Having spoke to family and friends about the current situation and how best to support your child’s learning at home, I’ve decided to do regular blog posts to share some sites or resources that can be used at home.
I cannot stress the importance of a routine at home at this time, it will help alleviate some anxiety about completing school work and worries about the current situation with Covid-19.
While I think school work is important and there are some written tasks to complete there is so much more that goes on within a school day that doesn’t involve writing and text books. Socially meeting their peers and chatting in the line or on yard. Creative lessons for Art and Science, the discussion parts of all the lessons where they can share their opinion and reading time are all key elements of the school day that are not represented in text books and worksheets. Here are some ideas to help you at home.
Socially, children are restricted at the moment and I hope everyone is choosing to stay safe at home. But this is where social media can help. Let the children video call family that they cannot visit at the moment. Record messages for grandparents, write a letter to their grandparents or other family members. It’s important to connect with family and friends even if you are staying indoors.
Allow time for creativity also, I am following the daily art posts from William Sliney on Facebook and will try to share them to my page every day. While everyone was stockpiling beans and toilet paper, I was looking through the art and stationery aisle to see what I could get for family members to keep them busy. Creativity doesn’t have to be art activities, let the children bake even rice krispie buns, get them involved in the clean up too.
Another page is also sharing a STEM activity a day Designer Minds on facebook is sharing a STEM or STEAM challenge every day. Pick and choose some that are suitable for your children at home. I really liked their visit activity of making a newspaper tower. Simple activities with very little resources.
Don’t forget the importance of reading at home, reading to your child and your child reading to you. Borrow box is a fantastic app where you can borrow audio books and ebooks from your local library and now you can apply online for a library card too. Another site called Epic has changed their registration policy and is free to use at home. It has a variety of audio books, fact books and fiction books that children can read on tablet devices. There are some quizzes too so they can test their comprehension.
Don’t forget to allow your child active time, getting outdoors if you can and playing outside, if you are not in a position to head outdoors, GoNoodle has so many activities to get children up and moving. Check out Cosmic Kids Yoga too for some relaxing exercises too.
Set a routine for home, time for school work but also time to incorporate all these activities that the children will miss from school.
In other blog posts I will share online learning platforms that can be used at home.
If you have any questions, please send me a PM.
Stay Safe everyone
Aistear Múinteoir
Aistear Múinteoir 