Welcome back to my series on how to add delight-directed learning to ANY homeschool! You can read the first 3 installments here:  Part One,  Part Two and Part Three!

This is probably one of my very favorite ways to add delight-directed learning to our homeschool. And with summer upon us, the timing for this could not be more perfect!

Create a “fun school” jar with exciting activities you know your kids will enjoy.

The concept is super simple. Just grab a Mason jar or empty peanut butter jar — even a coffee can will work. Write your fun school ideas on slips of paper, fold them up, and toss them in the jar. On days you want to add some delight-directed learning to your day, you’ll have plenty of ideas there for the choosing.

• Go on a nature walk with a list of items to look for (leaves, moss, animal tracks, acorns, flowers, etc.). I have a free nature printable I’d love for you to use for this. It has a scavenger hunt and journal pages for all four seasons. Download your free Nature Through the Seasons PDF.
• Create art.
• Do messy science experiments.
• Collect an insect or other creature in your backyard (butterfly, moth, ants, spider, turtle) and observe it for a couple of days before releasing it. We have a box turtle that lives in our yard. My son loves to keep him around for a couple of days now and then for observation. He can tell you more about box turtles than most kids, I think.
• Learn about how to use Word or PowerPoint.
• Grab a camera and look for interesting things to photograph. Learn about digital photography while you’re at it.
• Visit a nursing home with a list of questions to interview one of the residents.
• Plant a garden. Even if you live in an urban area or apartment, you can grow herbs in a container or use root vegetables to make a table top garden.
• Visit your local zoo or aquarium. Choose one or two animals to learn about before you go, then photograph and observe while there.
• Find a creek or pond and collect water samples to study. Find rocks perfect for skipping and see how many times you can skip a rock through the water.
• Visit your local state or national parks. National and state Parks offer amazing fun and educational opportunities for a low cost. We even seek them out when on vacation!
• Learn about the history of ice cream; then go out for an ice cream cone.
• Go geocaching!
• Make pine cone bird feeders and hang them in a tree in your backyard.
• Taking a walking tour of your city.