Keep them busy
WHAT TO DO AT HOME !
Tips to set your child up for academic success - make time for the following:
- Read your child every day and follow up with discussions that stimulate their thinking. For example try completing dinner, bath and bed routines before 7pm, and spare 20 minutes for reading and conversations around the story. Saturdays or public holiday late mornings are also a good time to read to children
- Extend conversations to introduce long sentences, new words and critical thinking. When a child makes a 3 word statement, respond by building on his knowledge and stretch with new words and concepts
- Provide a variety of experiences to your child. These include experiences in nature, take walks, cooking, tree decorating and explain life and social events to them
- Give your child small responsibilities at home, let them clear the table, put away their toys etc. There are many ideas for chores on the internet. Chores teach children to enjoy work and to see that they can contribute.
- Limit screens and technology to 1 hour a week in total
- Instead invest in open ended play material, like blocks, pretend play costume, outdoor play items, play kitchens, car and transportation toys, art material, crayons, pens, paper. Set them up to be accessible and inviting to the children.
- Provide consistent predictable routines, limits and boundaries. Negative behaviour should be addressed with kindness and firmness. Show love and provide limits.
- Lastly make time for face-to-face connection with your child - where they are your sole focus and delight in them. Emotional safety and connection are the spring-board of confidence and all learning.
Examples of activities to keep children busy and productive during the weekends or holidays.
This is not an exclusive list! Be creative and have fun!
1. Walk your neighborhood – each time set out to find something specific - - - coloured objects, geometric shapes, cars, trucks and buses
2. Visit a bookstore and check out the children’s books – for example: Visit Charisma, Ikirezi or Caritas and add new books to your children’s library every holiday
You can also do book swaps with other families
- Incorporate daily time where you read to your children an interesting book
Buy a pack of A4 paper and keep a stationary tray accessible with all things little writers and artists enjoy
3. Visit the library
4. Visit the market with them and talk about the things being sold and the work people do
5. Attend a sporting event
6. Play outdoor games - - - catch and throw a ball, hopscotch, pass the football, tag
7. Make a fort – find cardboard boxes, old sheets
8. Collect sticks, leaves or flowers - count them, describe them talk about how their characteristics and build knowledge around them
9. Colour a picture
10. Try new foods
11. Bake Mandazi, cookies, pancakes, chapati
12. Listen to different kinds of music – listen for the instruments
13. Have your child help out with washing the car with his own bucket and cloth
14. Sweep the floor
15. Pick up the grass after mowing putting it in large basins
16. Have your child help out with washing cloths and hang to dry
17. Wash a few plates and cups
18. Visit a farm
19. Go swimming
20. Find a construction site and watch the big machines operate
21. Make playdough - instructions are on-line
22. Playdough can be made and used for months - it can be used to create shapes, pretend to cook and create rocket ships or trains
23. Give them a little bit of raw rice, beans or flour with some kitchen utensils to have them pretend to cook
24. Build a city out of recycled materials
25. Involve your child in household activities as others work at them
• Pick a task and introduce them to working for a small allowance and saving it in a special box for when they want to buy something they want or "contribute" to the new bike or toy etc
26. Regular story time with an adult
27. On warm days, allow them to go outside and transfer water from buckets to cups back to bottles and maybe wash their bike
28. Drive or walk through the CBD and tell them the names of the buildings - talk about architects, engineers and construction
29. Look up some school level (easy) science projects online and try them on the weekend
30. Take them along when you visit a mechanic, pharmacy, tailor, and wedding - and explain what is happening. They are eager to know how the world works.
Boredom can lead to creativity and conversation - it is not always necessary to distract a child with entertainment.
In general we recommend that parents eliminate or minimize the influence of passive entertainment for young children (video games, cartoons and smart phone use).
Productivity and creativity both give young children a sense of fulfillment and purpose and gives them a natural thirst for knowledge.