MAY: Summer Learning and Fun
This summer will be different for everyone considering it feels like we started it in March. So coming up with ideas to make summer a magical learning time can be tricky. We don’t know how our ‘summer’ will look and what places will be accessible so here is a simplified beginning point to help make your summer stress free, fun and of course educational.
Step 1 – Make a Bucket List – Sit down as a family and make a plan. It doesn’t have to be you’re going to go to this place on this day at this time. Keep it simple and go somewhere you haven’t been before. There are many places in the St. Louis area that are free or inexpensive that you can do in one day or less. The important thing is have a plan.
Step 2 – Read, Read, Read! – This is a good rule for year round and not just the summer. Reading is educational, even if you are not the one doing the reading, but it’s also good for social skills and increasing language. Ask questions about the book before reading and have your child make predictions. Then talk about those predictions after. Or just enjoy the book with those you love.
Step 3 – Play Games – Games are a great way to have fun and pass the time but there are also many skills that can be learned in the process. Skills that games improve are: turn-taking/sharing, language, kindness, strategical thinking, learning a sense of fairness, playing by the rules and depending on the game can have core educational concepts involved. Some great games to play with your little one would be Hi Ho Cheerio, Connect Four, Candyland, dominoes.
Step 4 – Cooking with your kids – Some of my fondest memories are of cooking with my parents and my grandparents. It’s also a great way to teach math skills and be close to those you love. Not only that, it is fun. Some skills that are learned by cooking are: Science, math (measurement and numbers), language, literacy and an understanding of how things work. It can also teach responsibility when you have to clean up the yummy mess you’ve made.
Step 5 – Make your home a getaway – Even if we are stuck at home this summer there are still some great ways you can make your home a getaway. You can go camping in your back yard or living room with a tent and lanterns and tell stories. You can have a picnic outside, that everyone helped prepare in your own kitchen, and play some Frisbee or ball. You can go out at night and watch the stars and try to find constellations. You can plant a garden and grow vegetables that you can eat or donate to others.
These are just a few low/no cost ways to have fun while learning this summer. We challenge you to think outside the box and come up with some of your own ideas as well and have a safe and fun summer!
If you need some help in starting your list here’s a site to begin your adventure.
Have a great summer!!
-Fox C-6 Early Childhood
Comments
Post a Comment