SBG

In these uncertain times we are all having to adjust our lives and thinking around our family’s safety, our children’s continued learning and what we do individually to support what is occurring with the corona virus pandemic.

With the closing of schools we are challenged with keeping our children on pace based on where they are academically. In addition to creatively filling their schedule with learning activities that won’t have us all going stir crazy as we are sheltered in place and quarantined as we wait out this corona virus pandemic.

I’ve used various learning sources as supplemental learning tools to teach our son at home before he started school and continued using them. I’ve added some of the sites that can be used to help in maintaining learning paths that include fun activities. Some of these activities have a learning component but is structured as a game.

ABCYya App – https://www.abcya.com/
Starfall ABC’s App – http://more.starfall.com/
IXL – https://www.ixl.com/
Moose Math – http://www.duckduckmoose.com/
Fabian Jr – http://www.funbrainjr.com/
Fish School – http://www.duckduckmoose.com/
PBS Kids – https://www.pbs.org/anywhere/home/
ABC Ninja – https://play.google.com/store/

My parenting toolbox includes using YouTube as a resource with some math, reading, social studies lessons, but it is monitored and limited to the specific topic alone. This is obviously the hardest option because there are ads for other topics popping up that may not be relevant to what you are covering and then they want to watch those videos and it distracts from what you are trying to accomplish during that moment.

Some of the apps have a monthly fee, some of them allow you to utilize portions of the learning tools for free and as you go to higher levels you are required to subscribe. Some schools are providing online resources that are free to their students. In cases where you do not have Internet at home you may be able to receive up to 2 months of free high speed service through Comcast Internet Essentials Initiative.

Here are a few suggestions to help us all get through this change and keep our sanity while still helping our kids learn.

1. Wash hands multiple times during the day. 
2. Wipe down the surfaces and tools being used. 
3. It’s important to make every attempt to stick to a schedule. 
4. Follow wake up time, shower, get dressed, recess and lunch times. 
5. Look for fun alternatives to teach a subject (i.e. Science experiments or Arts Classes on YouTube) 
6. Look for Virtual Field Trips to use for social studies. 
7. If you miss something do it the next day. 
8. Focus on the core subjects first. 
9. It’s okay to miss some things and not get it right. We’re in for the long haul.

What are some of the things in your parenting toolbox that you are using to bridge the learning time during this quarantine while still working from home?

How are you guys doing and what are some of the unconventional things you’re doing to build in fun activities to keep sane?

XOXO
Sandra