Unschooling Learning Ideas for January

If you’re unschooling then it’s likely that mostly everything you do is driven by your child’s curiosity. But it’s also likely that you’ll be looking for some unschooling learning ideas to help inspire them and ignite passions.

January is a great time to explore new ideas and gain a bit of learning inspo, especially after the Christmas break. If you’re struggling on what to do, here are some fun unschooling learning ideas to get you started in January.

January Learning Ideas for Your Unschooled Child

Follow Their Interests

A big part of unschooling is following your child’s interests, and often we can inspire these interests too. Here are some learning ideas based on what your unschooled child might be interested in.

If your unschooled child loves:

Hands-on or building activities

You could:

Learn about snow and make fake snow
Make an ice fort construction
Make an ice sculpture
Create a winter scrapbook
Build a simple weather station
Grow crystals
Make a bird feeder or bird bath
Make a DIY lava lamp
Build an indoor or outdoor fort or den

Nature

You could:

Observe and track the weather
Go on a winter walk and collect sticks, stones and other nature bits
Learn about the birds and animals you see
Learn about animals and birds which are adapted to cold climates
Make a sled
Go stargazing
Learn about hibernation and migration
Build a tiny habitat
Visit a pond or stream and observe the wildlife around it
Identify plants, flowers and trees
Visit a local animal shelter to volunteer or simply spend time with animals
Go cloud watching and learn about different types of clouds
Set up a terrarium and learn about ecosystems

Arts & crafts

You could:

Make nature prints by pressing leaves or pine cones into clay or paint
Create homemade candles with winter scents
Design and sew costumes for a winter play
Learn about weaving by making a loom with cardboard and yarn
Paint a mural of a favourite winter scene or story

Science & experimenting

You could:

Make ice cream in a bag
Test different materials for the best insulation and keeping warm
Build a model of the solar system and learn about why we have seasons
Make a sundial and learn about shadows
Do a snow volcano experiment
Make a DIY thermometer

Technology

You could:

Make a mini stop-motion film with lego or clay
Create a winter-themed game or animation
Learn how to edit photos or videos in Canva or CapCut
Build a winter robot

Music & performing

You could:

Write a winter-inspired song or play
Create a winter puppet show
Make a hand-made instrument using natural materials
Learn a traditional dance from another culture
Create your own radio show

Reading & writing

You could:

Create a cosy book nook with wintry decorations
Record a winter-inspired audiobook or podcast talking about winter themes
Read books that had a January release date
Write a family story together and each add your own paragraph

Cooking

You could:

Try making different hot chocolate recipes
Make a winter meal from another culture
Make a trail mix
Bake bread and learn about yeast
Make your own sweets and lollipops

Maths & problem-solving

You could:

Look at patterns and symmetry of a snowflake
Design a budget for a pretend winter trip away
Do maths equations on a winter walk
Learn about geometry by designing a winter theme park or wonderland

Learn Practical Life Skills

If there’s anything worth including when thinking of unschooling learning ideas, it’s life skills. They are invaluable in helping children to thrive as they grow, and the best thing about life skills is that there is something for every interest.

Cooking skills

Follow a grocery list and plan and cook a family meal
Knead and shape dough to make certain foods like pizza and pasta
Learn how to use a knife safely and cut vegetables
Learn about expiration dates of food and how to store it
Food safety when cooking with raw meat
Using various kitchen equipment
Make food using unconventional methods
Experimenting and combining flavours

Home & garden

Learn how to sew a button or fix a tear
Grow your own vegetable patch
Start composting
Grow herbs indoors
Learn basic home repair and using certain tools
Organise and declutter
Decorate a room
Learn about reusing and recycling
Cleaning and laundry

Outdoor & survival

How to build a fire safely
Learn to tie knots and their uses in everyday life and outdoor activities
Identify edible, medicinal and toxic plants
How to read a map and navigate using a compass and GPS
Foraging for safe food
Finding water and learning about insulation to keep warm

Social skills

Role play common social situations in everyday life
Talking on the phone and making appointments
Organise a group activity
Learn how to calmly resolve conflict
Write kind messages to friends, family, and strangers

Money & entrepreneurship

Set up a pretend store and manage money
Learn about online selling and passive income
Learn how to start a small business
Understand spending, saving, and budgeting
Learn how to compare prices and make savings

Health & self-care

How to make and use a first-aid kit
Learn about emotional regulation techniques
Learn the importance of staying hydrated and eating healthy
Keep a sleep diary and try different sleep routines
How to set personal boundaries

Transportation

How to ride a bike
Pumping up a flat bike tyre
Using public transport and reading maps and schedules
Understand road safety

Let Curiosity Lead

Curiosity ignites every learning experience. It’s how we discover certain interests and learn new things. That’s why one of the best unschooling learning ideas is to simply let your child’s curiosity lead the way.

