There’s no question that technology can benefit your homeschool curriculum in various ways. But considering how much of our everyday lives revolve around electronic devices, it’s essential to figure out how to limit our tech usage and help our kids learn through more screenless homeschool activities. Below is a list of ten activities to enhance your middle schooler’s education—and they don’t involve a screen!
The Benefits of Screenless Homeschool Activities
While technology is constantly evolving and growing, there are many benefits to screenless homeschool activities. Some reasons you might want to consider incorporating more screenless activities into your homeschool routine include the following:
1. Increased Focus and Attention
When screens constantly surround us, it’s easy for our attention spans to shorten. When we’re focused on a screen, we’re not paying attention to the world around us.
This can be a problem when trying to learn, especially when we need to be aware of our surroundings. Incorporating more screenless activities into your homeschool routine can help increase focus and attention spans.
2. Improved Social Skills
With all of the social media platforms available today, it’s easy for kids to become withdrawn and anti-social. Screen-free homeschooling helps children make friendships with their family more as they bond more in face-to-face interactions.
3. More Creativity
Unplugging from technology can help children become a lot more creative and productive. After reading many testimonies from parents who had technology-free weeks, the common factor parents noticed was how much more productive children were and how much more they used their imaginations!
4. More Harmony in the Family
Another thing unplugging will do is create more harmony in the family as children don’t fight as much. There’s something about a screen that means there will be fights. And taking that screen away takes away the fights!
Take an Excursion
One of the most enjoyable things you can do with your child is to go on an adventure together. And with pandemic restrictions loosening, you have plenty of options.
Do some research, ask your child some of the activities they would like to do on your trip, and choose the perfect destination!
Put Together DIY Projects
If you have some home improvement projects you’ve been ignoring, doing them with your child could be the perfect activity.
Repairing the leaky faucet, throwing a fresh coat over a lousy paint job, or creating your decor will teach your child life skills. And you’ll save a lot of money in the process.
Also, consider shaping up your backyard so your child can get more exercise and educational activities in their routine without leaving home.
Have your child help you make improvements and keep track of your work so you’ll have proof if you ever sell your home.
Make Your Games
If your family loves board games, consider making your own.
All you need is a little imagination and some spare parts from various games lying around the house (or you can order genuine-looking parts online).
Break a Sweat
One of the best ways to teach your child essential life skills is to have them work a job. Certain businesses hire young teenagers.
But if your homeschooled child has an entrepreneurial spirit, they may enjoy picking up a side gig like babysitting, dog walking, or mowing lawns.
Volunteering can also produce an excellent work ethic in kids and provide them opportunities to serve their communities. Check with your local library, summer camps, or other outlets for your child to volunteer their time and energy while learning in the process.
Embrace Science Kits
No homeschool curriculum is complete without science! And there is no shortage of screenless homeschool activities you can with a little bit of effort.
Start by ordering a science kit online, which will give you everything you need for educational activities in chemistry, biology, physics, and more.
Join (or Start) a Science Co-Op
To take it a step further, consider getting your child into a local science co-op or beginning your own. This will allow your child to deepen their knowledge of science while reaping the benefits of socialization.
Co-ops can work for any subject, so don’t limit yourself to only science!
Plant a Garden
If your kid has a green thumb, plant a garden with them. Research native plants that will grow well in your region, design a garden layout, and learn how to plant and cultivate your garden together!
Find an Acting Class
If your child is a performer, you could enroll them in a local acting class, which will teach them various cognitive skills and boost their self-confidence. Acting classes can also benefit kids who like writing, directing, or producing.
Play Math Games
One of the best screenless homeschool activities around is math games. These educate children while they have fun! They incorporate interest-based learning into the game and encourage a love of learning!
To work mathematics into your homeschool routine, research the many types of games you can create centered around math. There are plenty of board games that involve numbers, formulas, and critical thinking.
And you can DIY a graphed scavenger hunt, multiplication hopscotch, or any other activities.
Cook Together
This is yet another terrific activity for teaching your child life skills from home. Go through the meal planning process with your child, find some fun recipes, and make a budget for the ingredients they require. Then, have fun cooking and baking for the whole family!
Kids and adults spend quite enough time on their computers, smartphones, tablets, and other devices. Consider the activities above to boost your homeschool curriculum without the need for your middle schooler to stare at a screen. And keep researching other activities worth trying out!
Conclusion: Screenless Homeschool Activities
In conclusion, there are many fun and screenless activities that can be done at home to homeschool. These activities can help keep children engaged, stimulated, and learning while also having fun. Parents and children can get creative and come up with their own ideas, or they can use some of the suggestions provided in this article. Whatever the activity, it is sure to be an excellent way for families to spend time together while homeschooling. If you want to know more about screen-free homeschooling, check out this article.
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