Creating a Learning Rich Environment at Home

No matter what type of homeschool you have, or even if you aren't homeschooling, creating a learning-rich environment is important. After all, we are the teachers, but we have other things to do too, like running a household. And one of our most important duties both as parents and as educators is to foster an independent learner.

Here is just a sampling of ways other parents help expand the world for their children. These may spark some ideas of your own that fit your family even better.

• Listen to different types of music. There is no reason why, with the Internet and YouTube that anyone cannot enjoy classical performances; Spanish guitar music or Caribbean steel drum songs. Depending on the age and interests of your children, you can even learn a bit about the country and culture the music is derived from.

• Point out art. Check in your area for the art museums that may have free days during the week, or go to an art gallery. Hang Van Gogh and Monet prints in the home and talk about the artists. Fine art calendars on sale for a dollar in February are another good way to bring hangable art into your home. Watch museum shows on PBS.

• Learn different languages. There are CD's, CD-Roms and once again, plenty of YouTube videos that even young children could easily learn how to say "hello", "goodbye", and "thank you" in 4 or 5 languages. And of course, there is always Dora the Explorer or her cousin Diego found on Nick Jr for Spanish words; and Madeline for French .This can open up discussion about the country and culture that use this language.

• Paint swatch cards are great for color identifying, sorting and sequencing from light hues to dark. The big ones from Dutch Boy work well since they are perforated and will separate easily. And the best part - they are FREE! Ask at almost any place that carries paint.

• Along the same lines, you can haunt fabric stores for remnants of differently textured/patterned fabric, curly fur, soft fake fur, silky material, tulle, scratchy fabrics. These are fun to use in imaginary play and provide a rich sensory experience for young children especially.

• Also for the younger children, I also love "wonder bottles". Fill up water bottles with different materials - water, food coloring and sequins/glitter/baby oil; food coloring and corn syrup; rice and a bunch of small shiny toys or items found around the house (paper clip, penny,buttons, etc). You can have bottles filled with colorful buttons in one, and dried beans of different types in another. Super glue the lids to the bottles and then just leave them at child height. They are great and inexpensive.

In this article, I've mostly tried to encourage exploration in the arts. Coming up, we can look at ways to integrate outdoor time into our homeschooling lives.