How to Get Started with Lifestyle Learning

Lifestyle learning capitalizes on our children’s natural inquisitive energy and fosters an environment where kids are always learning; where there is no separation between school and life – where learning just becomes a lifestyle. 

It allows us the freedom to use any and every learning style available to us without being defined or confined by any of them, and in the meantime, we create an environment where our children love to learn.

But how do we go about actually doing it? 

The application will vary depending on your own child’s needs, interests and learning styles.  However, here are a few suggestions that can be applied in a variety of ways:

•  Set Goals
•  Play
•  Direct their Interests
•  Engage with Your Kids
•  Say Yes

Set Goals

The first thing to do is to consider the reasons behind your choice to homeschool.  Evaluate whether or not those reasons are a strong foundation to build on, and if not, identify what is. 

Set long-term, big-picture goals.  Then, start to filter everything you do through those goals.  If something you’re doing is effective at working toward your goals, keep it; if not, ditch it with no regret. 

Anything and everything is on the table here – there is no need to try to fit into one mold or another.  Just go with what works for your family, for each individual, and keep the big picture in mind.

Play

Play is such a powerful way for children to learn.  Utilize both structured and unstructured play that is developmentally appropriate for your child. 

Play is doing something purely for the enjoyment of it (as opposed to the outcome).  This will look different at your child ages.  Learn to recognize what your child loves doing and encourage them to do it often!  If possible, make the most of the opportunity by directing them to rich resources in which to pursue those activities. 

Don’t feel the need to cut down on play time in order to have more “educational” time.  Play is educational.  Embrace it!

Direct Their Interests

Notice what your children are interested in and direct their focus to activities that support, build on, or invite discovery.  For example:

•  If they like to play in the dirt, then plant a vegetable, flower or herb garden together. 
•  If they like to draw and paint, supply them with lots and lots of art materials, join an art subscription service, or learn about famous artists through history and recreate their styles.  

Don’t know what their interests are?  That’s okay!  Start exposing them to a variety of experiences, then pay attention to what they’re drawn to. 

Engage With Your Kids

•  Play with them. 
•  Explore together. 
•  Ask questions, answer theirs, and learn together. 
•  Talk together about current events related to topics they’re interested in or learning about. 
•  Wonder aloud (“I wonder why…”), then go about finding the answer. 
•  Model curiosity as well as how to discover the answers to your questions.

Say Yes

When your children say “Mom can we…?”, it is a great indicator of what they’re interested in. 

“Mom, can we paint?”  Yes!  Don’t worry about the mess. Get out the paints, paper, a plastic table cover, and paint with them! 

“Mom, can we play a board game?” Say yes and play it!  You’re helping them build language, critical thinking, strategic thinking skills and more.

A simple “yes” can lead to a rich learning experience!  Anything can be a learning experience if you are intentional with it.

Lifestyle Learning Is Freeing

There is no solid definition to what lifestyle learning looks like because it will vary between families.  The main unifying factor is that parents who embrace a lifestyle learning approach to education are making a shift in that learning is not a part of life…learning is a lifestyle, practiced consistently in all things and all ways. 

This mindset empowers you to pick and choose from a variety of homeschooling options and learning approaches without being defined by any of them.  More than an eclectic approach, it is the understanding that we are individuals who are always learning, and builds on the truth of that, utilizing whatever resources help us in that quest.