Not so much a craft...

[Funkhouser]

...as it is a fun activity. *We are homeschooling our 5 yr old son, and a good deal of his learning takes place in our own yard. *We get down close to the ground and identify all the different plants, flowers, bugs, etc. *He loves it, he gets his hands dirty and most importantly he gets out of the house (read: away from the TV).

I suppose the craft part of this could come in when he draws the things he saw outside with whatever he gets his hands on (crayon, colored chalk), so there...now my post fits this particular forum! ;D

[DV8]

I'd say Gardening or learning a creative side both are considered craft's..

Kudo's on teaching him Just how wonderful the earth is, & the creatures & plant's that cover it. Alot of times kids stay too much in front of the tv, pc or Game system, to get to appreciate this wonderful world we live in.

Hope the little Guy likes Turkey :)
Happy ThanksGiving Day (almost)
~DV8

[Gibbonboy]

Our son (now 7) keeps a journal almost every day. Before he could write well, he just drew pictures, sometimes augmented by notes from us on the back.

One of the best things a child can do is realize that a tiny universe exists in the smallest of spaces. Take a 1 foot by 1 foot section of stone wall and see what you can find, moss, bugs, etc. We bought him a good 30 power magnifying glass for 2 dollars, he carries it in his pack all the time and uses it to get up close and personal with bugs. Small drainage streams with moss and such are wonderful places for a kid to spend the afternoon. I try to let him explore at his pace, without too much interference from me. I only get involved if he wants to know what something is, or has a direct question.

[theresehirko]

Congrats on homeschooling. If I had to do it all over again, I would have homeschooled our four children. We taught them more in our backyard and kitchen than they ever learned at school. I'm not sure how far you are away from city lights, as we are very far away, but put a blanket in the back yard and look at the stars once its dark. I realize he's only five, but we used to pack up our kids in their sleeping bags when there was a meteor shower and ix hot chocolate and sit out in the back yard and they had the best time seeing who could spot the most meteors. Also kitchen experiments are fun at this age. Even if it's just mixing vinegar and baking soda to see the reaction. There was a book I used for kitchen experiments with our youngest. I'll see if i can find the title and post later.