24 Everyday Activities That Count as Learning Opportunities

Academics are important, but what else can be considered educational? Lots of things, actually! There are so many different everyday activities that count as learning opportunities!

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It’s easy as homeschool moms to get focused on just the academic part of our children’s education (which is important, of course), but there are so many other opportunities for learning that exist outside of “regular schoolwork.” Learning can also take place in the everyday tasks and activities we do. It’s even there when our children play and interact with other people.

And it is not limited to the hours of our homeschool day or to our desks or classrooms, but can be done in various places throughout daily life. I love this quote by John Holt who says,

“Children learn from anything and everything they see. They learn wherever they are, not just in special learning places.” – John Holt

Since opportunities for learning can happen in lots of different ways, I thought it would be helpful to make a list of normal daily activities that have an educational component to them. Some of these ideas are things that I’m sure you are already doing, but it’s a good reminder that kids can learn valuable skills even when not doing their typical schoolwork.

Here’s a list of 24 everyday activities that count as learning:

• Cooking or baking
• Grocery shopping
• Doing age appropriate chores
• Checking the weather forecast
• Volunteering or helping others
• Writing letters, emails, or keeping a journal
• Budgeting their money
• Meal planning
• Playing card games or board games
• Doing puzzles
• Building things
• Doing art (coloring, drawing, painting, sculpting, etc.)
• Reading (alone or together – read more about the importance of reading aloud to your kids)
• Listening to or playing music
• Imaginative/creative play
• Doing crafts
• Taking a walk
• Playing sports
• Taking care of pets
• Listening to audiobooks
• Doing sensory activities (playdoh, slime, sand, etc.)
• Watching educational movies or YouTube videos
• Exercising
• Playing outdoors

And while not technically an everyday activity, taking field trips and traveling together as a family can count as learning too.

So while this list is by no means complete, it does help to show that even when your child is playing or helping you in the kitchen, they are still learning valuable skills. The more real life, everyday experiences our children are exposed to, the more opportunities there are for their brains to grow and develop.

And here are some more great ideas on ways to inject fun into your child’s learning from Xuan at The Homeschool Front!

A combination of academics and everyday activities sounds to me like a recipe for success! What is your child’s favorite “non-schoolwork” learning activity?