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10 BrainStimulating Activities to Keep Learning Alive this Summer Over the summer holidays, children need to reboot and relax but they can lose 25% of what they’ve earned during the long break. Claire Winter looks at how to keep their learning alive this summer.
Have a Board Game Tournament Tactical board games like Chess and Backgammon give the brain a workout. Scrabble helps with vocabulary and Monopoly boosts Maths and money management skills. Games like Trivial Pursuit are great for learning general knowledge and also teach strategy, following instructions, learning how to lose and communication.
Learn to Play a Musical Instrument Playing a musical instrument helps engage the brain, and the summer is a perfect time to learn something new as your child can practice daily. Learning a musical instrument can also help with learning languages too.
Try a New Sport Learning a new sport strengthens the body and the brain. Check out our great guide to summer clubs on pages 6-7 and you’ll find local opportunities for your child to try new sports, which provide essential life skills like self-confidence, teamwork and strategic thinking.
Make Reading Fun
Learn to Cook
The Summer Reading Challenge, which inspires kids to read six books in exchange for rewards, is an excellent place to start exercising their brain and spark their imagination. Sign up at your local library or visit www. summerreadingchallenge.org. uk. Reading kids’ comics and newspapers like the Week Junior or First News, might also appeal. You could reward reading with screen time or make bedtime a dedicated reading time.
Get your child to find some fun recipes to make for the family. Maybe design a menu for a picnic or an evening meal. Let them be in charge of buying the ingredients too. Weighing, measuring and following instructions all keep the brain active.
Keep a Summer Journal Encourage your child to document the summer with pictures and writing, perhaps choosing a theme. If they like computers, you could get them to create a digital journal with written entries, video diaries, and photos.
Write Stories and Post Cards Documenting the summer on Instagram with pictures and captions can get a child who loves social media platforms involved. Getting younger children to write and send postcards when you are on holiday will boost their writing skills.
The key to surviving the summer holidays is to mix it up. Book the kids into a summer clubs, and plan some exciting days out and fun at home to avoid them suffering the dreaded brain drain.
Get Gardening Research some insect and butterfly-friendly plants and flowers to plant in the garden or grow some fruit or veg from seed. It’s a great introduction to science, and you could also tie it in with a visit to a Botanical garden.
Learn to Code Coding is great for techie kids. Free websites which teach your kids the basics of coding, such as Scratch (www.scratch.mit.edu) and Alice (www.alice.org), let children earn to programme, tell stories and animate!
Try Puzzles Number puzzles and Sudoku are great for improving the grey matter. Older children may enjoy a fun day at an escape room where they have to solve clues to get out.
WIN a Safety Wristband! We’re delighted to offer five lucky readers the chance to win a safety wristband for their child, brought to you by Easy2Name. To enter, like our Facebook page, Families Dorset Magazine, click on our Easy2Name competition post and on that post, tell us what material the safety wristbands are made from. Entries close Sunday, 18th August 2019. Good luck! T&Cs apply. No cash or prize alternative. Full details online.
WIN a family ticket* to the RussellCotes Art Gallery and Museum A visit to the Russell-Cotes this summer is truly magical! There’ll be fairies to find in the historic house and garden and lots of family activities to take part in, including crafts, trails, competitions and garden games. In celebration, Families Dorset is offering you the chance to win a Family Admission Ticket* to the Russell-Cotes. To enter, email editor@familiesdorset.co.uk with your full name and address and your answer to this question: What is the theme of RussellCotes’ summer holiday activities? A) Unicorns B) Fairies C) Pirates Entries close midnight, Friday 2nd August. Good luck! T&Cs apply. No cash or prize alternative. *For up to 2 adults and 3 children.
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