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Category: Home Learning

  1. Play Ideas - Teddo Play Cards

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    Play Ideas - Teddo Play Cards
    Written by Emily Dalby
     
     
    After seeing the new additions to the website, we just knew we needed to try out the Teddo Play cards! As a home educating family they looked like a really great resource so we decided to go for the 'Where our Food Grows' cards.
     
    The cards are a really good size, they are a good thickness so sturdy enough to use without bending or curling edges like you'd get with paper or card. On one side there are real life photographs of various fruit and vegetables and on the other side of the card, it has the name of the fruit or vegetable along with some facts. The cards come in a lovely little storage box to keep them in and the magnets are included, if like us, you intend to use them on boards for learning.
     
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  2. Developing Spelling Skills

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    Developing Spelling Skills

    Written by Sheila O’Reilly
    Www.instagram.com/rascals_and_rainbows

    Following on from my previous phonics blog, I thought it would be helpful to explore how to  develop your child’s spelling skills. Early phonics is the first crucial step in improving your child’s spelling ability, and in turn develop their word attack and reading skills.

    In order for children to become good spellers, they need to develop a range of strategies and know when to apply them.

  3. Making Maths Fun

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    Making Maths Fun


    Written by Sheila O’Reilly
    Www.instagram.com/rascals_and_rainbows

    I’m sure we are all pros at this homeschooling business at this stage right?!😅 Well I thought it might be helpful to share some ways to make Maths more fun, whether you are following home learning set out by school or making additional resources and activities to reinforce Maths concepts at home. 

    As we all know, young children learn best when they are playing and we need to make our maths activities practical and fun too. Children grasp concepts much more easily when they are meaningful and hands-on. Maths is all around us every day, when we check the time on our watch, pay for groceries, weigh fruit and veg etc. Therefore, we can introduce maths concepts to children at a young age. Real life experiences are by far the most meaningful for children and they, in turn, can imitate these situations in their play.

  4. Keeping fit and healthy in 2021-Part 2: Children’s physical health.

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    Keeping fit and healthy in 2021-Part 2: Children’s physical health.

    Written by Sheila O’Reilly
    Www.instagram.com/rascals_and_rainbows

    In my previous blog, I explored a variety of ways to look after our children’s mental health. Of course their physical health also needs our attention, particularly at the moment during lockdown. Even prior to this lockdown, my little girl hadn’t returned to swimming, tennis or dance lessons as most activities weren’t happening or I was too anxious to send her. So I’ve been trying to ‘think outside the box’ to be more creative in getting my girls moving every day.

    We get outdoors for a spell every day unless it’s really pouring down! We all need the fresh air for our mental health, as well as our physical health. To make walks more entertaining, I will usually have a focus for their attention such as a scavenger hunt, looking for nature clues, a colour hunt, bird spotting etc. They are much more enthusiastic when there’s a challenge involved (and will walk a lot further too!!)

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  5. Keeping fit and healthy in 2021 - Part 1: Children’s Mental Health

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    Keeping fit and healthy in 2021-
    Part 1: Children’s mental health.


    Written by Sheila O’Reilly
    Www.instagram.com/rascals_and_rainbows


    Well it may be a new year but here we are back in another lockdown! Working from home, juggling parenting and homeschooling our children is quite a tall order for us all and no doubt the pandemic is taking its toll on our stress levels and mental health. We must remember too that this time is so challenging for our little people. They are missing their usual school routines, extra-curricular activities, mixing with their friends and getting out and about as a family. My own girls have accepted the changes in routine surprisingly well, but there have been tears and frustrations at times too when birthday celebrations have been cancelled, trips to the play park aren’t possible and swimming lessons or trips to the cinema are missed.

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