My 9-year-old attends a fantastic school, and I genuinely appreciate his teachers. While they may have students sitting more than I recall from my own third-grade days, he still gets a fair share of physical activity, interactive projects, and, of course, socializing (or as I like to call it, goofing off with his fellow 9-year-olds).
I often wish they assigned fewer worksheets and reduced the hours dedicated to Common Core math, but the teachers truly strive to make learning engaging for the kids. I’ve had the chance to observe some of their lessons, and the students, including my son, are bright-eyed and involved. Really, could I ask for anything more?
However, the most challenging part of the day starts when I pick him up from school. After spending six and a half hours in a classroom, my son, despite being just 9, is understandably exhausted. I remember feeling wiped out after long school days myself.
We don’t have many after-school activities planned. In my view, school is more than enough for him, and he can participate in extracurriculars over the weekends or during summer break. When the weather is nice, he might play on the playground after school, but we typically keep structured activities to a minimum.
All I want is for him to relax and unwind after school—essentially, to experience being a kid. But then comes homework, which feels like an obstacle in the way of that.
It’s not that he gets an overwhelming amount of homework; the task should really take about 15 minutes or so. However, when he’s tired, and I’m equally worn out, those 15 minutes can easily stretch into an hour. Here’s how that breaks down:
- 15 minutes of me prompting him to take out his backpack, lay his homework on the table, and explain the assignment.
- 15 minutes of me encouraging, pleading, or even bribing him to start.
- 15 minutes of him searching for a pencil, asking for a snack, spilling juice on his notebook, cleaning it up, needing a bathroom break, and getting distracted by the squirrel outside.
- Another 15 minutes to actually complete his homework, depending on how many breaks he needs to voice his complaints.
Honestly, I’d much prefer he spent that time building a telescope out of a toilet paper roll. I’d love to chat with him about why the squirrel is so fascinated by bird seed, what squirrels typically eat, or where all the birds went.
There are countless ways he could learn at home without feeling drained. Here are ten activities I’d much rather have him do instead of homework:
1. Get Outside
He could kick rocks around (which could turn into a lesson about geology) or play with the hose (exploring concepts like velocity and plumbing).
2. Read for Pleasure
While reading is part of his daily homework, I’m fortunate that he loves it. If it weren’t mandatory, I believe he’d read even more than the required 20 minutes just for fun.
3. Play with His Brother
Sure, they sometimes end up wrestling, but I wish he had more time to engage in imaginative play with his little brother. It’s essential for him to remember the joy of dressing up and creating stories.
4. Practice His Recorder
Like many kids, my son received a recorder this year. While it can be ear-piercing, he enjoys playing it (and he’s improving), but I often find myself asking him to put it down for homework.
5. Help with Chores
He may not enjoy this, but a few extra chores would teach him responsibility and discipline—much more useful than completing another worksheet.
6. Experience Boredom
When he has free time, he sometimes gets bored, which can lead to restlessness. Yet, navigating those moments (without resorting to screen time) often sparks creativity.
7. Board Games Galore
His closet is stuffed with board games and art kits, but we only seem to engage with them on weekends. I wish he had more time to explore these during the week.
8. Conduct Science Experiments
He loves messy experiments like making volcanoes or concocting slime. While this wouldn’t be an everyday activity, it would certainly be a more fulfilling use of his time than homework.
9. Video Games
I know he doesn’t need more screen time, but he often uses video games as a break after school. Many games can be educational and even inspire him to create his own.
10. Anything But Homework
Honestly, anything else would be preferable.
If the goal of homework is to extend learning after school, there are far better ways to achieve this than through additional worksheets. I don’t blame the teachers or the school for this; the issue runs deeper. Research indicates that elementary school homework often fails to meet its educational objectives, but many school systems still haven’t caught on.
Given the right environment, children naturally learn through play, exploration, and gentle encouragement from their parents. Homework often undermines this innate desire to learn, and I find that disheartening. There surely must be a better way.
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Summary
This article discusses the struggles parents face with homework and outlines ten alternative activities that can be more beneficial and enjoyable for children, emphasizing the importance of play and exploration in learning.