The Secret Garden’ BY F. H. Burnett – The Ultimate Homeschoolers Guide To Spring

Written by Mrs. Pursuits | May 11, 2018

Dicken spends his childhood free roaming the moors and interacting with wildlife, through which he has learned compassion, love and kindness and uses all that he observes to understand and make sense of the world. His enthusiasm, knowledge, positive spirit and playful nature lead to him being the greatest mentor for two other children who are overcoming challenges and learning to appreciate the world through new eyes – Mary and Colin.

The activities these three children get up to one Spring are inspiring for any homeschool family and there are lots of ideas and tips to take away and use in your own homeschool.

Starting with…

GETTING OUT SIDE IN ALL WEATHER RAIN OR SHINE

April often brings with it a lot of showery outbursts. Watching the rain fall upon the window pane and hearing the gentle pitter patter can be relaxing whilst being a great tool for helping children to calm down when cabin fever sets in.

Yet, better still throw on the water proofs and wellys, pull out the umbrellas and get outside. Let the kids jump in puddles and I challenge you to jump with them! A bit of water never heart anyone but teaching your children how to appreciate all the varieties of life rather than a select handful of good days is invaluable. Plus it really is fun. 

OBSERVE, OBSERVE, OBSERVE

Take Science studies outside and observe systems at work first hand. Discuss what you see, hear, smell and feel.

Which birds build their nests in which trees? Frog spawn in the pond? Let’s do a frog life cycle study. Shoots coming up through the soil what are they? Species identification guide needed. Give the children a list of things to spot. Get the children to lay under a tree and watch the cloud. What type of clouds are they? What shapes are they making? How fast are they moving and why?

Encourage your children to question what they see around them and help to discover the answers .

And then…

DISCUSS and SHARE

For months Mary, Dicken and Colin talked only of the secret garden and emerging spring upon the green moors. They spent hours discussing what they had found or expected to find as Spring unfolded. Colin shares books and pictures with the children that were given to him by his father. Together they study all the pictures and descriptions of local wildlife.

Dicken brings to the table his wealth of hands on experience with the creatures of the moors. He even brings his animal friends along with him and teaches the other children how to care for them. I mean what shouts spring louder than bottle feeding a baby lamb?

GET TO KNOW YOUR COMMUNITY

Be it extended family or the neighbors on your street this is the perfect time for you and your children to connect and learn more about the lives of the people around you.

The three youth in this story have all grown up in different situations and environments and it is their diverse experiences that directs them to their delightful conclusions about the world around them.

Have your youth spend time in the great outdoors with their grandparents or other elders in the community learning skills and discussing affairs of the past.

Let your children play and work with your neighbours children. Each sharing their own experiences and little life stories allowing them to learn all about other family cultures, beliefs or histories too.

You may even choose to gather the entire family and enroll in a outdoor garden community project. Socialise, exchange experiences and give back.

BOOKS, BOOKS AND MORE BOOKS

Take a walk to your local library. Breath in the smells of the fresh Spring air and the scent of knowledge pouring out of the books lined up on the shelves.

Colin took refuge in his books during time he spent shut up in his bedroom. He has learnt almost everything he knows about the outdoors from them. He discovered botany, biology and scientific classification, global culture, history and natural environments, language and literature. I’d imagine although not explicitly mentioned in the story there were a great many other things he could have learnt from the pages of his books.

There are hundreds of books that bring Spring to life for children and adults a like. The Secret Garden is only one of many.

What books bring the joy and knowledge of Spring into your homeschool? Be sure to let us know in the comments below!

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