DISCLOSURE: This post is sponsored by Netflix, but all opinions are 100% my own. I am a member of the Netflix StreamTeam.
Every parent wants their child to excel. Like many others, I encourage educational activities as much as possible to boost their learning. But during the school year, I have to tread lightly. I don't want to force something on my kids when they already have enough to juggle with school, sports and activities.
Learning can be fun, and there are plenty of ways to promote educational activities without overwhelming kids! The trick is to intersperse these activities with play. Play is EVERY bit as important as learning during childhood. Kids have a lot more pressure on them these days, so there must be time for them to let loose and do what they want to do!
Dylan, Lexie, Lily and Liam are plenty busy between school, basketball, soccer, band, chorus, dance, acro and therapies (PT, OT and ST for Liam). We don't have much time these days for extra activities, but we try to fit them in whenever we possibly can. These ten fun activities are a great way to boost learning during the busy school year!
10 Fun Ways To Boost Learning During The School Year
Go on a "Field Trip."
Visiting the zoo, museums and other places in your area can be fun and educational! Because it's a different experience, kids don't even focus on the fact that they are actually learning quite a bit while they are enjoying a fun outing with their family!
Write letters to loved ones.
There's something so exciting about receiving something in the mail other than bills! Each month, have your kid(s) write a letter to a family member or friend, and put it in the mail. They get to work on handwriting and sentence structure, and make someone's day in the process! Bonus points for creating artwork to go with it!
Help with the cooking and baking.
Most kids love to help prepare meals and make baked goods! All four of my kids love to cook and bake, and Dylan and Lexie can now do almost everything on their own. While they help out, they enhance their math skills through measurements. Younger kids can learn how to correctly measure the ingredients, while older kids can learn how to double (or triple) the measurements for larger recipes.
Do science experiments at home.
This is probably one of my kids favorite things to do! They love to make slime, putty, and play dough, and try new experiments that they find online. Although it can be messy, they love science, so I'm happy to let them experiment!
Read a new book together.
I am a reader, so I always encourage healthy reading habits. I try to show an interest in what my kids are reading and what types of books they prefer. Lily and I read a chapter book together each night, and I often read the books that Lexie and Dylan are reading in school so I can discuss it with them. And a trip to the book store to choose new reading material is always a favorite!
Interview an older family member.
There are so many times when I wish I could go back and ask my grandparents questions, so I encourage my kids to do so! Hearing their experiences during major historical events can make history much more personal. And someday, they will be very thankful that they asked those questions while they could!
Have a Family Game Night.
Schedule a Family Game Night at least once a month! There are so many educational games, and the kids will be having so much fun that they won't even realize they're learning or building critical thinking/fine motor skills in the process. Try Yahtzee, Jenga, Phase 10, Quiddler, Uno, Monopoly, Life and Scrabble!
Learn something new together.
Brainstorm with your family and decide on one thing that you want to learn how to do together. Whether it be a new recipe, making pasta from scratch, a new sport or activity, or learning a new language, commit to it and work together to accomplish your goal!
Download quality learning apps.
There are SO many apps available for devices these days. Do some research before downloading. Ask your child's teacher for recommendations, search online, and read the reviews on the app.
Watch something educational on Netflix.
Everybody loves Netflix! They have so many binge-worthy shows, but there are also many educational shows to watch with your kids. Consider adding one of these titles to your next Family Movie Night!
For The Entire Family:
Planet Earth: The Complete Collection
We watched this entire series with our kids and LOVED it! The footage is often breathtaking, and we all learned so much about our world by watching it. I highly recommend watching it with your kids!
The Blue Planet: A Natural History of the Oceans
This series, which is much like Planet Earth, is on our watch list! I've heard it's every bit as beautiful as Planet Earth!
For The School-Aged Kids:
Bill Nye, the Science Guy
I don't know what it is about this show, but even Lexie, who is 10, still loves it! Bill Nye manages to make science entertaining for kids of all ages.
The Magic School Bus
This show is older, but fun and educational! My kids love the popular book series, so they were so excited when they found out there was a TV series, too!
The Magic School Bus Rides Again
We haven't watched this show yet, but I have no doubt my first grader is going to love it! It's a spinoff of The Magic School Bus starring Ms. Frizzle's little sister!
For Toddlers & Preschoolers:
All of these shows are great for introducing letters, numbers, and early reading, math and science skills!
Word Party
Super Why!
Sid the Science Kid
LeapFrog: Phonics Farm
LeapFrog: The Amazing Alphabet Amusement Park
LeapFrog: Numberland
Monster Math Squad
How do you encourage your kids to learn during the school year?
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I love all of these, especially writing letters to loved ones! Henry can definitely get a little ornery sometimes, so it's nice to have a few suggestions to help make it fun and not seem like work.
ReplyDeleteGreat ideas! I want to start family game night here. My boys love the Magic School Bus. I will have to tell them to watch Bill Nye too!
ReplyDeleteWe love Sid the Science Kid and Super Why! They are both so great!
ReplyDeleteThese are all great ideas. Thank you for the kid educational video recommendations. I was just looking for some for the girls!
ReplyDeleteThese are such great ideas. I especially like the idea of writing a letter once a month to a family member. I'm definitely going to try to incorporate this, as I feel Lewie doesn't get as much writing practice at school as he does math. I also like the idea of making a family goal for everyone to learn something new together...
ReplyDelete