In the rhyme What Little Boys are Made Of we learn “What are little boys made of? Snips and snails and puppy-dogs’ tails, that’s what little boys are made of.” As Mom to 5 Little Boys ages 6 down to 7 Months old. I can concur that Boys are a mixture of dirt, handful of bugs, tiny, picked flowers, sly grins, wild noises, bursts of energy, and sweet sleepy cuddles. What a joy and challenge Boys can be!
While homeschooling boys has been a much different experience for me than homeschooling my daughter, I am VERY happy we chose this option. I grew up with three Brothers and I remember a handful of times their teachers sending notes home about how rambunctious or disruptive they had been at school. Now as a Mom of many Boys I realize my brothers weren’t “bad” like these teachers were trying to get at, but rather they were BOYS who needed to run and play and get all the built-up energy OUT. If you are a Mom to Boys then here is here how I would encourage you to Homeschool Your Little Boys.
Play
Outside Play. Let them play in a mud puddle. Dig in the Dirt. Climb a Tree. Chase a Squirrel. Catch a Frog OR Lizard. See who can swing higher on the swing set. Climb backwards up the Slide, only if no one is trying to come down! For some great seasonal ideas check out 1000 Hours Outside: Activities to Match Screen Time with Green Time by Ginny Yurich.
Inside Play. Build with Legos. Create with Playdoh. Color or Paint. Pretend Play with Toy Cars. Build a Fort and give them a Glow Necklace and Book to look at inside. Let them help you cut out Biscuits from dough. Give them any leftover dough, the rolling pin, and cookie cutter to “bake” with. Play. Play, and MORE play. Your Boys will not be able to do this enough.
Read Aloud
Read constantly to your Boys. Don’t expect them to sit still in the beginning, but eventually they will. Read during a Meal. While they Color. Before Nap OR Bedtime. Read when they bring you a book and ask.
It cracks me up that without fail when one Boy brings me a book and asks to please read to them numerous Brothers will pile around me to hear how the story will turn out. If you are looking for some Read Aloud ideas, then check out my post on Fun Read Alouds for Kids.
Challenge Them
This could look like including them in Daily Chores or Contributions to help out the Family. Maybe Wipe Down the Table after a meal. Match Socks. Fold Hand Towels OR Washcloths. Sweep. Feed the family Pet. Clean Out the Car. Unload or Unbag the Groceries. Bake Muffins with Mom, etc.
Work on a new Habit each Month. This could be Manners such as Please and Thank You. Remembering to Flush Toilet and Wash Hands. Make their Bed, etc.
Teach them to Read IF Ready. If not, then no sweat they will be eventually. In our house, my 6-year-old is not yet showing interest, but 5-year-old is. I may do a few lessons from Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons by Siegfried Engelmann to see if he picks it up or we need to wait. Some other resources that we have used to challenge our Boys and they have enjoyed are Other Goose Activities and KiwiCo Crate Subscription.
Books I Recommend Boy Moms Read
The Unhurried Homeschooler: A Simple, Mercifully Short Book on Homeschooling by Durenda Wildon.
Raising Boys to Men: A Simple, Mercifully Short Book on Raising and Homeschooling Boys by Durenda Wilson.
Boys Should Be Boys: 7 Secrets to Raising Healthy Sons by Dr. Meg Meeker. There is also a wonderful Podcast episode with Focus on the Family interviewing Dr. Meeker titled How to Provide a Healthier, Happier Childhood for Your Son.
Mothering Boys: 8 Things Your Son Needs from You Before He Turns 10 by Milly DeFrank.
100 Ways to Love Your Son: The Simple, Powerful Path to a Close and Lasting Relationship by Matt and Lisa Jacobson.
How are You Planning to Homeschool Your Little Boys?
Please share with us in the comments or ask any questions you may have so we can answer them!
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