nice break, and give the kids something to work toward or look forward to.
2. A park
I have done this one a couple of times, usually on a lighter home day. We pack up everything we need for a few hours (and snacks, of course) and walk down to the nearest park. I set up at one of the tables, and let the kids alternate between playing for 10-15 minutes, then coming over to the table to complete one subject. This is a great treat for them and it does me a lot of good to be outdoors and just sit and think or read a book while they are playing.
{Photo of Laguna Lake Park, right, from The Mommy-Files}
3. The beach
Well we do live on the central coast, after all! A similar idea to the one above, only I find that what seems to work even better is doing most of our work at home and then taking a couple of easier tasks or books that we need to read to the beach. We get all of the reading/home assignments done first, then the kids get to play for the rest of the time. This is really fun to do with friends, too. Especially if you have the same reading assignments – let kids and adults take turns reading out loud to the group!
4. The SLO Botanical Garden
Or anyone’s beautiful garden. Again, same game plan as above, just a different location to explore. Visit their website for directions, hours, and more info. Admission is free, but there is a parking fee during part of the year.
{Photo of the SLO Botanical Garden, left, from their website.}
5. A local coffee shop or cafe
When you just NEED to get out of the house and fire up some motivation, why not try a restaurant treat as an incentive? Take some school to a coffee shop or favorite lunch spot, and have a “working lunch” or coffee break. Pick a spot with outdoor seating if you want the vitamin D.
6. Downtown SLO
Head downtown, find a nice little table somewhere not too distracting, and work on something light with your kids while enjoying the atmosphere, the people watching, and maybe a cool drink.
7. A hike
Many families love to get out and hike the numerous beautiful trails we have in our area. (Here’s an interactive map of Open Space and Trails in the City of SLO.) And we know that our kids need to spend time in nature. (Re-read last year’s Pedagogic Ponderings blog post on Last Child in the Woods: Saving our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder if you need more motivation!) Try taking the kids on a hike (long or short, depending on how your day is going), and use some of that time to work on poetry memorization, recite math facts, discuss the current literature, or observe and do an informal nature study. Bring something home and start a nature table!
{Photo of Johnson Ranch trail, right, from A Hiking Fool}
8. A baseball game
Really! Tis the season, and if you know someone who is playing baseball right now, or just enjoy catching a game, there’s no reason why you can’t take along a little bit of school to do too. It’s worth a try, anyway…? Or just head to an empty baseball diamond and then play around with the kids after you get some school done. Or try a volleyball court, basketball court, pool, etc. – whatever sport your kids are into.
9. The library
Maybe this option isn’t the best if you have toddlers, but for older kids it can be a nice alternative. There is something about the quiet, studious atmosphere of the library that can encourage kids to focus. Perhaps you could save a few independent assignments and take them to the library, or read to younger ones in the kids area while older ones work at a table or computer. Of course the bonus about this location is there are plenty of books and educational resources there if you need them! Treat everyone to frozen yogurt if they get their work done.
10. Carschooling
Yes, this is a thing. For some it’s a necessity… they aren’t often at home! Between schedules for multiple kids, family activities, travel, work, errands, and appointments, there are some days when car time is needed to stay diligent and complete assignments. Or sometimes you want to plan a day trip somewhere and take care of school on the way there and back. Who does this regularly? We want to know your tips and how you make this work – do you have a school bin for each child? Do you use audiobooks? Please leave a comment and share your strategies! Meanwhile, here’s a great blog post on general Car Hacks, which can be helpful if you spend a lot of time in the car.
