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Super fun and creative ways to help your kids learn

April 15, 2021 by

As a parent, you always want the best for your kids, especially regarding their education. For them to grow up happy and prosperous in all aspects of life, with as few or as little bumps along the way. Now more than ever, it’s imperative to keep kids stimulated and nurture their active imaginations. Even the youthful exuberance of a child can be sullied by the tedium of long hours stuck inside. Exacerbated by the ongoing pandemic. In short, it isn’t always good for their creativity. Homeschooling can be very boring, but it doesn’t have to be To make learning more engaging and enjoyable, consider adding activities like tennis lessons. You must find ways to help kids learn and have a little fun along the way.

But how do you make sure that happens?

We have some ideas! Here are six super fun and creative ways to help your children learn: 

Snow Tiger Media

Snow Tiger Media is the creator of the Winning@range, which is a series of activity books filled with lots of fun things to do and is produced to accommodate children in forming a love of learning from the young age of 3 years old. Understanding the need to find new ways to help kids engage in their education was a major driving force behind the brand new series. The fun exercises support children in achieving their scholastic goals while building up their confidence. Every page has a different purpose highlighted to trace the improvement and inspire children to work freely. All the masterfully crafted illustrations and narratives were completely designed and penned by the creators themselves.

The winning@range is available now

 

Maryan, part of the dynamic couple behind the series, explains more “We want children to keep up, top up and catch up as pandemic restrictions continue, and the entire world of learning has been turned on its head. The books are designed to be fun, and we hope they’re incredibly useful, too.” 

The new series is literally hot off the press, being made available just a few days prior on the 12th of April, 2021. To find out more, download free worksheets and how to purchase the new range, we recommend visiting their website, Snow Tiger Media. You can check out their TikTok too, give them a follow, and see how the magic happens!

https://www.tiktok.com/@snowtigermediauk/video/6955578259052530950?lang=en&is_copy_url=0&is_from_webapp=v1&sender_device=pc&sender_web_id=6963560371311920646

Reusable sight-word sandbox

A re-usable sight-word sandbox is a lunchbox with sugar, salt, or even actual sand placed inside it with a sticky note on the inside of the lid with a word written on it. With a pencil, your child will then write an imprint of the same word in the sand. The kids will find it fun as it’s easy to play and the benefit of using this is that it’s inexpensive and easy to set up. The perfect combination.

Alphabet Matching

Teach your children the letters of the alphabet by utilizing a magnetic alphabet set and a spare cookie sheet. Write the alphabet letters on the cookie sheet by using washable markers or stickers of the alphabet and have your child match the magnetic letters to the letters that they find on the sheet. You can also do the same thing on the fridge by placing the letters of the alphabet and asking your kid to match them with the magnetic alphabet set. The benefit of using this is that it can become adapted as the kid gets older by asking them to name the alphabet in order until they know the sound and the letter off by heart.

Sunflower Word Family

Kids who are in the beginning stages of learning how to read can explore various sound mixtures with a word-family sunflower. You do this by using yellow paper to create sunflower petals and writing word endings on the yellow petals. Afterward, you attach the petals around a paper plate, add all the letters of the alphabet around the rim, and then let kids spin the plate and read the results. The benefits of using this are it is easy to use, and it helps your child practice their reading and enunciation skills.

Catch a letter fishing game

The ‘catch a letter’ fishing game is essentially an activity where your child uses a fishing rod to ‘catch’ fish-shaped objects with letters on them. You can ask your kid to identify the letter and test their recall. The benefit of using this is that it’s really fun and engages the memory part of your child’s brain. Several bands make versions of the game and you can order a set from most good toy stores.

Indoor gardening

The benefit of gardening is that it helps your children learn about where the food they eat every comes from, and how things grow, which will help them in school in the future. Since we may be in lockdown for a while, and it’s not as easy as it was to go outside to enjoy nature, you may want to consider creating an indoor garden. Many YouTube videos explain the process, and it’s a fun activity for both you and the kids.

