Disclosure: This is a collaborative post about your child’s learning
School holidays can be a trying time for parents and make you feel like your kids are missing out on vital learning opportunities. Many parents are anxious about their children’s education right now, particularly after the COVID-19 pandemic, which saw many children fall behind in their schooling. Reports show that reception children, in particular, struggled following the pandemic and have fallen behind in their studies.
While long school holidays might seem like an ideal time to help your child learn new skills, they can also be difficult for parents who don’t have the time to help them. Also, if you don’t have teaching experience, then you might find it hard to teach your child from home. If you rely on your child’s school books and other materials, then your child might become bored and feel like they’re missing out on a real holiday.
Luckily, there are some easy ways you can introduce learning into your child’s holiday activities without making it feel like a boring chore. You can create a fun learning environment at home and help your kids have a great time learning during the holidays.
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Enrol Them In A Summer School To Help Your Child’s Learning
A summer school for children can be an ideal way to teach them new skills and help them have fun at the same time. When choosing a summer school for your child, you need to consider their age, their preferences and what they need to learn. For example, if your little one needs to hone specific skills, such as their English comprehension, then SKOLA offers an annual summer school in London for kids that could help. The school allows children to immerse themselves in the language and English culture. They’ll have a great time exploring the city and making new friends while also improving their written and verbal English.
Send Them To A Camp
Another great option is a summer camp, where your child can bond with other kids their age and learn a wide range of skills. While most summer camps aren’t targeted at specific knowledge and skills, like summer schools, they can be a fun way for your child to spend their next long break. Summer camps are also more likely to offer boarding options, so you can leave your child to spend a week or two living in a safe location. That means you’ll have more time to spend on yourself and other important household chores while your kids enjoy a unique experience at summer camp.
Plan Educational Trips For Your Child’s Learning
If you’re eager to manage your child’s itinerary over the break yourself, or you’re thinking ahead to shorter breaks like half term and Easter, then you could consider planning short trips that combine fun with learning. Destinations such as local museums, art galleries and nature parks can teach your child many new facts and insights while also being a fun day out for the whole family. Educational trips can be a fun way to bond with your children and have a great time, as well as learn new facts. You can choose local educational centres or consider a long-distance trip to see the sights and visit a new place.
Bring Learning Into Activities They Already Love
Many children like to spend their school holidays doing the things they enjoy, such as reading books, watching TV and playing video games. These pastimes can be a fun way to relax, but you can also find educational games, TV shows and books for kids of all ages and abilities. There’s something fun for every child, and as they’re going to be watching TV and playing games anyway, you can make the most of that time. So, you can then start getting your kids interested in educational content without changing their habits too much. Putting your kids in front of educational shows and games can also be a great way to give yourself a break from looking after them to deal with household chores or self-care, which is vital for busy parents.
Additionally, hands-on activities like unique paint by numbers collections can provide a creative and educational way for kids to develop focus, patience, and artistic skills while having fun.
Find Educational Children’s Influencers
Most children enjoy watching online content, as well as traditional TV shows. Even if your child is too young to use social media, they might still have seen YouTube videos of child influencers, who often play their favourite games online or review the latest cool toys. Consider exploring their favourite influencer’s content to see if they have any videos about education, such as videos of them reading along with their viewers. You can then get your child to take notice, get motivated and be inspired to learn more by themselves.
Finding ways to keep your children happy during the holidays can be daunting, especially if you also want to help them learn at the same time. With a little preparation and some inspiration from the ideas in this article, you can find innovative ways to keep your kids happy and teach them valuable life lessons and basic skills.