School Closures – FREE Online Learning Resources to Help Your Child During the Christmas Holidays
With early school closures and the school holidays upon us, for many, it will be a difficult time for you and your children. Covid 19 has made us question many things including
With early school closures and the school Christmas holidays upon us, we understand it’s going to be a very challenging time for parents and primary school children alike. You’re no doubt wondering:
How am I going to fill my child’s time?
Is my child behind in school?
Are they going to suffer because of early school closures?
Will it affect their upcoming SAT’s?
Don’t forget to check out our Top 10 Christmas Maths Resources for primary schoolers!
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Had a school closure? Let the learning continue
This year is not like any other. The Christmas School holidays will be two weeks of mostly sitting at home. So what can you do to help your child catch up and progress in core subjects such as maths?
At Think Academy we thought it may be helpful to list some activities your child could be doing during these next couple of weeks. They’re not designed to be super in-depth or challenging. They’re intended for some fun light learning to ensure your child begins 2021 with a confidence boost!
Of course, Christmas is a time to relieve the constant pressure and embrace the family time, but at one point they will say “mum I am bored”. This is where you come in armed with educational activities. You can thank us later.
Learning at home during the Christmas holidays
The Christmas school holidays are a great opportunity to learn and go over some topics your child may be weak in. There is always a small “dip” in learning during long holidays, this has been around even before Covid 19. This holiday can be used as a way to strengthen your child’s abilities. This will result in building their self-esteem and allowing them to feel good about themselves.
Empowering your child with the skills that they will need during the next stage of their academic life will allow them to keep up even with the constant bubble closures.
If your child is going through the Key Stage 2 SATs, you’ll want to ensure you practice reading and maths – as these tests are still going ahead!
Create a timetable, this gives them a given time for both studying and relaxing. When you have that time implemented, there is no room for them to complain that they are bored
Having a timetable or schedule during the holidays is helpful for any child and even for you. It is a way to feel that you are both in control of how your next couple of weeks go. Research has shown that children crave structure and routine. Having that timetable will allow them to stay organized and focused.
Hint: Don’t give them work on Christmas day or Christmas eve – these really should be times to forget about education and simply have fun!
Another important factor to consider is to ensure that you do not overwhelm your child. We know they’ve no doubt faced a number of challenges during the year and that you’re keen to help them succeed. But time off to enjoy themselves is important. This way they can recharge their batteries and prepare for the new school year.
What educational resources do I have at home?
There are plenty of resources you can exhaust during your time at home. This is for both when there are school closures and your child needs to do some remote learning and during the school holidays. Search online for some fun maths and English games for your child to learn while enjoying their time.
Primary school children can be quite restless in sitting down and learning, especially during their holidays. Online games can be a really good distraction for them, and best of all they can be educational too!
Top Fun Online Christmas activities
This website has created a fun and interactive game selections, especially for Christmas. There is plenty to choose from with various levels. These games will educate your child while entertaining them.
This website has Christmas themed educational games for primary school children. There is a combination of both maths and English games.
Both parent and teacher’s favourite website has included some fun and interactive games and worksheets for both maths and English for your child to enjoy.
An end to school closures and preparing for the return to school in 2021
We all hope that next year will be different from this year, however, sadly it will not magically change.
As said before it would be good to create some educational activities to do during the holidays or even throughout bubble closures.
If you’re worried that your child might need some extra support in preparing for their KS2 SATs, the transition to secondary school or just a confidence boost in their academic ability, consider a tutor. Tutors are a fantastic investment in your child’s academic future. They’re able to identify specific areas your child struggles with and work with you and your child on improving this!
With that said, education is not the only thing you should be preparing your child for. The social aspect is essential at school too, but with social distancing and constant worrying, this can be challenging.
Think about speaking to your child about how to mix with children and how to not let fear get the best of them. Reassuring them that all rules are for their safety and they will catch up with their work will put their minds at ease. That is the best you can do for them as their guardian.
Finally, we want to wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Use CODE: 247HYP7In5 to redeem £12.00 off Think Academy’s January 2021 maths courses! Enter your code at the checkout here! Give your child a confidence boost in maths and help them to prepare for the 11+ exam, SATs, or simply catch up and make progress in maths!
Perfect for Covid catch-up, KS2 SATs or 11 Plus exam preparation, Think Academy is offering affordable online maths tuition for children at £6.00 (KS1) or £8.00 (KS2) per class. New classes are available for January 2021. Easy-to-use, minimal supervision required.
Read more:
Top 10 Christmas Maths Resources
11+ Exam: Our Top 10 Tips to Pass
What is Distance Learning? – Helping Children to Learn Remotely
