Some suggestions for activities

Some integrated activities that start local, then go national, then global could be:

- Keep a journal. It can be written, video, audio, graphic, whatever. For children who have not yet learned to write, it could be audio/video or graphic. Drawing works well for any age.

This might be one of the most important things for children to look back on.

Use your home and neighbourhood as a resource. Children can describe it through writing, drawing, mapping, video, audio, etc. They can look at statistics, such as how many different types of flowers there are in the garden, or what colour are the neighbourhood roofs.

Go national.

- Older children can look up national statistics. Younger children can look at pictures, or listen to stories.

- Use Google Earth or Google maps to roam the country. Street View, if available, can spark conversations about how other people live. Parents can use these sites with younger children.

Go global.

- Use Google Earth or Google maps to roam the planet. Street View, if available, can spark conversations about how other people from other countries live. Parents can use these sites with younger children.

- Use Google and/or Wikipedia to do more investigation into other countries, other cultures and religions and other ways of doing things.

Finally, anyone can learn almost anything from Google or YouTube. An important skill is learning how to do "smart" searches to find what you want.

Some subject-specific activities could be:

Mathematics:

- Add, subtract, multiply and divide things. (This gives you an excellect  opportunity to  reinforce the concepts that multiplying is the same as adding up successively and that dividing is how many times you can take away the same number each time until nothing is left.)

- Measure things. For small children, it might be "doll lengths" or hand spans.

- Look at shapes of things. How many triangles/rectangles/cirlces are in the home?

 Physical education:

Running, jumping, throwing, climbing, cycling, swimming, etc.

If you have more than one child and their ages are similar, they can play collaborative and competetive games.

 English:

- Read, read, read ... However, let the child choose, and ask them to summarise it for you afterwards.

- Write a journal, a story, a poem, a song, a news report, etc.

- Watch or listen to a story, then briefly retell it.

Arts:

- Draw, paint, model.

- Make a video, learn to play an instrument, perform a one -person play, perform a song or play with friends using a video chat, etc.

History and Geography

- There are so many good programs available for children to watch, particularly  from primary school upwards. Ask children to watch for (say) 5 key points during the show and ask them to tell you about it afterwards.

- Make their  own documentary - research family history by contacting relatives and asking them questions, leaving questionairres in neighbours' letter boxes, etc. Make a "David Attenborough" video in the garden.

Other languages:

- You can learn any language via Youtube

- Just Google  whatever language your child (and you) want to learn

Design and Technology:

- Make a bird nesting box, a home for lizards, etc.

- Older children can play Minecraft, robotics apps, etc.

- You can find out how to do anything on Youtube.

Asking questions:

As well as "See, think, wonder", children, of all ages can be asked "PMI" (Plus, Minus, Interesting" - what did they like, what didn't they like, what was "just" interesting?

For older students, and to increase the range of questions you can ask you child, this is a good start:

50 questions

 Please contact us if you would like more support in this area.

Links to activities

General Support:

A Principal's list of things to do whilst at home 

Pre-school - also look in the other sections

ABC Kids - Live or on iView. You can't go past Play School and Bluey. Whatever children watch, prepare them by letting them know you would like to learn three interesting things from them after the show.

Art and Toys 

Teacher Toms Blog  - an eary years specialist teacher sharing ideas 

Circus skills

Thinking mathemtically:

Interesting maths games

Developing Language and Literacy:

Writing support for older students

Free Access to the Oxford Owl reading libaray  - you will need to sign in and register as a parent but there are no catches it is a reputable company.

Free audible stories

Authors reading their book out loud 

Coco the Virus - video story about Covid 19  - for young children 

Inspiring Creative Thinkng:

Kids Art Projects to do at Home

12 amazing thing kids can do with sticks 

5 amazing paper aeroplanes

Exploring the world:

Visit historical sites

Photos to make them wonder

Environmental vidoes - primary students 

Secondary students 

Staying Active:

Spell your name workout game

Staying Curious:

Problem solving using nature - many inspiring videos and questions for all ages