The more I dig into Charlotte Mason’s volumes, the more I realize that the advice I often hear concerning “education” in the early years is wrong, or at least too minimalistic. People often say, “Just read good books and play outside!” But there’s so much more!  Today I want to zero in on something Charlotte Mason talks about in Parents and Children that helps build observation skills: object lessons.

According to Wikipedia, an object lesson is “a teaching method that consists of using a physical object or visual aid as a discussion piece for a lesson.” These lessons were popular in the Victorian era, but Charlotte Mason viewed them a little differently. In Mason’s version, objects are the lesson.

You’re Probably Doing These Lessons Already

The baby is a wonderful teacher in this matter of object-lessons. To be sure, his single pupil is his own small self; but his progress is amazing. At first he does not see any difference between a picture of a cow and the living animal; big and little, far and near, hard and soft, hot and cold, are all alike to him; he wishes to hold the moon in his pinafore, to sit on the pond, to poke his finger into the candle, not because he is a foolish little person, but because he is profoundly ignorant of the nature of the contents of this unintelligible world. But how he works! he bangs his spoon to try if it produces sound; he sucks it to try its flavor; he fumbles it all over and no doubt finds out whether it is hard or soft, hot or cold, rough or smooth; he gazes at it with the long gaze of infancy, so that he may learn the look of it; it is an old friend and an object of desire when he sees it again, for he has found out that there is much joy in a spoon.” Parents and Children, page 181

I love this sweet little anecdote. When she describes the little boy curiously gazing at the spoon, I can just see Baby E in Victorian pantaloons, wooden spoon in hand. A few weeks ago, he literally tried to sit on a pond (in his defense, it was frozen, and the ducks could sit on it, after all). Mason’s description is so accurate. Through playing and observing, young children learn about the properties of objects and the world around them.

We Need To Intentionally Put Children In Front of Things Worth Observing

My object is to show that the chief function of the child- his business in the world during the first six or seven years of his life- is to find out all he can, about whatever comes under his notice, by means of his five senses; that he has an insatiable appetite for knowledge got in this way; and that, therefore, the endeavor of his parents should be to put him in the way of making acquaintance freely with nature and Natural objects.” Home Education, page 96

Our role as parents is to give our children as many opportunities to observe objects as possible, and to guide them in observation. We can do this through showing them what it looks like to use all of our senses, and by saying a few words about the object. Telling them every fact that we know about an object is not using masterly inactivity!

Why Are These Lessons Important?

He has a thousand questions to ask, he wants to know about everything; he has, in fact, an inordinate appetite for knowledge. We soon cure all that; we occupy him with books instead of things; we evoke other desires in place of the desire to know; and we succeed in bringing up the unobservant man (and more unobservant woman) who discerns no difference between an elm, a poplar and a lime tree, and misses very much the joy of living.” Parents and Children, pages 181-182

This is the passage that really struck me and made me realize that the advice of “going outside and reading lots of books” isn’t what Charlotte Mason had in mind for the first five or six years of a child’s life. This slam on books stresses me out a little, because reading with my children is one of my favorite things! I don’t think she meant that we shouldn’t read to our children (and modern research tells us how very important reading aloud to our little ones is!) I think what she was communicating is that if we put children in front of books about objects rather than the actual object, they’re twice removed from the source. (It’s kind of like how we watched The Very Hungry Caterpillar on Netflix the other day!)

Allowing children to really soak in an object with all of their senses helps them to understand the world around them, develops the use of their senses, increases their vocabulary, and teaches them to compare and classify objects.

Teaching an object lesson (from Parents and Children)

• The lessons can either be purposeful or casual (180).
• The child will use his senses to find out all he can about an object (page 181).
• Lessons should occur daily (page 180).
• Vocabulary should be introduced if your child asks, but don’t throw difficult words in their just for the sake of it (189).
• Encourage the child to observe using all of their senses by modeling observation (page 192).
• Discuss a quality or two of the object, but don’t do an “exhaustive” object lesson (page 183).

An Object Lesson Game

A good plan is to make this sort of lesson a game. Pass your object round- a piece of bread, for example- and let each child tell some fact that he discovers by touch; another round, by smell; again, by taste; and again, by sight. Children are most ingenious in this kind of game, and it affords opportunities to give them new words, as friable, elastic, when they really ask to be helped to express in a word some discovery they have made.” Parents and Children, page 189

Doesn’t that sound like fun? I can’t wait to try it with Miss H!

