What in the World Do Homeschooled Kids Do In Their Spare Time?
What do your homeschooled kids do in their spare time?
We boast about how we can get most of our homeschooling done by noon each day and that leaves all this free time for our children to explore their interests, or to get in trouble!
Next time that well-meaning friend or in-law asks you what on earth do your homeschooled kids do in their spare time, here are some ideas that I have caught my children doing in their spare time after they are done with their school work.
It's like having an elevator pitch ready to go in response to those questions we always get!
First of all, anytime my iPhone goes missing I'm pretty sure I know who has it and what they are using it for. If I scroll in my camera roll, I am destined to find some great entertainment made by my 4 daughters as they are trying to make their acting debuts!
My teenager loves using my Camtasia software to create and edit videos and even has her own YouTube channel. Of course, you want to monitor what is uploaded. I created her YouTube channel on my main account so that anytime she uploads a video, I get a notification. I can then view it and make sure it is okay to have it published to the public.
Secondly, why not put that homeschooling spare time to work for the family and have it pay off?
My 16 year old learned how to build her own blog learning everything she needs to know from Wealthy Affiliate University. She also contracts as a Freelance Writer for Express Writers and earns over $500 per month depending on how much spare time she has available. She lets them know when she is available and the workload she can handle and then the content manager assigns her blog topics to write about for their clients. This is wonderful writing practice for her!
My 14 year old daughter isn't into writing at all, but when she isn't making her YouTube videos she is busy listing things on Amazon and EBay to make extra money. If she runs out of things to list of her own, then I give her items around the house that are lightweight that she can list and split the profits with her when the items sell. It is a great way to declutter the home! We learned all about selling on EBay and Amazon for profit with the Proven Amazon Course.
Next, coloring books are for all ages these days. With the new fad of Adult Coloring Books, mom can actually relax and enjoy coloring alongside the children. Your teenagers can actually enjoy it as well. Coloring books come in all themes these days including superheroes, Disney characters, and faith-based inspirational coloring books.
Check out these coloring books for all ages.
Additionally, children 12 and up can help babysit younger siblings or be paid to babysit the children of close friends and neighbors. This will help teach your older children responsibility and give them a way to feel like they are contributing to the family team. It is often hard for children ages 12 – 16 years of age to find ways to make money so babysitting is a great way to spend their spare time if they are mature enough to handle it. Of course, you know your child the best and if they are ready to supervise younger children.
Help them find a babysitting course and a place locally to take CPR and first-aid training so they can have that certificate to show the parents they are babysitting for.
Many parents wrestle with whether or not to pay their older children for babysitting younger siblings. I tend to go back and forth on the issue. I have paid my 16 year old for babysitting my younger two children, but not every time. If I am running a few errands and only gone for a couple of hours and it is around nap time, I don't pay her. If it is a 4-5 hour date night with the hubby, I tend to pay her for those occasions. It is up to each family to decide what is right for them.
I know this can give mom anxiety because the mess that results is not so much fun, but let your kids explore different tastes and learn how to follow a recipe. This will provide them with awesome life skills in the years to come that they will need when they are on their own and not having to eat take-out all the time and gaining the customary college 30 pounds!
Check out the lessons in the Fun with Cooking page on how to teach your child to cook and for some yummy recipes that kids can start!
Finally, children love to create things with odd stuff around the house. I have a whole cupboard full of leftover craft items from random projects we have done in the past. Whenever we have leftover items from a project, I dump them all in one plastic bin or two (or three in our case), and let the children have access to it when they are bored. It is amazing the things they end up creating with just a bag full of pom-poms, glue, and paper!
So what do you think? What do your homeschooled kids do in their spare time?
Well the answer is, a TON of things!
That is the beauty of homeschooling. Our children have time to experiment, create, be a blessing to others, and tap into their entrepreneurial spirit all in the comfort of their own home.
Share in the comments below what your homeschooled kids do in their spare time? I would love to hear more ideas!