This week marked a significant milestone for us—our first official week of home education! We’ve chosen the unschooling approach, which means little to no structure and a whole lot of trust in our children’s natural curiosity and love of learning. And let me tell you—it’s been a bloody good week! 

We started the week with sunshine and playing in the pool, and we’ve ended the week in raincoats, wellies and feeling fully emerged in Autumn. It feels like the perfect start to September.

Breaking Free from the Traditional Schooling System

One of my absolute favourite parts of this journey so far has been fully embracing the reality that we don’t need to follow a traditional schooling system. There’s no rigid schedule, no rush to meet curriculum standards. Instead, we’re following the rhythm of our children’s interests and curiosity.  

While I’ve been peeking at the national curriculum for ideas, it’s not even our go-to guide. It has helped give me a sense of age-appropriate activities, but we aren’t tethered to it. This freedom has been liberating for all of us!

The Joy of Slowing Down

This week has reminded me to slow down. In the hustle and bustle of daily life, it’s easy to get caught up in rushing from one activity to the next. But I’ve really enjoyed just literally being with the kids. And really letting THEM just be. 

I’ve loved watching both J and G explore, ask questions, and play whatever sparks their interest. Whether it’s spending an entire afternoon playing outside, doing messy play, building train tracks, or asking endless questions about bugs, every moment is meaningful. And every moment has been an opportunity to learn. 

The Responsibility to Enrich, Without the Pressure

Now, I won’t lie, there’s a weight that comes with being responsible for our children’s education. I’ve felt the pressure to make sure they have enriching opportunities to learn and grow. But rather than seeing this as a burden, I’ve leaned into it. It’s allowed me to be more intentional about how we spend our time together, and I’ve actually found that learning happens naturally when we relax and follow their lead. We have also done some more focussed learning with J, but it hasn’t been longer than an hour a day. This can seem like little, but when it’s 1:1 based, and the child is fully engaged, it’s pretty full on for their little developing brain.

Highlights of Our First Week

I thought I’d share some highlights from our week that made me realise just how beautiful and effective home education can be:

Nature Walks

Every day this week, we enjoyed a walk with the dog. We collected leaves, berries and twigs, spoke to our neighbours, played in puddles and stopped every time one of the children saw something that caught their eye. G is only 22 months so having her walk around was good fun too. There’s obviously so much learning going on here.

Spontaneous Science

Most afternoons have been about messy play, or experimenting and getting our hands dirty. We’ve made potions, we’ve made cakes, we’ve even made playdoh. And whilst most of our learning has been through play, we’ve also done lots of reading this week. J has found a book about the human body which he loves, we also have a couple of books about bugs and a few puzzles to match the theme.

Creative Play

The kids spent hours this week paying with the rainbow rice we painted and dried on Monday. They’ve also done painting, drawing and chalking. But this week, I’ve really seen a huge increase in role playing. J has had on different costumes throughout the day. He’s been in character, with a different little voice, even whilst going out or eating dinner. His favourite? Being a Knight-King-Ninja, of course!

Building and creating

Mostly we’ve played a lot with our wooden train track. We’ve been gifted some new parts to the track this week so it’s taken up our entire living room. This led to storytelling, problem-solving, and even a bit of “engineering” as both kids figured out how to connect certain parts properly.

The Gift of Childhood

This week has been such a sweet reminder of the joys of early childhood. I’ve realised that when children aren’t rushed or pressured to meet specific goals, they thrive. When we give them the space to explore, dream, and play at their own pace, we open up a world of endless possibilities. 

It’s also lovely to see the bond grow between brother and sister. They’re spending every day together learning and growing and figuring out the world. Yes, there’s lots of “muuuuum J/G did x,y,z!” But that’s another part of learning isn’t it? Navigating relationships and respecting boundaries, sharing, being thoughtful etc.

That’s a wrap! 

Our first week of home education has been a beautiful, peaceful adventure. Yes, I still feel the weight of responsibility to provide enriching opportunities, but more than that, I feel the joy of being fully present with our little ones. Watching them learn and grow at their own pace, without the pressure of a structured system, has been an absolute gift. 

If this week has taught me anything, it’s to slow down, enjoy the moment, and trust in the process.

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If you’ve been considering home education or unschooling, I encourage you to give it a try. Embrace the freedom, let go of the traditional rules, and discover the joy that comes with letting your children lead the way.