Strewing: The Secret to Raising Curious and Creative Children

 Strewing: A Creative Way to Homeschool

Calling all homeschoolers and unschoolers - have you heard of the magical art of strewing? 


If not, grab a seat and let me enlighten you. Strewing is a clever technique that can help spark your child's curiosity and love for learning. But what exactly is it? Where did it come from, and why should you try it? Get ready to level up your homeschool game with fun tips, tricks, and ideas on how to get started with strewing!



So, what is Strewing anyway?

Strewing involves the act of scattering items or experiences in front of your child in order to ignite their curiosity and engage them in learning. This technique aims to enrich your child's environment with fascinating resources that they can discover on their own, without any pressure or expectations from you. Essentially, strewing is a form of child-led learning, where your child independently chooses what to explore, how to explore it, and for how long.





The Origin and Practice of Strewing

The word "strew" is derived from an old Proto-Germanic term that means "to spread by scattering". The concept of using strewing as a homeschooling or unschooling strategy was introduced by Sandra Dodd, a renowned unschooling advocate and author. According to Dodd, strewing is a way of "adding things of interest to the environment without pressure or expectation." This strategy is also a means of sharing the joy of learning and experiencing life with your children.



Why is Strewing a Good Idea?

Strewing can be a wonderful technique to create an engaging and dynamic learning environment for your child without the constraints of any curriculum or schedule. It can also show respect for your child's interests, passions, curiosity, and creativity. Additionally, it can help you to connect with your child at a deeper level by sharing your interests, pleasures, and hobbies with them. Another advantage of strewing is that it can help to avoid boredom and encourage play, which are fundamental for learning and growth.



Benefits of Strewing for You and Your Child

Consider strewing and take note of the many advantages it can offer for supporting your child's development:

  • Cultivates critical thinking skills by introducing different perspectives, ideas, and information.
  • Encourages creativity skills by sparking imagination, self-expression, and originality.
  • Fosters research skills by motivating curiosity, inquiry, and exploration.
  • Develops social skills by encouraging communication, sharing, and collaboration.
  • Boosts self-confidence by empowering autonomy, self-direction, and goal-setting.
  • Helps you save time and money by utilizing resources you already have or can easily obtain.
  • Reduces stress and anxiety by releasing expectations, comparisons, and judgments.
  • Increases fun and joy by discovering new things together with your child.

A Beginner's Guide to Strewing: How to Get Started

Strewing is an easy and fun way to encourage your child's learning and exploration. It doesn't require any special skills or materials, only an observant and open-minded approach. Here are some steps to get started with strewing:

  1. Observe your child's interests, passions, hobbies, questions, and challenges. This will help you understand what they like to do, what they want to learn more about, and what they struggle with.
  2. Find or create resources that match or expand your child's interests. These can be books, magazines, websites, podcasts, videos, games, toys, puzzles, crafts, experiments, kits, art supplies, musical instruments, etc. You can use what you already have at home, borrow from the library or friends, swap with other families, or buy online or at thrift stores.
  3. Scatter or display the resources in places where your child can easily find them. These can be on the couch, on the table, on the floor, on the shelf, on the bed, in the bathroom, in the kitchen, in the car, etc. You can also leave notes or clues to guide your child to the resources.
  4. Let your child discover the resources on their own. Allow them to explore at their own pace and in their own way. You can also join them if they invite you or if you are genuinely interested but avoid interfering with their learning process.
  5. Observe your child's reactions and responses to the resources. Ask open-ended questions, listen to their stories, or offer feedback or encouragement but don't quiz them or test them on what they learned.

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  • A scavenger hunt, a treasure hunt, or a mystery box
  • A collage, a scrapbook, or a vision board
  • A journal, a diary, or a notebook
  • A comic book, a zine, or a newsletter
  • A poem, a story, or a song
  • A recipe, a menu, or a cookbook
  • A quiz, a survey, or a trivia
  • A timeline, a chart, or a graph
  • A poster, a banner, or a sign
  • A costume, a mask, or an accessory

Some Links and Resources for Strewing

If you're itching to dive deeper into the art of strewing, and glean some hot tips from fellow homeschoolers and unschoolers, then these links and resources are just what you need:

Strewing is a simple yet powerful homeschooling technique that can ignite your child's curiosity, engage them in learning, and foster their natural development. It is a child-led approach that allows your child to explore their interests at their own pace and in their own way. Strewing can also help to create a more relaxed and enjoyable learning environment for both you and your child.

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