The best ways to keep children learning during the school holidays

Just because the children are on holidays, it doesn’t mean they can’t still be learning. These fun, educational ideas are the perfect solution – the children will love doing them, and you’ll love the benefits they offer!

MATHS

There’s no doubt that our children should be brushing up on their maths skills while school’s out, but the trouble with maths is, it can be hard to find the fun (at least, for the non-mathematically inclined). Thankfully, there are plenty of YouTube channels, websites and apps available for free and cheap to keep them entertained. On YouTube, we like BRIGHT SIDE, Scratch Garden and KidsEduc, while on the iPad, they’ll love Monster Maths.

HISTORY

Nothing gets children excited about history like the classic series ‘Horrible Histories’ – we promise, you’ll even find yourself stopping whatever you’re doing to watch an episode or two. And, if they fall in love with the show, there is a whole book series to read, too! If they are looking for more, consider subscribing to the National Geographic Kids magazine. It’s a great way to feed their love of learning all year long, and support a much-needed print publication at the same time.

SCIENCE

We are big fans of at-home science projects. Not only are they educational, but they’re also a tonne of fun! If you’re looking to learn chemistry, you can’t go past making some Elephant’s Toothpaste, but if it’s a lesson in biology you’re after, this disgustingly fascinating mould experiment might just be for you (and might make your children more aware of how many germs they leave around the house!). For a rainy afternoon, pop on a documentary like ‘Microcosmos’ – it’s like ‘Jurassic Park’ meets ‘A Bug’s Life’, but totally real.

ENGLISH

Whether you’re a child or an adult, the very best way to improve your English literacy is by reading – so why not start a school holiday book club in your household? You can all discover a whole range of books you might not have otherwise read, and even include family and friends from far away in the fun! These tips from Scholastic are a great starting point. Alternatively, for English education on the go, Lingokids is a great app to help improve their literacy.

TECHNOLOGY

When it comes to the technological skills your children will rely on throughout their lives, coding is certainly worth focusing on. And, since many of us parents don’t know where to begin when it comes to learning this skill, apps like Hopster Coding Safari that are a huge help! Alternatively, instead of popping on another episode of ‘Bluey,’ why not watch ‘A Beautiful Planet,’ the documentary about life on an International Space Station that’s narrated by Jennifer Lawrence? It’s sure to inspire an interest in astronomy and the universe around us.