| Do you need some great homeschool camping | | | | have your sons write about their experiences and |
| ideas? Are you planning a camping trip and have | | | | draw pictures in a nature journal as well. If they |
| noidea what to do with your sons while you're out | | | | are interested in photography, they can leave |
| in the great outdoors? | | | | room for any pictures they may have taken |
| Camping is one of the best ways to teach your | | | | throughout the day instead. |
| sons without them even realizing it. Homeschooling | | | | - Scavenger Hunts - Boys love scavenger hunts. |
| your sons while out in nature is lots of fun - but | | | | It helps them to practice their reading skills as well |
| you'll want to be prepared with lots of camping | | | | as their deductive reasoning. Write your clues so |
| ideas before you go. The most natural way to | | | | that it will help them to practice many of the |
| learn is to teach from situations as they present | | | | other skills they've learned while camping as well. |
| themselves and not to try to force specific | | | | - Sports - Bring along Frisbees, baseball gloves and |
| events to happen. | | | | balls, footballs, and other sports equipment that |
| While camping, it will be obvious to you that you | | | | your sons enjoy. Downtime at the camp site can |
| aren't in control of the weather or your | | | | be a wonderful time to practice these skills as |
| environment. If you are prepared with many | | | | well. |
| possible homeschooling ideas beforehand, you'll be | | | | - Stars - Bring along a star map for your area |
| ready to teach your sons regardless of the | | | | and for the proper season. The more remote |
| circumstances you might encounter. | | | | your location, the more easily you will be able to |
| Here are some great camping ideas that you can | | | | see the stars. |
| try with your boys on your next family trip | | | | - Survival Skills - Boys love to learn survival skills |
| - Animal Tracks - Finding animal tracks can be so | | | | and camping is a great time to try these out. |
| much fun. Identifying them is even more | | | | Some of the more useful skills would be: |
| gratifying. Depending on your own skills, you can | | | | |
| attempt to follow them and see how far you can | | | | 1. Making a fire without matches. Try a flint and |
| track the animals - be careful which animals you | | | | knife, first, and once they have that mastered let |
| attempt to locate. Raccoon and deer would be | | | | them try it with two sticks. There are several |
| safer to track than coyotes or bears! | | | | methods for making fire this way. This will be an |
| - Bird Watching - You can identify birds by sight - | | | | adventure for the whole family! |
| or sit quietly and try to identify them by sound. | | | | 2. Looking for edible plants and bugs |
| - Campfires - Roasting marshmallows and hot | | | | 3. Tying knots |
| dogs is a favorite past time for our sons. Also, | | | | 4. Signaling for help |
| take this opportunity to instruct your sons in the | | | | 5. Purifying water |
| proper art of campfire building. They'll love it! | | | | 6. Building shelters |
| - Field Guides - You can get amazing field guides | | | | 7. Drying out wet wood & grass |
| on everything from mammals to birds to flowers | | | | - Swimming - If your boys haven't taken formal |
| to frogs - and you can get guides that are | | | | swimming lessons, this is a great time to teach |
| specific to your area! We have found the guides | | | | them. At the very least, teach them how to |
| by Stan Tekiela to be very helpful. Get the guides | | | | tread water and how to float on their backs. That |
| with the audio CDs if you can. You will be amazed | | | | way, if they ever fall out of a boat, then can hold |
| at how quickly your boys will learn the sounds of | | | | their own until they are able to be pulled out of |
| the frogs and the birds. And they're great to | | | | the water. |
| listen to in the car on long rides. | | | | - Tents - If you and your sons are going to get |
| - Fishing - What little boy wouldn't want to learn | | | | the most learning out of a camping experience, |
| to fish? Whether you cook your catch or throw it | | | | you need to use a tent. Leave the RVs and |
| back, they will learn a lot from this experience. | | | | trailers at home. Also, leave behind the TVs, |
| And let them hunt for their own bait as well. | | | | hand-held video games, and anything else that |
| - Hiking - When you choose your camping location, | | | | might distract your sons from nature. Yes, this |
| make sure to pick one which has hiking trails. Most | | | | type of vacation is less relaxing for the parents; |
| state parks and national parks have many trails - | | | | but, you need to remember what your reason |
| pick up trail maps at the office so that you can | | | | was for getting your sons outside in the first |
| explore them all. | | | | place! |
| - Maps - Speaking of maps, let your sons be the | | | | - Weather Wisdom - Identify the clouds and what |
| navigators when you are hiking. Bring along a | | | | weather they usually precede. |
| compass and let them learn how to use that as | | | | Nature is the best classroom for your sons - and |
| well. | | | | homeschooling is something you can do with your |
| - Mushroom Hunting - Depending on where you | | | | children whether at home or on vacation. We |
| camp, you may be able to hunt for edible | | | | hope you try several of these homeschool |
| mushrooms as well. If you decide to give this a | | | | campingideas with your family. When you make |
| try, make sure you know what you are gathering | | | | lessons relevant for your sons, you will be |
| before you eat them! | | | | amazed at how eager they will be to learn. |
| - Nature Journals - At the end of every day, | | | | |