Holiday Learning that's Fun

Ask any kid what is the best thing about Summer Holidays, and I’m sure they will tell you that it’s not having to go to school (well most of them anyway). But there are studies out there that show how the long summer break can be really damaging to the progress of some children, especially those who have learning difficulties. Having such a long time away from their teachers, their classroom and the regular routine can be a major set-back for some kids and it can take them some weeks and months to catch up to where they left off, which in turn, puts them behind everyone else again.

BUT, there are lots of things that are fun and easy to fit into the crazy holiday period that we can do to keep their minds stimulated and encourage our kids to use the skills they have learnt during the year.

DON’T PANIC! I’m not suggesting you set up a mini classroom in the house and recite tables or do spelling tests. You don’t need to rush off to the trusty internet and download homework sheets or anything like that! Just every things that you can add to the holiday period to keep those little minds ticking while they are having a break.

GOING AWAY ON HOLIDAYS?

·         If you are going away on a trip you need time to back and get things organised right? So give the kids a distraction by setting them to some online research and about the area and activities to do there. Give them the road map and ask them to work out the best travel route, the distance and how long it will take to get there.

·         Once you’ve arrived, when Mummy & Daddy are looking for some peace and quiet at night set them down with a pen and paper to write letters to a pen pal, or to Grandma. Or provide them with an empty notebook to keep a travel journey like those of Captain Cook and other discoverers. Draw maps, sketch pictures of things they’ve seen each day.

STAYING HOME?

If you’re staying home for the holidays there are also plenty of cheap and easy ideas you can use to entertain the kids and carry on the learning.

·         Have games nights where you turn off the TV, computer and phone and enjoy some family time playing old fashioned board games.

·         Head down to the library, gallery or museum to see what free or cheap activities they have scheduled for the holidays. Use the opportunity to grab a quiet coffee while the kids are having fun learning.

·         Put on a play. Get the kids to do their own dress up production of their favourite books complete with narration, acting, singing and dancing (if applicable). They will obviously need many hours of rehearsal which will hopefully give you some quiet time and stop the endless nagging.

·         Too warm to be inside? Grab some giant chalk from a discount store (it usually comes in buckets) and do some foot path writing & drawings, hopscotch and other games like Naughts & Crosses.

·         Dinner Time is the perfect opportunity to practice some reading and maths when you need “helpers” to dictate the recipes, work out the measurements and cooking times etc.

·         If you feel like trying to win some competitions grab some puzzle magazines from the shop and get the kids to help you with all the puzzles to find the answers and enter into the competitions that win all sorts of prizes. Take That, Take 5, That’s Life, some of the women’s magazines etc all have puzzle competitions in them, and you might just win something!

·         And if you are really struggling for ideas, get the kids to do some surveys. Survey the neighbourhood for people’s favourite colour, how many different colour cars drive past the window, how many colours or sizes of lego pieces they have in their toy box and lots more. Then once they have the results turn them into a graph on poster paper with coloured pens. Or if they are really cluey, jump onto Microsoft Excel and get them to do a spreadsheet with tables and graphs.

So there are just a few ways to keep the kids entertained over the holidays, try to beat the nagging and fighting and stimulate their minds a bit to try and retain some level of consistency over the holiday period and give them an extra boost for going back to school at the end of the month.

For more ideas like this and more visit our Pinterest boards or like us on Facebook.

Reflections and Predictions

With Christmas and the New Year quickly approaching, I'm getting excited about what 2013 will bring for Blossom.

The eBook, Learning that's Fun, is in it's final stages of a second version with new chapeters, more ideas and tips to make learning an exciting part of everyday, pictures and more stories.

Not only that, but it will be available in hard copy! Watch the site in the early months of 2013 for the big announcement!

In the meantime, check out the first version eBook.

We will also be releasing our very first products for sale. I can't tell you what they are just yet (they are still in production), but they will be cute, fun, environmentally considerate and help with everyday learning.

Maybe this next couple of week's is an opportune time for you and your family to sit down and reflect on the year's achievements and talk about some things you would all love to achieve next year. You could use the time to have a clean out and a garage sale to save some extra $ for Christmas spending with the kids or donate to the local charities who will be so appreciative of your generosity at this time of year.

Whatever you do over the next few weeks, remember through all the stress, the rush, the pressure and panic, that it's just another day of the year, just like all the others before it. BUT, it's a great opportunity to be close to your family and spend time just "being together" and appreciating eachother for the wonderful people you all are. And don't forget to look for the little moments when you can make learning a fun part of whatever it is you are doing, baking a cake, purchasing a gift, writing a greeting card or wrapping a present under the tree.

For more ideas like this and more visit our Pinterest boards or like us on Facebook.

Learning that's Fun at Christmas

On our Pinterest page we have been collecting loads of learning activities for Christmas time, so we thought we would share some of them with you. There is so much fun to be had, but we often get caught up in the end of the school year, the food, the parties and the gifts, and overlook the things we can learn during the holiday period.

It doesn't have to be boring, it doesn't have to be like a classroom, it doesn't even have to called educational...if you are all having fun they won't even know that they are learning!

