Educational tips for engaging kids when the weather turns south
If rainy days typically turn outdoor playtime into an indoor television session, it’s time you educate yourself with the various ways to amuse your kids online — social media not included. There are several ways your kids can use technology to their advantage that are as fun as they are educational — for example, a science lesson disguised as a entertaining experiment. It’s a good idea to keep an arsenal of activities on hand for days when Mother Nature isn’t cooperating — especially during a school break when kids have more spare time on their little hands.
Learn How To Code Like A Pro
Computer programing is a fun yet valuable skill that can potentially aid your child in the future since the tech industry continues to grow by leaps and bounds. There are several online coding courses that teach kids the basics via interactive games and lesson plans to simplify the process and make the information more age appropriate.
Pick Up A Foreign Language
Most European nations have a foreign language requirement in school. Here, we don’t always have that requirement, but that shouldn’t stop you from encouraging your kids to educate themselves at home. Online language courses teach everything from the basics (objects, colors, numbers, food, etc.) to more complex sentence structure. Most lessons provide the opportunity for your child to practice speaking so tone and accent can be corrected. Learning a foreign language can be beneficial in the future from both a career and leisure travel standpoint.
Brush Up On Your History
Statistics prove that American students aren’t grasping history — which is one of the reasons why it can be difficult to have rational discussions about world events. There are several online history courses that cover key historical events throughout the world. Most are geared towards a beginner or intermediate level, so slightly older children and teens are more apt to benefit from these lessons.
Learn To Chill Out With Yoga
Yoga isn’t reserved for parents alone. In fact, since kids are susceptible to stress from school work and peer pressure, the practice can be helpful in terms of relaxation and stress-reduction — it might even help them sleep better at night. Online, kid-friendly yoga classes teach poses in a way that little ones can understand while making the experience engaging in the process.
Take A Digital Art Class
Give the crayons and paint brush a rest and enlighten your kids with the myriad of creative possibilities that come with taking a digital art class online, or via an app. Activities include everything from digital-based finger painting, paper doll construction and museum gallery curation.
Enhance Skill Set With A Career-Based Course
While your kids may be too young to know what career they want to choose, it’s never too early to start learning the various skills associated with different jobs in fields such as medicine, law, and real estate. Not only will they learn about different job functions, but they’ll also pick up valuable life skills in the process. “Real estate is a complex field that requires skills in math, science, English, social studies and home economics,” explains brokerage firm Redfin. By incorporating real estate-based lessons into your curriculum, you can help students gain valuable skills in practical math application, presentation giving, forming a persuasive argument, earth science and so much more.
Staying indoors doesn’t have to be a waste of time. Thanks to technology, finding exciting educational activities is easier. Try mixing things up once in a while so that your kids have a more well-rounded experience.
Jenny Wise created Special Home Educator as a forum for sharing her adventures in homeschooling and connecting with other homeschooling families. She enjoys providing advice to parents who are considering homeschooling their kids.
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