Providing an enriching environment

[T'smom]

I would like to start a thread about practical ways we can make our children's environments more enriching. For example, we have a very print-rich home, the kids have TONS of books. But I'd love some ideas about getting the books out and rotated, so that they don't forget what they have. They have lots of art supplies, but I'm not always great about letting them use them (3yo LOVES fingerpaint!)

 

I read recently in a thread about a family having a nature table inside where they would keep "treasures" and they had supplies right there like a magnifying glass, and sketch pads. Just reading this got my wheels turning. No way am I letting my kids bring rocks, leaves, sticks, etc. in my house, but I have an old plastic table that would be perfect for doing that outside!

 

Anyway, I thought it would be great if we could brainstorm/share things that we are doing or that we know of people doing along those lines. It doesn't have to be something specifically school-related, just something that enriches their lives/minds. Maybe inspire some new ideas for next year!

[Arcadia]

No way am I letting my kids bring rocks, leaves, sticks, etc. in my house, but I have an old plastic table that would be perfect for doing that outside!

I have a 6ft wide foldable plastic table in my patio. On it I have a big disposable aluminum baking tray for my kids rocks, leaves, twigs and what have you that they have collected.

When they want to paint, they just line the tabletop with blank wrapping paper (the kind that is used for packaging breakables) or old newspaper.

They are allow to make all the mess they want at our patio. They also filled their sand pails with rocks and pebbles they collected.

 

I had long learn to have some ziploc bags in my handbag in case my boys want to collect some "specimens" while we were out. I usually have the quart size ones with me and sometimes the gallon size ones too.

[Monica_in_Switzerland]

We have a science cupboard the contains all their various findings, magnifying glasses, a scale, rulers and measuring tapes, a few dropper bottles for water or vinegar...  I think that's about it.  They like to bring their chairs over to the cupboard and organize the contents, sketch, or measure things. 

 

The kids have access to most of the art supplies, but not the paint.  Maybe someday...  lol. 

 

When I think of enriching environment, I also include things like getting outdoors often enough, raising tadpoles or butterflies from time to time, catching (and releasing relatively quickly) critters like worms, snails, lizards... 

[Monica_in_Switzerland]

Not sure how old your kids are, so these may not apply...

 

Other non-literary elements of an enriching home might include...

 

Pretend play stuff- my kids spend a lot of time thinking of things to do with play silks (large scarves) and clothespins, they spend a lot of time playing "store" and/or counting the money in their piggy banks, and a lot of time with construction toys- lego, wooden trains, blocks... 

 

They have recently taken to drawing maps of the house and the neighborhood, so I try to encourage that.  This probably comes from looking at a lot of maps with daddy.  :-)  He is a "map guy."

 

My husband has a hobby interest in geology, and includes the kids as much as he possibly can, using real names for things and explaining various topics as best he can in simple terms.  This is much better than my "Oh a pretty rock!" explanations.  :-)  They have done some gold-panning, some sedimentation demonstrations, etc. 

 

I have a lot of physics/biology background, so I try to share those with my kids, using real explanations, but hopefully at a level they understand.  Building Foundations of Scientific Understanding has quite a few good ideas on how to naturally incorporate science into conversation. 

 

We made a family time-line last year, which was really fun.  It gives a good feeling for the passage of time, and we used photos and the kids LOVED to study it and watch themselves grow over time.  You could also do projects like a family tree.  

 

We strictly, strictly limit screen time.  This is a huge help.  

 

My husband and I both try to demonstrate our own continued learning/self-education in the hobbies we choose and the way we spend our weekends and family time.  When my kids see me writing in my journal at the kitchen table, very often they will take out a paper and write too. 

[MiMi 4under3]

My kids (12, 11, 10, 10) have full access to all of our tools including saws, hammers, drills, soldering iron, etc. (we don't own any power tools!) They use them almost daily.

 

When they were younger I kept small pieces of wood and cardboard around. They loved to nail them together for hours to create little sculptures. Sometimes they would glue on scraps of fabric or they would paint them.

 

So maybe a small-scale wood shop?

[laughing lioness]

We have areas set up for different use: DVD, Mp3, etc. We use a lot of different resources for school; texts, DVD's, CD's, computer games/courses, etc. so the kids work off a list for that. We also house all art supplies in a big buffet. The kids know where the tools are and have total access to them- we re-built a house over the last 4 yrs from a fire, so they have been highly involved in that. 

We also include them in what we are doing: scrap-booking, gardening, furniture building, painting the house, dry-walling, blogging, speaking, etc. etc. They are product testers for me as I do product and curriculum reviews. 