• Christmas Cards - get crafty and make your own cards, practice their neatest hand writing on the cover and then write personal messages to friends and family.
• Christmas Books - spend time together reading Christmas stories, they are fun and relevant and great for filling in waiting time until Santa comes.
• Christmas Carols - grab a carol book with the words and music and practice playing the songs on the keyboard and singing the proper words. You'll be surprised how kids make up the funniest things in their mind when they don't quite know the words. (Little Old Jesus? don't you mean Little Lord Jesus?)
• Merry Christmas in other languages - make posters or decorations or cards and learn to write Merry Christmas in as many different languages as you can. Google will be your friend here. Merry Christmas, Sretan Bozic, Buon Natale, Feliz Navidad...
• Advent Calendar Ideas - make your own advent calendars with clues to find a treat around the house (math problems, questions, word scrambles etc), wrap up books and unwrap one each night to read leading up to the big day.
• Christmas Scrabble - have a round of scrabble with Christmas related words only.
• Baked Gifts with Hand Written Recipes - make your own baked goods as gifts for friends and family and include a hand written recipe by the kids.
• Write a letter to Grandma - practice their best handwriting and spelling and write a letter to grandma or aunt or long distance friend who they haven't seen for a while and fill them in on the year's juicy details.

For lots more ideas like these visit us on Pinterest or Facebook!

Countdown to Christmas

You've seen the Advent Calendars in all the stores, you walk straight past them thinking to yourself what a waste of money, and if you got one how would you share it between the kids anyway, and why on earth would you want them to be eating chocolates or lollies first thing in the morning anyway?

Well, this is one of the best ideas I've seen around recently (it's not my idea, but I love it so much I want to share it with you!).

It takes no creativity, you barely need any materials or any craft skills, it's not messy, it won't up your dentist bill, it can be shared among all of your kids no matter how many you have, and best of all....it's Learning that's FUN!

So what do you need?

* 24 Books  - they can be Christmas themed or just your kids favourite stories. They can be new, used, borrowed, long, short, pictures, no pictures, whatever suits your family.

* Christmas wrapping paper - left overs from last year perhaps, add bows, ribbons, decals, whatever your heart desires to decorate the wrapping or just leave it plain.

* Sticky Tape

* Labels and a pen

All you need to do is wrap each book individually, label them and number each one counting down from 24 to 1.

To finish off you could pile them up in the shape of a Christmas Tree, hide them around the house with clues, line them up on your mantel or arrange them however you please.

Then each morning starting on December 1st let the kids unwrap one book and spend time with them reading it together. When there are no more books left the kids will know that when they wake up the next day it will be the big day, and in the mean time you will have spent some really special time doing a fun learning activity with them that will create lasting memories in your family.

If you are really keen you could slip in a party favour or a treate into each or some of the books as an extra surprise, but the simple joy of unwrapping and reading with you will plenty.

Let us know your favourite Christmas books that other parents could include?

Let the countdown begin!

For more ideas like this preview our ebook on Amazon, visit us on Facebook or check out our boards on Pinterest.

Giving the Gift of Learning

Well it's come to that time of year when everyone starts to go into panic mode and fret about what they are going to get their kids for Christmas, and what to get for their neices, nephews, cousins, friends' kids and any other children out there who you like to buy a gift for.

So here's a suggestion for you: why not try to put an educational twist on christmas presents this year?

And I know what you're thinking already. Books. Boring old books. But NO, it doesn't have to be books.

It could be board games, card games, computer games, toys, digital technology products, music, vouchers, experiences or trips with you. But whatever it is here are a few tips for you to think about while you are browsing and planning to help you put a fun learning spin on your gift giving:

1. Think about the age of the child, their abilities and what sort of areas of life they are currently learning or which skills? Are they just learning to walk & talk? Perhaps some alphabet blocks in a trolley or a talking teddy? Are they learning the alphabet and numbers, learning to read? There are some fabulous interactive ABC 123 toys in the stores. Are they learning life skills through play (eg money, cooking, building, sharing, competition etc) or learning to play an instrument etc.

2. Think about the benefits of the gift. What can they learn from it, or from playing with or using it? Can they learn obvious skills like reading and maths? But what other skills might they learn? Problem solving. Creativity. Sharing. Logic. Fitness. Spending and Saving. Artistic. Musical. And lots more.

3. Keep the child's personal interests in mind too. Do they love Thomas the Tank? If so, look at Thomas puzzles and games. Are they older and into One Direction? Look at 1D games, magazines and biographies. Do they love computer games? Check out subscriptions to online children's sites such as Moshi Monsters or Literacy Planet where kids are encouraged to complete challenges to earn points and prizes.

4. When you really get stuck, there is always the internet. Visit the Learning that's Fun Pinterest page. We've set up a pin board especially for Christmas. With Christmas related activites, and fun learning gift ideas.

If you have any of your own ideas share them with us on Facebook, we are always looking for new suggestions.

For more ideas like this and more check out Learning thats Fun on Amazon.

