• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Nourishing My Scholar

  • Home
  • Start Here
    • 10 Things You Need to Know to Homeschool
    • Scheduling for Your Homeschool When You’re Not a Schedule Kinda Girl
    • Leaving Space in Our Homeschool Year
    • Self-Care for the Introverted Homeschool Mom
    • Are We Still Unschooling?
    • Our Eclectic Homeschool Curriculum Choices 2018-2019
    • When You’ve Lost Your Homeschool Rhythm
    • 10 Easy Ideas for Spending One-On-One Time With Your Child
    • The Importance of Imaginative Play in Early Childhood
    • Playing with Language Games Your Kids will Love
    • When Children Choose Math Books
    • The Best Spelling Curriculum for Hands-On Learners
  • Homeschool
    • Favorite Resources
      • 10 Things You Need to Know to Homeschool
      • A Homeschool Day in the Life
      • Top 10 Posts of 2016 for Nourishing My Scholar
      • Geography Through Stories: Around the World Stories
      • Foreign Languages for Kids
      • The Benefits of Guitar Lessons with Gentle Guitar
      • Eclectic Homeschooling Curriculum: Pre-K and 4th Grade
      • Back to “School”
      • Inspiring a Love of Reading with the Love of Animals
      • 8 Tips for Nature Study
      • Traveling with Kids: Remember to Bring Audio Books & a Big Travel Mug of Patience
      • 5 Life Lessons We Learned from the Harry Potter Books
    • Printable
      • Harry Potter Origami Sorting Hat Fortune Teller
      • Printable Harry Potter Valentines
      • Wizard Math Printable Multiplication Board Game
      • Nature Game Cootie Catcher
    • Books
      • 35 Favorite Read Aloud Books
      • 20 Books for Kids Not Ready for Harry Potter
      • 25 Books Your Child Should Read After Harry Potter
      • Becoming A Family Of Brave Writers
      • 12 Children’s Books about Love
    • Gift Ideas
      • 20 Awesome Harry Potter Gift Ideas
      • Gift Ideas for Kids who Love SCIENCE
      • 50 Favorite Games The Whole Family Will Love
      • 30 Super Cool STAR WARS Gifts
      • Top 20 Doctor Who Gift Ideas
      • Fun Gilmore Girls Gift Ideas
    • Encouragement
      • Homeschooling with Joy and Sometimes on Impulse
      • The Importance of Imaginative Play in Early Childhood
      • When You Can’t Do Everything: Overcoming Homeschool Burnout
      • Helping Our Perfectionist Child
      • The Pressure to be the Perfect Homeschool Mom
      • Through the Lens of My Toddler
      • What If I Acted Like My Toddler
    • Fall/Winter
      • Our Favorite Fall Books
      • Pumpkin Painting & Halloween Picture Books
      • Halloween Poetry Teatime Picnic
      • Winter Solstice Activities & Books
      • Hogwarts Gingerbread Castle
      • Frozen Bubble Fun for Kids and Books About Snow
      • 12 Children’s Books about Love
    • Spring/Summer
      • Solar Oven S’mores
      • Summer Reading for the Homeschool Mom
      • Natural Learning Opportunities on a Beach Vacation
      • Gardening Books and Activities for Kids
      • Easter Egg Dyes with All Natural Ingredients and Flower Stencils
      • Umbrella Easter Baskets
    • Foreign Languages for Kids
    • Go Squish Cardgame: A Fun Way to Learn Spanish
    • Why Teach A Foreign Language To Your Kids
    • Subjects
      • Math
        • When Children Choose Math Books
        • Smartick Math: Because Math Should Be Fun
        • Learning Math with our Favorite Games and Apps
      • Science
        • Backyard Biology: Birds for Kids
        • Backyard Biology Insects for Kids
        • Kids’ Books about Galileo
        • Kids Books about Marie Curie to Inspire Your Little Scientist
        • Fun Brain Activities for Kids
        • Easy Rubber Egg Experiment
        • Borax Crystal Snowflakes
        • Make Maple Syrup Snow Candy
      • Reading
        • Poetry Tea Time and the Brave Writer Lifestyle
        • A Fun & Interactive Online Reading Program
      • Writing
        • Becoming A Family Of Brave Writers
      • Nature
        • 8 Tips for Nature Study
        • Get Outside & Learn
        • Hiking Along Horse Creek
        • Celebrating Earth Day in the Rain
        • Making Nature Fairies
        • Winter Hike with Friends
        • Our Family Hike at Autrey Mill Nature Preserve and My New Camera!
      • History
        • Hands On History with History Unboxed
        • Time Capsule: Medieval England Unit Study
        • Hands on History with Project Passport
      • Art
        • Chalk Pastels for Kids
        • Medieval Chalk Pastels: Video Art Course
        • Incorporating Art into our Homeschool: Mixing with the Masters
      • Music
        • Bring Music Lessons into Your Home with Gentle Guitar
        • Christmas Carol Study with SQUILT
      • Fieldtrip
        • Our Day at the Knoxville Zoo
        • Zoo Day!
        • Our Day at Zoo Atlanta
        • Our Day at the Chattahoochee Nature Center
      • Farmschooling
        • 4 Reasons We Got Goats
        • Our Week in Review: Including Gardening, Chickens, and Reading
        • Our First Week on the Farm
        • Our Holiday on the Farm
        • Our Farm Vacation
        • Farm Life
      • A Day in the Life Series
        • A Homeschool Day in the Life
        • A Day in the Life of an Unschooled Scientist
      • A Week in the Life Series
  • Books
    • 12 Books to Help Children with Death, Grief, and Loss
    • 35 Favorite Read Aloud Books
    • 20 Books for Kids Not Ready for Harry Potter
    • 25 Books Your Child Should Read After Harry Potter
    • 70 Favorite Audio Books For Kids
    • 20 Creepy Crawly Snake Books
    • When Children Choose Math Books
    • A Picture Book About Temple Grandin
    • Kids’ Books about Galileo
    • Winter Solstice Activities & Books
    • Summer Reading for the Homeschool Mom
    • 16 Ocean and Sea Creature Books Your Kids will Love
  • Shop
    • Printable
      • 5 Days of Harry Potter Inspired Fun
      • Harry Potter Origami Sorting Hat Fortune Teller
      • Printable Harry Potter Valentines
      • Wizard Math Printable Multiplication Board Game
      • Nature Game Cootie Catcher
    • Gift Ideas
      • Gift Ideas for Kids who Love SCIENCE
      • 20 Awesome Harry Potter Gift Ideas
      • 30 Super Cool STAR WARS Gifts
      • Top 20 Doctor Who Gift Ideas
      • Fun Gilmore Girls Gift Ideas
  • Review
    • Learning Outdoor Adventure Skills with THiNK OUTSiDE BOXES
    • World War II Hands-On American History
    • Playful Pet Portraits for Animal Loving Kids
    • Exploring Fairies and Fairy Gardens with Kids
    • Fantastic Online Art Lessons with Masterpiece Society Studio
    • Foreign Languages for Kids
    • Hands on History with Project Passport
    • Explore the 5 Senses with the Know Yourself Adventure Series
    • Incorporating Art into our Homeschool: Mixing with the Masters
  • Subscriber Bonuses
  • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclosure Statement
    • Cookie Policy
You are here: Home / Homeschool / Homeschool Strewing as Part of a Child-Led Education

