Positively Homeschooling Podcast Episode 7: How To Make Homeschool Fun For Your Kids & You
đ Funâitâs a small word with a lot of meaning, especially for homeschool moms.
In this episode, Amy breaks down what homeschool fun really is, why it matters, and how you can make it happen, even if you feel more like a Grinch or Scrooge right now. (Donât worryâthose two found their fun eventually, and you can, too!)
What Youâll Learn in This Episode:
- What is homeschool fun?
- Fun doesnât look the same for every family, and thatâs okay! We explore a flexible definition of homeschool fun that works for you and your kids.
- Is homeschool fun important?
- Yes! We dive into 6 key benefits of homeschool fun, from bridging age gaps to building communication skills, boosting creativity, and more.
- Homeschool fun ideas to try:
- Discover simple and creative ways to sprinkle fun into your homeschool routine, like brain breaks, games, projects, holiday activities, and more. Plus, grab a free printable list of ideas from A to Z on my blog: Homeschool Fun Ideas.
- Breaking through mental blocks to being a âfun momâ:
- Feeling too busy, not creative enough, or worried your ideas wonât impress? Learn practical strategies to overcome these blocks and find your unique style of fun.
Key Takeaways:
- Fun doesnât have to be messy, expensive, or time-consuming. Itâs about creating moments of connection and joy with your kids.
- If youâre struggling with mental blocks, start small! A 5-minute game or relaxed activity can make a big difference.
- Ditch comparison and embrace what works for your family. Homeschool fun is what you make it!
Listener Challenge:
Whatâs one fun activity you can do with your kids today? Email me your ideas at rockyourhomeschool@gmail.comâIâd love to hear them and add them to my list!
Connect with Christy from Happy Hive Homeschooling:
Get more of Christyâs fantastic tips and resources for homeschool fun.
Resources Mentioned in This Episode:
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Prefer to read? I’ve put the transcript to this episode below! Let me know if you have any questions đ
Homeschooling CAN Be Fun!
Fun. I feel like this one word carries a lot of stuff around it. Positive and negative. Especially as a homeschool mom.
Letâs explore what homeschool fun actually is, if itâs important (spoiler alert: it is!), some ideas to try, and how you can make it happen – even if you feel like a Scrooge or The Grinch. Remember: Even those two characters were eventually able to loosen up and have some fun!
And before I get to all the funâŚmake sure to listen through the end of this episode. My friend, Christy from Happy Hive Homeschooling, shares her tips for rockinâ your homeschool fun!
What Is Homeschool Fun?
From Dictionary.com (I love this app! We use it all the time in our homeschool for the dictionary and thesaurus):Â
- something that provides mirth or amusement
- enjoyment or playfulness
Both of those definitions sound good.Â
I truly believe that fun is a relative term, especially in terms of homeschooling. I also believe that we all have (or can develop) our own working definitions. A good base to build upon would be:
Homeschool Fun: Â any activity, game, project, or other experience that results in learning fun and is enjoyed by all
That’s a pretty generic definition, huh? Technically, any homeschool work could fall under this explanation. As it should.
My point:Â homeschool fun is what you make it.
Going back to the whole fun is a relative thingâŚwhat I think is fun might be totally and completely boring to you. And vice versa.
For example, I think playdough, glitter, and crafts are all super fun. And those 3 things might make your eye twitch at the mere notion of doing any of those activities with your kids.
Perhaps you think sewing is a fun activity to do with kids. Iâd rather take that sewing needle and poke it in my eye. (Sorry -thatâs gross but true!)
The point that Iâm getting at is this:Â I believe itâs time to rework or reframe our definitions of homeschool fun. Because itâs going to look different for each homeschool family!
You absolutely do NOT have to do finger paint projects or sprinkle confetti all over to be a âfun momâ.Â
When youâre able to relax and enjoy the moment with your kids doing an activity that you can all work on together, thatâs when youâll have fun!
Okay, so now that weâve looked closer at the idea of homeschool fun, letâs answer the question: Is homeschool fun important? My answer is a big YES!
