Kids love playing outdoors. When you were a kid, you probably loved it too. However, with the advent of technology, the trend might have started changing a little. Children these days spend more time in front of a computer or mobile screen instead of heading out to the nearby ground and running and playing like a bunch. What they don't realize is what they are missing out on. Playing outdoors is so much fun and you gain a lot in the process as well.
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STEM Education / Play, Learning at Home, Learning Through Play, STEAM
Summer is here and travel is on the rise! As a school-based Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA/L), I often get asked at the end of the year what types of activities are recommended during the summer. Specifically, parents often ask me for activity recommendations for travel during the summer months.
There are many articles that give dire predictions about how much learning kids lose over the summer months. There are others that claim these statistics are exaggerated. A quick Google search turns up a multitude of articles with lots of common sense ideas like joining library summer reading programs and educational camps or limiting screen time. No matter what, it is probably safe to say that keeping kids brains engaged over the summer can be beneficial. But summer should be FUN! So how can we gamify learning activities to keep young minds active while they have a good time? What follows are some fun logic activities parents can take with them on the go. The materials are simple: toothpicks and coins. It's easy to throw a roll of coins or some round game tokens and a box of toothpicks in a beach bag or “car kit.” You can play these games while waiting at restaurants or with a little “lap desk” in the car. Included below are some numbered photographs of puzzles which I hope you and your kiddos will enjoy. Numbered solutions are shown at the end of the article.
Having the ability to communicate effectively through writing is a vital skill to have and one that will stay with a person throughout their life. Learning how to effectively communicate and the importance of effectively communicating, through writing can start with being taught at a young age. Whether students are being asked to explain in writing the solution to their math problem or having to write an essay explaining scientific results, having great writing skills can help a student succeed in all aspects of their education. At home, there are some things you can do to help foster and improve your child’s writing skills.
“Stop fidgeting and finish your homework.”
This is a statement that we may have repeated a dozen times when our kids are doing their homework. Kids are fun-loving, they talk a lot, are exuberant, curious and very energetic. Granted, it becomes challenging to get them to settle when they are studying.
Children have short concentration spans, and with the advent of technological devices, their concentration has been significantly reduced. When the task at hand is not fun, children get bored and shift their attention to more exciting activities. However, there are several techniques you can apply to improve their concentration.
DNA, or deoxyribonucleic acid, is responsible for containing hereditary materials for human and almost all other organisms. Although this isn’t a groundbreaking concept in the year 2019, it was groundbreaking back in the early 1950’s. Rosalind Franklin was an X-ray crytallographer and was the first person to image the DNA molecule. Her photo gave Watson and Crick evidence for the structure of DNA. Sadly, she died before the Nobel prize was awarded. Often at this time in history, women were not recognized for their contributions to science. Fortunately, due to the perseverance of strong, smart women in many fields and a changing culture, this is changing. More and more women make contributions to STEM fields and the women of the past are coming to light and gaining recognition and credit for their accomplishments.
Gamification is a buzzword that you’ve probably heard a lot lately. It’s become a popular method for increasing the enjoyment and interactivity of learning and shaping behavior in many different environments. We’re seeing it pop up in schools, businesses, and our personal lives. With so much focus on gamifying our activities, it’s worthwhile to take a step back and see what it is and how it really works.
