How My Kids Spend Their Extra Time

Homeschool gives my kids extra time to develop personal skills and passions to a height they could not have achieved if they were in school.

One purpose of this post is to share with readers the value of extra time in a child’s life. Another purpose is to give readers a glimpse of the rich opportunities available to students outside of the school system.

I will briefly outline the extra-curricular activities that my three children have used to develop valuable skills.

My son is currently a junior in high school. He attended one year of preschool before we switched to homeschool. He’s enjoyed the freedom of having lots of extra time on his hands for many years. Below are ways he uses it.

1. Stop Motion Videos: Between the ages of 10 – 12, my son created ten stop-motion videos. This involved creating a story line, writing scripts, scene conceptualization, scene development, photography, and editing. His videos are posted on his YouTube site. Below is his most popular video.

2. eBay business: My son was thrilled to begin making income. At the age of ten he began selling items he found at thrift stores on eBay. He buys the product, photographs it, makes the listing, answers questions, and handles all shipping. His father contributes small car parts salvaged from the junkyard to his inventory. Check out his current eBay listings. His business gives him experience in marketing, customer service, market analysis, and basic finance.

3. 3-D Modeling: At the age of 11, my son began learning how to create real-world, hard-surface models in a 3-D virtual space using free downloadable software called Blender. The steep learning curve was conquered by perseverance and tutorials. He sells his work on Sketchfab and other sites. Read how my son uses 3D modeling skills to make income and make job connections in high school: How My Kids Learned CG Art Skills at Home.

4. Piano: Starting classical piano lessons at the age of six, my son now plays in a youth jazz band with the Philharmonic Association.

5. Photography: My son’s interest in photography began when he was making stop-motion videos at the age of ten. His older sister then forced him to take photos for her fashion blog. Currently he photographs musical events with the Philharmonic Association. He also helps edit videos for this organization.

6. Automotive maintenance and repair: His father involves him with all automotive jobs. At the age of 16, he bought two nonoperational vintage Volvos and restored one of them for use.

7. General Carpentry: He helped remodel an outdated, empty apartment with his father. He learned electric, drywall installation, dropped-ceiling replacement, LVP flooring installation, wallpaper installation, painting, and finish carpentry. The project took six months and he often worked on school days. Gasp!

8. Electronics: He has built several robotic creations from scratch.