What are some fun ways to take school outdoors?

[turnin' 360s]

My kids are just not outdoor kids. Probably because we are not outdoor parents. I was outside all the time when I was a kid. Now, when we go out I have a really hard time finding things to do.

They are bored outside.

We have a big yard with nature on all sides, but we live on a busy highway. No fence.

What to do?! What to do?:blink:!

[keptwoman]

When we moved from a house with a small yard to a house with a big yard I had to actively encourage the DC outside again. So I gave them tasks...find this/build this etc that got them outside doing something. It only took a few weeks before they were able to entertain themselves out there.
If you have some trees a rope swing will have them swinging for hours.
A hammock strung between two trees gets lots of use particularly if you put a table handy to hold books and drinks.
During summer the DC do a lot of their work outside sitting in the various comfy spots we have made.

[Once]

Well, I have gone through stages when we do *all* of our read alouds outside. Just get a big blanket and start a great book anywhere without bugs!

Science is another one that is great outdoors. Go for a nature walk and draw what you find. Charlotte Mason had some great ideas about the value of those walks.

Gym happens outside here too......

It is fun to get out this time of year. We know our time outside is coming to an end. Winter looms. :tongue_smilie:

[Alana in Canada]

We had Bible study outside last week. It was a bit weird when the guy selling electricity plans tried to give me the pitch through the fence though.

[Stacia]

You might want to check out Barb's blog (from Harmony Fine Arts). She has a great plan for doing nature study (based on the Anna Comstock book).

http://handbookofnaturestudy.blogspot.com/

How about studying clouds? Lay out in the yard & sketch the ones you see.

Put out bird feeders, bird baths, etc... & then spend quiet time outdoors observing.

[turnin' 360s]

Looks great! Thanks for the link. Are there any great nature journal or phys. ed. programs?

[OhElizabeth]

SL sells a homeschool family PE book that is really good. We do the blanket thing a lot. Have you considered buying a tent? It doesn't even have to be anything fancy, just a tent. Then you do school in it. :)

[3peasinapod]

SL sells a homeschool family PE book that is really good. We do the blanket thing a lot. Have you considered buying a tent? It doesn't even have to be anything fancy, just a tent. Then you do school in it. :)

I really like this idea. I was just thinking we need to buy a tent, even if we don't drive anywhere to camp, it would be fun to camp out in the backyard! :001_smile:

[KrissiK]

Always works for my kids. Keeps 'em occupied for hours. Sidewalk chalk is a hit, too. Did you say how old your kids were?

[stephanie]

My kids are just not outdoor kids. Probably because we are not outdoor parents. I was outside all the time when I was a kid. Now, when we go out I have a really hard time finding things to do.

They are bored outside.

We have a big yard with nature on all sides, but we live on a busy highway. No fence.

What to do?! What to do?:blink:!

I'm not too sure how old your dc are, but my dc love our reading spots jar. I got the idea from some one here on the boards. I have a jar filled with index cards, folded, with names of the kids favorite spots outside to read. Daily they pick a card out without looking and go where they pick. We are all outdoor people so it's not difficult for us. If it's not too hot, then we're outside schooling. We will do the lessons on the board, and then I send them outside to do the work. They will lay in the hammock, under it, by the pool, sit at the picnic, the patio table, the rocking chairs, or the wicker sofa on the front porch. For history/science/read-alouds I try to grab a blanket and head outside in a shady spot. Sometimes I change it up and take them to the park to work or the ball park on the bleachers. It's just something different, but it always leaves them playing outside which I love! HTH you a bit!

[stephanie]

I really like this idea. I was just thinking we need to buy a tent, even if we don't drive anywhere to camp, it would be fun to camp out in the backyard! :001_smile:

I wanted to add in that my dc just made a tent out of three umbrellas. They laid a blanket down, surrounded it with the umbrellas, and in the middle put a cardboard box as a table. The box was even decorated with table settings of paper cups (filled with saw dust from recently destroyed trees from Ike), and a centerpiece decoration of a bottle with one pine tree sprig in it. I told them it was very rustic...it looked like a Martha Stewart creation! You can also add towels to the outside of the umbrellas for a little more support...I've seen them do this too. We also have the real tent, but there's something about them doing it themselves that they really seem to enjoy!