Homeschool Strewing as Part of a Child-Led Education

January 23, 2020 by Erin Vincent 12 Comments

Pin596
Share690
Tweet
Share
1K Shares

Do you strew? What is strewing and how can you incorporate it into your homeschool?

Strewing can be a wonderful support for any homeschool method. Homeschool strewing is the art of laying out items or resources of interest for your children to interact and engage with. Strewing is a particularly marvelous technique if, like us, you follow more of a child-led education.
Homeschool Strewing as Part of a Child-Led Education: Do you strew? What is strewing and how can you incorporate it into your homeschool? Strewing can be a wonderful support for any homeschool method. Homeschool strewing is the art of laying out items or resources of interest for your children to interact and engage with. Strewing is a particularly marvelous technique if, like us, you follow more of a child-led education. #homeschool #homeschooling #strewing #strew #strewingideas

Homeschool Strewing as Part of a Child-Led Education

For our family, strewing has been the delightfully delicious dessert to our otherwise educational meal. Our tables are covered with books, games, owl pellets, and seeds. Modeling clay, paint, and maps fill both our living room, homeschool room, and dining room. Sure, I could have a sparkling clean home…

But where is the fun in that?

I much prefer rubber egg experiments, and color changing flowers on the kitchen counter to seasonal decor.

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure statement for more information.

Homeschool Strewing as Part of a Child-Led Education

My goal is to provide loads of great literature, intriguing documentaries, plenty of fun games, and tons of learning and creative opportunities that coincide with my children’s interests.

