ove the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. I think that strength may be the element of this verse that we take the least seriously. When we are busy, it’s okay to neglect the body, right? We don’t say it outloud, of course, but our actions truly speak louder than words. When we think we need to choose, the body tends to come last.

I recently read a book that talked about how Gnosticism crept into the early church. The Gnostics believed that “humans are souls trapped in fleshly, sensual, and sinful material bodies, existing in a corrupt and polluted material world. To be spiritual, we must escape from the impact of both our bodies and this imperfect world” (The Physical Nature of the Christian Life, 5). Paul wrote letters warning about this false teaching! And yet, even now we sometimes act as “practical Gnostics.”

How can we be “practical Gnostics”? We tend to associate the idea of flesh with our physical bodies, and the word flesh is used in the Bible to mean a body; however, many times it conveys the idea of living out of our sin nature. Knowing this, we unconsciously demote the body to being less important.

All we have to do is look to the Incarnation to understand how good and important the body is. Jesus came to earth, uniting body and soul—God in flesh, God with us. Because of His body, we could see God.

And it is through our bodies that the world can see Christ. Each time we give food to the hungry, each time we sit beside the grieving, each time we hug a child, and each time we clean and rebuild a city destroyed in a flood, the kingdom of heaven becomes a present reality and light to the world.

You may agree with all of this in theory, but think, “Okay, but how? Do I have to add even more to our schedule?” The answer is no. A healthy body requires good nutrition, exercise, and adequate sleep, all of which can be a part of a natural learning home.

Nutrition.

As homeschoolers, we don’t need to separate school subjects and life skills. Our kids experience education in the midst of life. Cooking and nutrition are science, math, and cultural studies.

• Make meal planning a part of your curriculum. Often, we don’t eat healthily because we don’t have a plan. (I’m talking to myself, here!) Including your children in the planning process teaches them to “think ahead” and allows them to practice important life skills.
• Get your kids involved in cooking from an early age. I’ve watched a sweet friend do this so well, and her children love being in the kitchen with mom making dinner or baking treats. In the process, they are developing fine motor skills and applied math skills (measuring, fractions, etc.).
• Do a unit study. Learn about healthy foods such as fruits and vegetables, discover the benefits of herbs and spices, or explore grains used in dishes around the world. All you need is curiosity, a library card, and the internet.
• Add a little cultural fun to your meal planning. Geography Matters has the perfect cookbooks for your adventure: Eat Your Way Around the World and Eat Your Way Through the USA. Filled with fun facts about the country or state featured, these are more than cookbooks. All the recipes use easy-to-find ingredients and are perfect for both new and experienced cooks.

Exercise.

The key to making exercise a habit, especially for children, is to simply have them move in a way they enjoy. This may be running around a park or playing a sport. But you can even incorporate movement into your regular daily routine.

• Take movement breaks between subjects. I often sent my boys down the street on their scooters after we finished one subject before moving on to the next. When kids can’t go outside, a rebounder in the house works great, or a quick set of jumping jacks, pushups, and running in place.
• Don’t feel like sitting is the only way to learn. I’m pretty sure my youngest son stood for his entire kindergarten year, except, of course, when he was rolling on the floor during read-aloud time. Do you have one of those “movers and shakers?” Let them move! And don’t forget your older children. Teens may enjoy a standing desk and need some physical movement throughout the day (just like little ones do).
• Practice facts while playing. Math facts, names of states, books of the Bible—if your kids are memorizing them, add movement. They can recite lists like these while playing hopscotch, jumping on a trampoline, or throwing a ball back and forth with you or a sibling.

Sleep.

While some thrive with a very set schedule, that was never something that worked for our family. Rhythms and routines were our jam. A nighttime routine with a fairly consistent bedtime helped both my kids’ physical health and my mental health (mama needs a chance to breathe!).

• Keep the routine simple. Brush teeth, read a story or two (or three), pray, and turn out the lights.
• Turn off any devices at least an hour before bedtime. There are some fascinating studies about the effects of blue light on the body. If you need a research topic for your teens, this is a great one!
• Take naps when needed. We all need a nap sometimes, and there is nothing wrong with that. Spending 30 minutes napping can recharge kids’ bodies and reset their attitudes, and yours.

ay Chance homeschooled her children for fifteen years. While teaching them, she discovered a passion for writing and developing curriculum resources. She loves sharing natural learning methods and creative lesson ideas with other homeschooling parents. Kay is the co-executive editor of Homeschooling Today magazine and the author of the older extensions for the Trail Guide to Learning series. She makes her home in Texas with her husband Brian.