Ruadhán Jones
Here’s how to make the most of the last month before school starts writes Ruadhán Jones
It’s been the summer like no other, following on from a bumpy spring and presumably leading into an autumn of uncertainty. However, one of the constants in all the chaos was the newfound understanding of the positive role screens and technology play in our lives.
Zoom calls, facetimes and phone calls were our primary means of communication and socialising. Streaming services like Netflix, Amazon Prime and Disney+ kept us entertained. For parents struggling with homeschooling or entertaining their kids while working from home, the possibility of online classrooms and even video games became a means of managing a double life effectively.
Screens are an integral part of our lives, whatever our opinions of them, and computer literacy is nearly as important as reading. However, becoming solely reliant on screens can have detrimental effects on children’s development.
Equally, there are many wonderful skills and games to pass on to our children, away from the screens. After an excess of time to spend on their gaming talents, why not take August as a time to explore tried and trusted pursuits to fire children’s imaginations and foster new memories of family fun.
Game time
I grew up in a house without a TV and for us board games, cards and imagined games acted out in the garden were integral to our lives. We had a whole set of shelves set up in the corner dedicated to board games, ranging from classics like Twister to draughts and chess.
The virtues of such games are manifold. For a start, they are communal events, requiring the participation of all family members. While this might result in the odd family row, it’s also a good way of developing relationships and engaging in our children’s lives in way they appreciate.
Another virtue is that they often involve problem-solving, lateral thinking or imagination – in other words, they require children to be creative. For example, a game we have only recently discovered at home, called Dixit, is a really simple, but very imaginative game.
You’re given a card with a set of cards with an illustrated picture on it. For your turn, you call out a phrase or word to match the image on your card. Then the other players give you a card they believe matches the phrase. You put them down and everyone has to guess which is the correct card. It requires simple storytelling tools, skills of association and of memory, all in fun-filled environment.
Card games
Another option are card games – we had an entire book dedicated to card games from which we could choose. These days, it’s as easy to look them up online! The merits of card games are obvious, like teaching children to count.
They have the added advantage of being both communal and single-player – if you can get your child into a game like patience or solitaire, then they will be able to entertain themselves for ages.
There are such a variety of family games to explore that it’s almost overwhelming trying to choose. But the advantage is that there is something for everyone and you can base your choice on the age of your child, their interests and their skills.
Crafty kids
Whatever their age, children love making things. If you give them paint, pencils, crayons and a sheet of paper, they will quite happily while away the time making a masterpiece – or a mess. If they’re older, than perhaps it’s a chance to build that bookcase you’ve always wanted. No guarantees on the quality though!
Crafts include a range of activities from designing window pots to painting pictures or tie-dying t-shirts, so there’s something for everyone. The place to begin depends on your child’s interests – are they always fixing and fiddling? If they’re old enough, a hammer and saw could come in use. Or if they’re younger, a colouring book or a paint and stencil kit could be what you’re after.
Many kids are fascinated by colour and there are plenty of child friendly activities which don’t require extensive materials. For example, making mosaic pictures can feed a child’s colour fascination with just a scissors, old magazines or coloured paper and PVA glue. A sailboat, a sunset or a pretty flower can be knocked up in no time.
Another project from recycled materials is making models, such as ships or cars, out of cardboard and other such materials. If you have a big box from an Amazon delivery, a few egg cartons and the inside roll from a sheet of wrapping paper, you’ve got the beginnings of a DIY ship. Check out Backyard Crafts video “How to make a pirate ship” online for instructions.
If you’re looking for inspiration, YouTube and Pinterest are awash with crafting channels and nifty ideas. The one thing to remember is that crafts will typically require a level of supervision, especially with young children, so setting aside time to help them out is important.
Life skills
Keeping kids active at home is a great opportunity to provide them with a few of the skills they will need once they’re on their own. Making pasta or rice are obvious places to begin, but often kids will like a bit more of a challenge.
There is a world of recipes to explore out there and it can be a great way to introduce children to the different cultures. Perhaps they would like to cook a curry, make their own pizza dough or try their hand at an apple tart.
Kids are often fussy eaters and getting them to cook dishes themselves can be a way of expanding their palate. If they’ve been involved in choosing and making the dishes, they’re more inclined to eat and enjoy them. It can also take a bit of the pressure off if the kids are cooking one day a week!
Aside from cooking, try to include them in activities you might be doing around the house. It could be changing a tire or the fuse in a plug, to hanging a picture correctly. They are all skills that can come in handy and you never know, it could spark an interest in housework previously undiscovered.
New environments
Kids love to explore and can find endless entertainment in environments outside the everyday. The back garden can become a bit limited after a while, but take them to a beach, a park or woods and games they were tired of at home suddenly take on new life.
New environments also allow for activities that aren’t available at home. It’s much easier to build a sandcastle on the beach than anywhere else, while streams and rockpools can be damned or fished to their heart’s content.
Outdoor activities are also important, especially for young children, as a means of engaging their senses, testing their balance and providing them with exercise. The hands-on nature of learning in environments such as the beach provides children with an enjoyable, tactile way of developing their knowledge and skills. It can be easier to get them exercising too, through swimming, walking, biking and so on.
Taking the time to explore new environments, either literally or imaginatively through games, expands children’s knowledge of the world and are a great way to get the whole family involved.