Sure, we use curriculums. But not exactly in a linear fashion or from chapter to chapter. You can read more about how we use and schedule curriculums in our annual curriculum post and my scheduling for your homeschool post.

We love to tumble down rabbit trails of learning and discover new sites along our map of education. Sometimes we get completely turned around and on the opposite side of the map. But we love learning and are always excited to discover something new.

Homeschool Strewing as Part of a Child-Led Education

What is the Art of Strewing?

I’ve been practicing the art of strewing for years, as part of our child-led education, to keep my kids exploring, engaged, and full of ideas. I want my children to know that the world is full of wonder.

The art of strewing is leaving out anything and everything of interest. Inspiring your children to dig deeper and even take the wheel in their own education.

Strewing isn’t just about items at home. But also, through experiences by providing interesting places to visit:

  • nature preserves
  • museums
  • theaters
  • libraries
  • stores
  • zoos

… any place where there are engrossing experiences and conversations to be had.

I want my children to know that there is always an answer to their questions if only they know HOW and WHERE to look.

What to Strew?

So, what should you strew? Well, that all depends on your child’s interests. When my kiddos were obsessed with catching tadpoles in the cow pond I took that interest and built on it so long as their interest lasted. I incorporated books about frogs and frog documentaries. We visited the herpetarium at the local nature preserve. The children learned about habitats and different species all over the world. We even kept tadpoles as pets and observed their metamorphosis!

Homeschool Strewing as Part of a Child-Led Education

Homeschool Strewing Ideas

If your kids aren’t interested in frogs, that’s OK too! Jot down a couple topics your kiddos show interest in. Maybe it’s Minecraft, or horses, or history. Use your child’s interests for inspiration. Choose items that you think will interest your child, not because it is something educational. Here are a few ideas to get you strewing in the interests of your kids:

  • books – large picture books are fantastic, but so are any interesting storybook, poetry books, or books specific to a single science or historical period.
  • games – I love snagging a new game that I think the children will enjoy. We have two closets full of our Favorite Games! There are so many options to choose from, but cooperative games are a favorite in our home.
  • puzzles – my kiddos love puzzles of dinosaurs, dragons, sea creatures, and insects!
  • craft and supplies – I have a seriously crafty girl. I must keep her in craft supplies if I want to keep her from painting murals on my walls…I’m only half kidding. These craft and art supplies include paints, brushes, canvases, glue, tape, different types of paper, stickers, pipe cleaners, glitter, and scissors.
  • kits/hands-on activity – We get monthly kits like Tinker Crate and Koala Crates for the kiddos to explore, but we also keep our own version of a Tinker Crate. By keeping all our recyclable items in a container for the children to explore. Think toilet paper tubes, milk cartons, straws, boxes, broken electronics, etc.
  • nature items – garden tools, seeds, and soil are great places to start. We also keep a nature table that may contain items from nature walks or current seasonal items such as fossils, leaves, nuts, flower press, our ant farm, butterfly habitat, and nature journals.
    Homeschool Strewing as Part of a Child-Led Education

What Strewing Is Not

When you strew materials in your homeschool. You MUST leave your expectations at the door. Expectations and strewing simply DO NOT fit together.

Strewing is not about controlling your child’s interests or the direction of their education.

Not every interesting item you strew will be met with delight and excitement. Some pieces may be met with indifference or completely ignored.

That’s OK!

Don’t take it personally.

Homeschool Strewing as Part of a Child-Led Education

Homeschool Strewing Encourages a Learning-Rich Environment

Strewing in your homeschool can help encourage a Learning-Rich Environment by inspiring your kiddos with out of the box ideas and creativity.

Strewing takes your child’s natural curiosity and introduces them to new topics, ideas, and materials. They may discover new passions and interests.

Create an inviting environment that your children want to explore. I find my children gravitate toward neat lovely areas of our home. The less crowded and attractive, the better.
Homeschool Strewing as Part of a Child-Led Education

Observe what Works

Does a stack of fresh books pique their interests? How about a rock digging kit? Maybe a historical toy from the time period they are most interested in? Perhaps a combination of books and games on coding?

Sit back and observe what interests your children. This is the best way to discover what you want to consider strewing.

Homeschool Strewing as Part of a Child-Led Education

Let your kiddos explore and be curious. Follow their natural curiosity and encourage their ideas. Homeschool strewing offers all of this no matter your preferred homeschool method. Strewing allows for open-ended curiosity and discovery. I think we could all use more of that!

