We look back on quarantine home-schooling

Why did it happen?

In March 2020, the world went into panic mode as coronavirus swept country after country. The virus quickly became very serious as it took millions of lives. The government made the decision to close many places of work across the country, including schools. Children were ordered to home-school during quarantine. This put enormous pressure on parents as they had to quickly adopt the role of being a teacher. In the UK, the Office for National Statistics discovered 87% of parents were home-schooling their children during the pandemic.

How did it affect children?

Quarantine home-schooling wasn’t suitable for everyone, and many children suffered as a result. Some children struggled to adapt to learning in a different environment. Other children struggled with the change in routine and structure to their day. As a result of home-schooling during quarantine many children’s social skills were affected. As they spent so long inside without socialising with others, many have become anxious in social situations.  Home-schooling also affected parents as they were unsure how to teach their kids the same way teachers do. Some parents were physically unable to teach their children as they didn’t have the correct resources. This majorly impacted children’s education.

How did our resources help?

We understand home-schooling during quarantine wasn’t the easiest and we hope we don’t have to go through it again. Many of our resources made the process slightly easier including:

Reading

Our Christmas app helped keep children engaged with reading. When learning from home, we understand there can be many distractions that may disrupt your child’s reading. But we knew just how to keep your children entertained and focused. Our stories gave them a sense of comfort in a time when everything was uncertain. Our Christmas tales were fun for all the family to read. It was a great way for children to continue with their learning whilst having fun.

Problem solving

Our activity packs helped improve your children’s problem-solving skills during quarantine home-schooling. Through our wordsearches, children learnt how to solve puzzles as well as improve their reading skills. Other ways that wordsearches helped children included:

• Boosting their memory
• Extending vocabulary
• Helping with spelling.

PE lessons

We know how important it is for children to get plenty of exercise each week. Children’s fitness was impacted during the pandemic as leisure centres closed and sports classes suspended. But we helped to keep kids fit and active. We introduced PE lessons to help your children get their weekly exercise. These activities could easily be done from your living room or garden, meaning no one had to miss out. These workouts were also great for adults who couldn’t attend their usual gym sessions.  These sessions were a great way for children to have fun whilst exercising.

Spelling and writing

Thanks to our creative writing activities your children were able to improve their spelling and writing skills. One of the most important things children can learn is how to read and write. Children were encouraged to write their own Christmas-themed stories. Children were able to experiment with new words and practice writing their sentences. The writing activities were also a great way to get them to use their imagination. Children also developed their reading skills through this activity as they read their stories out loud.

Creativity

Many children learn better through creative activities. We wanted to make home-schooling during quarantine as effective as it could be. So, we introduced arts and crafts to help with children’s creativity. Some of our activities included drawing and decorating Christmas jumpers. We wanted children to have fun whilst learning so we thought these activities would be perfect for them.

Top tips we learnt from home-schooling during quarantine

As time went on, we picked up some tips whilst home-schooling our little ones. Here’s what we learnt.

Make a schedule

Get your children into a routine from early on so they know what to expect each day. Kids will respond better if there is some kind of structure for them to follow. Make a plan of what topics you will cover and how much time you will spend on each of them.

Create a designated learning space

Creating a space for children to learn will give them the feeling of a classroom environment. When they are in this space it is time for learning. You should remove all distractions such as phones, tablets, TVs and game consoles as these will deter them from learning. Children need a quiet environment they can focus and learn in.

Set learning goals

Quarantine home-schooling shouldn’t be any different from face-to-face learning. Set learning goals for children just like their teachers would. This will help you understand their strengths and weaknesses. Their learning goals could be to spell 10 new words or learn their times tables. When they reach their goal, reward them. This will encourage them with their learning.

Let your kids learn at their own pace

Children learn at different speeds. Some can get to grips with things quickly whilst others need more time to understand things. If your child is struggling to understand something, take your time teaching them. Try multiple methods of teaching to make them understand. Sometimes taking a slower approach can help gain a better understanding.

We still have plenty to offer

This year, Santa Academy will be even better as we introduce Lacus Herald. There will be plenty of stories made available each day, written by our Author, Jill. You won’t want to miss out!

Stay up to date with Santa Academy, you’re in for a treat.

Find more fun, festive tips and ideas, such as:

• Easy Christmas crafts for kids
• Christmas printables
• Things to do near you for Christmas
• Christmas activity book ideas
• Christmas art ideas
• Christmas party ideas for kids
• Tips for helping kids to read
• Christmas baking for kids
• Christmas countdown ideas for your family
• Christmas writing ideas
• And many more!