Let Me Introduce You to the Idea of Strewing as a Homeschooling Solution
Strewing is defined as scattering or spreading (things) untidily over a surface or area. But what the heck does that have to with homeschooling?
Well, a lot, actually.
Have you ever noticed how your kids always start playing with every toy in the house whenever you start organizing them or unpacking? Why is that?
The toys are no longer hidden and become easily accessible to your child, thus drawing them in.
Some of us have children that LOVE worksheets, unit studies, or curriculum. I was THAT KID. I loved school so much that I would play "school" at home. It was one of my favorite games. But not all of us have kids like that.
Trying to force your child into a mold that doesn't fit is only going to create stress, unhappiness, and shame in your household. Many of us homeschool to relieve those things in our children's lives, so why make things harder than they need to be? What if there are homeschooling solutions that fit your child and their particular learning style?
I know a ton of families that have children who do not do well when they are controlled or forced to do things against their will. I mean, honestly, would you? Anything that resembles forced learning or curriculum is an immediate fight. If they don't see the purpose, they will not participate.
Homeschooling and Self-Direction
Strewing is a term coined by Sandra Dodd, which is the art of allowing your child to discover something you have casually left out. It is a sneaky solution to educate kids that are differently-abled or who have a different style of learning. Strewing is meant to spark their curiosity and interest, to inspire them with something that you think that they would enjoy. It doesn't need to be something educational, because anything can be turned into an educational opportunity.
Strewing works best when set up in areas where the child will easily see the items and become engaged. It helps in an uncluttered home where things will really stand out to them! It doesn't have to be expensive, you can use items from your home, the library, or even peruse thrift stores. If you find that your child isn't interested, start playing with the items yourself and see if they get involved. This is meant to be fun and not forced, so if they aren't into it, don't push it. Take notes and see what works for them, so you know what to set out next time.
Here are 58 Ideas for Items that You Can Strew:
- Leave books in the bathroom
- Leave a basket with activities on the table where they eat breakfast
- Put magnet letters on the fridge
- Put flashcards in the cupholder of the car
- Leave a notebook and paper in the backseat
- Store recyclables with glue, paint, and scissors so that they can build things at their leisure
- Leave board games out
- A basket of books with blocks and figures so that they can create their own scenes
- Magnet tiles
- A sensory bin with assorted activities that you change frequently
- Playdough with popsicle sticks
- A math book
- Cardboard boxes, tape, scissors, and markers
- A magnifying glass with items from nature
- A map on the wall with push pins
- Puzzles
- Garden tools and seeds
- Crystals and magnifying glasses
- Rocks with paint
- Scissors and paper
- Legos with math flashcards
- Letter cards with a basket of items, so that they can sort the figures into the correct basket
- Craft supplies
- Blocks of wood with screws, screwdrivers, nails, and hammers (for older kids, of course!)
- Workbook
- Coloring book and crayons
- Audiobooks in the car
- CDs in the car
- Appliances with a screwdriver to take apart and rebuild
- Needle, thread, and fabric
- Old jewelry, yarn to rethread.
- Leaves, flower petals, and tape
- Leave a clock out with a book about time
- Set up a box with pencils, paper, stickers, envelopes, stamps, and an address book.
- Put out an old school tape deck with an audiobook and earphones.
- Put out a wallet with change or play money and label items in your home with prices.
- Leave out a scavenger hunt with items from around your home.
- Clipboard with paper and pen.
- Leave out story cubes
- Set up a chalkboard or dry erase board.
- Put out a basket of seashells.
- Leave out stamps with paper.
- Leave out sheets and elastic bands for fort making.
- Leave out a tray with salt, glitter, and a pencil to write with. Use it for sensory writing.
- Flashcards with various topics.
- Use an Evernote or Symbaloo account to organize online activities
- Leave out quiz cards.
- Put a deck of cards out for various games.
- Buttons with string
- Books on every subject: Math, geography, science, art, etc.
- Clay with stamps
- Playdough with googly eyes and pipe cleaners
- Aluminum foil and straws
- A strainer with straws
- Matchbox cars, tape, and toilet paper tubes
- Toy cash register with play money
- Magnets
- Scissors and playdough
The benefits are amazing for kids, especially right-brained children who love to learn, but hate to be taught anything! Why fight who they are and how they learn??? Isn't that why we chose to homeschool? So that we have more autonomy over their education and can structure it to their needs?
Have you tried strewing? Do you have any ideas to add to the list? Add in the comments! I'd love to hear your ideas.
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really anything with googly eyes is a great idea!
Love this, some cracking ideas.
Would you have any tips on reading activities?
I want to print off some images of his favourite Pokemon (he knows ALL the names!) and then separately print off the written names and get him to match them.
Still need to do it, but these things can be hard to get him to engage with if he thinks were trying to ‘teach’ him.
So strewing works, but I guess it’s a mindset of the child situation too.
Love this post!
Firs off thanks so much for the thoughtful comment. I passed it along to Elizabeth who wrote the post for her response. (This is Lily also known as @highlyfunctional on here, the guru is a collaborative venture) Heres what she had to say:
The thing about strewing is its trial and error, so it's best to go in without expectations. I think that's a great idea, put the cards in a little basket and just leave it out for him or use it during family game night and the person with the most pairs wins (maybe like the Memory game).
For reading, I like to label everything in the house. You can leave a label maker out and your son might want to label things in his room. I also always have books in the car and around the house. We read at stop lights all the time!
Playdough paired with CVC word cards, sensory sand writing, are all things you can strew around the house. Blocks with letters and words cards, mini letter beads with string, old books with a highlighter and flash card and they can go through and "find the word". Even a scavenger hunt with words and the corresponding pictures that you leave out on a clipboard. Whatever you use, try to make it something that they can do independently without assistance.
Stay tuned as I'll be posting a gameschooling article soon to expand on these ideas!
Fantastic ideas, thanks Lily and Elizabeth!
I like your comment about keeping things that can be done without assistance.
He’s a very independent learner.
And get stressed and shouty if he can’t say a word or stumbles. It ruins his confidence.
So idea of having out to figure out himself is probably the best way to go.
He learns A LOT from using his iPad. Not only great videos but also words on his games that he’s picking up. Like ‘Continue’ or ‘Play again’, or ‘Nice work’ - whatever it happens to be.
I’d like to introduce some of these more practical activities and ideas in to the room ASAP :)
Some fantastic ideas here. Even schooled kids would benefit from this, especially if struggling in the school system.
Most kids would benefit from some real learning in my experience. School kids struggle because that's not the way to learn