You may also be interested in:

  • The Art of Strewing Math in Your Homeschool

  • 100 Strewing Ideas for Your Homeschool

  • The Art of Strewing Games in Your Homeschool

Pin596
Share690
Tweet
Share
1K Shares

Filed Under: Homeschool Tagged With: child-led education, Homeschool, homeschool strewing, homeschooling ideas, strew, strewing, strewing definition, strewing homeschool, strewing ideas, the art of strewing, unschooling

About Erin Vincent

Erin is a writer, blogger, and homeschooler to two intense kids. She loves nature, farm life, good books, knitting, new pens, and hot coffee. Erin is a contributing writer for Weird Unsocialized Homeschoolers. Her work has also been featured on Simple Homeschool and Book Shark.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Adrian says

    June 20, 2019 at 12:16 pm

    I’ve been seeing this word used often the past couple months. This is how I have always rotated toys, books, and such for my daughter (and even for myself before her).
    I had no idea there was a word for it. Now that I do, it’ll be so much easier to look up ideas!
    Thank you!

    Reply
  2. Rebecca Devitt says

    October 15, 2018 at 6:30 am

    There you are…strewing…a new word. I really enjoyed this read and hope we can also strew in the future!

    Reply
    • Erin Vincent says

      October 15, 2018 at 7:51 am

      I’m so glad I could introduce you to a new word and idea for your homeschool adventure!

      Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Are You Unexpectedly Homeschooling ~ Nourishing My Scholar says:
    July 23, 2020 at 8:43 am

    […] Homeschool Strewing as Part of a Child-Led Education […]

    Reply
  2. How to Schedule Your Homeschool Days – Line upon Line Learning says:
    July 10, 2020 at 9:59 pm

    […] Homeschool Strewing as Part of a Child-Led Learning (a post from Nourishing My Scholar) […]

    Reply
  3. Stuck at home with kids? Try ‘strewing’ | School of Serendipity says:
    March 26, 2020 at 9:09 pm

    […] out when you try strewing, the internet is full of ideas.  Homeschool moms love to share their successful strewing set ups. That being said, there is generally no reason to buy anything new.  Materials you have around […]

    Reply
  4. Advice to corona-homeschoolers – No Truancy says:
    March 26, 2020 at 12:29 am

    […] Strewing and Invitations to Play […]

    Reply
  5. When Children Choose Math Books ~ Nourishing My Scholar says:
    January 20, 2020 at 9:17 pm

    […] Homeschool Strewing as Part of a Child-Led Education […]

    Reply
  6. 10 EASY Homeschool Holiday Activities ~ Nourishing My Scholar says:
    December 5, 2019 at 5:11 pm

    […] you need more ideas for keeping your kiddos busy? Try STREWING interesting items like puzzles, lego’s, books, and craft supplies around your […]

    Reply
  7. Our Eclectic Homeschool Curriculum Choices 2018-2019 ~ Nourishing My Scholar says:
    August 23, 2019 at 3:20 pm

    […] Homeschool Strewing as Part of a Child-Led Education […]

    Reply
  8. 10 Things You Need to Know to Homeschool ~ Nourishing My Scholar says:
    June 18, 2019 at 12:58 pm

    […] Homeschool Strewing as Part of a Child-Led Education […]

    Reply
  9. Hands-On Geography with Pin It Maps ~ Nourishing My Scholar says:
    April 10, 2019 at 1:18 pm

    […] are a marvelous item to strew. Strewing is the act of placing interesting resources like books and games about your home that are a part of […]

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Welcome! I'm Erin, a homeschooling mom to two very intense kids. Every day I try to find what works best for me and my family. My blog is filled with information to help you explore a child led education while making meaningful connections with your children. Discover favorite read alouds, seasonal books, games, art projects, hands-on activities, and learn to just breathe through the ups and downs of life. I hope these posts will encourage you on your homeschool adventure.

Search

Follow Us Online

  • Facebook
  • Google+
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • StumbleUpon
  • Twitter

Subscribe to Updates

The Masterpiece Society Art Membership

Chalk Pastel Video Art Lessons

Join the fun at ChalkPastel.com!

THiNK OUTSiDE BOXES: Outdoor Curriculum and Survival Skills

Subscribe at Think Outside Boxes

Our Favorite Homeschooling Resources on AMAZON

Our Favorite Homeschooling Resources on AMAZON

Copyright © 2021 · News Pro on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.OkNoRead more
Revoke Cookies