This post has been sponsored by Fascinating Education. All opinions are my own.

Over generations, parents are warned that children will follow our actions, not our words. We are told that the phrase, “Do as I say NOT as I do” is a completely wrong philosophy because children will do just the opposite.

We have been told over and over again to take time to explain to our children the WHY behind our instructions and not just snap out an, “I told you so!” Why is that? Is there a reason behind the madness?

Studies have proven that humans are mostly visual learners, and what we see makes a much greater impact on us than what we simply hear. The idea that what the eye sees is what the body will do is a hefty weight when you think about it, especially when kids are involved.

It's important that these thoughts follow us in everyday life, and that doesn't stop with our homeschool. As adults, we may no longer be students in the traditional capacity of the word, but we can turn the idea around and make it very applicable to our homeschool!

We, as educators, can use visuals in our homeschool to help us teach, provide an engaging experience, and even increase retention. If you can combine what you are teaching with visuals, statistics have proven that you will make a much greater impact on your kids!

3 Reasons Why You Should Be Using Visuals in Your Homeschool

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Visuals Are Captivating

In other words, pictures and videos make learning something more interesting. Often, we’ll come across excellent school curriculums that we, as adults find so interesting, but our kids consider them to be utterly boring.

An important question you should ask about your curriculum is "How interactive is this choice of material?" Does it come with videos or PowerPoint presentations? Are there images, are the images detailed? Is it full of color and life?

A great example of this is children's books. Why do you think preschool storybooks are so full of brightly colored illustrations and few words per page? A child's attention span is very short and has to be constantly piqued by something. How much more engaging would our lessons be if they were combined with an interesting video, flip chart pictures, or a presentation?

Using visuals in your homeschool can bring clarity, understanding, and even joy to your homeschool routine!

Visuals Trigger Emotions

Did you know that 40 of our nerve fibers are connected to our retina? Our eyes can associate our thoughts and feelings with an image, thus triggering our emotions.

That is why art has the ability to make us feel something. We watch a drama that causes us to be teary or a horror-thriller that leaves us feeling anxious or afraid. Photos can make us laugh or leave us with a feeling of peace.

Visuals have great power over our emotions and we should use this to better our schooling! Using visuals in your homeschool to entice joy and memorable experiences can make a huge educational impact!

Very similar to the Singapore Math Learning Method, Fascinating Education uses a very visual strategy to learn by approaching science through the “right hemisphere” of the brain. Created by Dr. Margulies, the brand uses simple, colorful illustrations, supplemented with attached audio files to explain the illustrations.

The result is an easy, less complex way to learn science- and in all, a more memorable and enjoyable educational experience.

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Visuals Enhance Retention

There have been studies done over the years that have proven that 10-20% of what we are told is retained after three days, but 65% of what we are told AND shown is retained after three days! The difference is staggering.

The reason behind this is because visuals are generally stored in our long-term memory. That’s why your child can still remember every single detail of the cartoon they watched last month, but they can’t seem to memorize their time tables!

Which is why Dr. Margulies Science curriculum is so successful. The Fascinating Education Science courses use questions and answers to engage students in an interactive relationship. Lessons begin with an everyday observation, then he asks why that happens.

This answer to his question generally elicits another question. The process is repeated one step at a time, in simple English, without terms of art. Creating a visual, concrete, and abstract idea of why when, how, and real-life applications.

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So next time you’re frustrated that your child isn’t retaining what you're teaching, or maybe isn't actively pursuing education, ask yourself if you're providing enough concrete evidence to drive home the skill or method.

Using visuals in your homeschool can have a lasting impact. So, how visually engaging is the curriculum you’re using? Can you enhance it yourself, or should you begin looking for something new?

These are all valid and important questions that we as parents should be asking ourselves. After all, homeschooling is all about making school better and more engaging for our children and helping them to be the most successful people they can be.

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How have you been using visuals in your homeschool to promote learning?!

This article is a part of our How We Homeschool Series; a collection of content from full-time, veteran homeschoolers sharing their own experiences on the versatility and diversity of homeschooling. You can read more about the series, and see all of the content, by clicking the image below.