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You know if you have been reading this blog for any length of time, we don’t do big messy projects. Of any kind really. My idea of craft time is to dump out a few meager supplies and let them go at it. I have come to terms with my non-craftiness with the kids. Everyone has their strengths and weaknesses, and big messy projects with the kids are not a strength of mine.
I’m actually surprised at some of the things that the kids come up with on their own. Most recently I have handed down a bunch of old scrapbooking supplies and a ton of old pictures that I have already scrapbooked. They have come up with some pretty cool projects! All without me telling them what to do. I love that.
This post kind of goes along the 5 Homeschool Stereotypes we Ruin and 9 Things I will Never do as a Homeschooling Mom. People still have certain stereotypes and images of homeschooling families. While perhaps we have some, I would say for the most part we do what works for us as a family and for our individual children. Long gone are the days when I do something because that’s what we are “supposed” to do!
If big messy projects are a favorite at your house – by all means, go for it!
Homeschool Projects We Won’t Attempt
1. Make Butter – I don’t think any of us in our house would have the patience to stick with this project. Although we are reading Little House in the Big Woods, so I guess I should never say never.
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2. Make a Solar Powered Oven -Â Perhaps this isn’t as complicated as it seems and I’m sure my 11 yo would love this project, but all I see is a giant mess with globs of melted marshmallow and chocolate smeared everywhere. Give me a campfire any day! Minus the camping of course – but that’s another blog post.
3. Make Anything with a Pallet – I know this is all the rage with diy’ers and doing home decor on the cheap, this is even a cute way to harness the school supplies, but even if I could find a pallet mine would never turn out half this cute. Oh the misguided charms of Pinterest!
4. Grow Stalagmites - Most likely I’m the only homeschool mom who has ever said no to this project judging from all the re-pins. However, this thing sitting in my kitchen for days is just asking for trouble. Green food coloring?? No thanks. Even if my kids did leave it alone the cat would not!
5. Paper Mache – Anything. This needs no explanation. Never going to happen. Ever.
Now, on to some projects we might actually complete! You’ll notice these projects have some common variables, low mess, easy prep and easy clean up. Also, the ingredients or supplies are truly found around the house or at the grocery store. No scavenger hunts around town to pull together a project.
Homeschool Projects We Might Attempt
1. Phases of the Moon with Oreos - Anything project that involves a cookie is a winner in my book. My kids generally agree. The only problem I can see with this project is actually doing the project before the cookies are all gone!
2. Lemon Battery - Using a lemon to make a battery? Very intriguing!
3. Lego Excavations -Â This I like because how easy is this to get ready? A little before hand prep but then this could keep the kids busy for quite a while.
4. Making a Penny Turn Green –  I can pretty much bet everyone has the supplies to do this project in their house right now. 
5. Fry an Egg on the Sidewalk – we do live in Florida after all!
What about at your house? Are you messy project lovers?
The butter thing is surprisingly not messy and it doesn’t really take that long. My kids did it at a history party. It was really good, too!
I couple of other people have mentioned that butter making is really quite simple. Looks like we will have to give it a try! Thanks 🙂
We made butter in our kitchen aid. I literally dumped the cream in and walked away. 10 minutes later… Butter. it was awesome!
We did butter last week for science (liquid to solid) and it took like 10 minutes of shaking in a mason jar. I will say, we didn’t bother with any of the straining or rinsing after it became butter that all the things seem to tell you to do. We shook it, i dumped the butter on a plate and we ate it on crackers. It honestly took me longer to look up the science behind it, figure out what it was telling me and make it understandable for the kids than the actual butter making. If you are doing it as a history project, you don’t need all of that and it is one of the easiest things we’ve done in school this year.
Good to know!! Thank you
Love this post! Worthy of my first ever comment (I think) on the blog . Simple, but explains our homeschool (and home) perfectly. Count me in on all 5. Can we do a solar eclipse with lemon oreo’s?
I’m glad you approve of the project selection 😉
I dread the messy project stuff, but I have all boys at home now, so we do some occasional projects – I am going to have to bring out the oreos for the phases of the moon – love that (and really isn’t it all just about the cookies) 😉 Great post Jen, thanks for sharing!
The oreo project is a no brainer 🙂
I actually love messy projects but we are stayed by with my parents and she does not. I’m going to have to use the ones you would do as a tide me over until I can mess up my own kitchen! 😉
No stalagmites though. I like a mess that can be cleaned up right away. Things that clutter up my counter are a no go!
Kalista recently posted…Encouraging Your Kids’ Interests in a Large Family
That’s actually a great point – there is a difference between being messy for a short period of time and then messy and cluttered for a long time. The stalagmites would drive me insane!
Not sure why but many of my kids have made solar powered ovens over the years…..they aren’t so messy as long as they keep them outside….and then the whole thing is tossed when done. I had to call it quits when they started venturing into melted cheese and stuff….it was time for a talk on food safety!
Ha! Ha! I could totally see my kids doing stuff like that!
The ones you want to try…some we did ourselves…are a hoot! Those are certainly my kind of projects with homeschoolers 😉
Patty recently posted…Ice-Meggedon – Daybook Post
I’d say we surely will make butter. We already make sour cream, buttermilk, kefir, and cheese (part of our real life, but learning nonetheless). What’s a little butter? Nom!
Michelle Cannon recently posted…Weekly Wrap-Up: Making Progress in Everything
These look like fun…except for the butter, lol! I think we will try some of these 🙂
Erin @ Nourishing My Scholar recently posted…Snow Day!
Well thanks a lot! You had the opposite effect on us. We have three boys and, instead of ruling out these things, I’m sure they’ll want to try them. Messy house here we come,
I hope you know I am feigning anger. My boys haven’t even read this post. It’s dear old dad that is intrigued. 🙂
Tim @ Families Again
Tim @ Families Again recently posted…I want you to Love, Learn and Laugh
If my boys saw this list they would be all over that solar oven. Not gonna happen! 🙂
You have a beautiful family. 🙂
Thank you!