Being indoors with your kids as you try to balance work and being a parent can be tough. But, it shouldn’t be. There are many fun and creative ways for you to help your kids learn, regardless of how young or old they are. It also gives you an opportunity to bond with your kids and really get to know them. The current situation has given new opportunities to not be as reliant on their teachers when it comes to learning and educating. Use the extra time to teach them new and fun ways to learn about the world. It’s important to note that every child is different and should be treated accordingly. Perhaps, using an activity book may work best for you and your kid. Or maybe your child is more of an arts and craftsperson. Luckily this is the time for you to find out, so don’t be scared when it comes to experimenting with different types of methods. Just keep your kid’s interests always at heart, and with a bit of creativity, there are lots of fun ways to help your children’s education.

 

 

Learn keyboard typing for kids

One extra but fun indoor activity. Teach your children how to type through some fun games

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eAvIAC3zzCQ



Fun and simple activities for kids during Covid

April 10, 2021 by

As any parent knows, looking after kids is a tough job! It’s 24/7 and 365 days a year. The last year has certainly been a test for everyone, with the threat of the virus, job insecurity, and even more pressure on parents to keep it together. Offices of work and schoolyards have been eerily quiet in many parts of the country, with people spending more time than ever at that place we call home. Spending all those extra hours in the house with your loved ones can be an opportunity though. Not only can you learn some new skills together but have some fun with the extra bonding time that maybe wasn’t available before. The only problem is kids get bored, they need stimulation. Endless hours at home will only act as a multiplier to any restless bodies, young or old. So new and old ways to keep your kids entertained is not only important for them, but for yourself as well. 

So here are a few fun and simple activities, to keep your kids on the right track and to help alleviate the old lockdown blues. The good thing is once we get back to normality, you can still try them out too.

Be That Spark!

Wouldn’t it be great to find something you can do on a nightly basis over a week, that not only entertains but educates? Well, we have found just that in “A Little Spark”, delivering on both fronts.

A little spark is a multisensory, interactive experience for children through the age-old art of storytelling. The overarching message that underpins the book is to “Be that spark” and the importance of sharing with your family. One of the many lessons your kids will learn throughout the 160-page story, packed with neat illustrations, original songs, and an award-winning audiobook. Its length between story and chapter book means it can be a source of fun and entertainment over multiple nights for a week or any which way you like to space the ten chapters out.

The books are made with QR codes embedded throughout the pages that link to a custom-made soundtrack to elevate and enhance the reading experience. The catchy soundtrack written by Chris Parsons is complemented by illustrated music videos to match that you can find on their website and Youtube. Overall the book is a magical experience combining fantasy, action, and a good dose of adventure. Sprinkled with all-important life lessons tailor-made to resonate with children of all ages. We highly recommend you head to the Be that Spark website. Find out everything else you need to know and how to get a copy by clicking here for their homepage.

Check out the ” A Little Spark” trailer on youtube below

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O_GAJSYS4L4

4 year old kid activities

 
* Food Colouring Spray Paint

By mixing food coloring with water, you create an art medium that is easy to clean and fun to play with. This can keep your kids occupied for hours. Give your kids their food coloring spray paint, and put out some large paper on the lawn and let them paint all over their paper -and maybe some of the gardens too. This is all safe for kids, safe for your garden, easy to wash, and easy on your wallet. Kids enjoy activities like this because they get to be creative and make a mess without too much concern. This is very quick and easy to prepare with just water, food coloring, and paper. You’ll have your kids busy in no time, so this is a great activity when you’re in a bit of a pinch.

* Finger Painting

Finger painting is a craft we have all done and loved. Kids love getting to use their hands and really get stuck in to what they’re doing. For this activity, you just need paper, some non-toxic paint, and an area for your kids to paint. This is a fantastic activity to get some good tactile stimulation for your kid whilst they just enjoy getting messy and painting with their fingers. This activity can keep your kids busy for hours and it only takes a few minutes to set up. 

