Keep your kids learning this summer
SCHOOL’S out and most, if not all, children are happy that they have enough free time to play, watch their favourite TV shows, and not worry about homework and sticking to a patterned bed time.
But according to guidance counsellor Monique Minto, though the school bell may stop ringing, it that doesn’t mean that learning has to be put on pause.
“Summertime is a wonderful opportunity to promote learning while having fun. With technology being so prevalent and the Internet being so easily accessed, there are many cost-effective resources available for parents to source,” she said.
Below Minto outlines six ways to keep children learning this summer.
1. Create a summer scrap book
Minto said this could be just about anything. “The scrap book may contain photos, poems, newspaper clippings, drawings or even quotes,” she said. She added that what is placed in the scrap book will require a caption and short paragraphs describing the item. Minto said this will surely enhance the child’s creativity and they can have it to keep after the summer and share it with others.
2. Creative writing
“Depending on the age group of the child, you can allow the child to watch movies or interesting documentaries about specific things that they are fond of,” Minto said. She added that from this your child can write summaries, stories or even create a continuation of how they would have liked a movie to have ended. She further explained that this will enhance children’s cognitive development and their imagination, while boosting their writing skills.
3. Summer camps
The guidance counsellor said there are several summer camps that are available which vary in their duration. “Some of these camps offer an array of recreational and learning activities such as swimming, dancing, drama, speech, learning how to play an instrument, along with other fun activities. These camps will help to build your child’s self-esteem and possibly help them to become more competent in specific areas,” she said.
4. Reading
4. Reading
According to Minto, it is necessary to always encourage and motivate your child to read. “In promoting learning throughout the summer, you can have your child read their favourite sections of the newspaper or novels of their choice. From their readings, allow them to write down unfamiliar words in a book. Their task is to find the meanings of those words and start using them in their everyday conversations so as to grasp a good understanding of the words. Set a word limit for each week. This will help to improve and increase their vocabulary,” she explained.
5. Purchasing children’s text books early
5. Purchasing children’s text books early
She said if you can, it is recommended that parents purchase children’s textbooks early and encourage them to start reading and practise questions from workbooks. “This will enable your children to familiarise themselves with certain topics and what to expect for the upcoming school term,” she said.
6. Summer school
6. Summer school
Minto said though some children may see summer school as punishment, it is actually a great learning opportunity and experience for them. “Summer school is not like regular school, as children get the opportunity to do what they call ‘dress up’, and classes are dismissed way earlier than usual. They even begin later. Allowing your child to attend summer school will keep their minds active and engaged in learning. Teachers normally introduce fun learning activities in their lessons,” the guidance counsellor said.
