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So much learning happens outside of a curriculum, in everyday life. Curriculum is one way to learn, but it definitely isn’t the only way.
While you don’t need to go fully without it, consider that sometimes boxing yourself and your kids into a curriculum can hinder your learning. Part of why you’re choosing homeschooling is for the freedom, right? So stay flexible as you make your decisions. Are there things you and your kids can learn without a formal curriculum?
Too often we see the days that we check off the curriculum boxes as the ones where we “did school.” But teh reality is that all of life is leanring, and we need to recognize the ways our kids are learning outside of the curriculum. This “counts” as school just as much as the formal lessons do.
Some ways you can homeschool without buying a full curriculum:
- create a unit study around a topic or theme using books and projects
- build your own curriculum (read more about this in the Build Your Own section in module 3)
- let your kids guide their own learning using natural learning methods
- play a board game (you can find our faves here)
- grab a book, read it, have a discussion – boom! You all learned about something! Just because your child didn’t complete a worksheet or take a test doesn’t mean they didn’t learn
You also don’t need to go fully without a curriculum for all subjects. You can pick and choose what works for your family.
I put together a guide with some practical ways to learn without curriculum. These activities are easy to do as a family, don’t take any special supplies, and foster authentic learning without pulling out workbooks or lesson plans.
Other CYH posts you might like:
Choosing Life Learning Over Curriculum
The Art of Strewing
Creating Literature Based Unit Studies