The Unforgettable Summertime Cry, "I am borded!"
I hope everyone enjoyed a safe and fun 4th of July weekend. This marks the official beginning of "young ones home" for the Summer. What are the three most famous and dreaded summer words we hear? The unforgettable cry of the summer school vacationers. "I am bored!"
Once we hear those three words we whip out a calendar and begin counting off the days until the kids return to school. But wait! No so fast! I have some life saving Summer tips.
As a mother of six, grandmother of seven and former Elementary School Principal who developed and ran summer school programs I have some tips for you all.
1. Employ all the little ones as your "Official Helpers." Give them things to do, keeping them close, which allows you to listen to them out of one ear, keep an eye on them and enter into conversation, while you are trying to get a few things done. i.e: I have a number of editing and writing projects I am responsible for and have deadlines. One was this "Summer Tip Sheet." At this very moment my granddaughter is sitting next to me with a TV tray, chair, a lap top and she is working with me in my office. She is writing a book. We will publish her book. She is so excited. She is writing, doing artwork. Talking to me and every once in a while I reach over and we do some edits. Ashleah is 10. But, here we are and she is happy doing an actual writing project. Now, if I would have told her to sit down and write a story, I can guarantee she would have thrown the biggest fit on earth. Instead we have a project, a purpose, and we will have an end product. Her own published book.
2. Playing libraray: How to get kids to read. Yuck, I hated reading...mostly, because I could not read as a child. I know many of you go to the library. However, there are people who are not able to get out and take the kids to the library, but you can bring the library to you. Order some inexpensive books on the Internet. Go to yard sales and find books, look all around the house and collect all the children's books laying around. Shop on Amazon, eBay, or half.com Now, have the child or children set up their own library. Kids love to role play, so have someone be the librarian. That child tells the others what a book is about or perhaps they have a reading corner and someone reads a book out loud. They can check books out, take them to a quiet place they choose and have reading time. They create the library, they touch the books, they become an active part of the reading project.
3. Playing school: Children set up a classroom. Provide a white board, school supplies and let them set chairs up. The best way to learn is to teach. One child is a teacher who teaches math, another child teaches art, another short story telling and small rewrite of the story ending. You can have recess, lunch etc. They love school, when it is "their's".
4. Games: Have loads of games around. Children today do not know how to play dominoes, cards games and many can't play board games. Get them back in touch with the social and mental process of playing games, which are not on a computer.
5. Lesson Guides: Have materials around which have pre-written lesson plans, so you don't have to kill yourself off trying to come up with activities. I have written books which have lesson guides with them. They have audio books and music for children to learn to sing. These can go in the car.
6. Hide and Seek: Hiding all types of things is a great way to have fun. We hide flash cards, books (short fun reads), we hide words for vocabulary and spelling. It is fast fun and a way to have every family member interacting.
The entire trick behind a fun, successful and educational Summer is to keep everyone's minds active. Active minds mean peace, learning, success and happiness in your household. Also, try exchanging kids with other parents, so grownups can have a day to themselves. Work with families from your church, neighborhood or home school groups. Everyone needs breaks from each other. Have a great summer!
For more tips or if you feel you are sinking contact me at penniejn@pennierich.com or go to www.pennierich.com
Once we hear those three words we whip out a calendar and begin counting off the days until the kids return to school. But wait! No so fast! I have some life saving Summer tips.
As a mother of six, grandmother of seven and former Elementary School Principal who developed and ran summer school programs I have some tips for you all.
1. Employ all the little ones as your "Official Helpers." Give them things to do, keeping them close, which allows you to listen to them out of one ear, keep an eye on them and enter into conversation, while you are trying to get a few things done. i.e: I have a number of editing and writing projects I am responsible for and have deadlines. One was this "Summer Tip Sheet." At this very moment my granddaughter is sitting next to me with a TV tray, chair, a lap top and she is working with me in my office. She is writing a book. We will publish her book. She is so excited. She is writing, doing artwork. Talking to me and every once in a while I reach over and we do some edits. Ashleah is 10. But, here we are and she is happy doing an actual writing project. Now, if I would have told her to sit down and write a story, I can guarantee she would have thrown the biggest fit on earth. Instead we have a project, a purpose, and we will have an end product. Her own published book.
2. Playing libraray: How to get kids to read. Yuck, I hated reading...mostly, because I could not read as a child. I know many of you go to the library. However, there are people who are not able to get out and take the kids to the library, but you can bring the library to you. Order some inexpensive books on the Internet. Go to yard sales and find books, look all around the house and collect all the children's books laying around. Shop on Amazon, eBay, or half.com Now, have the child or children set up their own library. Kids love to role play, so have someone be the librarian. That child tells the others what a book is about or perhaps they have a reading corner and someone reads a book out loud. They can check books out, take them to a quiet place they choose and have reading time. They create the library, they touch the books, they become an active part of the reading project.
3. Playing school: Children set up a classroom. Provide a white board, school supplies and let them set chairs up. The best way to learn is to teach. One child is a teacher who teaches math, another child teaches art, another short story telling and small rewrite of the story ending. You can have recess, lunch etc. They love school, when it is "their's".
4. Games: Have loads of games around. Children today do not know how to play dominoes, cards games and many can't play board games. Get them back in touch with the social and mental process of playing games, which are not on a computer.
5. Lesson Guides: Have materials around which have pre-written lesson plans, so you don't have to kill yourself off trying to come up with activities. I have written books which have lesson guides with them. They have audio books and music for children to learn to sing. These can go in the car.
6. Hide and Seek: Hiding all types of things is a great way to have fun. We hide flash cards, books (short fun reads), we hide words for vocabulary and spelling. It is fast fun and a way to have every family member interacting.
The entire trick behind a fun, successful and educational Summer is to keep everyone's minds active. Active minds mean peace, learning, success and happiness in your household. Also, try exchanging kids with other parents, so grownups can have a day to themselves. Work with families from your church, neighborhood or home school groups. Everyone needs breaks from each other. Have a great summer!
For more tips or if you feel you are sinking contact me at penniejn@pennierich.com or go to www.pennierich.com
posted by PJ Nickels and RE Hughes @ 10:25 AM
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