|
Keeping the children at home during lockdown is tough. Let's face it, if you had wanted to be a teacher you probably would have trained as one! The most important thing to remember is to not put too much pressure on yourself to be everything for everyone. You are more than likely now having to work from home whilst dealing with home schooling and maybe even a younger child hanging around you too. Whatever you achieve over the next few weeks will have added to their education in some way. But for those of you looking for a few structured activities that link to the curriculum areas, are interesting and will capture their attention AND easy to do at home, I have put together a list below. All these activities are to have fun. Children learn best through play and now you have the opportunity to use their interests to your advantage and make this home schooling far more enjoyable for everyone. [Please note, these should not replace the work being provided by your school but should work alongside and continue to develop key areas of learning in a fun and exciting way.] 1) Flash cards |
 | 2) Books |
Something that is easily accessible and probably already have at home. Books are a great resource when it comes to creating activities. Reading books, acting them out, drawing their own images to go with them, retelling the story with a different ending, changing a character, again the list is endless. But by involving your child in deciding what to do with the book will grab their attention and they are more likely to want to get involved. They could copy words they find interesting in the book, make paper puppets to tell the story on their own, or even real puppets if you have them.
By using books, you can encourage them to write their own. Children love writing when it has a purpose that they are invested in. Perhaps ask them if they would like to make their own book. Start by creating their imaginary (or real life) setting. Grab a piece of cardboard and draw it. Even better, make it 3D. Take some time to create a cover (it's just as important as the inside!), talk about a name for their book, introduce a blurb on the back, talk about the author and illustrator. It doesn't matter if their story is very similar to their favourite book. Borrowing other ideas to build your story is fine (as long as you don't sell it and claim it was your own idea in the first place!) Make a story map together, act it out as a family if you can and then help them to write it. Kicking up a stink about writing it out? See if they will do it on a tablet or computer...the process is still teaching them the same and you can practise handwriting another day.
Not every child is creative; some hate to draw. That is ok too. Why not use a computer to find some pictures for their story and use them instead either within an app or word document to build their book. Let's face it, right now it doesn't have to be perfect. The fact they want to do it is already a winner.
By using books, you can encourage them to write their own. Children love writing when it has a purpose that they are invested in. Perhaps ask them if they would like to make their own book. Start by creating their imaginary (or real life) setting. Grab a piece of cardboard and draw it. Even better, make it 3D. Take some time to create a cover (it's just as important as the inside!), talk about a name for their book, introduce a blurb on the back, talk about the author and illustrator. It doesn't matter if their story is very similar to their favourite book. Borrowing other ideas to build your story is fine (as long as you don't sell it and claim it was your own idea in the first place!) Make a story map together, act it out as a family if you can and then help them to write it. Kicking up a stink about writing it out? See if they will do it on a tablet or computer...the process is still teaching them the same and you can practise handwriting another day.
Not every child is creative; some hate to draw. That is ok too. Why not use a computer to find some pictures for their story and use them instead either within an app or word document to build their book. Let's face it, right now it doesn't have to be perfect. The fact they want to do it is already a winner.
3) Invisible Ink
Develops creativity, hand eye coordination, handwriting, Literacy, concentration
Want a creative way to encourage your child to write? Use invisible ink. With a mix of lemon juice and water, grab a paint brush and encourage them to draw and write a message to you. They will need to exercise their concentration skills to know where they have already drawn on the paper but it will be an exciting activity. Once they have finished, no one will be able to read it until you hold it up to a light when the words will magically appear back on the page. You could have a lot of fun with this and let their imagination run wild!
4) Writing a blog or review |  |
There are always children who hate writing and you might think there is no way you will ever get them to write at home. Writing is far more interesting when it is for a purpose; if they know someone else is going to read it. Why not encourage them to write a review about their favourite toy. Talk about what they like and dislike and what they would change if they could make the toy themselves. Why not even seek out the contact details for the toy maker or game designer and let them send their review. They may even get a response!
Some children really thrive on writing something consistently, and a blog or diary might be better. Perhaps don't focus on a lockdown blog but put a positive spin on them keeping a diary that they can give to their friend when they see them next to tell them all about what exciting things they have been up to with you at home.
Some children really thrive on writing something consistently, and a blog or diary might be better. Perhaps don't focus on a lockdown blog but put a positive spin on them keeping a diary that they can give to their friend when they see them next to tell them all about what exciting things they have been up to with you at home.
5) Make up new words and give them a meaning
Develops imagination, creativity, phonics, spelling, reading and writing.
An amazing part of learning to read and write is about having to freedom to use your imagination. There is no right or wrong (other than spellings) and their creativity can flow. Why not make up some words for them to use in their writing? Talk to them about their spelling choice for it and encourage them to give their word a new meaning so it has a purpose. Then ask them to use it in their writing. They could be funny words or serious words but wherever their imagination takes them, join them on the journey.
 | 6) Build with cardboard boxes |
This really opens up the gates for creativity and imagination and allows your child to develop in all areas of the curriculum. Let them cut, colour and stick together boxes, talking about the shapes they are making, both 2D and 3D. Talk about how many corners and sides there are and what new shapes they can make by sticking other shapes together. Talk about how tall it is and get out a ruler to measure. Cardboard boxed provide hours of fun and have great learning potential too!
7) Make a board game
Develops imagination, creativity, logical thinking, technology, turn taking, maths skills (dependent on the game it could involved dealing with money), following rules, design and technology, making a questionnaire for market research.
I remember doing this when I was at primary school so it must have been a good activity to do! Designing and then making a board game from scratch has many learning points. Thinking about what games they enjoy playing and why, what the aim of the game they create will be, how many players it would be for, what the rules would be, perhaps some online market research from their school friends, then making the physical game, designing the packaging and finally being able to play it themselves. So many different opportunities to learn many different skills in one activity. Yet again, it can follow their own interests and the whole family can be involved from start to finish.
8) Saucepans |  |
Every child loves making a bit of noise right? So why not go really simple. Encourage your child to find things from around the house that make different noises. Talk about playing softly and then loudly, learn about beats and rhythms. If you are musical, teach them how to read music or just about the note names. Don't fancy the saucepans? Use a cardboard box and some elastic bands to make their very own guitar. Get out some wine glasses (with supervision) and let them experiment putting in different amounts of water in each and then make them sing different pitches.
9) Save the Egg
Develops scientific enquiry, investigation skills, making predictions, properties of materials, critical thinking, experimenting.
Another Science experiment that I did many times and that the children in school really enjoyed. This is a great activity for all ages and explores a range of textures and materials. The aim is simple. Wrap an egg in material and drop it from a height without breaking it. This experiment encourages them to predict and think carefully about what the material is like. You need a whole range from bubble wrap to cotton wool, cotton material to a towel or flannel and let them experiment (for as many eggs as you are willing to give them!)
 | 10) Spaghetti Towers |
When you do your next shop, add on a packet of big marshmallows and some dried spaghetti and get ready for a building competition. Set your little one up with trying to make the tallest tower. They will soon learn that standing it up straight won't work. They will need to build a whole network of connections which end up more like a pyramid to make their towers as tall as they can. A critical thinking task that stretches their logic. And once they get the idea of how to build they could create all kinds of structures.
0 Comments
RSS Feed
