Homeschooling provides children with the benefit of extra time that they can spend on further developing themselves in other aspects of their lives. While traditional schools require a child to be in attendance eight hours a day, studies show that they do not spend their time effectively while at school. In contrast, homeschooling spends learning time much more effectively, resulting in children enjoying more spare time while still receiving a high level of education.
In this article, we will explore how homeschooled children can develop themselves further with the extra time they gain during the day.
Extra Time as a Benefit of Homeschooling
Depending on the child’s age and grade, children can save up to 50% of their time while homeschooled. This is because homeschooling does not waste time on assemblies or walking to class. Children also save the time that they would have spent doing homework after returning from an eight-hour day at school.
Homeschooled children complete all of their work in a time window of four to six hours a day. This leaves between eight and six hours in which children can pursue other interests.
Therefore, homeschooled children will have more time to determine what interests them and what they want to pursue as a career.
This ultimately leads to these children becoming balanced, happy, and well-rounded adults who have developed interests and skills beyond the classroom.
What Children Can Spend Time On
With so much extra time, there are many interests and skills that children can explore, develop, and refine.
Social and Emotional Development
Younger children, ages six to twelve, can enrol in courses designed to help develop important social and emotional skills. In such a course, children will learn to appreciate diversity and differences in people. They’ll also learn to recognise their unique strengths and how these strengths can benefit them in the future.
These children will be taught cognitive ways in which they can process emotions in a healthy, constructive, and respectful manner. This will not only teach them self-awareness but will encourage them to solve problems and disagreements in an effective and peaceful manner.
These social and emotional skills will be useful during their educational journey and beyond, providing them with the necessary tools to flourish in the workplace and form strong bonds with others.
Learn the Art of Robotics
Children aged 10 to 13 who show an interest in gaming, want to know how computers work, or who simply want to build a robot, can nurture their curiosity by signing up for a robotics course.
In such a course, they will learn about and start to understand concepts and terminology typically used in coding. They will learn how to use a micro:bit and even build interactive projects.
Robotics will also help children understand certain maths and science concepts in a fun and interactive way, giving them an advantage in these subjects at school.
Pursue an Interest in Coding
For older children between 13 and 17, who want to further their knowledge in programming, there are Python coding courses.
Coding and programming are becoming essential skills required in many careers. Most know that coding and programming are useful for children wanting to enter into fields such as artificial intelligence and data science. However, these skills are becoming more dominant in other fields and careers.
Signing up for a Python coding course while still at school can help these children get a head start on their careers.
No matter the motivation behind wanting to learn programming, it will be a useful skill to have in the future.
Focus on a Love of Sports
Children can explore a wide range of sports. Whether it be rugby, soccer, horseriding, surfing, gymnastics, or rock climbing, children will have enough time to try every sport and find one they enjoy.
For those children who truly fall in love with a sport and wish to pursue it at a professional level, there is the freedom and time to do so. Imagine how accomplished you could become in a sport if you spent six hours a day practising that skill.
The extra time available will also provide children with more flexibility to fit in with an exceptional trainer or coach’s schedule.
Let's not forget that some sport, such as surfing, heavily relies on the weather, giving those children the opportunity to watch the weather and go for a surf as soon as the conditions are perfect.
Become an Entrepreneur
Some children have a knack for business and would make fantastic young entrepreneurs if given the chance. Luckily, the time gained from homeschooling will provide this opportunity.
Many well-known brands were started many years ago by child entrepreneurs.
For example, Maya’s Ideas, a now world-famous brand was started by Maya Penn, at eight years’ old. By the age of 10, she was featured in Forbes magazine and beyond that she has already been a TED-speaker three times.
It’s possible to become an entrepreneur and build an empire at any age; all that’s needed is time and motivation.
Develop the Artist Within
While many children show an interest in art, not many are afforded the opportunity to nurture this talent. As with anything in life, art is a skill that needs to be developed and practised, and it takes time to do so.
While art classes are a fantastic way to nurture this interest, chances are that a child will only attend an art class once a week for an hour.
Homeschooled children can spend their extra time drawing, painting, moulding, and simply making art using several mediums. With all this time spent on art, a child could graduate school already being an extremely skilled artist and directly pursue an art career.
Alternatively, they will have a source of expression and a beloved hobby for the rest of their lives.
It should also be mentioned that art does teach patience, encourage flexibility, develop fine motor skills, and more.
Become a Skilled Chef
For some children, the love of food extends beyond enjoying their mother's cooking. These children have a desire to cook and dream of becoming a chef.
Many renowned chefs credit their cooking ability to their mothers, grandmothers, and the time spent cooking and experimenting in the kitchen as a child. Therefore, the best place for a chef-to-be to hone their skills, is in the home kitchen.
With the extra time that children will have as a homeschooler, they can prepare dishes that typically take a long time to make. This will not only teach them some important life skills, but they’ll be preparing themselves for their future career if they wish to do so.
Pursue a Love of Music
Some of the best musicians in the world claim their skill is owed to the hours upon hours they played and practised an instrument as a teenager. However, many of them admit that this took away from the time they should have been spending doing homework and, therefore, they often did poorly in school.
Children who are homeschooled do not have this problem and have the freedom to spend the extra hours that they have in a day playing their chosen instrument.
While being a musician might not be their chosen profession, music and playing an instrument has many benefits. From teaching perseverance to being a healthy emotional outlet, it’s extremely beneficial for children to learn how to play an instrument.
In conclusion, a child doesn’t have to choose one activity to specialise in when utilising their extra time. They can experiment and explore. This can only lead them to a clearer idea of who they are, what they enjoy, and what they want to do with their lives.
