10 Brilliant Unschooling Ideas To Consider While We All Struggle with Formal Learning During the Pandemic

As we’re approaching a back-to-school season like none other, many parents are looking for non-traditional ways to educate their kiddos. Enter unschooling.

What Is Unschooling?

Based on the belief that children thrive when they are able to explore their interests without educational institutions determining what and how they should learn, unschooling is gaining popularity amongst parents. In short, it is a more informal style of learning in which the “student” (your child or children) and their interests dictate the means and methods of learning.

We searched the internet to find inspiration for children doing real things in their homes and organically learning in the process. Whether or not unschooling is right for you and your child, there are creative ideas that everyone can bring into their homes to enrich their experiences.

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10 Great Unschooling Ideas You’ll Be Inspired By

Math for Breakfast

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Sweet morning conversations about everything and nothing become slow, intentional learning lessons with the tiniest bit of creativity. Breakfast becomes a math lesson…writing birthday thank you notes becomes handwriting, grammar, and spelling practice…a simple question becomes submitting a new idea to the Guinness Book of World Records, teaching them to always dream big. I feel so blessed to be part of their learning journey because it’s pure light and magic. ✨

A post shared by Megan Welch Urban (@meganwelchurban) on Aug 13, 2020 at 10:07am PDT

What is sweeter than a fruit math lesson? We’re feeling inspired by this organic approach to learning.

Word Search

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???? Makena is so eager to become a good reader just like her sister that she has been walking around with chapter books and acting like she is reading them???? ???? So it gave me an idea, I asked her to pick a page from a chapter book and highlight all the words she could read. Makena was so surprised to see how many words she could read. So we will come back to the same page after several days and see how many more words she can add. I told her that one day the whole page would be highlighted. ???? can’t wait for Makena to visually see the progress she makes everyday and be proud of her own accomplishments!

A post shared by @ aygul_lundeen on Aug 13, 2020 at 10:06am PDT

If your little one is expressing interest in reading, consider this genius hack and encourage them to track the words that they recognize in their favorite books.

Nature Journaling

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Taking our learning outside this morning for some nature journaling ???????? prompt of the day from @blossomandroot is making a map of where we live. They included the sun, clouds, house and trees. ☀️☁️???????? . . When is your favorite time of day to be outside? We’re definitely morning people! . . #naturejournal #1000hoursoutside #blossomandroot #earlyyears #preschool #homeschooling #preschoolathome #outdooractivities #wildandfree #journaling #art

A post shared by Julia (@homeschoolingthebeckers) on Aug 12, 2020 at 8:09am PDT

We can all benefit from quiet time in nature, so encourage your little one to get still and journal as a part of your unschooling day.

Muddy Magic

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Something is really happening here! 3 times in 4 nights my children have decided to play in the mud. I know they have memories of me saying “no, no mud today, it’s too messy”, because i didn’t want to have to deal with the clean up. But honestly, this small little mud hole has kept their attention longer than any new toy has! We put together a stove & mommy was even the one who suggested we add in some wild cherries, nuts, & dried leaves to make them a little tastier! What I’m saying is that the journey to becoming the homeschool parent you want to be is going to have walls that need broken down. The excuses behind saying “no playing in the mud” need to flee. “And at the end of the day, your feet should be dirty, your hair messy, and your eyes sparkling.” – Shanti ⭐️ What is your child’s favorite “they’re going to get dirty” activity?? ——————————————————— #homeschool #homeschooling #homeschoolmom #homeschoollife #preschool #montessori #earlylearning #kindergarten #kidsactivities #totschool #teachersofig #teachersfollowteachers #prek #playmatters #iteachtoo #learningthroughplay #teachersofinstagram #teacherspayteachers #wildandfreechildren #gentleparenting #unschooling #reallifehomeschooler #wildandfreechildren

A post shared by Chelsia Moore (@real.life.homeschooler) on Aug 13, 2020 at 5:04am PDT

There is nothing more entertaining to a child than getting deep in a muddy mess. We applaud this mama’s muddy learning quest.

Making Their Mark

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Some letter writing practice at the park today. Older sibling was happy to jump in and demonstrate the shapes of the letters. Kinda out of order, but not bad for a first try! #blm #unschoolinglife

A post shared by ????????Carly???????? (@wildlings.unschool) on Aug 13, 2020 at 8:43am PDT

If a handwriting lesson feels a little too dull, take the learning outside and add chalk.

