September vacation
There are only 3 weeks left before the routines are back to normal. Wait. Put the cringe-worthy thought of making lunches again on pause. Yes, you’ll be looking for smart stuff and activities while your brilliant children are at home due to the teacher strike which is forecasted for mid-September.
Off-season travel rates.
Kids are out of school and you weren’t able to get away because your entire department had booked vacations over the summer? Opportunity knocks!
Hone those skills.
Brush up on math by doing some to the excellent activities in our past issues. If you don’t subscribe, check our KIDS page for a few of the videos that explain some of the fun. If you’d like to subscribe, you can on our home page. By the way, skip-counting challenges are one of the best ways to learn addition and multiplication. 4, 8, 12, 16 etc. Take turns and remind them that the increment is the same as the multiplier (4 one time is 4, two times is 8, three times is 12 etc.). The language in math is key.
Renew that library card.
Many libraries are anticipating the strike and are getting ready to help you offset the lost learning time. With computers, kids programming, videos, music cds, language learning programs, robotics programs etc.. the library has never been a better place to visit.
Subscribe to kids magazines.
There are so many great ones for different age groups. Kayak for Canadian history content, Chirp/Owl&Chickadee with great fun smart content and of course, our very own Brainspacewith tons of science and math. Kids LOVE getting their own package in the mail so make sure you have it addressed to them personally. Of course there are kids who are voracious readers and are content with novels. But for those less eager readers, my experience as a teacher is to give them what they love. They typically are willing to read bite-sized info with visuals like in magazines and graphic novels. Choose print over digital for new readers.
NOTE: Get Brainspace at a discount using code BTS23. Order now and receive the September issue packed with smart content. You’ll be grateful during the strike.
Put them to work.
Get those shoes sorted into bins. Get the winter gear sorted and ready. Have them chop greens to keep on the ready in your fridge. “Nothing prepares children for the weight of the world more than putting a bit of responsibility on their shoulders.”
Curate great content for them.
PVR documentaries, read our Trends and Gadgets column for recommended Apps. that truly deliver the goods. Set some time aside to debate topics. Should we be mining on the moon? Is Kanye an ego-maniac or does he cater to what people gravitate to? Are emojis modern day hieroglyphs? Invest in a globe. How many islands, isthmus, capes, peninsulas can you find? How about lakes, rivers, oceans? What are all the lines on the globe for? (Check out Brainspace Spring 2015 for great reference.)