My children always skip school — because that’s how they learn best.

Not because we’re rebels (although, maybe a little 😉), but because we’re unschoolers. And instead of sitting in a classroom under fluorescent lights, being force-fed worksheets next to 25 same-age peers, we spent our day in the sunshine — learning, laughing, creating, and launching a business.

We made lavender herb bath salts — and a whole lot of memories.

🌿 What Is Unschooling (And Why We Do It)

Unschooling is the belief that real learning doesn’t require a classroom. It happens everywhere — in nature, in the kitchen, at the farmer’s market, in conversations, and in hands-on projects that light up a child’s curiosity.

Compared to traditional school, where kids are often confined to desks, told when and how to think, and ranked against one another by arbitrary standards — unschooling allows for:

  • Freedom to follow curiosity

  • Multi-age interaction (siblings, adults, community)

  • Real-world skills like entrepreneurship, communication, and critical thinking

  • Emotional attunement and the space to grow in sync with your own rhythm

Unschooling doesn’t mean no structure — it means structure that serves the child, not the system.

💜 Our Lavender Day: A Real-Life Learning Adventure

It was a sunny morning. The three of us — dressed in matching lavender (because yes, we’re that cute) — set off to a local lavender farm. For just a few dollars, we were able to pick all the lavender we could hold in our hands.

We sipped lavender-infused lemonade, tasted floral pastries, and learned from a kind farmer how to cut lavender so it keeps growing. (Botany, check.)

Back home, we transformed our kitchen into a mini herbal apothecary. We crushed dried herbs from our garden with a mortar and pestle, stirred in magnesium flakes and essential oils, and carefully funneled the salts into glass jars. Each one was tied with a purple twine and labeled with love.

But this wasn’t just arts and crafts…

📚 Real Learning Happened Here

  • We used math to weigh ingredients, calculate costs, and determine pricing

  • We learned business planning by deciding how much to charge (we settled on $10 a jar)

  • We built a display stand from thrifted materials — learning about balance, structure, and how to use a drill

  • We created marketing materials with hand-drawn flyers, printed instructions, and little gift bags

  • We practiced teamwork, patience, and joy — the skills that truly matter in life

[Insert Photos – Bath salts, stand-building, math worksheet, or hands-on making]

We only had time to sell for about 20 minutes, and didn’t make any sales yet — but our stand is ready. Next week, we’ll try again. This is the beginning of something beautiful.

🛁 Why Lavender Herb Bath Salts?

Besides being gorgeous and fun to make, lavender salts are:

  • 🌙 Calming to the nervous system

  • 💤 Helpful for sleep and stress reduction

  • 🛀🏽 A beautiful way to ground and reconnect with your body

Perfect for moms, kids, gift baskets, or anyone who needs a little more peace.

🧂 Want to Make Your Own?

🛁 How to Make Lavender Herb Bath Salts (Simple DIY Version)

These calming bath salts are incredibly easy to make — perfect for little hands and big hearts. With just a few ingredients, you’ll create a relaxing, herb-infused soak that soothes the body and mind. Bonus: they smell amazing and make beautiful handmade gifts!

✨ Ingredients (makes about 3–4 small jars):

  • Half pint jar

  • 1 cup Epsom salt (magnesium sulfate)

  • 1/4 cup dried lavender (springs, flowers, leaves)

  • 3/4 cup of fresh herbs of choice (we used mint, chocolate mint, rosemary and basil separately for different batches)

  • 10-20 drops lavender essential oil

Note: You can adjust the herb amounts based on your preference or what you have on hand.

🧺 Tools You’ll Need:

  • A mixing bowl

  • A mortar and pestle or food processor (to gently break up the herbs and release their oils)

  • Clean, dry glass jars or containers

  • Twine or ribbon for decoration

  • Optional: labels or tags

🧪 Instructions:

  1. Grind the herbs:
    Use a mortar and pestle or food processor to gently break up the lavender and other herbs. You’re not pulverizing — just helping release the scent and oils.

  2. Mix it all together:
    In a large bowl, combine the Epsom salt and crushed herbs. Stir well with your hands or a wooden spoon. You can also do this with the food processsor

  3. Dry: Spread the salt mixture on a piece of wax paper and allow to air dry for 1-2 days. Crumble and place in a glass jar; this mix is good for one half-pint jar.

  4. Jar it up:
    Scoop the mixture into clean glass jars. Tap gently to settle, then seal with a lid.

  5. Make it beautiful:
    Tie purple twine or ribbon around the lid, and add a handwritten label or tag. For example:

    “Lavender Herb Bath Salts: Relax your body. Calm your mind. Made with love.”

🌿 How to Use

Add a few tablespoons to a warm bath. You can also place in a sachet if you’d rather not clean your tub afterwords. Soak for 20–30 minutes. Breathe deeply. Repeat often.

🌸 Why We Love These Ingredients:

  • Epsom salt helps relax muscles and boost magnesium levels

  • Lavender calms the nervous system and supports better sleep

  • Mint offers cooling relief and mental clarity

  • Rosemary stimulates circulation and soothes sore muscles

  • Basil brings grounding, antimicrobial benefits

💌 Closing Thoughts

This is what learning can look like.

Not rigid.
Not exhausting.
Not systematized.

Just joyful, alive, and deeply human.

Anyone can choose this path — even if just on weekends or summer breaks. Stay tuned for more about our lavender-selling adventures, ideas for creative unschooling projects, and ways to make learning come alive for your children (and your inner child, too).

And maybe… you’ll even try making bath salts yourself.