School is only boring if you make it that way. There are practical life lessons all around your home that won’t feel like “school” at all. Here are a few projects to do with your kids that are fun and teach important subjects.
1. Science – Start a Garden
Doesn’t have to be big, and it doesn’t even have to be outside. Gardening is full of science lessons, including chemistry, biology, measurements, and more. And you can eat the results!
I suggest you start small, maybe with a container garden on your porch (watch this video I did on the subject). You can also teach the chemistry of gardening with my video on pH (positive hydrogen) and its importance for plants.
There are lots of gardening lesson plans out there. I found some cool ones at kidsgardening.org.
Gardening kids are happy kids.
2. Biology – The Chicken Life Cycle
If you didn’t know, I’m obsessed with chickens and have raised them for 20 years. I have an entire page dedicated to them on this blog.
Walking through the chicken life cycle, including how an egg gestates and hatches, is one of the most fascinating and educational experiences in life. Ideally, I would recommend you buy an incubator and hatch some eggs yourself.
Don’t be scared! You can get everything online and you don’t have to keep the chicks once they hatch. Trust me, you have someone like me near you who loves chickens and will take them off your hands. Just put out a Facebook post and watch the chicken people emerge.
Scholastic has some cool chicken-hatching lesson plans to get you started.
I recommend Tractor Supply and Murray McMurray Hatchery for supplies.
There’s a chicken growing in there!
3. Math – Build a Bird House
This is an oldy-but-goodie. Building even the simplest bird house requires measuring, calculating material, volume, estimation, even calculating the size of the hole in the front. Math, math, math that is fun, fun, fun.
And there is nothing more fulfilling for anyone than building something with your own hands. It’s what HomeDabbler is dedicated to.
Lowe’s has plans for beginners. The Spruce has tons more.
Even simple bird houses teach big lessons.
You Can Do It!
It’s okay to drop the books for a while and get your (and your kid’s) hands busy. You’ll all be happier and – let’s face – you’ll both learn more.
Enjoy!
Kevin
