Our homeschool co-op ran for a couple of years and was a lot of fun. I wanted to share my ideas for incredible experiences and group field trips!
Creativity:
- Create a fabric sign for your group
- Exploring mixed media art
- Tie dying
- Weaving
- Henna
- Beading
- Photography
- Paper making
- Explore art from a famous artist as a family and share what you learned
- Music day – singing, dancing and making music together
- Making instruments from recyclables
- Explore new mediums (charcoal, pastels, mix paints)
- Clay workshop
- Jewelry making
- Paper mache
- Knitting/crochet
- Collaborative structure
- Cake decorating
- Sculpture
- Marbling
- Perspective art
- Bookmaking
- Scrap-booking
- Drama
- Collaborative collage
- Paint a mural
- Spray paintings
- Upcycled robots/city/etc – construction group project
- Sensory explorations
Outdoors/Active:
- Vege patch
- Yoga
- Gardening and plant activities (perhaps at your local community garden)
- Circus day
- Bush dancing
- Physio and relaxation
- Sports day
- Explore a local creek or pond
- Games
- Swimming
- Shadow hunt
- Obstacle course
- Team building (an activity that they have to do in groups)
- Treasure hunt
- Backyard science lab
- Solve a mystery
- Photo scavenger hunt
- Excavation project
Learning:
- Lego learning
- Baking
- Sewing
- Pretend Play set ups
- Forensic Science – learn about finger prints, use a black light
- As a family, study authors and share what you learn with the group
- Knot tying
- Explore magnetism
- Explore medical equipment
- Use real tools to make simple woodwork
- Learn the basics of a foreign language together
- Explore rocks and minerals
- Cultural (food/dress/etc)
- Host a bug catch, identify, study and release expedition
- Have parents of different professions talk to the group about their job
- Book club/swap
- Explore electrical circuits
- Sign language
- Play and learn with an overhead projector
- Have a pajama party
- Organise a backyard ‘drive in’ theatre
- Set up a cultural package swap
- Organise pen pals with another homeschool co-op
- Put on puppet theatre shows
- Show & tell
- Me on a map
- Make and learn about simple machines
- Learn First Aid and CPR training
- Pull something apart and find out how it works
- Write a progressive story
- Practice friendly debating and/or organise a debate team
- Dissect a toad
- Make a group newspaper or magazine
- Plan and perform a historical re-enactment
- Board games
- Make butter
- Explore light, reflection and shadow
- Learn and perform a simple play
- Five senses exploration
- Photo puppets (popsicle sticks) small world play (sense of self activity)
- Learn about beekeeping
- Learn about life cycles (butterfly, chicks?)
- Find out if anyone has unusual pets – exotic fish/birds/snakes/lizards/turtles
Field Trips:
Remember that sometimes, if there is a cost involved, places will organise a homeschool or group discount!
- Visit the local nature centre
- Go on bush walks (scavenger hunt)
- Visit Botanic gardens
- Go to relevant plays/concerts together
- Visit Museum
- Go to an Art Gallery (our local one has many great exhibits for kids)
- Tour the local Fire Station
- Visit the Planetarium
- Visit a nursing home
- Go to the airport
- Geocaching
- Visit a pottery studio
- Find a local factory and take a tour
- Go to a local farm and learn about where food comes from
- Visit an aviation museum
- Organise a trip to a bakery
- Go fruit picking at an orchard or farm
- Visit the local animal shelter
- Go bird-watching
- Visit a large local greenhouse
- Visit the local radio station
- Visit a construction site (learn about the building process, site safety, and teamwork)
- Historic houses/churches/monuments
- Visit an aquarium
- Go bowling
- Tour of a local quarry, water treatment plant, or utility company
- Use public transport to get around town
- Visit a drive in theatre as a group to watch a kids movie
- Beach visit
- Orienteering
- Go to a zoo
- Go horse riding
- Kite flying at park
- Annual/Bi-annual camp
What would you add!?
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Thank you for reading!
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Great post! Homeschool co-ops offer a great chance to hang out with people that have something in common with you. I love to do party which is a great way to help everyone to connect. Thanks!
I’m trying to find something to do at group tomorrow (nothing like last minute!) this is a great list
Hi! Do you do one item from your list each time or spend a month with each item?
This is an awesome list, thanks! I have pinned it too :-)
Great list! Thank you.
You’ve done a great job of listing an abundant amount of ideas. I will pin this now.
Thanks so much for reading and pinning Clara. It’s something that has been hugely beneficial to us and hopefully will serve as a great homeschooling resource to others starting out :)