7 Instances of Project Based Learning in Everyday Life

Here at 24/7, we know the value of Project Based Learning (PBL). It’s the heart of everything we do. As a result, we see PBL all around us. Even if you think you aren’t experienced with this method of learning, you are...because life is PBL. When you notice that life is made of projects, you begin to understand why PBL in a classroom or home setting is so valuable.

Below are seven ways we have found that PBL shows up in everyday life.

1. Athletic endeavors. You don’t necessarily have to be training for a marathon for an athletic pursuit to count as Project Based Learning. Any time you lace up your shoes or grab a tennis racket, you’re going through the steps of any solid project: you have to plan, set a goal, implement, and evaluate.
   
   Team sports are an especially great example of PBL, since you’re working with others to achieve a result, such as winning a game or making it to the championship. Whether you’re just out for a jog or competing in the Olympics, sports require many of the same skills you would use in a classroom project.
   

2. Play. When you watch children on a playground, you’ll realize that we all start out as project based learners. Before we grow up and forget, we know the importance of dreaming, building, discussing, and testing an idea.
   
   Every fort, sandcastle, and imaginary battle is an act of PBL. Next time you observe young children, take note of the underlying structure of their play. This is how kids learn the way the world works.
   

3. Planning a trip. Starting with research and culminating in a full-blown itinerary, trip planning is a real-world project full of epic lessons. A vacation or work trip, especially an international one, requires attention to detail.
   
   Predicting potential obstacles and coming up with hypothetical solutions gives you plenty of advanced forecasting practice. This can be one of the most challenging and rewarding kinds of projects we encounter outside of school.
   

4. Parenting. You could say that parenting is the ultimate project. Raising little humans is a job full of challenges and triumphs, some that we get to prepare for and others that just appear unexpectedly.
   
   Managing a household, helping with homework, dealing with illnesses, and arranging schedules: PBL. It’s important to be driven, prepared, and reflective as a parent, all solid qualities we develop and apply in the parenting classroom.
   

5. Manual tasks. Chances are you have been tasked with the flat pack furniture puzzle at some point in your life. This is as PBL as it gets! You are given the tools you need and the instructions required and it is up to your interpretive and manual skills to complete the project.
   
   Building furniture. forces you to utilize your problem solving skills by visualizing what the finished product will look like and how you can use the tools provided to get to that stage. It’s basically the adult version of Lego, and who doesn’t love Lego
   

6. Cooking. You eat every single day, and chances are that you prepare and cook at least one of these meals. By nature, cooking is a fantastic version of PBL. With the key ingredients and instructions, you have the ability to turn something basic into something amazing.
   
   Variables such as portion control and time management are fantastic learning opportunities in both math and timekeeping, which can be transferred to various other projects that you will meet throughout life. Baking and cooking are equally aligned examples of PBL in real life that are not only great for children, but adults too.
   

7. Interior design. Blank walls and an empty room just beg for a project to arise. Any time you are decorating a room or designing a new space, you’re engaging in PBL.
   
   Working one layer at a time, you combine elements and try out unique pieces until you achieve the look you want. Even though it may not be as systematic as other everyday PBL moments, any form of art certainly encompasses the essential phases of a project.

If regular moments are made up of the principles of PBL, why shouldn’t we keep up that natural magic in the classroom? Our curriculum is centered around PBL because we want you to continue learning the way you were born to learn.

What’s your favorite example of PBL in daily life? Let us know in the comments section below.