In Let There be Play I talked about children learning through play. No matter what the age or interests, the love to play. I talked about finding a curriculum that will allow them to play and have fun while learning. Here are some other ideas to include play and fun in your learning experience.
1. Read, read, read, and read some more. Jonathan knows how to read, but if you ask him, he’ll tell you he doesn’t. His self esteem when it comes to reading is still pretty low, though we are working on it on a daily basis. Does this mean he doesn’t like reading, absolutely not, as long as I am the one doing the reading. He loves being read to. It’s fun spending time with me, listening to me making the voices of each character, imagining the characters in his head or acting it out with toys.
2. Board games. Candy land they are learning colors. Guess who they are learning logic. Monopoly they are learning math. Connect four, checkers and chess they are learning strategy. Clue they are learning logic. Scrabble they are learning vocabulary and spelling and if your children are too young for the original game, they can try this version This isn’t even mentioning all the games you can make using some of the pieces from these or other games.
3. Do a lot of hands on activities/fun activities that your kids love because they are fun; and you love because your kids love learning. Experiments, manipulatives (these can be anything from those plastic dinosaurs your kids love to Hot Wheels, to money), dioramas, lapbooks, arts and crafts, blocks, nature walks and/or nature log/notebook, living a day in history or in another country, and so many more.
4. Field trips. Even living where we do, out in the middle of nowhere there are plenty of things to do that are close enough to go to for a few hours or a day. The zoo, the science museum, the planetarium, plays and musicals, local landmarks and tourist attractions (here that would include the greyhound museum, Iron World, Hull Rust, old Hibbing (named Alice back then), etc.). This isn’t even including the field trips that can be set up with companies. Around here that includes going to Dominoes and learning how to toss dough and make a pizza, going to where they repair a lot of the mining vehicles and equipment (the people on the floor look like they are the size of birds when you are up in the lifts that they use), the local bakery, police and fire departments, etc.
5. Volunteer! We do this several ways. I am sure there are a lot of ways to do this no matter where you live. We volunteer at a local food bank, I guess you could call it. We get a truckload of food and sort through the food taking out anything that is spoiled. People pay $15 per share (a share is one trip through). Then they get in line and go through a bunch of tables getting food to bring home. Jonathan helps with sorting and with handing out. He loves doing this. People often ask if he’s doing it for school or for a boy scout badge or something and are surprised he does it because he enjoys it. He does have the option to stay home and sleep in, but rarely chooses that option. Then there’s Salvation army and serving meals. Then there are senior companion programs. If you don’t know of one in your area contact an assisted living home to ask about any they may know of, or your local social services and ask about meals on wheels.
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