6 Benefits of Homeschool Fun
The benefits of homeschool fun are:
- Helps bridge age gaps – If youâre homeschooling more than one child and thereâs any type of age range, fun activities can provide amazing ways to spend time together.
- Creates a more relaxed atmosphere – Just knowing that you have something fun to look forward can provide motivation and inspiration to get work done!Â
- Builds communication skills – Perfect for practicing collaboration, and conversational skills!
- Boost creativity – Allows for outside the box thinking,. Plus, homeschool fun activities go beyond academics. Interest-led projects (things that your children express interest in, like Harry Potter, Minecraft, and Pokemon) can also be enjoyed for fun homeschooling.
- Expands knowledge base – You can enjoy so many opportunities to go down rabbit trails, discover fun facts, and explore interests.
- Cultivates relationships – Build relationships with each other (if homeschooling more than one child) and with you. These types of activities provide another way to interact outside of homeschool roles (teacher/student), too.
Homeschool Fun Ideas to Try
I could go on and on about homeschool fun ideas for days (thatâs why I have a whole section on the blog devoted to it!). Iâll highlight some of our favorite ways to enjoy homeschool fun – and Iâd love to hear your ideas, too. Email me at rockyourhomeschool@gmail.com and let me know! Iâll add them to this list.
How to Break Through Mental Blocks of Being a âFun Momâ
Do you feel like youâre just not a fun mom? Iâve had many moms reach out telling me that they really wish that they could just let go and have fun with their kids. But, theyâve got a few things holding them back. Maybe you can relate to one or more of these blocks?
- Not creative
- Too busy (not enough time or energy)
- Donât have the moneyÂ
- Canât relax (too worried about what they âshouldâ be doing)
- Iâm ânot patient enoughâ. With this statement, I often hear that I just canât sit there and do fun stuff when I know that there are a lot of other things that I could be doing. OR I start to rush through the activity or project because I feel like we need to be doing other âmore importantâ things.
- Ideas or activities ânot good enoughâ – or end up looking like flops compared to things they see on social media or Pinterest
- I put all this time and energy into planning a fun activity and then my kids look at me like Iâm crazy, donât care, think itâs boring, etc.
- I want to do the fun stuff. And then I put it off. Because when we get done our homeschool work, Iâm ready for a break!
I can relate to all of these thoughts. Depending on the day, these thoughts can pop up for me, too. Especially if Iâm tired, hangry, and/or hormonal.
So, what do I do? I donât stress about it. You donât have to have a âfunâ activity to do every day. Thatâs a whole lot of pressure!Â
Here are a few things to look at if you can related to any of these blocks:
- What is the first thought that pops up to you when you think about doing a homeschool fun activity with your kids today? First feeling? No judgment here! Just get it out.
- If that thought/feeling is negative, how can you challenge it? How can you transform it and make it work for you to have some fun?
- If youâre tired, could you do a relaxed fun activity – like watch an educational video? If youâre hangry, can you make a snack or meal to enjoy with your kids while listening to an audiobook? Or can you involve your kids in making the treat? If youâre hormonal, what can you do to chill out or feel better? (Iâll be talking more about dealing with hormones as a homeschool mom in a future episode so stay tuned!) The big thing to remember here is that there are different types of fun activities to enjoy. Not everything has to be high energy/high prep/high cost.
- Not creative – Thatâs okay! You donât have to be (but I bet you are in your own way!). Use a search engine or Pinterest – you can find a ton of ideas and lots of free activities. You donât have to reinvent the wheel.Â
- Too busy (not enough time or energy) – I get it! Thatâs why I recommend keeping it simple. You do not need to get all complicated or anything. And I bet that you have at least 5 minutes that you could enjoy a short game or activity. Because thatâs another thing – homeschool fun doesnât have to take a lot of time!
- Donât have the money – Oh girl, I get that one! Frugal and free is the way to go. Itâs not about how much money you spend – itâs about the time spent with your kids.
- Canât relax – It can be difficult to not think about other things you could be doing – like homeschool work, chores, etc. Hereâs the thing – items on a checklist do not necessarily need to take priority over enjoying special moments with your kids. Or maybe you can get one of those tasks done and then have some fun as a reward.Â
- Kids think your ideas are boring/basic/blah – No worries! Use this opportunity to talk about what they think is âfunâ. Brainstorm ideas and ways to enjoy activities that everyone will like.
