Homeschool Resources For The Resistant Child

Despite contrary beliefs, homeschooling is not always easy… and yet, it is not always hard either. There are times when children are absolutely loving the journey, while other times they can be completely resistant. If you find yourself dealing with a child who isn’t too excited about learning at home, consider these homeschool resources for the resistant child.

Homeschool Resources For The Resistant Child

Read-Alouds for Homeschool

Read-alouds can often be overlooked, but perhaps it’s because they are misunderstood. The idea of read-alouds is to incorporate rich literature in your child’s education. Truth be told, you can use living books as textbooks and cover a wide variety of subjects without having a different book per subject.

Read-alouds are also an effective way to teach multiple children simultaneously. Not only are they learning together, but also at their own pace. Read-alouds also link perfectly with the next resource suggestion.

Looking for read-alouds that build character? Try these:

• Heidi by Joanna Spyri
• Missionary Stories with the Millers by Mildred A. Martin
• Calls to Courage by Tim Kennedy
• Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls
• Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

Lapbooking and Notebooking Ideas

Notebooking and lapbooking are seen as the same thing, but they are actually a tad bit different. Notebooking deals more with creating and compiling a personalized notebook of learning experiences, new knowledge, insights, illustrations, creative writing, and reflections.

Lapbooking, on the other hand, is simply a file folder that contains a variety of “mini-books,” foldables, and other materials that cover detailed information about a particular topic.

Both of these options give resistant children the ability to self-express what they are learning while retaining important information in the process. They also make for great keepsakes to look back on (or use to show proof of homeschooling).

Hands-On Homeschool Activities for the Resistant Child

Hands-on activities, especially for the kinesthetic learner, is an easy way to switch things up for the resistant child. With the number of homeschoolers on the rise, so are the resources you can get to help supplement your child’s learning.

Consider the following activities to help give your child a new way to learn:

• Craft Projects: These can be anything from building a castle to go with your study of the Middle Ages or building a cardboard aquarium to extend an aquatic study.

• Feasts: Feasts are a great way to add a cultural spin, especially with geography studies. If you’re learning about Mexico, consider a Cinco de Mayo inspired feast!

• Create from Scratch: Think playdough, slime, and other recipes that allow kiddos to get dirty but create and learn at the same time. For example, if you’re studying landforms, you can make some playdough then make 3-D visuals of mountains, hills, rivers, etc.

Virtual Homeschool Resources

For some homeschoolers, virtual resources are the way to go. Most children who like to learn virtually are typically the ones who can learn independently and would much rather learn in a secluded type of form (versus gathered around the kitchen table).

Often these types include the difficult or resistant child. There are many programs and resources that offer individual courses up to fully laid out plans for an entire year. 

If you’re unsure about incorporating virtual learning, start with a single course and take note of how your child responds.

Games

Although it may not feel like it, playing games is actually a great way for children to learn. It is also something that can be easily incorporated into your daily routine. Just to give you an idea of how games foster learning, they enhance: verbal communication, self-regulation, turn-taking, sharing, listening, social skills, focus, and more.

With play being at the heart of a child and the science of childhood, games may do wonders for the resistant child.

There are a variety of games to choose from:

• Games by subject
• One-player games
• Non-competitive games
• Games that promote reasoning and logic
• Games that teach specific skills

And so on! The possibilities are truly endless when it comes to using games to homeschool your resistant child.

In addition to the suggestions above, also keep in mind that sometimes simply choosing life-learning can do wonders. This allows you to use your child’s natural environment as a way to learn. If your child likes to cook, give them a few recipes to make. If your child likes to build, give them blocks or Legos. The point is to allow them to learn naturally.

What are some ways you’ve homeschooled a resistant child? What are some resources you’ve used?

Let me know in the comments below!