Sock Snakes are fun

These fun toys can be made with a bunch of old socks. All you’ll need is some old socks, a sewing needle, thread, and perhaps some googly eyes or buttons. This can either be a shared activity with you and your younger child, or older children can do this themselves with supervision. Cut your socks open into a shape that can be sewn against other material. Once you have cut all your socks open, place them in any way you like, and then sew them all together, forming a rectangle. Then, sew the two long sides together, forming a tube, and then sew one more sock on the end for the face. Stuff the open end of the sock snake with whatever you can find that would be appropriate for stuffing, then sew up the open end, stick some eyes on it, and you’ve got a sock snake! This could be a rather time-consuming task and could be completed over a few days. Your kids will feel a great sense of accomplishment after finishing this.

Bake to your heart’s content

Baking is such a rewarding activity, as you get to spend quality time together whilst also making a delicious treat. I know when I was a child, I loved to bake cakes, especially the taste testing part! The bonus is that baking allows kids to make use of measuring cups, play with flour, and so much more. This activity stimulates the eyes, ears, nose, mouth and hands. While baking cannot be done by the child alone, it can be a tiresome task for the kid as they’ve got to pay attention. This is a simple activity as all you need to do is look up a recipe for your favorite treat online and follow the instructions. 

There are countless ways to entertain kids, it’s a little too easy to stick an Ipad in their face these days and think that is enough. Something that allows interaction is a much healthier and ultimately more rewarding way to keep the kids amused. So try them out; they aren’t just good for your time in lockdown, but when the world returns and our busy lives get back to the way they were.




3 Easy Christmas Craft Project Ideas To Try With Your Kids

January 11, 2021 by

Christmas is the perfect opportunity to spend quality time with your family and make cherishable memories! While you can have fun with your kids in a million different ways, but there are some exciting indoor ideas too. Bring in the holiday spirit by joining your little ones for a Christmas craft project for kids.

Christmas ideas for 9 year old

Snowflake Popsicle Ornaments

Christmas is incomplete without decorating your Christmas tree with some sparkly ornaments. So, how about we make some on our own? All you need for this craft project are some Popsicle sticks, string, glitter, shiny decorations, and any other decoration of your choice.

Color the Popsicle sticks with a couple of your favorite colors, or you can even use the Christmas themed colors. Now, glue the sticks together to create the shape of a snowflake. Then create a twine using a string and glue it to the back.

Decorate with your kids using glitters, stars, stones, and pompoms. And hang this beautiful masterpiece on a branch of your Christmas tree.

Pinecone Christmas Trees

This is the easiest Christmas craft project you’ve ever come across. So much so that you can even have a 3-year-old try this out. Moreover, it looks super chic when you place it on a side table as a Christmas decoration item.

To gather the supplies, you just need to go out into your backyard to collect some pine cones. Also, grab some wooden slices lying here and there. Now, the kids can paint the cones with solid green acrylic color.

Leave it for drying and once it is completely dry, make snow on the branches by painting the tips of the cone white. Next, add tiny colorful dots on the leaves of the tree. These will work for the Christmas tree lightings. Finish it off by placing a star on top of your pine cone Christmas tree.

Sock Snowman

Do you want a cute little snowman sitting on your table? Let’s make one! For this easy craft, you need a white sock, a colored sock, a handful of rice, elastic bands/threads, buttons, ribbons, and pompoms.

First, fill in the sock with rice, then tie the top with an elastic or a thread. Now, grab another elastic and tie the middle of the sock to form the head and body. Then, glue some colorful buttons to his body in a line and draw his mouth and eyes with a marker.

You could also add some pinkish cheeks and make his nose out of orange-colored pom poms. Then, you can glue a ribbon piece to its neck for a scarf and cut out the excess of the white sock. For the hat, you need to cut the foot of a colored sock and roll it a little bit. Now, secure it on the snowman’s head with some glue.

