I decided to write this post after a period of struggling to engage my own homeschoolers in learning. I took time to reflect back on what I learned about student engagement while getting my education degree. In addition, I researched different suggestions from other homeschool parents. And ultimately, I considered what I know about my own children and what inspires them to learn! Keep reading for 15 learner engagement strategies for homeschool moms.
Consistent Routine
We had several months of a lack of routine due to lots of appointments and having a new baby. I tried to fit our preschool homeschool in as much as I could, but my kids needed consistency to keep them engaged.
It is difficult to be consistent, but it sure pays off! I find that setting aside 10-15 minutes to prep for school the night before sets us up for a much smoother morning. Having school at the same time every day is ideal, but it isn’t always the reality for homeschool families.
If you have to change the routine, communicate with your kids so that they know what to expect!
Add Movement and Music for Learner Engagement Strategies
Children, especially young children, tend to love movement and music. The repetition is also a great way to learn. For our homeschool, we have songs for learning the days of the week, months of the year, and the weather of the day.
If you’re trying to teach your children Scripture, poems, about a subject, etc., try incorporating it into a song. Even better if you can add some actions to make it more hands-on!
Consider their Interests
My son loves learning about historical ships and my daughter loves lions. My kids are MUCH more engaged in learning when it is something they care about.
Try taking your kids to the library and looking for books based off of their interest. Do a unit study on their favorite topic or find a way to incorporate it into their lessons.
My oldest turned our son room into a boat museum after learning about the Titanic and visiting other museums. This is an ongoing project that he has added to over time, and it is almost entirely self-directed.
Considering your child’s interests can lead to deep engagement and student-led learning.
Plan Ahead
As a busy mom with young children, it can be easy to say, “I’ll just pull the materials and curriculum out in the morning.” But in my experience, this leads to rushed mornings and a lack of feeling prepared.
As I mentioned above, take time the night before to set out your resources for the next day. In addition to our lessons, I also like to set out new books on our couch and hands-on activities that my kids can explore independently until it is time for school.
I also recommend setting aside about an hour on the same time each week to prepare for the week ahead. Make sure that you know what you want to teach and prep the materials ahead of time.
Go Outside
The great educator Charlotte Mason once said, “Never be within doors when you can rightly be out.” Children love to be outside, and nature is one of the greatest teachers!
If your kids are struggling with engagement, take them outside. Bring a blanket and snacks for your reading lesson. Go on a nature walk for science. Just spend time out-of-doors and see how much your students’ engagement increases!
Take a Field Trip
Schools go on field trips about once a year if they attend a public school. One of the luxuries of homeschooling is that you can take your kids on field trips as often as you’d like and have time.
Try taking a local field trip and tie it in to what you are learning about. Or, save up to take a trip to visit a place out of town that relates to your learning. Some of my favorite memories from my childhood are trips that I took with my family!
These morning time bundles have seasonal field trip recommendations for homeschool families.
Set Goals
Even young children are capable of setting goals. Try setting one or two goals with your kids and give them something to work toward! I like S.M.A.R.T. goals. This stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Timely.
Make it Multi-Sensory
When I taught first grade, we learned how important multi-sensory learning is. Kids are more likely to retain information if you can tie it to their senses.
For example, if you are working on letters, have them make the letter in play-doh or eat a snack that begins with that letter. Even older children may be engaged by a multi-sensory approach to learning!
Try Rewards for Learner Engagement Strategies
Although I value intrinsic motivation the most, I have found that there are times when rewards can be very motivating to young learners. If your child meets their goal, consider a reward!
The reward doesn’t have to be something tangible, either! It could also be a special outing with you or an experience as a family such as a trip to the zoo or to their favorite restaurant!
Free Play
Charlotte Mason stated, “Children should be free in their play.” She saw the benefit of allowing children to play spontaneously and to use their imagination without excessive adult intervention.
Mason encouraged parents to wait to start formal lessons until children reach age 6. She saw the importance of play, developing good habits, and giving children time to be children.
Switch It Up
It’s easy for me to keep trying something over and over even if it isn’t working. Sometimes, you just need to try something new. If your normal routine or curriculum just isn’t working, take a break, regroup, and try something new.
Encourage Independence for Learner Engagement Strategies
Independence builds confidence. Don’t be afraid to let your children work through difficult things. Yes, give assistance when needed, but don’t do everything for them. When children overcome challenging tasks on their own, they gain confidence which is part of learner engagement!
Remember their Stage of Development
As I mentioned above, my background is in elementary education and I taught first grade in a public school. My children are not yet in first grade, and sometimes I try to introduce skills, concepts, or books before they are developmentally ready.
If your children aren’t engaged in your lessons, perhaps it is above (or below) their current stage of development. Developmental psychologists Jean Piaget and Erik Erikson offer insightful theories about childhood development. Read more about their theories here.
Arts + Crafts for Learner Engagement Strategies
My children adore arts and crafts. They bring up projects that we did months ago!
Give your children a craft or project that goes along with the books they are reading or about a topic you are studying. If you don’t have a lot of time or aren’t feeling creative, ask them to paint a scene from a book that you read or just give them some time to freely create!
I started a Makerspace for my kids to give them time to freely create and build. I’m amazed at what kids can come up with when they have the freedom and space to be creative!
Ditch the Screens
While screens can be a useful tool from time to time, they can also get in the way of learning and creativity. If you are struggling to engage your homeschoolers in learning, try reducing their screen time or do a screen detox as a family.
If you are not sure what to do with this extra time, this blog post has a screen-free gift guide for homeschoolers with lots of excellent ideas!
Short and Sweet
If your kids are struggling to stay engaged, keep things short and sweet! Younger kids, especially, have shorter attention spans.
According to Brain Balance, here are the average attention spans by age:
- 2 years old: 4 to 6 minutes
- 4 years old: 8 to 12 minutes
- 6 years old: 12 to 18 minutes
- 8 years old: 16 to 24 minutes
- 10 years old: 20 to 30 minutes
- 12 years old: 24 to 36 minutes
- 14 years old: 28 to 42 minutes
- 16 years old: 32 to 48 minutes
Try adding transitions or get up and move to break things up! I find that my children are more engaged when we keep lesson short and sweet, yet with lots of time for free play and exploration!
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