Cultivating Explorers

I think homeschooling provides a great opportunity for children and young people to explore. I’m not referring here to just the people who travel to unknown or unusual places, although it could be included.

I’m talking about giving your students time and ability to explore some of their passions and even some areas of life they may not yet know they have a passion for.

One of my sons discovered after many years that he loves the medical profession. Since I’m not a medical person myself and didn’t have a clue of his interest, I never really provided him the opportunity to explore this possibility.

As you plan your homeschool schedule, consider adding opportunities to explore. Let them explore writing something different from the typical essays. Cartoons? Greeting cards? A screen play?

Or give them opportunities to explore different areas of science. Check out a book about chemistry experiments and see if you have a chemist on your hands. Let them explore making things out of wood or metal. Or let your daughter have her way in the kitchen. What if you led her in a study of colors and let her decorate her own room? And who says decorating is only for girls?

Some of these things will never happen if you don’t take time to schedule them into your day.

It’s hard to allow such exploration in a typical classroom, and homeschoolers can lose this opportunity as well if we’re not careful.

Schedule a time when you unleashed your children. Give them opportunity to explore.