9 Outdoor Learning Opportunities for Homeschooling Families

Now that the weather is warming (in some areas, at least!), homeschooling families can take advantage of outdoor learning opportunities—a way to engage children in homeschooling while also connecting them to nature and the world around them. Here are some ideas for heading outside and getting active with your homeschool students:

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Conduct a Nature Walk Bible Study

Take your students on nature walks for Bible study and reflection. Before heading out, select a passage from Scripture related to creation (such as Genesis 1, Psalm 19, or Matthew 6:26), and as you walk, encourage your students to relate the study passage to what they see and experience.

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Create Science Experiments

Conduct simple science experiments using outdoor materials. For example, explore plant biology by observing the growth cycles of flowers or trees. Or do a weather study by tracking temperature, humidity, and cloud types. You might even build a “nature lab” where children can make observations in nature journals, draw pictures of what they observe, and record their findings. This can tie into STEM lessons while keeping learning hands-on and fun.

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Plan History and Geography Lessons

Teach geography by having students map the area around your home. Use natural features (rivers, mountains, forests) to explain concepts like terrain, elevation, and climate. Or walk historical sites or regions in your area and encourage further research into the various periods of history that took place there.

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Make Outdoor Art Projects

Assign art projects that use natural materials your students can find outdoors, such as leaves, stones, twigs, and flowers. Or send them on "nature scavenger hunts" to find items for specific art projects (leaves to make a leaf collage, pinecones for sculpture, etc.). Or conduct a scenic photo competition.

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Start or Tend a Garden

Obviously, gardens are excellent places to teach science and spiritual lessons. Planting seeds and watching them grow can become a metaphor for the Parable of the Sower (Matthew 13) or the concept of spiritual growth. Assign each child a small plot to tend. Use gardening to teach stewardship and responsibility, emphasizing how we can take care of the Earth as part of God's creation.

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Do Outdoor Devotional Times

Set aside a time slot every day or each week for an outdoor devotional time. You can read a short Bible passage together, sing worship songs, or take an interactive prayer walk.

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Take Reading Materials Outside

As the weather permits, take your reading period outside. Whether it’s a storybook, a Bible story, or a chapter from a historical novel, reading outdoors can give a different focus to reading projects. Use blankets, hammocks, or tree swings to create cozy reading spots. Make it even more special by having a family reading picnic where everyone reads together in a beautiful outdoor setting.

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Incorporate Physical Exercise into Your Plan

Use outdoor spaces for physical activity, like hiking, running, and cycling—improving health while reinforcing the biblical principle of taking care of the body as a temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19). Stage physical challenges or competitions, such as a mini-Olympics or kickball game.

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Teach Your Students About Geocaching

Introduce your students to geocaching, a popular outdoor activity, in which participants use a GPS device and other navigational techniques to hide and seek hidden treasures, called caches or geocaches. There are even apps available for geocaching.

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Turn Homeschool Days Into God-Drenched Days

Outdoor learning provides teachers and students with greater activity, physical exercise, and broader perspectives for learning. With all of Creation as a classroom, homeschool days can be God-drenched days.

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Why is TruPlay Games Offering Homeschool Tips?

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TruPlay is a company with a mission to transform generations of children in such a profound way that it will shape culture. So, in addition to building a beautiful, fun, world-class entertainment platform that’s perfect for homeschoolers, inviting kids into a world of hope and God's truth with engrossing Bible stories, Christian themes and values, and countless hours of engaging fun for children, youth, and adults, we also seek to reach parents and families with information that will further the mission.

TruPlay's website (TruPlayGames.com) clearly details who we are, the app's offerings, and the free downloads and trials available in both the Apple App Store and GooglePlay. Explore the following links to unlock a fun and safe entertainment experience for your kids:

https://www.truplaygames.com/games-more

https://www.truplaygames.com/user-registration

9 Outdoor Learning Opportunities for Homeschooling Families | TruPlay Parent’s Guide