Barefoot University :: Our Forest Homeschool Group
What comes to mind when you hear “Barefoot University?” This group has been a fantastic addition to our homeschool! Each week, my daughter and I agree that it was our new favorite activity!
When we first joined, my daughter and I didn’t know anyone. This was a bit unusual for us since we’ve been plugged into the homeschool community since 2019. We made our introductions, started getting to know other families, and now we have a great community of friends! Their mission is “To connect homeschool families to nature and each other.” This group has exceeded our expectations in fulfilling this mission!
Each year has a rhythm, with each rhythm having 3 cycles. Last year’s rhythm was called rhythm barefoot, and the cycles were imagination, observation, and adaptation. We explored art in nature, bugs, spiders, and emphasized the use of our five senses. We’ve learned fire safety and how to make a fire with a fire stick. We’ve cooked over an open flame and shared time just getting to know each other. Each week we go on a hike and then do an activity related to that weeks theme.
We’ve explored Moncus Park, the Acadiana Nature Station, Veteran’s park, and the Broussard Sports Complex. Each week is full of learning possibilities.
How does this fit into homeschool? We cover science almost every week. We covered history in our week about cultures. We learn all about nature and get our steps in! We’ve explored math in nature and we read a nature story weekly. My favorite activity was making musical instruments out of items found in nature. We meet rain or shine… as long as it’s safe to drive, we’ll meet in our outdoor classroom. Our current rhythm is rhythm sky. Next year is rhythm earth! It’s a joy being a “barefooter.”
Some topics we’ve explored for rhythm sky include astronomy, flying creatures, and meteorology. Some topics we’ll explore for rhythm earth include archaeology, dirt, landforms, trees, animals, and plants.
Although not everyone homeschools, we can all enjoy a little more time in nature. How are you connecting to nature and each other? What are some things you can do to get your family outside? I encourage you to check out the hiking trails at Moncus Park or the Acadiana Nature Station. We have so many beautiful areas to explore. I challenge you to find a new park to explore and see how spending more time outside improves the well-being of your family! Whether or not you homeschool, try making time outside a priority for your family. You’ll be glad you did!
If you do homeschool, check out our open house on Monday, April 6 at 10:00 a.m. Details can be found at https://barefootuniversity.org/
