3 Ways to Include Kids’ Hobbies In Homeschooling

Including our kids’ hobbies in homeschooling is one of the advantages of homeschool freedom. We can incorporate their interests and talents in their learning in ways that traditional school cannot. Here are three ways you can include your child’s hobbies in homeschooling.

One of the things I noticed as a traditional school teacher was that school and learning often crowded out chances children had to follow their own interests and hobbies. One year I had a little guy who loved to draw and was obviously very talented. In the second grade he could draw pictures that I wouldn’t have any ability to even attempt. I tried to praise and encourage him often because he was a quiet and withdrawn child much of the time. But, unfortunately, there were many times I had to make him stop the hobby he loved to focus on schoolwork.

When I began homeschooling my own children, I thought I had to “do school” just like the traditional school where I had taught. Thankfully, I learned that there were different ways to homeschool, ways that fit the kids and me better. One of the most exciting things I learned was that I could let my kids explore their hobbies more by fitting our learning with what they were interested in. Then I didn’t have to constantly stop them from taking time to pursue the hobbies they loved. Instead I could encourage it and turn it into a learning opportunity.

Need some ideas starters to help your kids find a hobby? You’ll want to read this post about hobbies for children.

3 Ways to Include Kids’ Hobbies In Homeschooling

Unit Studies

One way that we’ve been able to incorporate the kids’ hobbies and interests in our learning is through unit studies. There are tons of pre-made unit studies available, or you can easily make your own unit study by finding books, internet information, and activities that fit with the topic.

When my girls were at the age where they were crazy about horses, we did a horse-themed unit study/lapbook. There was literature because we read great living books about horses. There was science as we learned more about the biology of a horse and what horses required for care. There was history as we read about historical events that surrounded famous horse riders — cowboys, the Pony Express, battles fought on horseback. A unit study is an excellent way to learn while letting kids focus on things they love.

Projects

Think back to your school years. Did you ever have to present information in a project style that you really hated? You hated speaking in front of others, but you had to do an oral report. You hated writing, but you had to create a research paper. What if, instead of the hated project, you had the opportunity to present the information in a way that truly interested you?

Projects are a way to encourage kids to learn a body of information and present it in a way that really resonates with them because it follows their interest. When we were studying ancient Egypt, I gave the kids an opportunity to talk about what they had learned by creating a project in a way that interested them.  My son was a huge Minecraft fanatic at the time. He chose to recreate the Great Pyramid in Minecraft. Not only did he research about the Great Pyramid, he actually used math to figure out how to create it in scale. My daughter has always had a interest in theater and plays. She chose to create a puppet play to act out a scene from an event we’d studied. Another daughter- who was pretty young at the time- loves drawing, so she created a picture illustrating a topic we’d read about. All of them learned the same basic information and studied the same topic. But they were able to present it in a way that followed their own interests.

Elective Classes

Besides the basics of reading, math, history, science, and writing, there are other things that children should learn. Usually homeschool families have a variety of elective classes going on in the school year and in the summer. Why not let kids choose extra classes based on their interests?

In our state, my high school students have a required number of electives to graduate. I’ve encouraged them to pick classes that follow their interests. This definitely makes the class more fun, but it also helps them to learn more about areas of interest that may turn out to influence their career field.

My kids have taken drama, computer programming, videography, American Sign Language and more. These classes all fit with their hobbies and interests. The classes help them to learn more about the things that interest them. And some of these classes have helped them to narrow down what they want to pursue after high school.

One of the huge benefits of homeschooling has been that I can encourage my children to follow their hobbies and interests in our learning. I don’t constantly have to have them stop doing what they love in order to learn. Instead I can tailor their learning to those things that delight them.

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Leah

Leah Courtney is a child of God, wife, mother, and homeschooling mama. She’s homeschooled four children since birth, and is now the mother of two homeschool graduates. In her (very rare) free time, Leah loves to read and color complicated pictures while listening to audio books. You can find her blogging at As We Walk Along the Road where she’s posting literature-based homeschooling resources and encouragement for other homeschooling mamas.

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