Tuesday 24 August 2021

BACK TO SCHOOL: 5 Fun Activities for Children who are Returning to School

Fun Activities for Children who are Returning to School
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At the start of the summer holidays the amount of time seems quite daunting and filled with all of the questions...How will I keep the children entertained all summer? How will balancing work commitments and childcare happen? What will the weather be like? Are we going away? Shall I organise some play dates? Then, just like that, we are almost at the end of the school summer holidays and I'm wondering where the time went? The days and weeks seem to just fly by this year and I think the new sense of freedom helped with that. Last year's summer holidays all seemed to roll into one, as an almost extension of home learning and lockdown. However, this year we are allowed to visit family, go on holiday, meet as many friends as we like, go for meals out, celebrate special events together, give brilliant children's gifts in person, enjoy days out again and most importantly spend quality time with loved ones. 
As the summer (that almost felt like it never came - heating on in August shouldn't be a thing) comes to an end and we look forward into autumn, so comes the big return to school. This year my eldest is going up to Year 2 and my middle daughter is starting school for the very first time. She is beyond excited to be starting school, which is all I can ask for really. On the run up to the new autumn term beginning we have been doing a few fun activities with the aim of helping them both get ready for school life and everything that comes with that. 
If you have a child/ren starting school, returning or beginning an adventure at a new school then here are 5 fun activities that will help challenge their thinking, get them into the routine and most importantly hopefully make the return as smooth as possible with plenty of happy smiles!

1) Problem solving activities - Learning Resources educational games are perfect for playing with children and they won't even realise quite how much they're learning. The Gears Deluxe Building Set - 100 Pieces from Wicked Uncle is a firm favourite with my daughters because the possibilities of the structure to build are endless. It is ideal for challenging problem solving skills, as they have to work out how to make all the gears turn at the same time. Using the 100 pieces included in the box children can create many different structures, including a car, zig zag staircase and caterpillar. 
2) Use a calendar everyday - One of the first skills children learn at school are the days of the week, which is obviously a life skill they will use daily but can be very tricky for children to learn. During the school holidays asking your child what day it is, using a calendar to identify the date and month can be really helpful in setting them back up into the routine. We all know how easy it is to lose track of which day or date it is during the holidays (I've done this many times in the passed few weeks!), but an interactive calendar such as this My Magnetic Daily Calendar can help keep track and teach a life skill at the same time. 
3) Go back in time - History was my favourite subject at school and Isabella seems to have a real interest in it too, which is so lovely. We can all learn a lot from what has already happened and it helps our children appreciate where we are today. It is interesting to think that in years to come the pandemic we have all been living through will be a key part of the history of not only our country, but the world too. 
Who remembers Horrible Histories from when they were younger? I used to love their books, in fact Isabella has a few of my old books that she likes to read now. A fun and slightly gruesome way to learn about history at home is through the Horrible Histories The Board Game, which takes you on an historical journey from cavemen to present day. There are over 600 questions, making this game one that can be enjoyed time and time again. It is for 2-4 players, recommended for 8 years+ and has a combination of question answering and performing an action. This also makes the perfect gift for a history loving children and if you buy it from Wicked Uncle then they can also gift wrap it and write a card for the lucky recipient too. Their delivery is really quick as well - perfect for those times we *almost* forget a birthday!
4) Quick Mental Maths Games - The ideal game for in the car, when you're out for a meal, on a walk...anywhere and everywhere. Focus on adding, subtracting, multiplication, dividing, shapes, fractions, timetables; the chances are you already play quick mental maths games without even realising it. Some really simply questions that you can tailor to your child's age are...
What is that house number? 54
Can you add those numbers together? 9
Tell me what I add to 9 to get to 10? 1
********
Can you tell me all of the numbers on that car's number plate? 21
What is 2+1? 3
Tell me what 3x3 equals? 9
Can I divide 9 by 2 equally? No
You can also get fun mental maths games, such as Gangsta Granny's Mental Maths Games which is a collection of games where players are trying to get the highest score possible. As it is a card game it is compact enough to easily take out when visiting friends/family, to a play date, on a meal out, playing when on a walk etc. 
5) Learn about the Human Body - Our bodies are fascinating things and something our children need to learn all about. The Human Body - Discovery Stickers & Giant Poster from Wicked Uncle is a fun and interactive way for children to learn all about their organs, skeleton, as well as the differences going through from being a baby all the way to an adult. My daughter did this topic at school in Year 1, so this poster set would have been idea for supporting her learning at home. Children will love matching the stickers to their corresponding place on the giant poster and you can then display it in their bedroom for them to learn from over time. 
Are you ready for the return to school? 

Feel free to leave a comment - I love reading every single one :)

Helen x
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3 comments

  1. These are all great activities when headed back to school. My girls really enjoy hands-on learning activities, so these are great!

    Stephanie Renee

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  2. These look like great activities for children who are going back to school soon. I love the daily calendar

    ReplyDelete
  3. These sound like some great ideas, I can believe back to school is coming around so quickly now. It is always good to keep children learning over holidays.

    ReplyDelete

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