It’s not unusual for homeschooling kids to have loads of energy they don’t know how to get rid of, especially when they’re confined indoors. During winter months when cold temperatures don’t allow for outdoor play as much as other times of the year, there are things homeschooling parents can do to help alleviate the stress and rambunctiousness of their students.
Learning should be fun, but like any school kids, January through April can be a real test of concentration and focus when “cabin fever” begins to set in. Parents, too, can feel the effects of boredom and routine overload later in the school year. So here is a fun way for everyone to change up the monotonous school schedule periodically.
While I was homeschooling our children, about every six weeks I’d have them rearrange our living room furniture. Now, that may sound like an unusual task to some and not very school time oriented. Some might even wonder how rearranging furniture could possibly teach anything. However, children can learn many things and can have a great time doing it and here’s how.
The first time I announced they were to rearrange the furniture any way they wanted to, and that once they were finished they were free for the day, there were smiles and squeals of excitement. Of course it only took about 15 minutes for them to be done … or so they thought.
Then I asked them if they’d plugged the lamps in. Having forgotten that, they needed to make changes to accommodate the lighting. Then I asked if the plants were placed near the windows to receive adequate light to grow. Again, they needed to make additional changes by moving tables and chairs without undoing the lamp situation.
Once that was completed, I explained that heating vents needed to be uncovered to keep the entire room warm and yet still not dry out the plants near windows. By now the kids were becoming wary of ever being done at all. However, they willingly made the necessary changes and hesitantly waited for my approval.
I then asked if they had vacuumed behind furniture and under tables, and dusted surfaces. Of course they hadn’t which meant they needed to move things again. They completed the task and became ecstatic when I said the words, “Good job, you’re free to go”!
What were the accomplishments?
Teamwork: They had worked together to accomplish a goal.
Creativity: Each had input creative ideas to help finish it properly.
Strength: Repeatedly pushing and lifting furniture was physically demanding.
Determination: They didn’t quit until the job was completed.
Accomplishment: They experienced self satisfaction with their work.
Energy: They burned off excess energy to help sit and focus later.
Cleaning: Everyone enjoyed the clean benefits of their labor.
The overall moral they learned was, “If a job is worth doing, it’s worth doing right the first time”, and that lesson has since carried over in all aspects of their adult lives.