When we lived in NM, we had an easel set up on the back-porch. My now 19 yr spent HOURS painting on the porch! I've had 20 # blocks of clay available at different times, too and my oldest 2 spent hours and hours creating with sculpy (using some of the klutz books). We also had a step3 playscape in our house for a long time. I had a friend who had a sandbox in her basement. Ww live in the country and our front porch is constantly strewn with nature "stuff" - feathers and nests and rocks from the river. Not the lovely "nature table" perhaps :001_smile: We';ve had some GREAT co-op teachers over the years- both scientists and artists and often my kids re-create stuff they've done in co-op with art or science. 

We have had tons of animals over the years- from guinea pigs to horses. Currently we only have kittens, a dog and a guinea fowl, but the kids spend hours with the kittens and dog.

We read daily, and read-out-loud. 

We watch funnies on YOutube together and have pinterest boards dedicated to Star Wars and Star Trek humor. we memorize a lot of poetry and listen to books on tape. We are often quoting funny lines and entertaining each other. 

I do a weekly report on my blog regularly that lists a lot of what we do. 

 

[Chris in VA]

Here is a pic of our nature table. It sat right beside the door to the backyard (walk-out, finished basement) in the homeschool room. 

We didn't bring in every random stick and shell, LOL, but carefully chose what would go on it. Sometimes we'd change the table cloth, and we'd add a sculpture depending on the season (we have a fall lady and a spring one).

http://www.twilightandsunrise.blogspot.com/2008/01/our-school-room.html ETA: sorry, can't get the pic to attach--it's the third one down. If you click it gets bigger, but it's rather hard to see.

I think making a spot of beauty for children enriches everyone!

 

I also hung famous works of art (Monet, Picasso, Cassatt, etc.) from some old calendars I found one year at the dollar store--I suspended them, mounted on construction paper (so nothing fancy) from the ceiling and had some on the walls. We'd talk about them (sort of light picture study) from time to time.  

 

Now we don't use the nature table anymore, or the schoolroom, but right in my entryway, by the front door, we have a small chest of drawers--the top becomes a "beauty spot" depending on the season. It holds a cross of lilies now, and a small framed Christian saying. Varies with the season. 

[T'smom]

Thanks! These are some great ideas! Anyone else?

[Tracy]

Well, I am more reactive rather than proactive.  I tend to grab on to those things that the kids are currently interested in and capitalize on that by getting related books and finding websites and YouTube videos.  My dh is very creative, so if he hears the kids fantasizing about making or doing something, he will say, "Okay, let's go do that."  My dd9 has become quite the little magician with this approach.  Without dh's willingness to just drop whatever else he has to do so that the kids can experiment and be creative, I would have a hard time with this.  

[Heidi]

My dd9 brought a book of poetry to the car once and my two oldest tool turns reading it aloud for everyone's enjoyment. The poetry book stays in the van now.

 

I have a lot of books on topics that my girls are interested in: birds, horses, Middle Ages, botany, cupcakes, art techniques, and famous art. They frequently browse them, read, draw from them, label their drawings, and make their own books and creations.

 

I have art supplies available and an art box to keep their creations in (that I empty out occasionally).

[MrsH]

Anything I really want my kids to study, memorize, or ponder, gets hung in the bathroom! Right now we have number bonds, squares, irregular verbs, and a Psalm for Life all posted.

 

Our nature journals are really accessible on our nature shelf, which currently also has a birds nest, 2 rocks, magnifying glass, and tulips.

 

I try to let kids leave out in-progress projects. Right now dd11 has water samples, microscope, droppers, and a list if questions on an open shelf. Ds8 had a bottle paddle-boat that he made, as well as a book and a couple photos of him making it. Dd4 just has her princess Elsa fake snow in a box on the shelf. The tricky part of course is keeping it to just one project each!

 

I do also leave out books that tire in to their current interests, or sometimes I'll use at materials just to expose them.

 

The hardest, for me, is letting them join in on the things I consider "mine," such as church choir, sewing, and needle felting.

[Chris in VA]

Anything I really want my kids to study, memorize, or ponder, gets hung in the bathroom! Right now we have number bonds, squares, irregular verbs, and a Psalm for Life all posted.

 

Our nature journals are really accessible on our nature shelf, which currently also has a birds nest, 2 rocks, magnifying glass, and tulips.

 

I try to let kids leave out in-progress projects. Right now dd11 has water samples, microscope, droppers, and a list if questions on an open shelf. Ds8 had a bottle paddle-boat that he made, as well as a book and a couple photos of him making it. Dd4 just has her princess Elsa fake snow in a box on the shelf. The tricky part of course is keeping it to just one project each!

 

I do also leave out books that tire in to their current interests, or sometimes I'll use at materials just to expose them.

 

The hardest, for me, is letting them join in on the things I consider "mine," such as church choir, sewing, and needle felting.

 

(Bold mine)

 

This reminds me of Cheaper By The Dozen! :laugh: