How to Incorporate Hands Learning In Home School

Other than taking field trips there are tons of ways to encourage hands on learning in the home school environment.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• dolls
• wastecan
• blocks
• toys

1. A very simple tool in hands on learning can be home made play dough. Take a few minutes of an elective course such as art to bring your child in the kitchen and whip up the recipe to be used later in class. Play dough can be used to illustrate a variety of subjects. Have them build an Indian tepee with it during a history study on Native Americans. Have them build an old pioneer fort for the same purposes. Use the play dough to mold various people and talk about careers. The possibilities
   with play dough are endless and after the lesson put it in a resealable container and store in the refrigerator for the next time.

2. 
    
   A good math tool. Image Credits: http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1020244

   Play games during math. Don't just tell them about math, involve them in the concept. Get a bag of M&M's or Peanuts or whatever treat your child and you both enjoy. Then each day they can take a handful of the treat to use to illustrate math problems during the lesson.

3. 
    
   Dolls are a good way to encourage story telling

   Stuffed animals and dolls are so versatile and fun in the classroom. You can use these for all types of lessons and activities. Dress them up for a time period or a career to talk about. Have them interact and bring historical figures to life. Don't just tell your kids who Martin Luther King was. Show them. Have a doll come alive and using a theatrical voice talk like him and inspire them.

4. Blocks are another common toy with many classroom uses. Use them to illustrate scientific lessons. Use them to build replica's of things you are studying. Blocks are economical to purchase and offer a variety of ways to learn.

5. Growing a plant, while the plant might not grow fast enough to motivate a younger student, will be ideal for the older student that can exhibit patience and responsibility in caring for it.

6. Don't just assign classical literature for them to read. Prepare a monologue and act it out for your student and encourage them to do one also. Take turns reading parts of popular theatrical literature. Act out the parts. Make Romeo and Juliet come alive to your older student and they
   will not quickly forget the material. Set aside a date when you will act out a particular piece of literature. Assign them the role of coming up with the best costume or prop needed to set the stage for their performance.

7. Teach them about pantomime. Have them with their hands and body tell you the story without speaking.

8. Don't just teach about the great depression, bring it alive. Prepare a lunch or dinner that was commonly eaten when funds were low. Don't spice it up or make it more tolerable to eat. Make it relevant to them. Talk about how people are worried that a depression will happen again in America and why it is so frightening. Eat the meal in the dark with a candle lit. Teenagers today can not fathom such a thing as a depression with today's technology age so bring it to life and let them see how scary it truly can be for society and individuals.

Resources

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[jenng]

on 10/17/2009 Great article on How to Incorporate Hands Learning In Home School 5*

[kaytay]

on 4/8/2009 great ways to incorporate hands on learning in home school. i love the math with food idea