Final Thoughts

Regardless of whatever you and your kids decide to do this Christmas, the most significant thing is you spending time with them. What more could anybody have asked for? So, give outdoor activities a bit of rest and get on with those creative crafty ideas!




Educational Games for Toddlers

June 29, 2020 by

Your child won’t miss out on his learning because of the pandemic.

Know how?

The internet will come to your rescue!

Oh yes! Including a pool of learning tools, the online space is an ocean blending fun and knowledge.

Toddlers usually catch noises and sound that they hear even if they can’t quite perceive the meaning or speak efficiently. Thus, you want your child to be surrounded by the right kind to help him evolve early on.

Online games that are education-oriented are your go-to place. You’ll get a list of such games on Google or PlayStore.

This article has curated a list of three such educational games which are by far the most exciting and informative.

SplashLearn

 

SplashLearn is an engaging and interactive educational app designed for children in Pre-K to Grade 5. It offers a comprehensive learning experience with a variety of resources including fun ELA and math games, printable worksheets, and live classes, all tailored to the curriculum of each grade level. 

The heart of SplashLearn’s effectiveness lies in its adaptive learning algorithm. This technology personalizes the educational content, ensuring that each child receives learning material that matches their individual pace and level of understanding. This personalized approach helps in keeping the learning experience both challenging and enjoyable. For parents and teachers, SplashLearn offers a transparent window into their child’s educational progress. Through detailed reports and updates, they can track improvements, identify areas needing more focus, and celebrate their child’s learning milestones. It’s an excellent tool for parents and educators looking to enrich their child’s educational experience with engaging content and personalized learning.

Location: App store

Rating: 4.5

ABC KIDS – TRACING AND PHONIC

ABC kids

Location : PlayStore

Rating: 4.4

About: The fame once downloaded, has an eye-catching background with animated characters introducing themselves. The opening page shows a train that has a bunch of options as the carriers. The options to choose from include – tracing alphabets (both capital and small), identifying the correct alphabets (both capital and small).

The game makes your child familiar with how alphabets look like and sound like. For the same, there will be a wall given wight blocks where the kid is required to match similar looking words. For example match M with M and q with q. This will not only help him/her learn but also work on the visualization and memory powers.

Download link

PRE SCHOOL KIDS: NUMBER AND MATHS

preschool kids

Location : PlayStore

Rating: 4.3

About: This is the perfect game to learn numbers and basic mathematical techniques. The game not only gives an insight into how the numbers look like but also repeats then so as to tell how they sound like. Children pick on sounds faster and try to copy in their own voice, thus this will come in handy.

It includes a bunch of options like to go for how the numbers are spelled, addition, subtraction, greater than, lesser than LR equal to functions, how the numbers are placed on a click, and also to find missing numbers. Hence, this game can be used not only for toddlers but also can help them when they join their nursery and later.

Download link

COLORS FOR KIDS, TODDLERS, AND BABIES – LEARNING GAME

colors for kids

Location : PlayStore

Rating: 4.0

About: As the name suggests, this game familiarizes your child with a world of colors. It makes the kid indulge in colors in a variety of ways – to choose the right color when that particular color is called out, mixing different colors to form a new color (i.e mixing blue and yellow to get green), matching the appropriate color when a picture is shown. It also has a coloring section that enables the child to color shapes and sceneries provided. Each time a color is selected, it is named.

Download link

KIDS ACADEMY

Talented and Gifted is a treasury of educational activities for children ages 2 to 10. It was developed by experts in early education and covers all the main subjects of preschool and elementary school: World Around Us, Math, English Language Arts, Social Studies and more.

Thanks to the cohesive structure of each course, children can work with the app independently —  cheerful design, rewards and play activities help them stay engaged and focused.

The range of activities includes videos, games, interactive worksheets, quizzes and coloring pages.  A great bonus in the app is a top-notch Chess course!

Download Link

There are thousands of games out there for shapes and various different subjects too. Just dive in and choose which suits you the best!

