Summer break: Help your grandchild learn while having fun

Children are often very curious about their grandparents’ lives and past experiences. They wonder about things like what methods of transportation and communication you used at their age and what toys and household items used to look like. You can enrich these conversations with your grandchild in a number of ways:

• Invite them to ask you three things they have always wanted to know about your life
• Show them your family tree, or draw it with them using time intervals related to major historical events
• Use the internet (e.g., Wikipedia) to research events that happened around the time you were born
• Pull out photo albums or other things you have held on to for a long time and talk about the stories behind them
• Compare old pictures showing places that have changed over the years
• Read and write letters or postcards to other family members together
• Make a time capsule together filled with meaningful objects that will tell a story to future generations
• Etc.

Photography is an art that can help you develop all kinds of skills. Everyone has access to a camera now thanks to smartphones, which allow you to take photos wherever you go. That said, with so many pictures on social media these days, they can come off as a tad boring. Why not make a concerted effort to take pictures from a more artistic perspective? You and your grandchild can put together a small photo exhibition to show the neighbours, or just admire your photos yourselves. This kind of project can be a great intergenerational learning experience. Here are a few different themes you can explore:

• Focus on light and its many manifestations: window reflections, unusual lamp posts, light patterns on walls, the glint of sunlight on water, rainbows, the moon, sunsets, clouds, shadows from different light sources, etc.
• Walk through different neighbourhoods and take pictures of gardens, trees, different species of flowers, architectural features, statues, etc.
• On cloudy or rainy days, you can do photoshoots around the house, focusing on objects with a common theme or snapping portraits of you and your grandchild. You can also try recreating old photos or famous paintings!

Doing artistic activities and joint projects with your grandchild is a wonderful way to pass on your knowledge. They will be eager to learn about your talents and passions, and may even develop new interests that will inspire them for the rest of their lives. Here are a few ways to turn your interests into educational activities:

• Do some gardening together and teach your grandchild about how plants grow, plant anatomy, soil depletion, etc.
• On sunny days, prepare dishes or snacks and go over units of measurement, temperature, fractions, chemical changes, etc.
• Do some woodworking, repairs, or DIY projects to demonstrate concepts related to geometry, math, material properties, types of wood, simple machines, etc.
• Play instruments together or sing songs and discuss musical genres, rhyme, rhythm, etc.

Kids can benefit from community service in many ways: in addition to fostering self-esteem, autonomy, leadership, and communication skills, it helps them to get to know themselves better. Here are a few community activities you can try:

• Cook meals and take them to a community kitchen
• Pick up litter
• Donate items you no longer need
• Help tutor a student taking a summer course
• Look into community activities offered at libraries
• Help neighbours with yard work, garage sales, or repairs
• Look after other kids and come up with different games and educational activities together
• Visit older people in your neighbourhood (bring snacks, put on a talent show, etc.)

Board games can help your grandchild learn to strategize and develop their problem-solving, reading, and math skills. There are all kinds of games designed specifically for educational purposes, and others that balance fun and learning. Here are a few for you and your grandchild to explore over the summer break:

• Chess is a classic game that helps improve concentration, decision-making skills, logic, memory, etc.
• Card games and dominoes help with memory, sorting and analytical skills, understanding of numbers and quantities, etc.
• Our printable games are also great resources for family fun when the weather is not so great. Here are a few examples:
  • Allomarket (for playing grocery store)
  • Monster House (for developing observation skills)
  • Think Fast! (for learning impulse control)
  • Math bingo (for giving the brain a workout)

Last but not least, remember to encourage your grandchild to read and play outside. These are simple but extremely beneficial activities!