Guest post: How to keep your children learning and discovering during their summer holidays

School is out, but does education have to stop? No! Children may have homework for the summer, but education isn’t just words and numbers on paper. You can support your child’s education in new ways that mean they are learning without even realising it.

One of the best ways to embrace an educational opportunity is to attend a special event at a place of interest. Roman ruins are a great place to start. Vindolanda, in the North East, often has dress-up and a wide range of fun games and activities, which mean the children get to wear costumes and play, while learning about what life was like all those years ago. Other places which may run similar events include castles such as Alnwick Castle, which played a huge role as a filming location for the Harry Potter films.

Another fantastic venue for summer holiday adventures is the Zoo. If you check out your zoo’s website, you will be able to find out information about talks and exhibitions, as well as feeding displays. Edinburgh Zoo has a Sea Lion display where the Sea Lion performs several tricks, as well as takes his food. A zookeeper also talks through the animal’s habits and other quirks. Animals are a part of our world and your child is guaranteed to come home with some fabulous fun facts.

Fancy a free day out? Go rockpooling at the beach! Have a look online for information sheets that detail or outline some of the exciting wildlife you might find there, and head to the beach with some little fishing nets and spend the day observing the creatures of the sea in their natural habitat. Just make sure to check when the tide will be out. Go when the tide is in, and there might not be much to look at!

At home, there are so many things you can do to explore. For all children, painting and drawing is a lot of fun, so whip out the easel and set them away. Small children might just make splodges with finger paint, but an older child might get more out of trying to recreate something from nature or true life. This encourages attention to detail and allows them to safely venture into their creative mind.

Educational toys are a perfect technique when it comes to getting children to learn sneakily while playing. Jigsaws, puzzles, ‘grow-your-own’ experiments, crafting kits and toys that encourage your child to interact are ideal. Choose items that appeal to your child’s interests, but don’t be scared of throwing in a few new ideas to broaden their hobbies and interests.

As you can see, there are unlimited ways to get your child learning and exploring despite being away from school or nursery. Look online or in local papers to find out if there are any exciting activities in your area to do, but don’t be afraid of a day in the house playing ‘make-and-do’.

About the Author

This article was written on behalf of Galt Toys. Galt Toys have been manufacturing toys for over 175 years, and know a thing or two about toys…and having fun!