Some Object Ideas

We had our own little object lesson last week. I put dried pasta in a big plastic container and placed it on a blanket. I got measuring cups and spoons and let Miss H and Baby E have at it. They were so interested in that pasta! E scooped and poured and ran his finger through the pasta. H noticed that it crunched and broke when she stepped on it, but that cooked pasta is soft and “squishy.”

This isn’t an exhaustive list, but Charlotte Mason mentioned these things for object lessons:

• Spoon
• Street
• Field
• Dog
• Wasp’s nest
• Flower
• Piece of bread
• Sponge
• Cake
• Pumice stone
• Cork
• Letters
• Fruit
• Vegetables

There is more to these object lessons, but I think this is a great place to start. Envisioning my Miss H and Baby E really paying attention, really enjoying the beautiful objects that come before them is motivation enough for me.

I am thrilled to share with you this guest post from Zara Lewis!

We’ve all been there: our kid comes to us, pulls us by the sleeve and looks us with the saddest puppy eyes saying – Mom, I’m bored. This triggers an inner parent alarm and urges the most of us to start entertaining our little ones: from coming up with different games and activities to literally amusing them with making faces or participating in playtime. The St. Louis Dad blog has some great ideas of things you can do with your kids but this should be a last resort after first giving them the opportunity to figure out what to do themselves. You risk raising spoiled kids that are used to instant gratification if you cater to these requests, and you are robbing them of the incredible benefits of boredom.

Understand the positive sides of boredom

Boredom is one of the rare states that make us fully focus on ourselves. Studies have shown it can also boost our creativity – a key skill for problem-solving in the future life of your child. Having unstructured time is essential for children’s healthy development. It helps them strengthen their creative thinking skills, nurture their imagination, and gain a better understanding of their place in the world, as well as the relationships they have with others. Doing nothing is beneficial as it ensures all the needed conditions for your child to explore his passions: with no particular activity your child needs to focus on, their mind is free to wander around, your child can daydream, experience creative breakthroughs, or ask new, unusual questions. With numerous tech gadgets, kids are used to intensive screen time but boredom ensures the quiet time that’s far more important. It can support a healthy inner dialogue and help your child listen to his body and thoughts – a skill a worrying number of today’s adults lack.

Provide the needed tools but don’t be a clown on duty

There is a fine line between deciding not to amuse your child and completely ignoring them when it comes to you for help during the unstimulating times of boredom. Make sure to balance the two out: sometimes, your child needs just a bit of inspiration. You can engage in the first couple of minutes of playtime (e.g. building blocks, coloring, or playing play-pretend) but it is important to empower your children to entertain themselves on their own. To kill two birds with one stone, try introducing your kid to some kind of sport. Not only will they find a way to have fun without you interfering but they will also enjoy other benefits: building muscle strength and stamina, preventing obesity, perfecting cardiovascular fitness, and preserving mental balance. Install a couple of soccer goals in the backyard and encourage your child to practice their shots. Most children love imagining the crowd cheering or they dream about becoming the next world sports star. Even if there are no other kids around – your little rascal will cultivate their imagination while getting some great physical activity.

Support healthy hobbies and beware of chronic boredom

Of course, not all types of boredom are beneficial. If you notice excessive boredom in your child’s behavior, it might indicate a lack of clear direction or even demonstrate mild symptoms of depression. Being uninterested in anything is a positive sign your child does need additional attention and support so he can find something that moves them and brings them joy. Boredom that is not an occasional visitor needs to be addressed. If your child shows signs of lethargy, devote some time in order to help them develop a hobby or two. Reading is always advisable since it helps with cognitive development, as well as with understanding social cues better – which triggers the growth of interpersonal and social skills. Playing music is also a great hobby: if your child enjoys listening to music or has a great sense of rhythm – buy them a guitar and encourage them to develop the love towards this art. Don’t be too pushy, though. The science of relationships is one of the pivots of the Charlotte Mason Philosophy: enable your children to learn various things and build their preferences – let them be! They will gradually discover new parts of their identities and become who they need to become.

A child is like a little sponge that soaks everything in. A parent’s job is to ensure the optimal and positive surroundings for their growth, provide support, and arm them with love. Boredom is a natural state that can lead to beautiful results and broaden your child’s perspective: it enables your child to truly learn – not just from books but by contemplating, observing, or trying out different things.

Zara Lewis (Twitter: @ZaraELewis) is a mom, fitness & yoga enthusiast and a regular writer for High Style Life. She is devoted to implementing healthy life habits in every aspect of life of her

family and friends. She loves to share her parenting tips and is always open to learning some new skills, because she sees her parenthood as going to school forever. She enjoys traveling, hiking, cycling and baking.”