How do we encourage our kids to play in new ways or explore new ideas? I want to be the kind of mom who provides a childhood full of wonder and variety. But that can be tricky without going overboard on Pinterest, scheduling to many activities, or spending money in my already tight budget. I am the type of mom who wants to give my kids the time and space to explore new interests, BUT I also need to make dinner and fold laundry. And this is exactly why I love STREWING. It is a magical parenting/homeschooling tool that has become a game changer for me over the years.
My kids tend to get stuck in ruts. They want to play, watch, or learn about one specific subject in a small way. I like to use strewing to deepen their learning in an area or to encourage them to try something different for an afternoon.
Strewing: What is it??
Strewing is defined as laying out items on a table top or living room coffee table that invite your kids to create or learn. What they do with the crafts, toys, or books is unstructured learning that is lead by the child. This came from the interest lead homeschooling community (un-schoolers and Waldorf) as a way to subtly encourage learning. The relaxed atmosphere of home is the best place to learn and experiment with materials.
My job is to lay out suggestions and ideas. To encourage them towards a variety of activities but not planning it for them. I set out the materials and then walk away. I am not focused on outcomes or specific results. They get to decide what is done with the materials and how they are used. My job is over. I just need to give them some time to do something with it.
“Put simply, strewing is leaving something out for the kids to discover, piquing their interest. Putting things in the path of your kids — spreading a feast, so to speak, and letting the kids take from it what they will.”
– Colleen Kessler: https://raisinglifelonglearners.com/strewing/
“Charlotte Mason believed that ‘Education is an atmosphere, a discipline, and a life’. It is the culture and the atmosphere of our homes that play a big part in our child’s education…With our daily actions we are all building towards a beautiful education.”
– Leah Boden from Modern Miss Mason in this podcast episode
A Strewing Example with my Littles:
The Pirate Ship Park Experience
I chose something that my kids cared about. They were watching the TV show “Jake and the Neverland Pirates” every evening while I made dinner. The activities connected with what they were interested in. A few days before they were asking about maps, spyglasses, and navigating with ships.
When I was cleaning out Scott’s closet I came across several pirate costume items. Then that afternoon we noticed a new park near the grocery store that had a play structure that looked like a pirate ship. I looked on Amazon for a few items to add to the stash, looked at our shelves for ship-themed books, and printed off some fake pirate map printables. I also gathered paper towel tubes and wrapping paper tubes. I got a few books about pirates from the library when I was returning our overdue books. By Friday morning I was ready. It was time to surprise the kids with a pirate-themed morning.
I gathered everything into an old Amazon box and gave it to them after breakfast. They happily played with everything while I cleaned the kitchen. Then I packed up our water bottles, snack, and announced we were going on an adventure. “Bring the loot ya scallywags, yer gonna need it!” I added with a swashbuckling accent. 🏴☠️ They giggled and scrambled to get ready to go. They were highly motivated to leave the house without complaint. (This is rare.. especially back then when they were little.)
When we got to the park told them to find a ship and navigate the “dangerous waters”. They ran off to explore and play dressed like pirates and armed with a box of fun things. I was thankful that it was a quiet day and the small neighborhood park was empty. I picked out my walking path around the park and then started my podcast in my earbuds. Baby Kyle was in my Tula baby carrier and the extra weight strapped to my chest intensified my workout. I walked laps around the sand/playground area for over an hour while they played with shouts, excitement, and tons of imagination. It was fun to watch and I took a few pictures.
Then when they were getting worn out and started bickering, I got out the snack. We talked about the stories they made up, where they traveled in their ship, and about the pirate enemies they bravely fought. Then we piled into the van and went home. It was a great morning. They talked about it for weeks.
Recently I asked Mary (my now 17-year-old) about that day. She remembered and talked about how much fun they had. Apparently it was a core memory.
A Strewing Example with my Teen:
Studying Plants and Botany
But maybe you don’t have young kids anymore. Maybe you have older kids or teens. Here is a more recent example for you.
This example began as a fun afternoon, then a specifically gathered list of resources, and has become a new hobby.
We went to a botanical garden in Cheyenne, Wyoming on our long RV trip August 2021. I choose that activity because it was free. I needed a space to walk and get fresh air after being stuck in the truck for a long drive. What we found there was a fascinating variety of plants and beautiful displays of succulents. Mary (16 years-old at the time) was most interested. She took detailed pictures, read most the Latin names, and information signs. The gift shop was out of my price range but it gave me ideas of things we could buy related to a Botany study for teens/adults. That night I browsed Amazon for coloring books, scientific manuals, identification guides, and other plant related materials. I was excited by what I found. I put it in my “waiting list”. I decided to give it some time and see if it was just a fun afternoon or something bigger.