Artistic Unschooling

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As home educators you’d expect us to be ready for educating at home during the pandemic. In reality though, that really wasn’t the case! See for us, there’s not really much ‘home’ in ‘home educating’. It’s about going out, being in the community, learning hands on outside and being very social. Then just like that, BAM. The pandemic took it all away from us. As I watched a newsfeed of school parents scrambling for support, I sat at home and wanted to scream us too! We’re in a routine now and although this ‘normality’ isn’t one we want to keep, I am very grateful for the resources I already had to hand and as I think about those parents that are choosing to home educate next year I wanted to share just a few of the wonderful resources (most are on sale now!) that have been a gift to our family. For @raisinglittleshoots the best nature curriculum, a calm and wonderful curriculum that’s a great place to start out home educating if you feel totally lost. For @blossomandroot an amazing in-depth science curriculum and wonderful language art ideas. For @twinklresources when I grab and print worksheets as we’re sitting at the table ready to go! . #homeeducation #homeschooling #charlottemason #homeschoollife #learningathome #homeschoolers #unschoolinglife #homeschooler #homeschool #homeschooled #homeschoolkids #howwehomeschool #roadschool #homeed #wherelearningmeetsplay #learning #learningisfun #learnthroughplay #unschool #homeschoolmom #schoolsoutforsummer

A post shared by Mummies Waiting (@adisneykindaday) on Aug 13, 2020 at 12:28am PDT

This unschooling mama has excellent resources for an artistic day out in nature.

Butterfly Garden

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Today, we got a butterfly and they were both so intrigued! It was so awesome to hear the girl explaining the process to the boy. One thing I think we forget to appreciate these days is the beauty and value in older children teaching younger kids! This is so good for everyone involved. Nothing solidifies understanding better than teaching (trust me, former English teacher here and I learned 100x’s more teaching literature than I did in any of my 324 lit classes). And in the same breath, it is so good for the littles to learn that what the bigs have to say has value and depth. They mimic and learn from the habits of the bigs, furthering their own knowledge and building good habits. Win win! I have tasked the girl to help me teach the boy his colors, too. She takes such pride in helping me and also is so excited when he learns something solely because of her. She had him stomping colors and handing her colored chalk and both had a blast (until he scribbled on her rainbow heart and all heck broke loose). #keepinitreal

A post shared by Borne Back Homeschool (@bornebackhomeschool) on Aug 12, 2020 at 8:34pm PDT

Kiddos will love learning about the lifecycle of a butterfly by raising their very own.

Sensory Table Time

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Enjoying these last few days of summer break with a water and ice sensory table set up. This invitation to play was so much fun. I love when an activity takes only a few minutes to put together, but then provides a whole morning of fun. ???? . . . . . #preschool #montessori #kindergarten #montessorihome #learning #natureplay #homeschool #childcare #playtolearn #rainbowactivity #athomeschool #flisat #sensorytable #creativelearning #creativeplay #openendedplay #openendedplay #playislearning #naturalchildhood #learnthroughplay #montessoriinspired #educationaltoys #funwithkids #interestedledlearning #unschoolinglife #sensoryactivity #activitieswithkids #sensory #woodentoys #momlife

A post shared by Miranda (@wildflower.dwelling) on Aug 12, 2020 at 12:18pm PDT

We love the simplicity of this water and ice sensory table. “Only a few minutes to put together, but then provides a whole morning of fun,” shares this unschooling parent.

Let Them Be Wild

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Unschooling.. . . Because a kid does not need to sit in a room for 6+ hours to learn. . Go for a walk talk about the tress talk about the animals did you know that’s learning? . When you cook dinner, have your little ones help. Talk to them did you know that’s learning? . Talk to your kids, read them books and let them be wild and little for as long as they can ????????

A post shared by Hi! I’m Samantha ???? (@normanhomestead) on Aug 11, 2020 at 9:42am PDT

“Let them be wild and little for as long as they can.” We couldn’t possibly agree more.

Always Learning

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It can be really challenging as a home educating parent to let go of the idea of what education 'should' look like, especially a time of year where school is gearing up again (even more so than normal). I was traditionally schooled and I still find that I question whether it is ok to deviate from what I have in mind, I'm still growing and learning too. But of course that is one of the freedoms of home ed! Instead of our phonics and spelling activity having a focus on the words and sounds themselves, Bug was far more interested in drawing the accompanying pictures, so that's what we did along with some crafting. I still have to give myself permission sometimes to throw those inbuilt expectations out the window and remember that that is one of the reasons why we are doing this in the first place! So we can find what works for us and take the pressure off, it isn't meant to be school at home! #homeeducation #homeeducationuk #homeed #homeeduk #homeschool #homeschooluk #receptionyear #yearone #literacy #phonics #homeedmyths #unschoolingfamily #unschooling #slowliving #visuallearner #mumisstilldeschooling

A post shared by Amy Hartfield (@littlewildlingadventures) on Aug 13, 2020 at 6:04am PDT

It’s nice to have reminders like this one that educating your child doesn’t always go as you thought it would. Lower those expectations and take the pressure off, parents.