My Top 4 Educational Sites

Over the weekend I had a concerned Mum asking me where to start with her teenage son who has managed to slip through the cracks of the school system and is still struggling with his reading. His younger siblings are starting to pass him academically and his self-confidence is really low. The obvious suggestions that came to mind were private tutoring or talking to his school to see what support services can be accessed.

But being on a budget and looking for something that could be started immediately, these suggestions weren’t really suitable. So we began talking about some online options that are free or less expensive than tutoring, that could be started today and added to his daily routine. So I thought I would share them with you. There are hundreds of educational sites out there, but these are a few that I have used and think are great value.

Literacy Planet

The best thing about this site is that it’s free. But it’s great fun. The kids can sign up for an account which you can also access as a parent, they can make their own avatar and when they complete lessons they can earn points to purchase items for their avatar such as extra clothing and accessories. It’s bright and colourful and a lot of fun.  

Future School

Future School is designed around the Australian curriculum and has lessons in a variety of subjects. You pay subscription fees for each subject area for 6 & 12 month memberships and also get discounted rates when you sign up siblings. It has a great parent access point too, so you can get great progress reports.

The Ten Minute Tutor

This site uses a variety of delivery methods to really engage your kids. It is primarily aimed at children with dyslexia and related learning difficulties, but the principles and the learning style will suit lots of children, particularly those who prefer a more hands on approach. For a monthly subscription fee that is less than a 1 hour tutoring session, dedicating 10 minutes a day a few days a week will really help improve your child’s learning.

Reading Eggs

Reading Eggs is a great fun interactive game site from ABC. It’s bold and colourful and can be accessed on the web and a number of iPad / iPhone or Android apps can be downloaded for specific needs. The fees vary depending on what you want to use, but the apps give learning that hands on approach that is often lost when staring at a text book or a worksheet.

So head along to some of those sites and see which one you think will suit your children best, and remember that private tutoring can be really expensive, and although some of these sites require you to pay for a membership, the money could be well worth it. And when you think about it, they really need to generate some income so they can pay professionals to continue to update their sites and design good solid content for your kids.

If the kids are using the computer and the internet, and you tell them it’s a game and they can only have X minutes per day, they will be begging for more time! What better way to get them learning than having fun?

Happy Learning! Be sure to leave a comment and tell us about any other sites your kids love to learn from!

For more ideas like this one on how to make learning fun. Check out my eBook Learning that's Fun.



Music for the (little) Soul

Any of you who know me, will know that I love music! Always have, since my toddler years dancing to Boy George on the TV, to getting my first Walkman and being reminded that everyone could hear me singing along to my tapes through to playing drums in the R&B band at school! Today I have so much going on that I barely get time to just relax and listen or play to music, so my favourite place is in the car...turn the radio up loud and sing along, especially on long drives to the city and back. You will often see me at the lights singing my heart out.

But even though I get to sing along in the car, it makes me sad sometimes that as I've grown up I can't just spend half an hour playing my favourite CD and not doing anything else, or that I "don't have time" to play in a band anymore, or that I should be too embarrassed to dance or sing in the car when other people can see me.

As we grow up, life gets more serious, we play less, we laugh less, we get stressed, we have worries, we lose our creativity and imagination we had as kids and we have to be "professional".

But I think it's time we put the music back in our lives and got our little ones involved in it! Singing and dancing is an activity that nearly all kids love! They are inhibited by embarassment; they just move to the groove. They will sing along even if they don't know the words, and they won't care if you can hear them because they are having fun!

I have used music in my tutoring and found it works absolute wonders! Getting kids to read song lyrics from their favourite pop stars is so much easier than reading books they aren't interested in. And once they have learned the words, they get to sing along without mumbling! It's a real achievement, and teaches them reading and vocabulary where they would otherwise just hum over the words they don't know or understand. I have also used musical instruments like bells and tambourine to play along to Christmas Carols to again, learn the words they would normally hum. And the best thing about it? The kids don't even realise they are learning!

So put the music back in your life.

• Instead of bed time stories, why not try bed time songs? My Nanna and my Mum used to sing lovely songs to me and my siblings. Such sweet memories in our minds.
• When the kids are watching their favourite characters on TV, get in there and sing along and dance with them.
• Sing songs in the car together, especially nursery rhymes and kids songs that help teach them about life and learning.
• Get copies of song lyrics, or the teen music magazines that have lyrics in them and read the lyrics together to learn the words.
• Better still, have the kids sit and listen to the songs and write down the lyrics themselves. Have them decipher what the artists are singing and practice their writing and spelling while learning the words to their favourite songs.
• Put musical instruments into your kids toy boxes and encourage them to play along to their favourite songs, no matter how bad they may sound. If they are having fun and learning rhythm it will improve their motor skills and enhance their creative brains.
• Take them along to kids musical performances. There are many groups and performers out there who are tailored to kids and have so much educational benefit, all in the name of fun!
• If you're lucky enough to have someone who isn't too shy, have them come along to your child's next birthday party and sing and dance with the kids! Or volunteer to do it yourself...I can guarantee you from personal experience, it is an absolute hoot!

For more ideas like these ones check out our eBook Learning that's Fun.

Happy Learning!