Homeschool strewing is a fantastic way to create a math-rich environment. The art of strewing math is dependent on knowing your child’s interests. As parents, we want to nurture their passions and curiosity. Creating an environment where your kiddos are encouraged to explore, question, and discover is an extraordinary way to facilitate learning.
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The Art of Strewing Math in Your Homeschool
Strewing can help create a learning-rich environment in your homeschool whether you are relaxed interest-led homeschoolers, like us, or follow more of a classical approach.
You can encourage mathematical exploration with everyday activities, items, and conversations. Feed the flames of your child’s natural curiosity and observations by letting them choose what they are interested in learning.
In this way, strewing has become an extremely important part of our math education.
For years, I have strewn throughout our homeschool as part of our child-led education. If my children are showing interest in something like money, then I may strew money games, picture books about coins, even real change and piggy banks!
My son learned to count money with real coins and playing “store” whereas my daughter picked it up one afternoon with the board game, Pay Day.
Still, strewing provides opportunities for your children to discover new concepts and experiences. I like to call strewing our delightfully delicious dessert to our otherwise educational meal.
The Art of Strewing
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.
I like to set up a specific area or table for math investigations and open-ended learning.
I’ve found that my kiddos really can learn most everything they need from books, games, puzzles, and hands-on activities.
There are items of interest placed throughout our home that invite the children to explore….eggs soaking in vinegar on the counter, tadpoles growing next to piles of library books, and a nature table filled with all sorts of interesting nature items.
Our tables are strewn with books on subjects the kids have expressed interest in as well as games, and manipulatives.
We love to tumble down “rabbit trails” of learning and get lost in our interests.
But education doesn’t require lots of expensive things. Some of our best math learning happens with real-world math!
The Art of Strewing Math in Your Homeschool
Because we live on a mini farm my kiddos have also experienced:
- measuring area and perimeter and then taking those numbers and figuring out how much fencing is needed to build a goat pen
- building chicken coops
- goat house
- constructing a hay manger
- hatching and selling baby chicks
But, not everyone has access to goats and chickens for real-world math. Isn’t it great that strewing isn’t just about the items in your home? Interesting experiences can also provide natural opportunities to learn!
- Grocery Shopping
- Budgeting
- Allowances
- Recipes/Cooking
- Woodworking
- 4-H/Science Clubs
- Planting a Garden
- Weighing Things
- Rough Estimates
Invite your children to discover new math concepts with these easy homeschool strewing ideas. In this way, kids can make connections with math in the world around them. Strewing is a marvelous way to enrich your child’s education. Take these suggestions and use them to fit your own unique homeschool style and needs.
Remember, it’s O.K. if your kids pass over the items you strew. Not everything you strew will excite them.
Don’t take it personally. Continue to observe your kiddos and think of new ideas and concepts that they may find stimulating.
The Art of Strewing Math Games
My kids love games be they board games, card games, or dice games. Games are a great way to have fun while improving number sense, critical thinking, problem-solving skills, helping to build relationships, and providing hours of entertainment.
Plus, games don’t judge! They provide an opportunity for my kids to practice what they’ve learned in a fun way. No need for drill and kills. Just provide lots of game opportunities!
The Art of Strewing Math Books
We read loads of colorful and intriguing books. Sometimes, I find a new one to strew and other times the kiddos grab armfuls while at the library. You can read more about what happens when children choose their own math books.
It’s not as far-fetched as it sounds!
Math themed books are surprisingly delightful. They spark conversations and curiosities about math in our everyday lives.
Here are a few of our favorite math books that I find the kiddos come back to again, and again.
The Art of Strewing Math Manipulatives
Math manipulatives can be anything you have on hand. That’s because numbers and math are everywhere! They are NOT separate from life.
Learning addition and subtraction with a bowl of fruit or a bag of chocolate chips is fun and effective. Fractions can happen while cutting a pizza or following a recipe. Weighing items on a scale are always fun too. How about counting lego bricks as your kiddo is constructing his or her massive monument?
Strewing is a superb way to encourage a broader and more in-depth education while supporting your child’s interests. Math books, Games, and manipulatives are just a few of the homeschooling ideas that can help enrich their learning environment.
Now tell me, do you have any other math strewing suggestions?
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