SIMPLE AND IMPROMPTU SCIENCE LESSONS BY AYA

Back in college, we learned about “teachable moments,” and when the kids requested magnifying glasses while playing with Play-Doh, @donnavroberts decided to go bug hunting outside to capitalize on their natural curiosity. 🕵️‍♀️ YES!!! 🙌🏻 Aya, as the children lovingly call her, is part genius as far as I’m concerned, and we were ALL excited when she managed to fish a giant bug out of the pool and place it in a @melissaanddougtoys paint cup (think outside the box and use what you have).

This impromptu idea led to valuable conversations about colors and patterns observed, animals with wings that fly vs. land animals, what it means for something to be dead, and how it could have ended up in the pool…which tied back in to keeping our bodies safe by learning how to swim to avoid drowning (@born2swimmiami would be proud). All of that from a bug in a cup, y’all!

So the next time you have a plan and the children’s interests lead you down a different, FOLLOW THEM! It’s called child-centered learning, and it’s priceless. 🤩 They’re still going to learn everything you had hoped they would…although possibly not on your timeline, and THAT’S OKAY! 👌🏻 Kids learn most when they’re interested in something. It’s not that what you had planned isn’t valuable, but it can wait ⏰ (especially when you’re homeschooling or micro schooling). 🏡

And for all of you out there who keep telling yourselves that “I’m not a teacher,” 📚 Aya just proved that you don’t need a teaching degree 🎓 to provide positive learning experiences. We all have it in us to be successful at anything we put our hearts into. 💜 We just have to be willing try. Thank you, Aya!