Let Them Play

This week after our lessons I gathered around the table with my children and we built sukkahs with graham crackers, pretzels, frosting, and fruit gummies.

We took out our mats and made the different phases of the moon with Oreos and I thought about how my older children were now too old to participate in these things that we once did together when they were in elementary school.

I thought this in the back of my mind because the common mentality in this world is that junior high and high schoolers belong behind a desk and in front of a computer.

What I was reminded of though is that they need time to play, to be a kid, and to create with their hands just as their younger siblings do.

I was reminded that this is why we homeschool.

They naturally recall what they have learned over the years reviewing as they go and they are unintentionally teaching their younger siblings as they share.

We've had so much fun together as a family and we have learned so much this past month building on what we have already learned.

I can see in their narrations and retellings that they are recalling to memory the experiences that they have had and the books they have read.

Why would we not encourage them to continue to learn, play, and grow in these ways?

If Charlotte Mason herself encouraged mothers to go out and to play why would we ever stop encouraging our teens to play?!

"If mothers could learn to do for themselves what they do for their children when these are overdone, we should have happier households. Let the mother go out to play!"

-Charlotte Mason

I encourage you today to play with your children of all ages! Step out of your comfort zone and do something that they enjoy. Read picture books with them even when you think that they are too old for them. I have found mine coming to sit around me as I read, even the older ones, and it is such a treasured time.

How do you facilitate fun and play with your older children?

All of the curriculums from The Peaceful Preschool through The Kind Kingdom encourage play and fun activities with our children of all ages. We encourage you to incorporate more peace and play in your school days.

We contributed to this round-up of homeschool advice. Click here to read.

If you would like help to refocus your purpose and priorities in your homeschool while simplifying your days check out our course The Peaceful Path to a Living Education for encouragement to help refocus on your vision.