When your child starts to ask questions about certain things, take the opportunity to learn more about them and do related activities.

Here are some unschooling-inspired learning ideas that embrace curiosity and encourage your child to follow their interests.

If your child asks: “How does that work?”

You could:

Explore how snowflakes form and freeze water with salt in different shapes.
Investigate how insulation works by testing different materials to keep a hot drink warm.
Learn about temperature changes by making a DIY thermometer using water, rubbing alcohol, and food coloring.
Learn about how animals hibernate and create a den.
Study how ice forms and experiment with different ways to melt it.

If your child loves to ask “Why?”

You could:

Investigate why roads are salted in winter and test how salt affects ice.
Explore why the days are shorter in January and learn about the earth’s tilt.
Research why some birds stay for the winter while others migrate south.
Test why certain winter clothes keep us warm by comparing materials like wool, cotton, and synthetic fabrics.
Watch a video or create an experiment to learn why our breath is visible in cold air.

If your child shows interest in stories or history

You could:

Learn about how people in the past stayed warm during the winter, such as using hearths or fur-lined clothing.
Read about how arctic explorers survived and what tools they used.
Research the history of snowmen or sledding and create your own versions.
Learn about the origins of New Year’s traditions and make a family tradition inspired by history.
Explore folktales or myths about winter from different cultures, like Norse, Inuit, or Russian stories.

If your child notices something unusual

You could:

Explore how icicles form by dripping water onto a cold surface.
Investigate what causes frost to appear on windows and try creating frost designs with water and salt.
Notice how the sun appears lower in the sky and research why this happens in winter.

If your child is inspired by big ideas or philosophical questions

You could:

Talk about why people celebrate fresh starts during the New Year
Ask them to imagine what it would be like to live in a world of endless winter or no winter at all.
Explore why humans need seasons and how they impact agriculture and life.
Discuss the balance between humans and nature in harsh climates.

If your child just wants to ‘do their own thing’

You could:

Give them tools to make their own winter experiments, like measuring melting snow or tracking shadows.
Provide them with books, supplies, or videos on any winter topic they’re curious about.
Help them document their explorations with photos, journals, or creations.
Support them in building or designing something inspired by winter.
Let them follow their curiosity into unexpected winter projects, even if it’s just playing in the snow or cosying up with hot chocolate and a book.

Curiosity-Led Unschooling Questions

Nature Questions

Why is snow white?
Explore the science of light reflection and refraction using snow or white objects.
Why do we see our breath in cold weather?
Exhale onto different surfaces (glass, mirror, air) and compare what happens in cold vs. warm conditions.
How do icicles form?
Observe icicles forming on roofs or outdoor surfaces. If you can’t find any, create your own.
Why do some animals hibernate?
Research hibernating animals and create a small model hibernation den

Creative Science Questions

How does frost form?
Why do some plants survive winter while others don’t?
What is the coldest temperature you can create at home?

Winter and Space

What are the Northern Lights?
Watch videos or read about the aurora borealis.
Why are the days so short in January?
What would it be like to live in the Arctic?
Learn about indigenous Arctic people and traditions.

Weather-Related

What happens when snow melts?
Why do roads get icy?
How much snow does a cloud hold?

Winter Animal Life

How do animals stay warm in winter?
Learn about animal adaptations.
Where do birds go in winter?
What do squirrels eat when there’s snow everywhere?

Winter Around the World

What’s winter like in other parts of the world?
Why do some countries celebrate Lunar New Year in January?
What’s the coldest place on Earth?

Big Questions

What would happen if it was always winter?
Write a story, draw a picture, or discuss what animals, plants, and people would need to survive.
Why do people celebrate the New Year?
Why do we love winter?
Ask family members what they like most about winter and create a collage or journal entry about your own favourite winter moments.

Extra Unschooling Activities

Start a winter curiosity journal
Let your child jot down any questions they have about winter.
Create a “Why” collage
Host a curiosity Q&A night:
Let your child present something they’ve learned about winter and answer questions about it.
Create a winter care package
Design a winter shelter
Create a winter calendar
Explore a winter-inspired interest