As tempting as a nap sounds on a lazy weekend afternoon, you can make the most of it by organizing Do It Yourself activities with your kids. DIY children’s activities are a great way to utilize your child’s energies in a productive manner. DIY Children’s activities can teach your kids the importance of being unique as well as being self-reliant. And don’t assume that its advantages are just limited to children, you can learn a lot from your child during the process of educating them about arts and crafts. It will also improve researching skills on your part, as you want to expose and provide them with the best of resources and information. Here are some DIY ideas you can incorporate while you’re spending some quality time with them.
Designing on a T-shirt
Designing on a plain T-Shirt can be an amazing creative project for kids to start with, as they don’t just get to be imaginative but also get an opportunity to flaunt it by wearing it. They can paint, use stickers and markers, beads, style it the way they want to.
Collages
Making a collage is a natural process where yours kids can constantly change their creative effort and direction. It doesn’t have any particular rules, your kids just need to go with the flow and be absolutely spontaneous. They can use papers, magazine and newspaper cuttings, photographs, incorporate craft that they have made.
Making accessories
Yours kids will love the idea of making neck pieces, bracelets, or even badges. Making accessories can hone their co-ordination and dexterity as they can be a little complex because of distinctive shapes and sizes. They can use their favorite fictional/ cartoon characters, or make traditional ones which will also enlighten them about the history and the culture of the world.
Dream catchers
Dream catchers are an interesting piece of art work, which also have a legend behind. They are said to be created by the Native American group, and are hung on a bed’s headboard to trap nightmares while the person is asleep. They are quite easy to make, your kids can make use of vibrant colors to make it breezy.
A weekly journal
You can encourage your kid to maintain a creative weekly journal, in which they can draw and write about what they learned at school or in general. It can enhance their fine motor skills as well as creative mental abilities to express, and it will help you understand their thoughts as well.
Greeting cards
If a birthday is coming up in the family a handmade birthday greeting from a kid will be the most precious as well as adorable keepsake for the recipient. You can also get them to make a Christmas card, which you can scan and make copies of, to send out to friends and family.
It’s time to go back to school again! This wonderful time of the year triggers a range of emotions among kids as well as parents. Students can find this period overwhelming because of the high levels of excitement for the new semester as well as the difficulty of getting back into a routine after a restful summer break. It is imperative to prepare back-to-school essentials to ensure a smooth transition into the classroom. One of the best ways to ease the students out of their summer break and into school is through the right books. Back-to-school books need not be read exclusively on the first day or the first week of school. They can be treasurable reads to return to throughout the academic year.
Back-to-school books that revolve around the school setting are a great spot to begin. These books will aid in portraying schools as inviting places, thereby preparing your little one emotionally and academically. Here are three books that will strike a chord with your children.
Rain School: Written by James Rumford, Rain School is a picture book that most children adore. This story is set in Chad, Africa and revolves around the concept of younger siblings being led to school by older kids. The narrative also follows the passion of a boy named Thomas who loves to learn. It beautifully sheds light on the difficulties faced by kids as they must build their mud school building that will be taken away by the rainy season. Your little one is bound to be amazed by the determination of these kids.
Back to Front and Upside Down: An excellent work by Claire Alexander, Back to Front and Upside Down portrays the different challenges that students face within the walls of a classroom. This back-to-school book focuses on the ability of Stan who has trouble during an activity conducted in a classroom. He struggles with the formation of letters and is left feeling discouraged. Not only is the book great for kids, but it also helps parents understand the importance of helping kids through their troubles and minimizing the pressure to accomplish tasks.
School’s First Day of School: A lovely narration by Adam Rex, School’s First Day of School is a beautiful back-to-school book as it addresses the nervousness that kids may feel before their big day. The book has intriguing illustrations too. This clever back-to-school book traces the journey of students on the first day of school.
There is no denying that summer is a blissful time when all that you want to do is relax and laze around as you try to recover from the previous stressful school year. However, you cannot escape from the fact that summer is the perfect time that you have in your hand to prep for the coming school year.
Don’t know what to do this summer? Here are six ways in which you can enjoy your summer while preparing your mind and body for the challenging school year that is just around the corner.
Go on an adventure
As they say, there is no classroom out there that is better than traveling. So, pack your bags and follow the call of adventure. The best part about traveling during your summer vacations is that you need not worry about missing work or any other family obligation. Try to plan at least one trip every summer, in which you can see a new place, get a glimpse of a different culture and learn about the life of the locals there, in turn, getting a lifelong learning.
Pursue a new hobby
For those who complain that they don’t get enough time to pursue their hobbies during the school months, they can pursue their passion and join hobby classes.
Enroll for a summer class
Those who feel that the upcoming academic year will be hectic for them because of the advanced classes they are planning to take can consider enrolling themselves for extra summer classes that will help them learn the subject or additional skills in order to perform better in their academics.
Pick a sport
Though you will be very tempted to be lazy in the summer and not work out at all, it is vital that you at least play one sport or go for regular walks that will keep your body healthy and let you not succumb to the sedentary lifestyle.
Join a cause
It is rightly said that the more you give, the more you get. Volunteering is not just a great way to pass your time, but it also enhances your people skill and many times helps you find new interests that who knows might someday turn into a career?
Earn some extra bucks
Summer is also the perfect time to work hard and earn some extra income that you can utilize for shopping for your new year school outfit or simply to manage your other expenses. Apply for part time jobs in advance so that you can find the perfect job before the summer even begins.
Preparing for the school year ahead need not necessarily be finishing all the books that you are meant to read in the course to ace your classes, sometimes it simply means making the most of your summer doing interesting things, so that when you are back to school, you are proactive and ready for the academic year.