Ten Educational Activities for Relunctant Learners

Not all children hate textbooks, but if they do this can make home educating them just a little more challenging. Thankfully, you don't need to work from textbooks in order to successfully home educate your child.

You just have to learn to think outside the box. Here are a few tips to get you started.

1. Word searches are a great way to help your child with her spelling skills, and at the same time increase her vocabulary.

2. Sudokus might not be the best tool to teach your child maths, but they go a long way in helping her develop her logic thinking skills.

3. History becomes much more fun when the dry facts and dates are dished up in a compelling story.

4. Role Playing Games may be used to educate your child on a variety of subjects, and they will help her develop her social skills. A common trait of Role Playing Games is that social interaction and collaboration are very important elements of the game.

5. Museums are great places to visit your children on a field trip. Although some museums still adhere to the motto don't touch, many are very child friendly. In many museums there are special activities for children, that encourage them to go exploring and find out all kinds of curious facts.

6. Computer games may help your child learn a variety of skills, and educate her on almost any subject you could possibly think of. It all depends on what kind of games you buy for your child.

7. Songs can make learning fun. Most children love to sing songs. They also love to move. Combine these two and you've got a winning combination. You could sing the tables of multiplication with your child. For more fun and better retention, throw each other balls while you're singing.

8. Hands-on activities are always a hit. Why not build a cardboard pyramid, bake volcano biscuits, or assemble a model car or dolls house with your child? Or, try some of Robert Krampf's science experiments. They are fun, and very educational.

9. TV, Video or DVD. Although I'm not a big fan of turning your child into a couch potato, the idiot box can really help you out on one of those days when you are tired, sick or just too busy. Just choose the programs you allow your child to watch carefully, and maybe even sit down with her to watch that DVD.

10. Talk. Lay the table for breakfast and sit down with your family to start the day together. Listen to your children and talk with them about all that's on their minds. If you turn this into a daily habit, you'll be amazed at how much they learn just from those breakfast conversations. But be warned: breakfast can easily last until coffee time.