Play isn’t a reward for learning, it is learning.
In this Brave Writer podcast episode, we dig into the reflex to be suspicious of anything fun, and we rebuke it with developmental science and lived experience. We give ideas on how to create playful conditions for deep, sustainable learning for your kids and even yourself. Also, we break down how to evaluate homeschool learning you’re already doing.
If you’re feeling stuck and bored with your homeschooling, or if your kids are feeling that way, this is the episode for you.
Show Notes
The Importance of Pleasure
Many of us live in a culture where we automatically approach pleasure with distrust and suspicion. At best, we see play as a reward. The truly valued part of education is hard, joyless work and the discipline to do it day after day. That’s what we believe will best serve our children in their adult lives.
But, there are other ways of looking at pleasure. For example, when Julie studied abroad in France, she learned the cultural approach to infusing pleasure into daily life. Value was placed on affirming humanity, acting as a bulwark against a life as an unhappy cog in a machine.
Creating Playful Conditions
Once we accept that pleasure is okay and that humans learn through play, we can start examining the learning conditions we create for our homeschooled kids:
- How does it look like play?
- How are you capitalizing on tools, clothing, kinesthetic energy, excitement, and engagement?
- Does the skill being honed lead to something the kids actually want to do?
Remember to stay true to the spirit of play—don’t manipulate it. Kids can sniff out inauthenticity a mile away. Give them autonomy over how they want to make an activity fun and meaningful.
Lifelong Learning
As homeschooling parents, sometimes we get restless with our children’s play. We want them to learn faster and deeper. The answer might be to look at your own play. Are you playing enough? Do you have your own toys you enjoy? Are you learning new things and forming relationships with subjects in new ways? A parent taking on their own fun learning sets a fantastic example for kids.
Every day isn’t sunshine and rainbows for homeschooling families, but play can be a consistent habit and an ongoing mindset. Remember, kids are pros at playing. Let them do the work.
Resources
- Start a free trial of CTCmath.com to try the math program that’s sure to grab and keep your child’s attention
- Check out the Brave Writer Practice Pages
- Find Joyful: The Surprising Power of Ordinary Things to Create Extraordinary Happiness and other books mentioned in this episode in the Brave Writer Book Shop
- Learn more about the Brave Writer Literature & Mechanics programs
- Read all the Brave Writer class descriptions
- Explore Tools for the Art of Writing
- Sign up for our Text Message Pod Ring to get podcast updates and more!
- Send us podcast topic ideas by texting us: +1 (833) 947-3684
Connect with Julie
- Instagram: @juliebravewriter
- Threads: @juliebravewriter
- Twitter: @bravewriter
- Facebook: facebook.com/bravewriter
Connect with Melissa
- Website: melissawiley.com
- Substack: melissawiley.substack.com
- Instagram: @melissawileybooks
- Twitter: @melissawiley
Produced by NOVA Media
