Homeschool Strewing Ideas for Your Child's Curiosity

Strewing is an creative way to inspire your child’s natural curiosity.  It’s an old practice that can provide amazing learning opportunities regardless of your homeschool method. Plus, it’s easy! So, here are over 100 strewing ideas for your homeschool!

What is Strewing

Strewing is the process of laying out or scattering interesting items around your home for your kids to discover. These items can be anything that brings excitement and a sense of wonder to your child.

Children have a natural curiosity that helps them navigate their world. We want to foster this curiosity. Strewing can help our kids discover new interests or dive deeper into topics they already find fascinating.

But strewing doesn’t have to be things. It can also be moments, places, and opportunities! It is all about creating a learning-rich environment whether it’s around your living room, car schooling, or at the nature preserve and museum. Even things as simple as grocery shopping or following a recipe provide learning opportunities.

How to: Strewing Ideas

You may be wondering the “How’s” of strewing.

It’s simple.

Strewing is all about laying out items of interest for your child. So, to begin you need to think of your child’s interests.

Jot down a few ideas. Maybe it’s insects, or cars, or astronomy. Whatever it is, focus on that.

Now, think of any items you may already have around the house that you can utilize. Are there any books, games, or craft supplies that have been forgotten on a shelf? Maybe you have a few underutilized items you can pull out to renew your kiddos interest.

You’ll want to set your strewing items out in an attractive and engaging manner. Think of it as setting out a delicious buffet! We don’t want it to look too cluttered. I find my kiddos engage more when items are neatly strewn about.

Remember, we want our strewn items to be invitations to explore and to pique our children’s natural curiosity.

Homeschool Strewing

Maybe your child has expressed an interest in art. So you strew a few books on Monet, some art supplies, an art game like Dixit, and perhaps a few videos on Monet’s artwork… That’s strewing!

Autumn Idea: Arrange some new books about Autumn along with watercolors, paper, brushes, coloring pencils, acorns, pinecones, leaves, a game about photosynthesis, and fall flower seeds onto a table or bookshelf. 

This is an invitation to explore the season. But be careful about having any expectations. Your children may or may not show interest.

That’s OK!

Strewing is not about coercion or control.

It’s about following your child’s interests and creating a learning-rich environment.

If the strewn items are met with indifference, then simply observe your children and jot down more ideas about what excites and delights them.

Strewing for Inspiration

We want to inspire young learners to discover new and interesting things.  Encouraging their creativity and ideas with books, games, documentaries, and hands-on activities.

If you are at a loss of what items to strew, you are in luck! Here is a list of over 100 strewing resource ideas with links to inspire you! 

>> Head here to THEMED UNIT RESOURCES for Strewing Ideas <<