As an elementary teacher in today’s age, I have had no trouble providing parents and kids with gobs of ideas on how to stay academically engaged during this unexpected time of quarantine and social distancing. However, when looking at the immediate suggestions I made, I noticed a pattern I should have assumed- all of them require technology.
While technology is an incredible thing and can offer kids a world of learning at their fingertips, I wanted to compile a list of options that don’t require technology for those who may not have access to computers and internet and/or those who just want to get their kids away from screens for a bit of time! So here are 9 tech-free ways to keep kids learning, thinking, and growing (and out of trouble!) as we are stuck at home for the time being.
1. Get them cooking with you!
Cooking is a multidisciplinary activity that gets your brain working in all sorts of ways. You can turn cooking into a science lesson (How does the stove’s heat change this ingredient?), a math lesson (If it calls for ¼ cup of oil and ½ cup of water, how much liquid is that altogether?), a reading lesson (What ingredients does this recipe call for?), or a writing lesson (How could we write these steps down in a way that would make it really easy for someone else to cook this?)!
2. Start a garden!
Like cooking, gardening is an activity that poses so many educational and personal benefits. It teaches kids important skills such as responsibility, stewardship, patience, and organization; they learn firsthand about cause-and-effect relationships among other scientific concepts; and they enjoy the satisfaction and self-confidence that come with making something useful with your hands. Your garden could be as simple as planting a bean seed in a pot or as elaborate as planting multiple different crops in your backyard. Kids will reap the benefits and enjoy it either way!
3. Do a creative story writing game!
Any good story needs a character, a setting, and a problem the character must overcome. Write down six different characters (a horse, Spongebob Squarepants, a trash collector, the President, anything!) on six slips of paper and put them in a cup. Your child can then blindly pick one, and that will be the character they have to write about. Do the same for six different settings (outer space, New Orleans, Disney World, etc.) and six different problems (ran out of ice cream, trying to solve a crime, accidentally started a fire, etc.). Your child should then end up with a very random character, setting, and problem that they then have to write a creative story around. The process is so much fun, and the results are always hilarious! For other fun writing activity ideas, take a look at 15 Creative Writing Games And Activities For Kids.
4. Complete activities with newspapers!
There are so many great ways you can use a newspaper to get your child reading, writing, and thinking critically. Not only that, but interacting with the newspaper also teaches kids the importance of being informed on what’s happening in your community. This article from Education.com contains 6 great ways to use them to your child’s advantage!
5. Work on puzzles!
Whether for adults or children, puzzles always serve as a great mental workout. Not only jigsaw puzzles, but puzzle books like crossword puzzles, word searches, mad libs, and sudoku also get your brain working, often without even realizing. Grab them from your local dollar store or print some out from the internet!
6. Do some science and engineering challenges!
STEM-centered activities are extremely prevalent in schools today because they develop a child’s ability to think critically, problem-solve, and come up with creative solutions, and there are plenty of ways to engage your child with science and engineering from home! 30+ Awesome STEM Challenges for Kids (with Inexpensive or Recycled Materials!) has a great selection of STEM challenges such as “Paper airplane challenge”, “How strong is spaghetti?”, “Build a straw roller coaster”, and more! Plus, most of these challenges include directions and scientific explanations for how things in the challenge work, so it’s really like a full science lesson!
7. Play math games using cards and dice!
Parents today often find themselves confused at the way their child is being taught to add, multiply, subtract, and divide in school. However, even if you don’t know how to use decomposition or an array to solve a math problem, you can still help your child practice their math skills in really fun, engaging, and effective ways. This article from movingtocommoncore.com contains great ideas for how to use cards and dice to play all sorts of different math games! Who knows, your kid might not even realize they’re doing math!
8. Go outside!
Never underestimate the power of just going for a walk or playing in your backyard. Stop and make time for your child to be curious about things you see and hear, whether it’s with plants, critters, the weather, the way homes are built, etc. Ask them what they notice and what they wonder about these things, and share what you notice and wonder as well- “Did you notice the way that bird keeps bringing twigs back into that tree?” “I wonder why the sun was over our neighbor’s house this morning but is over our house now?” This is how we teach students to think like scientists and question things in the world around them!
Additionally, simply allowing your child to enjoy a walk or unstructured playtime outside is a really great way to make them less stir-crazy and still stimulate their minds.
9. Get artsy!
Art projects and activities provide kids with an opportunity to express their creative side, something they may not get as many chances to do in school as they should. Whether painting, drawing, coloring, sculpting with clay, cutting out and gluing felt/construction paper, writing and drawing comic strips, knitting, sewing, or whatever it may be, use this time of quarantine as a chance to let your child be creative and make things with their hands as much as they can! (Bonus points if your child learns how to do a new skill that they didn’t know how to do before!)
I applaud your desire to keep your child’s mind sharp and their academic skills fresh, even if it’s not something you feel the most qualified or equipped to do. I hope these ideas prove to be of benefit to you and your children and even offer opportunities to grow closer and learn new things about each other and yourselves. Keep pressing on in keeping your family healthy and happy in these unprecedented times!
