Hot Momma’s Advice: If you don’t use it, you lose it! Just because school has ended, doesn’t mean learning stops.
Within 24 to 48 hours after learning new concepts, children begin to forget the information unless it is reinforced or applied immediately. That’s why, during school breaks, even the best students forget lessons they have learned during the school year. My Hot Momma said that if you don’t use it, you lose it! And she always helped to make sure that I didn’t.
Here are a few great ways to help your children continue learning when they are away from school!
While a break from school is great for recharging your children’s batteries, if they aren’t using the skills they acquired in the classroom, they could find themselves lagging behind once the school bell rings again.
Writing – To improve writing skills, encourage your children to start a diary or write letters to a grandparent or friend. If you are going on a vacation, or travelling even just across the river, ask your children to keep a travel journal recording where you stayed, what you did, who you saw, and what they ate. At the end of every day, talk through the activities with your children and help them with their journals. An activity like this will not only improve their writing skills, but will also create great family memories. It would also be fun for your child to make up his own adventures to spark creativity!
Mathematics – Helping you with grocery shopping develops opportunities to use math skills. Activities such as paying for items, calculating how much money you have, as well as budgeting for the shopping ahead of time can show your children practical ways they will use math in their daily life. Children can also help out in the kitchen! Cooking can familiarize children with weights and measures, organization and planning, and following a recipe. Perhaps you and your children could make a special dessert for the whole family or for a party! Make a list of what you need to get, go shopping together, and make the party dish!
Reading – You can’t start too early. You can’t read too much. Reading to young children nurtures an interest in language, words, and communication. For older kids, reading together can be fun and interesting. Children also learn by example. If parents are setting time aside to read everyday, it reinforces the fun and enjoyment of reading. Keep plenty of reading materials around the house to spark interest!
These are just a few and fun ways to keep your children’s minds active this holiday! It’s important to not try to do too much at once, so focusing on just a few ways to incorporate educational activities will really improve your children’s education, especially when school starts up again! I’m sure your child never stops and neither does learning! Let’s help our children this break to use what they know and not lose it!!
Please send specific or general questions about your child’s education or way to teach them to: classroomguyana@ gmail.com
