| In many parts of the country, spring means farmers' | | | | want. |
| markets starting again. Farmers from all over the | | | | - Social sciences: Money-handling is also part of social |
| region come to these open-air markets to sell fresh | | | | science learning. Money is an essential part of many of |
| fruits and vegetables to customers. These markets | | | | our social interactions. For example, a farmer's job is to |
| offer a great opportunity for families to buy produce | | | | grow crops he can sell. Kids can answer the question, |
| that's often fresher than what they can get in stores, | | | | what do people in my family do to make money? |
| and at great prices. | | | | - Language arts. Kids can match pictures of produce |
| Farmers' markers also offer a great opportunity for | | | | with the words that go with them. That week's spelling |
| homeschooling families. In fact, a full day of learning | | | | words can have a connection to the farmers' market. |
| can happen for homeschool kids who go to a farmers' | | | | Children with journals can write numerous entries about |
| market. One of the great parts of homeschooling is | | | | the sights and sounds of the market. |
| that learning doesn't just happen in the classroom. It | | | | - Physical education. A trip to the farmers' market is a |
| can occur anywhere. | | | | perfect opportunity to talk about the role of good |
| So what can homeschooled kids learn from this | | | | nutrition in our lives. Children can do research on the |
| outing? Here are just a few of the concepts that can | | | | food pyramid to find out how many servings of fruits |
| be taught or reinforced while visiting a farmers' market: | | | | and vegetables they need every day. |
| - Science. Talk to a farmer about what it takes to | | | | - Social skills. A market is a great place for children to |
| make the fruits and vegetable grow. Growing produce | | | | learn how to ask questions politely. (How much does |
| takes the right combination of soil, water, sun, time, and | | | | this cost? May I have 2 of those?) Kids get an |
| human care. No one is better equipped to tell your kids | | | | opportunity to practice waiting for their turn. Also, they |
| about the process than a farmer. | | | | can work on behaving well in crowds, and especially |
| - Math. Homeschoolers can practice several math | | | | the importance of listening to their parents in a crowd. |
| concepts at the market, depending on their grade level. | | | | This is just a small list of what kids can learn at a |
| Young children can practice counting fruit, or simple | | | | farmers' market. Possibly the best part of learning in |
| addition (as in 3 apples plus 2 more apples equals 5 | | | | these situations is that it isn't just theory, like doing |
| apples) or subtraction (take 5 squash away from this | | | | worksheets, or reading information from a book. It's |
| group of 8, and what's left?). | | | | using the ideas and concepts that kids are learning at |
| Older kids can work on more advanced math skills. | | | | home in real-world situations. |
| They can estimate weights (how many apricots in one | | | | Kids who see the connection between what they are |
| pound?). They also get an opportunity to handle the | | | | learning and how they live are more likely to remember |
| money during the trip. This also helps solidify the idea | | | | what they learn. So plan a homeschool "field trip" to a |
| that we exchange money for the things we need and | | | | farmers' market near you! |