Delight-directed learning works best if you’re ready for just about anything. While Ben generally determines what the topics are he wishes to learn more about, I am the one who ensures he has everything he needs for successful learning. Of course there will always be those days when the kids will shock you with a subject you really have no idea about, or where to even begin, but for the most part, a few standard supplies on hand all the time will meet the needs of your students.
There are some supplies you likely already have on hand, for the simple fact that you homeschool. I will assume you have pencils, markers, crayons, various types of glue, arts and crafts supplies, office supplies (file folders, pocket folders, index cards, stapler, brads, scissors, etc.), and various kinds of paper. But there are a few things that I have found get used all the time here that may or may not be standard for you. Those are the things I don’t want you to miss for preparing your homeschool for delight-directed learning.
15 Must Haves for Delight-directed Learning
1. A Nature Study Tote: I use a 31 Tote bag (one of those with the pockets all around the outside). We have it filled with the following:
- magnifying glass
- pocket microscope with camera attachment
- binoculars
- sketch pad
- colored pencils
- specimen jars
- zipper lock baggies
- field guides (we love this one and this series and if you have a Kindle, don’t miss the nature books here)
- gloves
2. Microscope with blank slides, as well as prepared slides
3. Telescope
4. iPad with lots of educational apps (here’s list of over 100 free educational apps)
5. Science center, Zoo, and Historical society memberships
6. Home library stocked with atlases, encyclopedias, great homeschool science curricula for history and science, biographies of famous people and missionaries, several Bible translations, Bible concordance, and nature guides
7. Globe and collection of wall maps
9. Computer with internet access
10. Library card (for all of those books you’ll be getting on topics about which you would never have bought books)
11. DVD player, Netflix, or other method to stream video
12. A membership to NotebookingPages.com (seriously our favorite resource and most used for years now)
14. Audio books and a Kindle (especially historical fiction — find a bunch of history, geography and science books for Kindle here)
15. Aquarium, Butterfly Garden, ant farm and other ways to collect and observe insects and other creatures
I know it seems like a lot of expense to prepare your home for delight-directed learning, but when you consider you will not be purchasing a lot of homeschool curriculum, you can easily justify the cost. You probably have some of these things already and will just be beefing things up a bit.
Once your homeschool is stocked with these items, you’ll be ready for almost anything!