Create, Wonder & Explore
While students, teachers, and parents are all missing our at school lives, we now how an opportunity to make learning even more authentic and about life skills.
Children of all ages can be involved in cooking and following recipes (maybe even traditional family recipes), with parents drawing attention to the different math concepts involved (measurement, numbers, temperature etc). Science can also be explored in the kitchen or the garden/balcony.
History can be explored through the lens of family history by talking/video calling with older family members. I have been phoning and emailing my 95 year old grandfather and learning so much about his past. I find it helps to have a focus such as “What toys did you play with when you were young?” “What books did you like as a child?” “How did you and Grandma meet?”
Create shared experiences by doing the same activities over video call such as drawing, playing with play dough, dancing, or playing a game.
Back to the life skills, involve children in chores, this helps them have a sense of purpose and contributing to their home as well as learning skills they will need.
Take some time to teach children how to sew on a button, teenagers could learn how to change a car tire.
Through all these activities, we want to encourage children to think for themselves and ask questions. Avoid the temptation to give children the answers to their questions and instead ask “How could we find out?” or “What do you think?”
In my classroom, my favorite things to say are “What do you notice?” and “What makes you say that?” These simple phrases promote thinking and communication skills.
Most of all, encourage children of all ages to wonder, create, and explore their own interests.
Activities:
- Cooking and following recipes (Math-measurement, numbers, temperature)
- Caring for plants/pets
- Connecting with older family members to explore family history. (“What toys did you play with when you were young? How did you meet Grandma/Grandpa”?
- Create shared experiences and activities while video calling with friends and family such as drawing, playing play dough, dancing, sharing a meal
- Learn how to sew on a button, knit, crochet etc (this could involve family or friends on a video call).
- Teenagers could learn how to change a tire.