Stuck at Home With Your Kids? Here Are Some of My Favorite Resources to Structure Routine
Are you home with your kids during this COVID-19 “new normal?” If so, it’s important to schedule some routine and predictability into your daily schedules. I’ve curated some of my favorite resources below from my days in the classroom. All of these ideas can be adjusted based on grade level and age.
Get Studying!
Here’s a collection of some of my favorite go-to educational websites. These sites are fantastic for elementary and middle-school students with reinforcement and support in reading, math, and writing (in particular). Also, the Smithsonian and How Stuff Works can’t be missed!
Get Moving!
Another great way to include focus on mental health is the importance of physical activity. Whether you aim to break as family to take an evening walk or throw the football outside, sometimes a 5-10 minute “brain break” to transition to the next working block is all you need! Research shows that physical movement to bookend specific goals and working blocks can aid in retention and overall memory recall. Back in my teacher days, I incorporated “brain breaks” and “dance-offs” in between each working block or when the content was getting particularly tedious (this is also appropriate in this “new normal” of sedentary Zoom classroom meetings).
Brain breaks support the holistic development of students.
• P.E. With Joe (Easy, daily workouts on YouTube that you can all do as a family—no equipment required!)
• Go Noodle (Make a quick account and watch your points add up—the more you move, the more levels you crush!)
Time to institute a daily family reading block.
Get Reading!
• Stagger in daily reading (and model this for your students, too). It’s time to dust off that stack of books precariously perched on your bedside table. Read outside, read on the couch with a cup of coffee, read in bed, read in a pillow fort…just get reading.
• StoryLine Online (For younger learners, this site can’t be beat—beautifully produced children’s stories are read aloud by famous authors.)
Get out stickers, construction paper, markers (maybe no glitter?) and get to creating!