In order to provide a balanced, successful and positive home school experience for children, hands on experience is a must. Most of the time, for children to fully comprehend, learn and relate to some things they are taught, they must experience it for themself. If a child is simply taught about something, they really don't know why, how or what makes it work unless they see it for themself and can confirm it.
The best approach is to give them the opportunity to learn, through hands on experience. They are able to touch, see, smell, feel and make a connection with the experience. This connection is often needed for confirmation and in some cases, confidence. Students receive confirmation when something they have learned and visualized in their mind, becomes real and they are able to relate and understand it.
Many learning experiences can be gained and perspective developed using hands on experience. Children that get to actually experience doing something they learn, develop greater imagination, intelligence and learn to promote new ideas.
Students like to know and understand how and why things work, why something happens and often want, to be able to try making or doing similar things by building on what their hands on experience was. One hands on experience can create a brainstorm of ideas and interest, as well as motivation to continue to learn.
Hands on experiences in a home school setting helps to develop motor skills and social skills as well. How much of a confidence booster is it going to be for a kindergrtner for example, if other children he plays with have learned to tie their shoes, but he did not get the hands on experience to learn it too? The home school child could feel as if they missed something or suffer deteriorated confidence if they fail to get opportunities others their age do.
This doesn't just apply to something simple such as shoe tying, it applies to the learning experience of music, art, science and every other subject that there is an opportunity to have a hands on experience with.
Hands on activities for your homeschooler can be accomplished as well, by enrolling your child in a 4-H program, library program, boys and girls club, university extension program, private classes or lessons, or by visiting museums, galleries and local businesses such as craft stores.
Many of these provide, low-cost or free classes to give a greater hands on experience. If you are able to connect with other homeschoolers, and team up, often group discounts, passes and pre-arranged special classes can be given to you. Many times, if you inform the business, that it is for educational purposes, special arrangements, discounts and even free events are offered.
Additionally, the links available below may also provide inexpensive ideas and products to assist you with providing the hands on experience to your homeschooler.
http://homeschooling.chacha.com/blog/hands-on-homesc hool-curriculum-2/0/0/about-us-v43/n
http://www.legoeducation.com/store/SearchResult.aspx ?pl=6&c=0&t=0&l=0
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/kidsactivities/
http://www.orientaltrading.com/
Whatever your teaching in home school, if your child is given the advantage of a hands on experience, it will greatly increase the ability of your child to learn and apply the experience it in their own life later on.