Teaching Tip Tuesday ~ Creating a Home for Learning

The phone rings.  The toddler cries.  Someone is hungry and the postman is at the door.

The breakfast dishes huddle in and around the sink and it is 10:13 AM.  Morning work folders have not yet begun.  With no thankful journals written, phonics practice completed, or precision copywork penned, the morning seems a complete learning failure.

I push down the stress by remembering thankfulness, forcing a smile, and speaking honeycomb words.

I pause to look around at the wee ones.  The five year old is at the wooden table set creating a surprise work of art for daddy.  She's using the new felt pens and forming words and images and colourful patterns to show her love with art.

The seven year old is curled up in the arm chair listening to  "Charlotte's Web" audio book, delighted by Wilbur and Charlotte and smiling slightly as each page turns. 

The three year old has pulled out the wooden house puzzle and pieces it together again and again, cheering each time a new piece fits.  The five year old, done with her art, joins the cheering preschooler and starts on the bear puzzle and the fish puzzle and the cat puzzle.

Without one formal lesson taught, somehow the children are still learning, experiencing and building relationships.  I see them creating, problem solving, exploring and comprehending all within the comforts of their home. 

I ask myself, "Is it possible to fill a home with spaces of learning so that the mind is continually being filled with beautiful words and experiences simply because we are alive, embracing the gifts that sit on the shelves and hang on the walls and sound through the air around us?"

Is it possible to learn rich by simply living full in a home filled with growing relationships, excellent things (books, music, art, nature) and a presence of Him?


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Following is a less than extensive list of suggestions to encourage rich learning within your home.  Some suggestions are linked to a corresponding resource of my own personal preference:

Books ~ Bible stories, missionary stories, autobiographies of historical figures, poetry, classic literature, science books, audio books

Music ~ listening exposure ~ instrumental, classical, hymns, worship; musical instruments, singing, dancing

Art ~  "How-to" books, posters, post cards, art prints

Maps ~ world maps, Canada map, Bible maps, historical maps, globes

Games ~ geography, math, strategy, reading, drawing

Scripture/ Devotionals ~ scripture calligraphy, scripture posted on fridge, scripture memorized over lunch, devotional read after dinner

Videos ~ classic stories, Bible stories, nature exploration

Creative Materials ~ paper, felt pens, crayons, watercolour paint pad, rubber stamps, pipecleaners, felt, feathers, googly eyes