Educational Experiences for Your Kids Outside of the Classroom

Not all learning takes place in the classroom. In fact, a great deal of it takes place elsewhere. Children, teenagers and even adults don't have to be in a formal educational setting to learn. All of us learn new things all the time, whether it's something small or more significant. There are lots of settings and activities where children can expand their knowledge. They don't have to be cooped up at school, or even at home, to learn. If you want to help to expand your child's experiences, you should try to get them involved in some of the activities below.

Hobbies and Clubs

There are usually plenty of activities children can engage with after school or on the weekends. Some parents worry about overloading their children. But some kids are happy to have a full schedule. After-school clubs and lessons can be especially useful. Working parents who can't pick up their kids until a little later can make use of them. You can make sure they're learning and having fun in the couple of hours they have to wait for you. They might change after-school activities a lot as they grow. But most kids will latch onto something they love eventually.

Field Trips

Going on a field trip doesn't just have to be something that your kids do at school. However, if you want to, you can get involved with organizing educational field trips for their class. You can also look for fun days out that you can do together. There's so much you can learn from going on a "field trip" together. And it doesn't have to be to a museum or art gallery to be educational. Almost anywhere could be turned into an educational place to go to. You could go shopping and learn to count out money. Going to the park can give you a chance to explore nature.

Work Experience and Volunteering

Work experience is more often something that teenagers and young adults are likely to do. But even younger children can find ways to do it. It could range from role playing some jobs to setting up a lemonade stand during the summer. Children don't necessarily need any structured work experience. But it can be fun and educational to pretend. You might also have some opportunities to take them to work so they can see what your working environment is like. Volunteering can be a great experience for kids too, as well as older teenagers.

Travel

Taking the opportunity to travel can be an excellent way to enjoy educational experiences. They have the chance to see new places and try new things, and perhaps even hear another language. Even just the act of making a journey and getting ready for it can be an educational experience. Kids can learn how to be prepared and how to navigate different modes of transport, from buses to planes.

Learning doesn't have to take place in the classroom all the time. You and your kids can get out there and discover a whole world of things to do.

Disclosure:  This is a contributed post.