Unschoolers are learning all the time.  They learn because they are hard-wired to do so. Whenever they are engaged in an activity, you can be sure learning is happening. It’s a natural side-effect of doing something we’re interested in.

The longer I practice unschooling, the easier it gets to see the academics my kids are covering – by themselves or with support, at their own pace, and because they want to.

Take cooking, for example.  There is a multitude of skills covered when we cook with our kids. Of course, not every skill is practiced every time.  It depends on what you’re making and your child’s age. Nevertheless, take a look at all that’s going on in what may appear to the untrained eye, as just “having fun”.  And it is fun. But it’s also learning!

Math: counting, recognizing numbers, recognizing fractions, adding fractions, multiplying (if doubling a recipe), dividing (if cutting a recipe in half), measuring, using sequential order (you’ve got to follow the steps in order), exploring temperature

Language Arts: reading (decoding), following written, step-by-step directions, exploring various forms of the written word

Science: exploring mixtures and solutions, exploring the chemical changes caused by applying heat

Life Skills: learning how to prepare food, learning about good nutrition, exploring kitchen safety and hygiene

That’s not an exhaustive list, by any means.  Next time you’re cooking with your child, think about what learning is taking place.  But above all, ENJOY the experience. The learning will follow!