 




A Parent’s Guide to Taking Care of a Child With Special Needs

June 29, 2020 by

Caring for a special needs child can become very overwhelming, very fast. Discover the complete guide to caring for special needs children here.

Do you or your partner have a family history of having special needs children? Are you worried that you may also have one when you give birth? Do you want to be ready to take care of special needs children in case you get any? 

One in six kids aged 3-17 have a developmental disability and diagnoses have only increased. The likely reasons for this increase include improved awareness, screening, and service accessibility.

It can be disconcerting if you find out you have a child diagnosed with special needs. Below, we’ve got a list of things for new parents with special needs children to remember. 

parents guide

Establish a Good Support System

You don’t have to be alone in taking care of your kid. Your child may have a rare condition, but you are not alone. Many other parents face the same challenges, despite their children’s unique needs.

Look for these parents as a support system. It helps to know people who know what you’re going through. You may even learn some useful tips and tricks for managing your time with your child.

Join support groups or create one in your area. Share your story and learn about how other parents deal with their challenges. Speaking with other parents with special needs kids can be motivating and inspiring.

Educate Yourself on Handling Special Needs Children

Knowing your kid’s disabilities will help you know about any medical complications. Today, parents and family members have a lot of resources. You can find many books on parenting for kids with developmental issues or learning issues. 

Find published books and studies on understanding kids with special needs. If you learn more from listening, you can find podcasts and videos. Additionally, you can consider investing in caregiver training to ensure you are prepared and educated to care for your child.

Learn everything you can about your child’s condition. This will help you sympathize with them and view the world from their perspective. It’ll help you develop a parenting style that will best work for them.

Enjoy Your Kids, Your Partner, and the Little Things

Be there for your child not only as a provider, but also as a caregiver. Remember to enjoy the silly little things. Cuddle, engage, and play with your child.

Make time to bring them to the local park to see the flowers or other kids. Tell them stories that will inspire them. Join them when they’re doing what they like or what’s important to them.

Don’t forget to make time for your marriage either. Being parents of a special needs child can feel like a never-ending marathon. However, remember that you and your partner have needs too.

Find strength in each other through small actions that show care and support. Make a special dinner for your spouse or bring them to a special place for a night. Lean into each other and keep cultivating your relationship so the family thrives.

Learn to Take a Break

It’s tough to be a good parent, especially for children with special needs. As we said, it can feel like a never-ending marathon of work, making appointments, and giving care. At some point, you’ll feel stressed out, exhausted, and unhappy to some degree.

Take a break and take the time to gather your bearings. Hire a caregiver or have a family member take care of your kids for a day. Use the free day to treat yourself to a spa day or spend a refreshing day at the beach.

De-stress in the way that works best for you. By the time you get back on track, you’ll feel a hundred times better. Don’t forget to give your partner the same courtesy if they volunteered to take care of your kids for you.

Teach Your Special Needs Child to Be Independent

Parents with special needs children must make difficult decisions for their kids. Unlike adults with special needs, kids don’t have a good grasp of what’s happening around them. Kids need to learn discipline and independence as much as they need to learn kindness.

With special needs kids, teaching them how to be independent takes more care. Teach your kids the skills they need to make decisions by providing choices. Avoid limiting their choices, but be careful about overwhelming them with too many.

Provide options where possible. This can help increase compliance and reduce difficult behaviors. In cases where choices are not available, provide guidance.

You Will Make Mistakes, and That’s Okay

All parents are afraid of making the wrong choices for their children. As the saying goes, no one is perfect — that includes you. You won’t always get things right, and that’s okay. 

For many of the tough decisions you’ll make, there won’t be a wrong or right choice. As with most things, you’ll learn to make the best decisions. With time, you’ll gain the experience and wisdom to know what’s best for your child. 

If you feel that you’ve made a terrible mistake, don’t focus on it too much. Learn to forgive yourself for any screw-ups, despite having the right intentions. Instead, you have to learn from the experience and keep moving forward with the lesson in mind.

