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23/07/2013

Five Holiday Indoor Activities to Explore with your Kids


Parents and teachers alike worry about their students losing hard-earned skills over school breaks and even weekends.  That's why so many parents work so hard to make sure their kids are learning, reading and growing.  Here is a list of fun and easy at-home activities you can do to keep their knowledge fresh.

Encourage Journaling:  Journaling is a great way to explore learning and practice writing.  Encourage your child to journal using prompts. Or, Start a child and parent journal. Encourage your child to write about what they are reading.  Then, write back to your child, asking him or her to elaborate or telling them about some of your favorite books. You could even ask them to write a chapter by chapter summary of chosen books read. Do encourage reading 'A-chapter-A-day' or 'A-book-A-day' depending on the age group. It could picture books for much younger kids that are not yet reading.
 



Let Your Kid Use Your iPhone (or iPod or iPad):  We know you probably don’t want to give it up, but there are hundreds of top-rated educational apps for iPods, iPhones and iPads that will keep your kids engaged and learning.
   




Virtual Pen Pals: While social media tools like Facebook and twitter may be off-limits for your younger children, parents can encourage kids to stay in touch with classmates via private messengers or email.  This not only gets them communicating, but it gets them writing and reading as well. 



Create Learning Experiences Through Play:  Set up a science experiment with rocks and seeds outside or create a "Mini med-school" with your kid's stuffed animals - kids love animals and I am about to explore this...bet it will be insightful. Even playing board games can be educational if you want it to be. 






Incorporate Music into Their Learning:  Music can be a great way to encourage vocabulary growth and even mathematical comprehension.  So, pick up some favorite CD's, play songs from your Phones, iPads or computer and listen with your kids. Practice singing some known ones with them as you might just be discovering an innate talent. 





Question for you:  How do you keep your kids learning at this time?