Some friends of ours recently found an intact animal skull in their yard. So naturally, they gifted it to us! These are friends who definitely get our quirky affinities.
I put on some gloves, then took that skull and scrubbed it clean with an old toothbrush using mild soap and water. Then, I made a 50% peroxide dilution and soaked the skull in it for a week. Actually, to be honest, I got busy and forgot about it, so it was more like two weeks. But as soon as the skull was dry, you best believe that we made a whole educational moment about figuring out what animal it was from.
Interestingly, none of what we were doing felt like “work” because everyone enjoyed it and was really invested in finding out more information. We measured the skull and our own heads and then compared the measurements. We listed the possibilities, eliminating what wasn’t likely based on which animals were predators and which were prey. We counted the teeth and looked at photos for reference in science books and online. We noticed details on various animal skulls that we hadn’t noticed before. We read a lot of information and occasionally got sidetracked by the random animal fact.
Similarly, not that long ago, I was sitting at the table doing math with my daughter while the others were outside playing. My son rushed in and announced, “I found a bird and I think it might be dead!” She shoved the math work aside and ran out the door. I followed. This potential new educational moment seemed much more promising.
They were all hovering over the bird. She asked if someone could get her some plastic gloves and whoever responded was back in a flash. “It’s dead,” she whispered. “Do you know how?” someone asked. She carefully inspected the bird and determined it had a broken wing. “How do you know?” In that moment of surprise, we let our fascination wander. Bird anatomy. Animal biology. Predator theories.
People often kid that homeschool moms will see anything as an educational opportunity. Do you know one of the reasons why? It’s because we’ve learned to capitalize on wonder. We recognize it as a powerful element in the learning atmosphere. We make time for the possibility of surprise. And it certainly helps when our children seize these moments as they come too!
But we also sometimes get nervous about these spontaneous moments. We even get nervous about the planned adventures. We worry whether we’re doing “enough” with this kind of learning. Or we worry about the growing list of things we’re not getting to by choosing something effortless and dare I say, enjoyable.
But surprise, wonder, and spontaneity are powerful tools in any learning environment. So lean into those homeschool mom superpowers! Don’t be afraid to take time to be amazed by whatever you are noticing. Don’t fear the time investment it takes to truly notice things. None of it is a waste of time.
You never know where the curiosity will lead. Just stay open and ready for wherever it does! The experiences that take us by surprise, or the ones we are personally connected with, often provide an optimal opportunity for learning and development. And we tend to remember and retain them the most.