Trust Your Instincts

It’s good to have doctors, therapists, and teachers to support you. However, remember, you are the parent. You know your children best.

If you feel that a professional isn’t giving your kid the care they need, you can get a second opinion. It helps to have an idea of where to go in case you encounter legal problems. Check out this law firm for legal aid specialized for those with special needs.

Give Your Child the Best Life

For parents of special needs children, you have a bigger responsibility. Yet, the difficult challenges of raising these kids are extra rewarding as well. Hang in there and be strong because it’s more than worth it in the end.

That’s it for our guide on taking care of a child with special needs. We hope this article helps all parents and to-be parents become ready for raising special needs kids. If you want to see more content on special needs children, check out our other posts.

 

Additional info and resources for families with special needs:



Encouraging your Children to Develop good Study Skills

June 17, 2020 by

We all understand that encouraging our children to be good students is important. Any child that does not do well academically will struggle to find their place in the world of work. Rightly or wrongly, most employers are not that interested in employing someone who has not passed their exams. Even the few that are, hold back if the person in front of them does not have particularly strong reading, writing, and mathematic skills.

Children have to attain increasingly higher levels of academic achievement to be able to pass their exams. As countries like China raise the bar, other countries are upping their standards too. As a result, it is vital that your children develop good study habits and do so from an early age. If they do not they will be left behind. Here are a few ways you can make it far less likely that will happen.

Study

Teach your children to rely on their own abilities

Plagiarism and cheating are growing problems. Unsurprisingly, most educational institutions have taken effective steps to stop the cheats. When they are old enough to understand, use this handy definition of plagiarism to teach your children what it is. Explain why they should not do it and show them how easy it is to get caught cheating. 

Teach them how to cite their sources

Also, explain that there is a right way to use what others have already discovered in their work. Make sure your children know the correct way to cite the work of others. Giving credit shows respect and enables the person marking your child´s academic papers to see that they have carried out proper research. It also makes it easier for them to accept and follow the arguments they are making, which again leads to higher marks. 

Get them into the habit of studying regularly

Doing something at more or less the same time every day makes it far more likely you will do it. In particular, if it is something that you do not enjoy. Getting your children to study every day is an effective way to get them into good studying habits.

Teach them the importance of the right study environment

If left to their own devices, most children will try to do their schoolwork sat in front of the TV or while trying to answer texts from their friends. The majority of adults will do the same. Studies show that it is a very unproductive way to work. The best way to demonstrate this to your children is to sit them down somewhere quiet and time how long it takes them to write a short essay. Then let them do the same task while sitting in front of the TV. When they are finished, show them how much longer it took them to do their work when they were not working in the right environment. 

Of course, that means you need to create the right kind of study space for each of your children. This short guide will give you some ideas on how to do that even if you do not have much room available.




5 Indoor Educational Activities for Kids

May 19, 2020 by

You know that we are all up for teaching kids about practical stuff through fun activities. The lockdown and self-quarantine going around in the world dealing with a pandemic is another reason to bring out our thinking caps and blend fun with learning.

The times we are living in right now needs indoor educational activities to keep the young minds engaged and stop them from boring themselves and annoying the elders. Earlier, a vacation would have been the norm for a school-free time, but now it means staying home and staying safe.

Let’s talk about a few indoor activities that can act as educational as well as a fun thing you can do with your kids.

1. Making Counting, Alphabets, Shapes, and Colors Fun

If you have a toddler with you, it is important to teach them the four pillars our learning process is built on. We here some fun ways to inculcate learning these things by introducing them to your daily routines and also allowing the creative juices to flow –

2. Cooking Easy Dishes

Teach your kids some basics of cooking. Depending on their age, you can focus on different activities ranging from washing, cutting, to cooking. Teach them about kitchen safety and what they should pay attention to, teach them the correct terminologies for things in the kitchen. You can also teach them to make their favorite dishes or some quick healthy meals.