A few weeks later, she talked about wanting to learn more about unique house plants. I gathered a few things to spark her interest. Some plant identification books I had on my shelf, I bought a few unique plants at Lowes, and got a few things from my Amazon “waiting list”. The Dover coloring books with actual Latin names and plant information were her favorite. Together we found books a the library and a textbook on Botany.
She made a notebook and started using her spending money to buy plants at the local nursery. She learned how to dry flowers, watched YouTube videos on plant photography, and made Pinterest boards of ideas. One fun afternoon at the botanical garden in Cheyenne has bloomed (wink.. wink..) into a new hobby. 🪴🌻
Her room is now home to many house plants and plant-related decor. She can tell me about the habits of different plants and is always on the look out for new ones. She uses an app to help her keep track of the watering schedule and detailed plant information. Here is a link to her photography portfolio Plant Life folder. She adds to this often.
When I gathered materials and gave them to her I had no idea where it would lead. I figured maybe it would be something she would have fun with for a week or two. The beauty of strewing was that I had no expectations. I got to be an encourager and co-learner as she tackled this new hobby. My office now has a Philodendron (Philodendron hederaceum) and a ZZ plant (Zamioculcas Zamiifolia). Mary is still the resident plant expert, but I have enjoyed learning and caring for plants too.
Strewing: How should we do it??
The key to strewing is giving them some time and space in the schedule to be bored. My job is to lay out suggestions and ideas to encourage them to have a variety of activities but not plan it for them. I set out the materials and then walk away not focused on outcomes or specific results.
They get to decide what is done with the materials and how they are used. My job is over after I gather the materials and set them out for the kids to find. I just need to give them time to do something with it.
“Strewing is the art of casually yet strategically leaving “invitations” for learning and creativity out for your kids to discover on their own.
NOTE: Strewing is not about adding to the clutter. It’s about creating subtle but irresistible invitations.
Product placement if you will. Strewing works best, in fact, in an uncluttered space.
Strewing is more about helping your kids explore and play and create on their own. It’s about introducing or reintroducing materials, books, concepts, in a non-pushy way that lets them own the experience and gives them the thrill of discovery.”
** Check out this super helpful blog post – https://artfulparent.com/strewing/
This works well for me. I am not a “helicopter mom”. I do not hover. To be fully honest I don’t have the bandwidth to sustain that style of parenting. I like playing the role of a coach and a guide. Even when my kids were little I would approach situations that way. I tend to see how they will handle things, let them make mistakes, and be waiting on the sidelines for guidance. I’m not saying this is the “right way” just the way that I work. It is how I have gotten through the past 17+ years of parenting and mom life.🙂
Strewing works for my parenting style. It puts the kids in the role of discovery, learner, and lead. They get to decide what to do with the materials, how they will learn, and what they will spend their time on. I think that is pretty awesome. If I give my kids a stack of boxes, cardboard disks, wooden dowels and some duct tape I know for certain they will make something cool. Probably a creation that is way beyond what I would have thought of.
As I write this article I am reminded that I need to do this more often. I need to get my younger kids off of Roblox and working on creative projects. The small investment of planning, gathering, and setting out materials is so worth it to me.
Questions for the You:
What are some topics your kids enjoy learning about?
- What can you do to encourage learning in that area?
- Can you get books from the library about that topic?
What books, toys, movies, or games do you have that fit into a theme?
- Could you have a dinosaur week? Or can they learn about planes and flight on Tuesday?
- What time period of history do you have costumes and books for?
What craft supplies or art materials get forgotten about?
- Can you set out the paints, playdough, or markers after lunch?
- What if you laid out art stuff on the kitchen table to enjoy on Saturday?
Do you have any recycling materials that the kids could build with?
- Collect some boxes, milk jugs, paper towel tubes, and lids.
- Get some duct tape and set it all out for a building challenge.
Strewing: Why? What is the point??
I want to raise kids who are creative. Problem solvers who can navigate this next generation. I want to show my kids that learning comes from more than a textbook or a computer screen. The most tangible way I have found that is in the art of strewing.
It is an excellent way to encourage my kids to enjoy their childhood. I love seeing them brainstorming, planning, and creating. It is inspiring to see them involved in a project they have created.
Also, I am often not needed when they are busy crafting, making, and playing. I can be cleaning or working on other household tasks. Motherhood is full of joyful moments, work, and meeting needs. Strewing helps me get things done while they are busy and happy.
I enjoy intentionally creating opportunities for the kids to learn, grow, and try new things.
I hope this was helpful to you. Send me a note if you have any questions.🙂
Wishing you a week full of creativity and joy!
😁Happy Strewing! – April
Photos by Gautam Arora / Akira Deng / Markus Spiske and others on Unsplash
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Interest-Lead Learning – Strewing (What, How & Why)
How do we encourage our kids to play in new ways or explore new ideas? I want to be the kind of mom who provides a childhood full of wonder and variety. But that can be tricky without going overboard on Pinterest, scheduling to many activities, or spending money in my already tight budget. I……