I love school holidays. A break from making lunches, washing and ironing school uniforms, homework and the morning rush to be somewhere at a set time. It should be a time to relax, unwind and regroup as a family and have some time together doing activities that everyone loves. Unfortunately not everybody shares that view. School holiday breaks can be a stressful time for many families. "Oh no, 2 weeks holidays. What am I going to do to entertain them for that long". Sound familiar? Holidays shouldn't have to be about you the parent "keeping your children entertained" and going broke in the process. Our family likes to make a list of ideas of fun activities to act as a guide. I like to find a balance between activities spent together as a family as well as things the children can do on their own. While it is possible to write a book full of suggestions on how to fill your holidays, I thought I would share just a couple of ideas that work a treat with our family. The bonus of these activities is that why they are having fun they are great opportunities to naturally consolidate and extend your children's learning.
Our entire family loves to cook. Each child chooses a meal that they would like to cook for the family during the holidays (with assistance of course). As well as the satisfaction of the final product there are a range of social and academic skills involved. Cooking involves children in a practical application of many mathematical concepts, such as measuring, comparing and contrasting, and estimating. Developing an appropriate understanding of mathematical language is integral to the acquisition of skills in numeracy and spatial awareness. Comparing sizes and amounts involves the use and comprehension of mathematical vocabulary. Children practise skills in identifying, for example, which bowl has the most strawberries, or which jug is larger, or wider, or which contains the most liquid. There is also the reading and comprehending of recipes and following of instructions to enhance literacy skills. Our children have the choice of preparing the meal on their own with parental supervision or enlisting the help of other siblings. Working with others and delegation of jobs are valuable social skills. Older children may already have a lot of these skills in place and are simply benefiting from the further develop of basic living skills and good nutrition for when they leave home.
Kids Cubby Storage
One of my children's all time favourite holiday activities would have to be the construction of cubby houses. Locations have been many and varied. Indoor, outdoor, up trees, under ping pong tables or trampolines, behind sofas, even in boats. The depth of a child's imagination never ceases to amaze me. Whole bedrooms have been transformed into the most amazing and creative constructions (with the help of a few sheets, blankets and pegs) that can then inspire games that can last for days. It may look like "mess" to us adults but to a child it is a whole other world full of adventure and only limited by their imagination. I do encourage the children to be logical about their choice of location. A place that does not interfere with the general running of the house means the cubby can stay built until the children tire of it. Just like cooking, cubby house building also has its educational benefits. Apart from providing practise in conflict resolution, these co-operative efforts also necessitate the use of positional language whether it be aloud or just in the planning in their heads. Practical experience in both giving and following directions occurs as children work to put chairs "in front", "behind" or "on top of" tables, balance poles "between" beds, drape sheets "over" a table, peg blankets "beside" or "onto" fences and move "inside" and "outside" their new hideout. Such positional words are an important part of every child's vocabulary as they will be used in a variety of contexts at school and have particular relevance to mathematical concepts.
Another easy but popular activity is jigsaw puzzles. I'm not talking 100 or 200 piece puzzles I mean 1000 piece or more. A coffee table, desk, ping-pong table or any surface that can cater for the gradual assembly of a large puzzle is all that's needed. This is a great time filler but beware it can be very addictive. Such an activity allows children to come and go whenever they please and for as long as they desire. Puzzles are not just about putting the pieces together they are instrumental in the development and consolidation of many skills that are foundational to effective learning. Hand-eye coordination, visual perception, eye-tracking, reasoning, problem solving, fine motor skills, visual sequencing and perseverance are the main ones. The other thing I enjoy during our holiday jigsaw time is the opportunity to sit and chat with my kids. The school term can be so busy that finding time to relax and talk can be very difficult. Sitting around working on a jigsaw provides the perfect environment to talk. Rather than purchasing new puzzles each time try swapping with friends or borrowing from your local library. You can never be too old to do jigsaws. It really is an activity for the whole family.
These are just a few ideas for the holidays but there are many more. It's about finding ones that suit and are enjoyed by your family. Talk about it before the holidays, even have an ideas list on the fridge leading up to the holidays so that everyone looks forward to the break rather than dreading it.
Special Price!!! Storage Cubby Finish: Sanded / Unfinished
Oct 29, 2011 05:22:37
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Storage Cubby Finish: Sanded / Unfinished Overview
64-UNF Finish: Sanded / Unfinished Looking for a place to store mittens and scarves or perhaps ballet shoes and basketballs? This storage cubby is just what you are looking for. It is suitable for home or school usage and is built from Baltic birch for durability. It will support 500 pounds of total weight and is very stable. Perfect for helping kids organize all of their stuff! Available unfinished or in easy-to-clean natural lacquer finish. Features: -Baltic birch construction -Nine cubicles -Ready to assemble -Supports up to 500 lbs. -Available sanded and unfinished for those looking to show off their artistic talents -Natural finish is easy to clean, color varies according to construction material -Top quality, non-toxic, environmentally friendly and easy-to-clean acrylic finish -Dimensions: 36'' H x 34'' W x 15'' D -Interior size of each cubicle: 14'' x 10.5'' x 10.5''SAVE NOW on the special offers below!
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