- Ideas or activities ânot good enoughâ – Not good enough for who? All that matters is that your children and you are having some fun. Ditch the comparison and embrace the fun!
- Put off the fun stuff – Yup, this one hits home. I encourage you to look at a few things. Do you need some self-care time? Self-care can do so much good for you to refresh and reset. Here’s a free printable list of ideas for the type of self-care that you need now + brain breaks for moms). Instead of waiting until the end of the day (or skipping over your homeschool fun plans) you weave it into your day. OR start the day with some fun! I actually sprinkle fun activities throughout our day – a few minutes here and there.Â
â Free printable cheat sheet â
Ready to enjoy homeschooling with less stress? Learn my 5 simple steps for feeling more confident, patient, & relaxed.
Because you deserve to feel calm âno matter what comes your way!
How I Sprinkle Fun Throughout Our Homeschool Day
Morning time:Â Fun Day calendar with easy ways to celebrate (365 day pack) + World from A-Z with Carl Azuz (use it to spark conversations)
Brain breaks
Boost a favorite subject: My boys love geography – they think itâs a blast! (and theyâve helped me appreciate it) so we switch between U.S. and World Geography.
Our absolute favorite geography resources are from Beautiful Feet Books. This curriculum beautifully combines engaging books with hands-on activities. And we all look forward to the Culinary Connections when we explore geography through food. We started with the Geography Through Literature K-3 Pack and then 4-6 Pack. Now, weâre having a blast with Book of Nations, an amazing resource thatâs guiding us on a learning adventure around the world. Itâs filled with gorgeous pictures, facts, flags, and more about all the countries of the world.
Whew! Can you tell that weâre having a lot of fun with geography?!? I canât believe that Iâm actually excited about this subject. But, with the right resources and my boysâ enthusiasm, I guess anything is possible!
Pick One:Â This is a newer homeschool fun thing that weâre doing and itâs going well so far! We brainstormed a list of things that we could do to boost our day. These fun things are like a motivation or reward. A few things on our list are educational videos, simple games, making a snack, baking cookies, having a dance party. Based on our plans for the day (because some take longer than others), we will pick one to enjoy at the end of our homeschool work.Â
Okay, now itâs time for my friend, Christy from Happy Hive Homeschooling, and her tips for homeschool fun:
Homeschool fun doesnât have to mean over-the-top projects or elaborate outings. Itâs about finding joy in the everyday moments and letting your childâs curiosity lead the way. One simple way to make homeschooling more fun is by celebrating the ‘Holiday of the Day.’ This approach combines learning with creativity, allowing your kids to explore unique topics while sneaking in academics.
For example, on ‘Bake Cookies Day’ in December, you can integrate math by measuring ingredients, science by exploring how baking works, and even history by learning about the origins of cookies. Not only does this keep learning exciting, but it also helps foster a love for discovery. Plus, the memories you create while baking together make homeschooling a joy for both you and your children.Â
Remember, fun doesnât need to be complicatedâitâs about making space for connection and delight in your homeschool days.
Find a link in the show notes to check out Christyâs blog Happy Hive Homeschooling and get her free Year of Yes bundle!
And now itâs time to recap this episode. Hereâs all the goodies that I shared:
- I looked at a few definitions of fun and how itâs relative.
- Then, I shared about 6 benefits of homeschool fun.
- I talked about Homeschool Fun Ideas to Try.
- Next, I chatted about How to Break Through Mental Blocks of Being a âFun Momâ
- I looked at how you can sprinkle fun throughout your homeschool day.
- Finally, I shared Christyâs helpful tips.
Now itâs your turn – whatâs YOUR definition of homeschool fun? What are your ideas? And do you have any questions for me about this topic (or how I make homeschool fun)?
Well my friend, that does it for another episode of Positively Homeschooling. If you enjoyed this podcast, I ask that you please share it with a friend or two. Your sharing means so much – thank you!
