It's finally here! The Easter holidays are upon us. All the schools have now broken up and the weather has co-operated by being wonderfully sunny. Holidays are a busy time for us here, as we get some children who can only make it then and others who have extra lessons now that they can fit them in.
The majority of our pupils also move their lessons to earlier in the day, seeing as they don't have school. It means that on some days, like today, I have an afternoon free to do some spring cleaning. Today's task was the art cupboard. Cue very large box of mixed paper stars and sequins that opened up and went everywhere! Myself and the classroom are now covered in a fine layer of glitter and the odd sequin I missed. Oh dear.
The second part of my reading blog on Kidz First Childcare is up, with a focus on comprehension. Look out for something different next month.
You can find the blog on www.kidzfirstchildcare.co.uk/community/the-blog
I often get asked by parents how to keep their children learning during the holidays. There are many ways, but the key is to make it fun. If the child doesn't enjoy it, they're not going to be encouraged to continue. Why not try a holiday diary? Make sure to include lots of pictures, both drawn and photographs. Get the children to take them. You can also discuss layout and presentation at the same time. Keep souvenirs such as postcards and entrance tickets to make your diary more interesting. You, as the adult, could write alongside your child so that it becomes a collaborative effort.
If you're taking part in an Easter egg hunt, it's a great opportunity to include some Maths. Count the eggs and ask questions like "How many more did you get than Holly? How many more would you need to make ten? If you eat two, how many will you have left?" Ask them to describe the eggs they found. Boil up some eggs and then decorate them. Ask them to describe the patterns they have made. Can they design an egg using only stripes? Or spots?
Children love to make things. Can they design a box to keep their egg safe? They're only allowed two sheets of A4 paper and 30cm of sellotape. Why not test it? Use some hard boiled eggs (not their decorated ones) and put them in the box. Drop them from a height of 10cm. Were they kept safe? Now drop them from 20cm. Keep going.
Let me know how you get on. You can send photos of your decorated eggs or boxes to @DaisyEducation on Twitter or post a picture to our Facebook page www.facebook.com/pages/Daisy-Education/1450738115147023 or leave a comment below. Have fun!
The majority of our pupils also move their lessons to earlier in the day, seeing as they don't have school. It means that on some days, like today, I have an afternoon free to do some spring cleaning. Today's task was the art cupboard. Cue very large box of mixed paper stars and sequins that opened up and went everywhere! Myself and the classroom are now covered in a fine layer of glitter and the odd sequin I missed. Oh dear.
The second part of my reading blog on Kidz First Childcare is up, with a focus on comprehension. Look out for something different next month.
You can find the blog on www.kidzfirstchildcare.co.uk/community/the-blog
I often get asked by parents how to keep their children learning during the holidays. There are many ways, but the key is to make it fun. If the child doesn't enjoy it, they're not going to be encouraged to continue. Why not try a holiday diary? Make sure to include lots of pictures, both drawn and photographs. Get the children to take them. You can also discuss layout and presentation at the same time. Keep souvenirs such as postcards and entrance tickets to make your diary more interesting. You, as the adult, could write alongside your child so that it becomes a collaborative effort.
If you're taking part in an Easter egg hunt, it's a great opportunity to include some Maths. Count the eggs and ask questions like "How many more did you get than Holly? How many more would you need to make ten? If you eat two, how many will you have left?" Ask them to describe the eggs they found. Boil up some eggs and then decorate them. Ask them to describe the patterns they have made. Can they design an egg using only stripes? Or spots?
Children love to make things. Can they design a box to keep their egg safe? They're only allowed two sheets of A4 paper and 30cm of sellotape. Why not test it? Use some hard boiled eggs (not their decorated ones) and put them in the box. Drop them from a height of 10cm. Were they kept safe? Now drop them from 20cm. Keep going.
Let me know how you get on. You can send photos of your decorated eggs or boxes to @DaisyEducation on Twitter or post a picture to our Facebook page www.facebook.com/pages/Daisy-Education/1450738115147023 or leave a comment below. Have fun!