Homeschooling is full of perks, and I love how learning doesn’t just come from videos and textbooks. It literally consists of using the world around us and enjoying God’s beautiful creation to educate! What an amazing experience we get to have!
Personally, we use so many methods and curriculum in our own schooling. A great way to really entice your kids to learn is by honing in on their personal interests and learning styles and then crafting content specifically for them.
But there’s one method that everyone, despite your learning style, can find fun and useful- Notebooking!
If you’ve never heard of notebooking, I’m about to give you a quick crash course on what it is, what notebooking in your homeschool could look like, and why you should be doing it. This simple practice of records can be a life-changing experience when it comes to reading comprehension, learning, and more.
What is Notebooking?
Notebooking is sort of like journaling. It can be as simple as a record of what your child learned that day or a more specific account of your lessons by subject and/or material. In its most straightforward form, homeschool notebooking is an outlet to write about what you learned through creative writing, expression, drawing, and creating in an original way.
Some homeschoolers have separate notebooks per subject so they can easily separate the facets of education that they’re working on. Others use notebooking more like a diary and combine their thoughts in one central log access them throughout the homeschool day.
Maybe, you just want to use notebooking in your homeschool as an end of day recap. Whatever your decision, make it a fun experience to complete and think about joining them in the fun and comparing notes!
Why is Notebooking important for kids?
When children are active in repeating, reiterating, or creating something they learned about, they are more apt to remember that information. It helps the child to retain information in a collective way that makes sense to them and becomes useful in other applications.
This version of child-kept record-keeping helps children in so many ways; reading, spelling, comprehension, art, motor skills, creative thinking.
And while you’re helping your children to build a valuable education, you’re also helping them to understand how to arrange their thoughts in a way that they can retain that information for later use.
In essence, you can think about notebooking in your homeschool as being a more modern, interactive, study tool. No more flashcards and memorization, just a written account of what they learned. All in their own words.
What can Notebooking tell a Parent?
The important thing to note is that there is no “wrong” way to complete, practice, or compile your notebooks. Homeschool looks different for everyone, so even your kid’s notebooks may vary in comparison to each other in their own unique way!
However you do it, encourage your child to challenge themselves to be descriptive through both words and pictures. The more in-depth your notebooking is, the more understanding you’ll have about your homeschool!
You may see that your children have a better understanding when you complete hands-on projects, compared to reading books. You may find that your child loves drawing their day, but struggles with writing about it. You may even see where they thrive in certain subjects but may need a little work in others.
Use this opportunity to your advantage. While I don’t recommend grading a notebooking assignment, I absolutely believe that it can be an opportunity to learn about your child, and your homeschool, and make some changes for the better!
What do I need to start Notebooking?
Crayola Ultra-Clean Washable Crayons, 64 Count
24 Colors Gel Pens for Journal Adult Coloring Books Drawing Note TakingSharpie Art Pens, Fine Point, Assorted Colors, 24 CountJotter Mini Notebooks for Bullet Journaling — Agate (3-Pack)Everything Beautiful in its Time Wirebound NotebookTwilight Garden Journal (Diary, Notebook) (Small Format Journal)
Again, notebooking looks different for everyone. If you’re new to notebooking, you could simply just use a bounded spiral notebook that you have on hand. If you don’t have something useable, maybe you just want to combine some loose-leaf or blank paper in a binder.
If you’re looking for something a little more interactive to give you an idea of where to start, I’ve got you covered! Our store is FULL of notebooking pages for your homeschool! All you have to do is print them out right at home so that you can have confidence in your homeschool notebooking journey.
Download your own Chemistry Notebook
Do your kids ever wonder makes things blow up? What chemicals can be combined with others and what can’t? Use this Chemistry Notebook with your upper elementary and middle school-aged kids to get a head-start on this fun, and exciting science subject!
To download the Chemistry Notebook, simply add it to your cart and checkout. **Upon checkout, you will be added to my Weekly Newsletter list.**
Annette lived many years as an exhausted wife of 1 and mother of 6. Grab your fuzzy blanket, pour your favorite drink, and browse through our encouraging tips, printables, and curriculum options. Read more about me and the ministry here at In All You Do