Family Day is a much needed break for everyone. A day to be together without virtual learning, or rushing for school, or managing work. Family Day is a day to enjoy one another.
Family Day is the perfect time to integrate authentic learning opportunities into the day. Authentic learning opportunities are real-world, meaningful experiences for children to explore. Authentic learning opportunities incorporate the child’s interests and curiosity. The adult or parent serves as a partner – someone who helps the child gather resources and acts as a point of reference – a grown-up who can respond to questions that might pop up while the child is working on their projects/learning.
The long weekend provides many opportunities to explore and learn. Here are some meaningful activities you can try with your child.
- Build a snow fort or snowman with your child.
- This provides the perfect opportunity to ask questions and investigate stability
- Creates an opportunity to see and explore patterns
- Integrates spatial location (on, under, beside etc.)
- Bake with your child.
- Integrates fractions and whole numbers
- Uses measurement (temperature, capacity, volume)
- Uses procedural writing (can have the child write out the recipe)
- Go to the library (you can sign up for Epic Books for free) – www.getepic.com
- Allows the child to choose books based on their interests
- Opportunities to investigate interests further
- Opportunity for students to record details, or write about what they read
- Do a science experiment.
- Ask questions, “why do you think we did this”, “what do you think will happen next”
- Build a melting snowman for example https://www.steampoweredfamily.com/activities/how-to-make-melting-snowman-oobleck/
- Have your child write a gratitude letter, or a thank you card as children are more willing to write when they are motivated.
Use your child’s natural curiosity to help them learn this family day weekend!
