Homeschooling Through Spring

In the Spring I have counted 136 different kinds of weather inside of 24 hours.~ Mark Twain

There is something about spring to bring out the “ I AM SO DONE WITH SCHOOL” feelings. Maybe it’s the flowers blooming and the butterflies flying around. It could be the sunshine or the warmer temperatures. I don’t know, but SPRING FEVER is hitting and it’s real. And when SPRING FEVER hits, that means one thing, difficulty concentrating on schoolwork.

BraveMama, this is the time of year when we are tired and need a change.   We have spent the winter working inside doing the nuts and bolts of homeschooling.  Our kids have written and we have grades all. the. papers not to mention all. the. math problems. We have worked hard and now we are ready to have picnics in the park, plant our gardens, and are spend time outdoors.

If it’s a pretty day, go outside and have school.  Or at least go outside for lunch.  The kids are ready for a change and you are too.

Fun spring nature studies include:

• Insect collecting
• Gardening
• Spring related weather such as rain and tornados
• Messy science experiments that you can do outside

Writing activities can include:

• Writing letters (Did you know that April is letter writing month?)
• Writing a descriptive paragraph on the way the sun feels on your skin, the smell of the flowers, the beauty of the flowers blooming in your area
• Writing about the nature studies that you are working on.  (Have your children keep a notebook that includes things they’ve observed in nature.  This is a great way to teach scientific writing.)

What about art activities?  Your kids can:

• Do a nature scene using watercolors
• Pick flowers and dry them
• Dye eggs and other Easter crafts

If you have a child who wants to run around and play instead of doing their work, try setting a timer and letting them work in 15-30 minute increments and then letting them play for 15 minutes.  Or try getting up early and getting the school work out of the way and letting your child spend the remainder of the day outside.

I know one homeschooling family with young children who take off the month of April and spends that time doing nature studies, gardening, and the like.  They simply build that time into their homeschool calendar.

Don’t forget about your older kids who need to finish their coursework.  They have SPRING FEVER, just like you.  Let them do their work at a coffee shop or work outside with the rest of the family.  Consider letting them do their coursework at night, so that they can enjoy the spring weather.  What about giving them a mental health day and letting them take off and spend the day outside.?

On a different note, you may feel overwhelmed because you spent the winter taking care of sick kids and the everyday interruptions that affect your schooling and now you feel that you are behind.  BraveMama, if that is where you are, take heart. 

My suggestion is to work on math, have your children read, maybe do a little spelling or grammar in the morning and go outside.  Don’t let that overwhelmed feeling rob you from the joys of spring. And don’t beat yourself up!  Move forward knowing that you are doing your best in this season of life. 

I have seen too many homeschoolers grow weary during this time of year and their schooling begins to fade away.  But I encourage you to incorporate homeschooling into your everyday life.  And finish strong!

Galatians 6:9 tells us:

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”

BraveMama, finish strong!  Do you need a little encouragement as you work toward summer?  If you need prayer, please feel free to message me and I will pray with you.

Did you know that I wrote a free homeschooling resource entitled 7 Scripture Prayers To Pray Over Your Homeschool.  To receive a copy, scroll down and click on the updates link.