The Summer Holidays are now upon us and some of you may be wondering how you will fill the endless summer days with worthwhile entertainment for your children. Well that is where we are here to help you.
This article will cover 4 key areas which we recommend nurturing during this summer holiday.
Play & Imagination
Here at The Little Education House, we believe play to be the most crucial part of child development. In the words of Fred Rogers, “Play is often talked about as if it were a relief from serious learning. But, for children, play is serious learning. Play is really the work of childhood.” We couldn’t agree with this more. There is no doubt that the time where children are the most focused is when they are immersed in the world of their play. They are problem solving, they are communicating, they are imagining and they are learning and it really is a joy to observe. It is our role to encourage children to break sedentary activity and promote the world of play.
There can often be the feeling that children need to fill their free time with set activities and structured learning. However, it is often the simplest forms that create the most powerful learning opportunities and happiness. Recently, Rebecca observed two of her nieces playing; they spent hours in the wood finding bugs, looking at and listening to birds, picking flowers, playing hide and seek and running in the grass. They were immersed in a world of simplistic, yet powerful learning and it was all for free. We often underestimate how simplicity can create the most engaging entertainment and effective learning.
Who else has heard about the power of ‘the cardboard box?’. Some may say, ‘A cardboard box? Are they mad?’ but it again leads to our belief that sometimes the simplest things can create the best imaginations. The interactions and communication that it creates are magical to watch. Alice recently observed this in her Pre-Prep setting where three Reception children created their own theatre production using nothing more than a cardboard box and then when their imagination was satisfied with this idea, the box was then transformed into a spaceship that took them to space to eat ice cream on the moon! A true representation of childhood at its best.
Two of favourite resources to support this learning:
1. Play Hooray – Play Prompt Cards.
2. Imagistones – A perfect way to ignite storytelling.
Outdoors and Exercise
Here in the UK, we often blame the weather for not being able to spend time outside with children but through our jobs we witness, first-hand, children’s reaction to our view of ‘bad weather’. They do not mind it, in fact they often love it! It is therefore up to us to encourage them to embrace every season. After all, jumping in puddles is every child’s dream!
More often or not, exercise is incorporated into play for children and it is our role as adults to ensure that children in our care experience enough physical activity throughout the day. The quote “adults call it ‘exercise or working out’ but children call it play” has always resonated with us. Children are naturally drawn to physical activity, so it leaves it up to us to continue to encourage the time and passion for it.
Encouraging play/exercise means that children and young people reduce the time spent sitting for extended periods of time which has endless health benefits. The NHS states that children and young people aged 5-18 should: aim for an average of at least 60 minutes of moderate or vigorous intensity physical activity a day across the week. This is linked to better general health, stronger bones and muscles and higher levels of self- esteem.
So during the holidays, get your child out every day to exercise and explore.
3 of our favourite London Playgrounds:
1. The Diana Memorial Playground in Kensington Gardens is a child’s wonderland with a giant
wooden pirate ship as the centrepiece.
2. The playground at the Discover Story Centre in Stratford encourages children’s physical
development and imagination through a range of engaging resources.
3. The Children’s Garden at Kew Gardens (designed for 2-12 year olds) is a fun, interactive
space for children to climb, jump, run and explore.
Communication and Language
We recently read this powerful statement that really resonated with us, “If you read just 1 book a day to your child, they will have read 1825 books by their 5th birthday.”
Reading with or to your child every day will enhance their learning and development in every way. It will boost your child’s vocabulary, it will develop their imagination, it will increase their confidence with comprehension/story writing and much more.
During the holidays, continue to read with your child and make it part of your daily routine. Vary the books (non fiction and fiction) and encourage your child to read books that are of interest to them. Take your child to your local library so they get to experience the process of choosing a book and signing it out. Ask your child age-appropriate questions about the book e.g. what did you enjoy/not enjoy about the book? Who were your favourite characters? Who was the illustrator and what were the pictures like? Who was the author? What do you think will happen next? Can you spot the X?
It is never too early to start reading to your Little Learner. Even reading to a baby has incredible benefits which will benefit them forever more. Equally, reading to your child who is an experienced reader, helps to develop their love of reading and contentment. Inspiring a love of books and reading is one of the greatest gifts that you can give your child and will prepare them for a lifetime of learning.
Two of our favourite resources to encourage communication and language:
1. Nana’s Manners ‘Conversation’ or ‘Would you Rather’ cards.
2. Mrs. Wordsmith Resources encourage children to learn new words in a fun and interactive way with hilariously illustrated products.
The World Around Them
Has your child got a holiday project? If not, why not set a fun project of interest for you and your child to do together. Make this fun, interactive and engaging! Could it be that your child loves football? So, you can do a project all about football – visit a football pitch, go and play football at a London park, make your own homemade football, research football around the world and go and watch a football match? Take photos and write about each adventure along the way.
Or Maybe your child loves flowers so you could visit Kew Gardens, make a floral head crown together, go to a florist and create a bouquet and plant your own favourite flowers. The opportunities are endless but the most important thing is to make this project fun and allow your child to lead it, with inspiration from you along the way! You could buy your child a disposable camera to capture these moments and then take them to get these photos printed (or of course use your iPhone camera!).
Children’s desire to help the community can be quite inspirational so why not encourage your child to host a bake sale or a car boot sale to raise money for a charity of their choice. This will give them a greater understanding of the world around them and what they can do to help!
Remember not to underestimate your local area and how your child can learn from it. Children have an admirable ability to learn from and enjoy the simple things in life.