How To Teach Your Kids During Lockdown
For the vast majority of students across the country, school has been out of session, at least physically speaking, since early March. And most of those children won’t be returning any time soon, at least not until districts across the nation decide upon the next steps about reopening schools in the fall.
In the meantime, children have been learning online via virtual methods. Unfortunately, our littlest learners are simply not equipped with the technology skills needed to partake in successful online classes. And that’s all on top of the grief and stress they feel over the sudden change in their routine. See below to find fun ways to keep your child’s skills sharp over the next few months, including exciting ideas for activities for kids at home!
Remote Learning – Focus On Your Subjects
As your family heads into the pandemic months, it’s important to stay organized and create a new learning routine. Many out-of-school education programs are going online this year.
For elementary students, in-person classes are critical for early literacy and foundational math skills. When thinking about concepts such as telling time or cursive writing, it becomes obvious how virtual learning can underserve our youngest children who need hands-on practice and expert guidance. Clearly, what children learn early in their educational career serves as the basis for all the learning they engage in for the rest of their lives.
Reading and Writing For Elementary Students
For elementary students, the loss of class time can spell devastating consequences for young children, especially for those in kindergarten and first grade. If your child is in one of these grades, try the following activities to help boost your child’s early literacy skills:
Read to your child for at least 30 minutes every day. Purchase children’s books online, or alternatively use free reading worksheets PDF, check with your local public library to see if they have a curbside pickup service that can assist you with checking out a number of books to keep your child reading.
Reach out to your child’s teacher or school to regarding grade-appropriate sight word lists. Create flash cards with your child, and practice reading sight words until mastery.
Each morning make a daily agenda and help your child write out the day of the week, the calendar date, time, weather, and a list of daily chores or things to do that day. Keep the agenda on a large calendar on the fridge or make it into a journal where they can practice writing all the above information.
Math
Thankfully for math, there are a plethora of free printable worksheets and games that your child can access, regardless of grade level! Find a site like Kids Academy, that separates math worksheets by grade level and subject. Try to finish a short worksheet each day, targeting skills your child needs to work on, such as addition, subtraction, place value, or counting money.
Access free online games that allow your child to practice skills in an exciting way! Find games that allow students to manipulate analog clocks or use virtual dice to practice math problems.
Science
Go on various nature scavenger hunts depending on your local resources. Head to the nearest park, creek, the woods, or whatever natural wonder resides within your community. Brainstorm a list of what your kids think they might find there and bring the list with you on your hunt. Check off the list and discuss each item as they’re collected.
Arts and Crafts
It’s no secret that kids love creating their own artwork, and this can love for creativity can be harnessed to study content from around the curriculum! Get crafty by creating a collage to support a topic that you think your child should learn more about.
For a quick social studies lesson, discuss technology and games from the past, and compare them to those they have today. Create a collage by finding and drawing pictures, looking up online images, or check from magazines, newspapers, and family photos to display technology from the past and present. Don’t forget to make it neat and colorful, and feel free to glue on accessories to decorate!
Unfortunately, we can’t change the way the pandemic has altered our lives. However, we can do something to slow the slide and even begin reversing it so that our children are back on the right track academically. Try the above activities to give your child’s skills a boost, and to keep them learning and growing.