3. Basic Survival Skills

Being stuck at home is the best time to teach kids the importance of learning the basic skills that will help them get through life with ease. One of them is cooking, of course. But you also have quite a few things that they will need to learn along the way. Repair work, sewing, changing a light bulb, cleaning utensils, etc. are things that you can teach your kids.

4. Gardening

Gardening is a great way to teach kids about the food cycle and also get them to appreciate the fact that they have food to eat. They will learn to grow their own produce and will also learn about the technicalities of soil, seed, and weather implications.

5. Solving Puzzles

Puzzles have always been a crowd favorite. You pull out a puzzle, and the kids can stay busy for hours. It teaches them patience and also improves their hand-eye coordination. It helps them exercise their short term memory as well.

Conclusion

Making learning fun is the best thing for a kid. They love learning, and they love having fun. When you combine both the elements, you allow them to enjoy the present and prepare for the future at the same time.




4 Life Science Platforms Online For Your Kids

April 27, 2020 by

The ongoing pandemic has got you all cooped up at home with your family. As such, it is natural for your kids to ask questions, not only about the current situation but also broader aspects of Life Sciences and the Environment.

With schools out and no classes taking place anytime soon, you need to step up in the teaching shoes and involve your kids in answering their questions in an engaging and interactive way.

life science

Here we have listed four websites, which can help you and your kids to have a fun and learning experience.

BrainPOP

It is a great place to start learning about biology. With an interactive interface, fun-filled activities, cartoons, videos, worksheet planners, and other practical features, BrainPOP lets your kid choose topics and units based on different aspects of biology. 

Here, learning is a fun activity yet highly engaging and informative at the same time. Their latest topic about Coronavirus teaches in a holistic yet straightforward way about viruses, how they spread, and essential hygienic habits to avoid getting sick from it.

So, show your kids this site and start school today!

Science Kids

This interactive platform is loaded with lessons,  games, activities, quizzes, images, videos, and facts. Once you choose the subject, you can access grade appropriate materials for your kids.

From DNA to bacteria, cells to organs, humans to plants, this highly informative site makes learning a lot more fun for the kids. Moreover, specially curated activities, further make the lessons more engaging. 

Give Science Kids a try and see for yourself!

HHMI BioInteractive

Aimed at slightly older high school kids, BioInteractive is a platform solely dedicated to teaching life sciences. From innumerable topics to choose from, this site lets older kids understand biology in an in-depth way. 

If your kid is taking AP classes in biology or planning to do so next fall, BioInteractive is an amazing platform to sharpen up the concepts and understand basic biological questions. 

Rich materials and engaging student handouts, makes the biology class come alive at home, through this website.

Exploratorium

This website, developed by San Francisco based Exploratorium offers hands-on lessons in biology. The interactive videos with real-life examples and visual cues make learning all the more fun. 

From COVID-19 to the ecological balance, important topics of biology are covered eloquently and in an easy-to-grasp approach.

So, encourage your kids to visit this website to learn and explore about biology in a fun way and at the same time inspire hope in them to visit the Exploratorium in person, once the world gets better!

 Final Words

It is not easy to home-school your kids and teach them about biology without the conventional lab setups of school. However, with these highly interactive and web-based platforms, you can make learning a fun process for them. 

So, help your kids find an answer to all the burning biology questions that may be in their minds, given the pandemic we are facing and start their learning sessions today!




Make Them Count: Teaching Your Toddler Numbers, Counting, and More

February 17, 2020 by

My recent articles have focused on the basic learning we introduce toddlers to. Having talked about fun ways to teach your toddler to identify shapes by making your own shape book in a variety of fun ways opened up a whole discussion area for me.

That led me to talk about making it fun to teach your toddlers to identify colors and all the jazz. This week, I will be talking about numbers. Math is fun when we are young; it is later when it becomes scary. So, help your kids make friends with it while it is still innocent.

Child prepare for school

While learning to recite the numbers is easy because children memorize quicker, it is difficult to actually put the numbers to practical use. Honestly, we all have memorized a whole bunch of stuff without actually understanding what it means. What you have to focus on here is teaching them how to count and how much each number stands for.

