Consider including the following activities into your teaching as they can be a great way to have a productive break from book or computer work. This will also take the pressure off the whole household and free up more time for the fun stuff!
Basic cookery - chopping and food preparation
Children of all ages can get involved in the kitchen and having something yummy to eat at the end is always a good incentive! They can develop skills that will last them a lifetime or perhaps a passion for food? Use your judgement on what your child can accomplish or click here for some suggestions of kitchen skills by age.
Household tasks - hoovering, ironing or laundry
Ok, maybe not the most glamorous of tasks but celebrities like Mrs Hinch have made cleaning a lot more enjoyable and helping around the house is a great way to teach children responsibility and the value of working as a family team. Cleaning is also a way to take care of and cherish the things that we have.
For younger kids, try getting them to tidy their toys or dust their room or sweeping, while the older ones can help with the washing up and maybe even tackle that ironing pile. To keep it fun, all work together or even play your favourite tunes and turn it into a cleaning dance party!
Gardening - mowing the lawn or growing their own food.
Getting out for some fresh air and being in nature is a great way to burn off that surplus energy. Seeing their plants slowly transform into a favourite fruit or veg can be an uplifting experience in these difficult times as well as a great learning opportunity. Great plants to get started with are runner beans, radishes, lettuce, marigolds or strawberries. If you don’t have a garden, there are lots of ways to introduce more plants into the house and get the kids excited about growing things – perhaps taking care of a basil plant whose leaves can be used in some of the cooking?
Pet care
Children can get a real confidence boost having the responsibility of caring for a pet. Learning to treat animals with kindness easily transfers to their other relationships, building understanding and respect. Even the youngest children can get involved with pet care by filling food and water bottles, tidying up the toys or helping with brushing and grooming.
Introduction to financial literacy
It’s never too early to teach children the value of money and saving sand some studies show that financial habits can be set as early as seven years old! You can use your household budget as an example and get them started earning and saving money, perhaps by doing extra chores around the house. Click here for more ideas or try one of the fantastic money management apps such as Pennybox or GoHenry.
