Homeschooling When I Live In A Small Town

When we first decided to start homeschooling our boys there were obviously a lot of questions and concerns.  One thing that came to mind is what are we going to do when we want to expand our learning outside of the home?  We live in a very small town and aren’t able to head to the zoo, aquarium or even museums.  It isn’t that we wouldn’t love to be able to do that, but these things just aren’t possible where we live. The closest city to us that offers these types of educational opportunities is a 2 hour drive from us.

Did this stop us? Of course not.  Here are a few things we  do in our homeschool when it comes to hands-on learning.

Farm Tours:What’s the next best thing when you can’t head to the zoo? The farm of course.  We love taking the farm tours that are offered in our area.  It’s such a great way for the kids to learn more about the different animals.  The last tour we went on, they learned about goats and alpacas and what it takes to care for these animals. It was a fun-filled and educational day for sure. 

Nature:Why not take a hike? My boys love being outdoors, so why not turn it into a learning experience.  While on a hike, they can learn about the different types of plants that are native to our area, what type of plants are safe to eat, the history of the area and even the different elevations that they are walking. When taking it outdoors, education can be endless. 

 Plant a Vegetable Garden:Planting, growing and harvesting a garden is an amazing way to learn.  It’s such a fun and physical activity, and they also learn and understand how to produce healthy, organic foods. 

We learn about what it takes to grow different plants, compost and the different bugs you’ll find in the garden.  My oldest even keeps a journal of the different types of insects we have discovered in and around the garden area. 

Plant a Flower Garden:We look forward to growing our flower garden yearly just as much as our vegetable garden.  The bees, butterflies and birds are very thankful for that.  This also gives the boys the opportunity to learn about different types of flowers, as well as the different wildlife it brings. Every year we add to our flowers.  We have our perennials, but also add different types of wildflowers and sunflowers.

Head to the lake:
Believe it or not, there is quit a bit that can be learned by heading to the lake.  For one, you can talk about geography and the different types of lakes (natural and man-made). The one near us is man-made, but that doesn’t make it any less educational. 

We  learn about the different fish that are found in our local lakes and streams. Look for animal tracks near the water, find beaver dams, etc. 

Camping:You may be wondering what exactly they can learn when it comes to camping, but really there are tons.  To name just a few, they learn to put up tents, start a camp fire, cooking over the fire, and so much more! At the end of the day, I can honestly say that nothing beats sitting outside the tent; stargazing while listening to nature.

If you live in a small town or even the big city, I would love to hear some of the things you do.  Also, be sure to click on the picture below to check out other Homeschooling when… posts