You will have to bolster their number recognition skills. Counting one to ten is great, but knowing how much four actually is, is the test. Like the other things we have talked about, including it in daily tasks is the most natural way for them to pick it up.

Count, count, and count

Here are some examples of how to get them counting and associating the numbers to their values:

  • Dressing up – count the pieces of clothes they have to put on. 3 articles of clothing – 1 underpants, 1 pant, and 1 shirt. Count the buttons on the shirt – 1 button, 2 buttons, 3 buttons, 4 buttons.
  • Eating – If they are having fruits or snacks, something that is countable, then tell them to count it. Make statements or ask them questions, like:
    • “You can have only 4 biscuits.” 
    • “How many apple slices do you want?”
    • “Can you pass me 2 mangoes?”
  • Playing – When playing, you can use their toys to teach them a wide range of things. Toddlers have active imaginations and are expert sorters. They love putting things together and then separating them based on their idea of category. Use this to help them count. Ask them to count the number of stuffed animals they have, the number of toy cars they own, etc.

Including learning in their daily activities doesn’t overwhelm them and give them a chance to gain practical knowledge. They also feel motivated to learn more when they can see that what they know has a practical use. Teach them to count with their fingers, to begin with. You can start by counting on your fingers so that they can copy.

Final Thoughts

Toddlers are smarter than we give them credit for. They are curious and are hungry for knowledge. This is the best time to teach them things that are going to form the foundation of future learning. Teaching them numbers and counting should be easier as math is in everything. Get creative and get counting!




Fun Ways to Teach Your Toddler to Recognize Colors

February 10, 2020 by

Last time I talked about fun ways to teach your toddlers about shapes. That got me thinking about other essential things we often start teaching them early. One of the things that are an important addition to the basic alphabets, numbers, and shapes routine is colors.

Recognizing the colors and naming them is a fun exercise that kids anyway love to do. Teaching them about picking up different hues is even more fun because they will keep pointing out things that match the things they have learned about. Here are some fun ways to teach your kids about colors:

Finger Painting

Finger painting is one of the favorites when it comes to entertaining children. It is the embodiment of chaotic fun that makes the kids giggle.

  • Name the colors as you take them out.
  • Name them again as your toddler uses them.

This will help them get a visual representation of the words, and they will start associating the color with its name. It makes it easier for the child to remember. This also gives you a chance to teach them things that are often the same color as the ones you are using.

Get Inspired by Youtube Trend – “I Only Ate Yellow Food for the Whole Day”

A recent trend that hit YouTube was using just one color and basing your day around it. Eating the color was the most popular adaptation of it. The Youtuber would eat food only a certain color for the whole day. You can incorporate this in your day and make your child have fun with the learning.

  • Eat just one color food the whole day – red apple, red watermelon, red (arrabbiata) pasta, salsa, etc.
  • Wear a color on a certain day and try to match different things with it – matching the light green grass with your dark green shirt, the pastel green shed with your shirt, and so on. 

This will help them learn about the different hues of the same color as well.

Play a Game – “Color color, which color do you want?”

No, this isn’t the paper version. When I was young, we played this game, which involved running, tagging, finding colors, etc. 

  • There is one person who is tagged, and the other players will ask him, “Color color, which color do you want?”
  • The tagged child will call out a color, say black.
  • All the other players will run to grab something that is black – hair, railing, bike, etc.
  • The tagged person starts running as soon as he yells the color. If anyone hasn’t touched the color, and he catches them, then they are “it.”
  • And the cycle continues.

We did have a lot of games that helped us learn things. We didn’t even realize that. When I sat down to write this article, I didn’t have this game in mind, the memory just surfaced. Ahh, nostalgia!

Final Thoughts

Teaching is all about including methods that help your pupil. Toddlers want to play and have fun. Including lessons in their play is the best way to make them learn without it being too out there for them. This also gives them practical understanding than just theoretical knowledge.




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