The school closure has turned family life upside down, right? Suddenly, parents find themselves struggling to homeschool, entertain (you’re at home, so you’re available for playing and entertaining, the kids think), and take care of children full time while working from home and/or doing all the other things that you used to do. Fun, fun, fun! Here are some tips to help you manage these challenges easier.
A schedule is key
Waking up late, some TV or phone time, having something to eat… poof, late afternoon! Some social media, a long conversation about learning and reading and the day is gone. The risk for all of these to happen is rather high. We have a lot on our plate and kids try sometimes relentlessly to take advantage and do things their way.
So the best idea is to structure a daily program, keeping in mind that you need to stay a bit flexible and creative in your teaching approach. It’s a good idea to keep your children’s morning and bedtime routines the same as if they were preparing for school and keeping meal times the same also can help. Set a schedule for when they read, when they do math, when they have free time, meals, physical activity, creative, and fun activities. Here are some helpful tools:
Math resources:
Khan Academy – personalized learning resource for all ages. Khan Academy offers practice exercises, instructional videos, and a personalized learning dashboard that empower learners to study at their own pace in and outside of the classroom.
Math Snacks – Smart educational animations, games, and interactive tools that help mid-school learners better understand math concepts
Science:
Discovery Education: resources and instructional materials about viruses and outbreaks for different grade levels.
NASA Kids’ Club: 140,000 photos and other resources available for you to explore with your kid.
Creative time:
Wizard School – combines videos, drawing, and interactive challenges to get kids engaging with material that interests them.
DIY.org – Creative Challenges – an educational app and learning community where kids can access a collection of project ideas and how-to videos.
Reading apps:
Reading Rewards – makes reading fun! This is a reading tracking app in which kids log their reading time to earn incentive points toward rewards, which parents or teachers can determine.
Global Digital Library – Digital storybooks and other reading materials easily accessible from mobile phones or computers.
We don’t know how long this will last, so we’ll come up with other articles we hope you’ll find useful.
