Essentials in Schooling at home: Getting OUT of the home

Yes, when you homeschool you don't always want to be at home.   You really don't.   Getting out is important as well.  Change can cement learning, add a new dimension, switch things up to keep yourself out of a rut (or the children for that matter), provide needed exercise, calm the emotions and stimulate different ways of thinking and much more.  Get out.  Experience the world!

I firmly believe that getting out of the house is an essential part of schooling at home.  Being behind four walls all day long isn't good for you.  Children (and adults) need fresh air.  They need to experience the ground under the feet, bark under their hands, they need to see and explore and learn and grow inside and out.  It's good for bodies and brains and nutrients and .. well I could ramble on but I think you get the jist of it eh?  :)

So do some field trips if you.  (some are quite affordable as well).  
Our most recent field trip happened on vacation.   We went to Science North up in Sudbury, Ontario.    There we saw bugs, flying squirrels, explored the human body,  space, craters and a whole lot more.  it was a good day for two boys and two adults. :)

You don't need to wait for vacation to go on field trips.  Take in the local museum, find a dentist office you can tour, see the firehall and much much more. :)

And if you can't do that.. go for walk.  you'll be surprised at what you can find.

you might find a caterpillar or two...

or birds, or animals, or non-critter things like plants, lichens, mosses, touch them, feel them, pop them, draw them.  You'll learn a lot.  :)    One time we discovered a lichen/moss with bubbles with seeds in it that popped when touched.  We helped it reproduce and it spawned a whole new set of questions in one boy child. :)

And then on over to the park and do you math while running back and forth.  Spell words as you swing from bar to bar.  Cement that learning using that kinetic energy.   Just go out and learn.  Break the routine of books and desks.

It'll be good for you.   Really.  :) 

A bunch of us over at the homeschool crew  are taking part in a five day blog hop on "back to school"  check us out won't you?  Here's a list will get you started.

Amy @ Counting Change... Again
Shawna @ Tenacity Divine
Adena @ AdenaF 
Jenn @ Simblissity Cottage
Emilee @ Pea of Sweetness
Kathy @ Kathys Cluttered Mind
Sara @ Embracing Destiny