8 Tips to Help Your Homeschooler Love History

Does your homeschooler hate learning history? Maybe it’s a constant struggle for them to read a history book? As the parent, you’re likely tired and frustrated. David and I recently interviewed Linda Hobar, who is a former homeschool mom and author of The Mystery of History. She provided several tips to help homeschoolers find a love for history. 

• Focus on enjoyment, not mastery. 
• Remember, it’s a living subject. 
• Teach the biblical aspects of history.
• Discuss character development because of history.
• Read interesting stories about real people. 
• Find a solid and enriching curriculum. 
• Involve the five senses. 
• Consider learning styles.

Break It Down

Many of these points can be self-explanatory. However, let’s quickly break them down. Let your child enjoy learning history, and don’t focus on mastery. In fact, apply the five-senses rule here. Have your child complete hands-on projects and assignments. For instance, Ms. Hobar applies a good history assignment where students need to create dye. 

Also, remember that history is a living subject where students can discover past ideas, powerful characters, and good/bad morals. They can see the biblical application, too. For instance, they can look at Hitler and see a bad example of leadership. However, they can look at Princess Diana and see an example of good, compassionate leadership. They need to read about real people for history to come alive. 

Most importantly, find a good history program. You can use The Mystery of History or Story of the World by Susan Wise Bauer. Find a clear, grounded curriculum. This program should include hands-on activities. Or it doesn’t, use a combination of Ms. Hobar’s curriculum and another that fits your family. As the parent, pay attention to your child’s learning style. Ms. Hobar explained that The Mystery of History makes room for all types of learners. There are readings, hands-on projects, and audiobooks (with and without music). 

Personal Example

I wanted to quickly share a few personal examples of how I learned history as a homeschool student. We used several different curricula. We used Sonlight’s living history books, which helped me so much. I learned from fictional accounts of historical events. I firmly believe these books instilled a love of history in me today. Also, we used several books with dioramas. For instance, we used the Usborne books, and these are excellent for visual learners. Finally, we went on many field trips to historical museums, villages, and places. This brought history alive for me, and I even got to meet George Washington on our trip to Valley Forge. 

Conclusion

Now, you hold the tools to help your child love history. You can make it come alive for them. Go on field trips, use interactive curricula, and appeal to their learning styles. Remember, you know your child best, and you can create a great learning experience for them. I look back fondly on my homeschooling experience because my mom and dad cared about how I learned. I just know your child will do the same. Take the reins and create a living homeschool environment!

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- NxtEra

Written by Bethany (@thebookwormgirl_bethany)