Tips for Homeschooling an Active Child: Advice from Our Readers

All parents struggle with educating their wiggly children.  Almost every child interrupts, moves, knocks over items and breaks pencils, even when you’ve provided two “just in case.”  I reached out to our readers for advice on what worked for them as they educated their active children:

Let them MOVE!!! USE that motion to learn rote facts. Do sight word or basic math fact drills on the trampoline, one word/problem per jump. Swing and count, skip-count, etc. Help them focus by using techniques that use the entire body. We use a remote control car to drive over sight words and say them. Use a laser pointer to follow along in reading…. ~ Robin

Use techniques to busy their brains subliminally and that frees their focus to pay attention to what you want them to do. For example, use a ball to sit on or a one legged stool so the subconscious must balance rather than wiggle inappropriately. Worked on my son incredibly well! ~ Amy

Break up the lessons into 10-minute mini-lessons, with 10 minute breaks in between. Have the lessons be very specific and get to the point quickly. Some kids are more wiggly because they are actually bored with the material (because it is too easy for them), so assess if his/her work level should be raised higher. Figure out what subjects your child particularly loves and be sure to give them time each day on that [favorite] subject. My oldest, for example, really enjoyed comic books so I allowed those to be considered language arts (Reading) time. ~ Valarie

Be flexible. If it’s just a bad day, try again tomorrow. Try to have fun. ~ Jennifer

My child loved lapbooks/notebooking along with using a yoga ball to sit on and bounce while working. ~ Heidi

Match your teaching style to their learning style. Treat them as you would want to be treated. Find their interests and base their studies around them. ~ Tara

Allow them to take frequent breaks, use technology that stimulates them, and adjust to them… not them to you. ~ Melissa

Be patient. ~ Angela

Figure out what your childs learning styles and interests are and then create curriculum accordingly. ~ Sherri

Believe it is a gift and not a curse. Use your child’s strength’s to overcome their weaknesses. Believe in your child and make sure they know they are fearfully and wonderfully made. Find curriculum that fits their learning style. ~ Margaret

Start with short times of learning. Build from there, teach them how to focus their minds and learn strategies that work for them. Be patient. ~ Christine

Do everything in small increments: 5 min breaks after 15 min of work. Start with 5 min per subject, then stretch it to 6, 7, etc, as long as the child’s interest is held. Be FLEXIBLE. Give yourself pats on the back and mini-breaks, too. I’ve been doing this for 13 years, and I know YOU can do it, too! ~ Susan

Find their main interest, use that for a base for ALL subjects. ~ Karen

My best advice is whatever you do, whether unschooled or more structured, have CLEAR rules and never back away once you’ve said “No!”  ~ Caroline