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School’s out Home learning is in... The closure of schools had a huge impact on the lives of many families across the country, turning parents across the UK into temporary teachers. Here are some tips to help everyone through testing times
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y the time all UK schools were shut in late March, we all knew it was coming, but that didn’t mean we were ready for it. For some parents, teaching their children at the kitchen table was embraced with enthusiasm. For others, who were perhaps now working full-time from home themselves, or who didn’t have the room, internet access or headspace to take on the role of substitute teacher, it has been far from an easy ride. In the main, however, schools have set our children up well for the task in hand and most families have accepted that while not everything will get done and standards may not necessarily be what they would have been in school, as long as some effort is being made then children’s learning will recover. Most parents, especially of younger children, are happy to find some form of routine in order to keep to some normality and help with the eventual return to school, and some level of activity to keep children busy. Luckily there has been an endless stream
of help on hand. Workout guru Joe Wicks has kept millions of families fit via YouTube, bouncing their way into the day at 9am, while David Walliams has offered an audio story every day at 11am. Carol Vorderman is helping with maths homework, and Jamie Oliver’s vow to help the nation ‘keep cooking and carry on’ has kept GCSE food students busy in the kitchen. Whether you want to put your faith in your children’s own school curriculum and the online support they have, or hand the reins to a celebrity your offspring might pay more attention to, the message to parents is clear – you are not teachers, you are not expected to be and you are not alone.
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Running out of ideas?
Entertainment in containment
If your creative reserves are being tested, try this advice from parenting and childcare portal Yoopies
Toy retailer The Entertainer has put together a useful guide to keeping children busy…
Keep in mind that you are a parent and not an entertainer. While structured and organised activities are undoubtedly important, there are also benefits of allowing your children to create their own fun. Skills such as independence, leadership and communication come from autonomous play. Set your children fun projects such as putting on a show for Mum and Dad. Don’t put pressure on yourself. Try to schedule in an organised fun activity with your children where you can. This could be something simple such as watching a movie together, baking, dancing, drawing or reading a story. Sit down with your children for a chat about their feelings and thoughts. Children, particularly younger ones, won’t be looking for dazzling acts of entertainment but for attention and love. Out of inspiration? Create an ‘I’m Bored Jar’. Write fun activities on pieces of paper and place them in the jar. When your children say ‘I’m bored’ they can take an activity from the jar.
The Entertainer, which has branches in Wrexham, Llandudno and Broughton in north Wales, as well as Chester, Northwich, Cheshire Oaks, Shrewsbury and Telford, has launched a Boredom Busting Hub to keep little people busy at this difficult time. Among the resources it has made available for parents and children are the following: ● Activity sheets ● Colouring sheets ● Mazes ● Dot-to-dot ● Spot the difference ● Word searches All the activities will be regularly updated and can be found at www.thetoyshop.com/boredombusting-hub. There is also a group on Facebook, and The Entertainer is hoping that subscribers will add to it with their own ideas and photos.
May/June 2020 | SHIRE MAGAZINE 27
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23/04/2020 20:11