Learning From Home the Untraditional Way

Parents around the world are all currently feeling a sudden appreciation for teachers.

Asking that all important question, just how do they manage to get through each day without turning to drink?

With most children being asked to continue their learning at home, the word homeschool is now doing the rounds all across the internet and I bet top searches after the coronavirus are all geared towards what activities can be done with children to help them with their learning.

There are differing opinions right now as to whether you should be following a structured day using the curriculum provided from your child's school or perhaps taking a more relaxed approach, allowing kids time to adjust to their new way of life.

Now I'm not a homeschooler, I do however work at a school and I am also a parent so I can see things from both sides.

And in my opinion I don't think any option is wrong.

I believe that you know your child and you'll know best how to approach the idea of learning from home.

For my girls, I've taken the more structured approach but instead of doing all work set by their lovely teachers, I am also mixing in things that they wouldn't get the chance to do at school which include various art tutorials.

So I thought it might be helpful if I shared some of my findings in a post so that all links were in one place rather than you having to trawl through various links to find new and exciting activities to try with your children.

Keeping active

There have been four things that we have had a lot of fun joining in with, keeping us fit and active whilst boosting positivity and they are:

P.E. with Joe Wicks

I love a HIIT workout so its been a bonus being able to continue my own exercise whilst having the kids joining in too. Going live on Youtube 9am Mon - Fri, this man is doing a fantastic job of keeping the nation moving.

Dance with Oti Mabuse

Going live at 11.30am Mon-Fri on both her Facebook and Youtube accounts. Great for strictly fans, and with various daily themes, this puts the fun into exercise.

Cosmic Kids Yoga

A more relaxed approach to exercise but no less fun. Cosmic Kids Yoga is great for the whole family.

Just Dance

If you don't have a computer console you can look up all of the Just Dance songs on Youtube. Believe me you will come away sweating every time.

Getting Creative

My kids have always loved getting creative. Whether that is through drawing, writing or simply making things out of random materials around the house. Some of the best things I've found for this have been via Twitter.

Rob Biddulph

This was the first one I found. Putting up different draw along videos on a Tuesday and a Thursday. These are perfect for any budding artist. Make sure to share via social media with the tag #DrawWithRob

Here's one my seven year old made earlier:

Afternoon @RobBiddulph catching up on this weeks #DrawWithRob with the 7 year old 💕 pic.twitter.com/3VwJWRgSwq

— Chantelle Hazelden (@MamaMummyMum) March 26, 2020

Steve Lenton

Following the same idea, you can look at Steve's Twitter page to get new tutorials and he also shares some other videos from differing authors and illustrators to keep you entertained.

Authorfy

This lovely site are sharing 10 minute challenges with various authors, giving some fantastic writing prompts to get kids really using their imaginations and you can also sign up to their site FOR FREE to look at some brilliant masterclasses from superstar authors.

The Bookwanderers Club

And why not join Anna James (author of Pages & Co) and some of her famous friends as they begin their journey into The Bookwanderers club. Here is the first video.

Natasha Lamb

This lovely lady is providing free lessons for British Sign Language. My girls have found this really useful and I think it is a skill that many of us can benefit from.

Storytime

I love reading with my children but for the times when you perhaps need to get on with work there are others available to read to your kid.

Audible

These guys are offering free streaming of stories to kids for the forseeable.

Authors reading to your kids

And here is a list of authors who are reading their books online, as well as some bonus activities to go alongside some of them.

Engaging the Mind

Of course there will be times where you really want your children to sit and learn something a bit more academic. A lovely site called Chatterpack has already compiled a comprehensive list of online sites offering free resources to enhance learning.

A lot of sites are (for now) wavering subscription fees. Twinkl for example are giving you a whole month of their top package for nothing if you put in the code PARENTSTWINKLHELPS

Bringing the Outdoors In

And of course there will be times when cabin fever sets in. Especially when you haven't got the luxury of a garden to escape to. This is where there are some fab sites have set up web cams so you can take a trip out without leaving the comfort of your own home.

There is a great list of zoos on Holiday Pirates  and another helpful list of various museums and other educational sites from Family Days Tried and Tested.

I hope you find at least some of these links useful and please do comment below if you think there is anything that I can add to this post.