After a fun and eventful summer vacation, settling back into an effective routine can be challenging, especially between getting ready for a new school year, signing up for extracurricular activities, and many more loose ends. This can be made even tougher when it comes to preparing them for at-home practice and homework on the tail-end of summer break.
Practicing with great workbooks each day prior to beginning the school year can be greatly beneficial to reintroducing key concepts and setting a strong foundation for new ones so that your child can begin school with confidence. With just a few minutes everyday, your child will enhance these skills through puzzles, stories, games, and more.
Fortunately, finding ways to reignite your child’s enthusiasm for learning can be both fun and memorable, no matter what their learning style is. Check out these helpful tips on how to make these activities easier for both you and your child.
1. Create a Stress- and Distraction-Free Work Space
First and foremost, start by creating a comfortable workspace that’s just right for your child’s unique needs. Make sure that there are no distractions — like screens — nearby that may take their attention away for longer periods of time. Let them personalize it in any way that would make their learning environment and experience a welcome and positive one; for example, they could choose to add some photos of themselves with their friends, small posters, summer mementos, etc.
Remember to also ensure that your child has all of the relevant supplies that they might need for study time within reach, like pens, pencils, erasers, crayons, scrap paper, or anything else that may help them out. Check out more ways to set them up for homework success by establishing constructive study habits.
2. Maintain a Realistic Schedule
Every child is different and schedules often evolve and change, so don’t stress too much if you can’t adhere to the same one all the time. Designate an agreed-upon time everyday to do some workbook practice or homework that works for both your child and your family's schedule.
If certain days are more challenging than others, practice for a few minutes at a time during breakfast or before heading out to an activity. Small increments still make a powerful impact on their learning.
3. Set Up a Playdate
Make things more fun by involving your child’s friends. Practicing workbook games and puzzles in a group setting can encourage your child to ask more questions, find comfort when they hit a snag, and even look forward to the practice time on a regular basis.
Whether it’s once a week or on a more frequent basis, involving friends can be a rewarding strategy to help your child see practice time as a fun and happy experience.
4. Take Breaks to Move Around
It’s crucial to remember that kids (no matter their age) need frequent brain breaks, especially as you’re preparing for the fall. After completing some of their work, encourage your child to take a 5 minute break and move around in any way they’d like — jumping, walking, or dancing.
Incorporating movement is a highly effective way for your child to get their energy out in short bursts so that they can come back to their work refreshed. Plus, it’s a great time to bond — you can even have a mini dance party or go outside for a few minutes to throw a ball around. Anything goes!
5. Reward Work With Their Favorite Books & Activities
Finally, once their daily work is complete, it’s time to take a break and relax! Celebrate small victories with your child frequently with words of affirmation (“You should be so proud of yourself for working so hard!”) and other ways that make them feel encouraged.
Reward your child’s effort by sharing in their favorite activities with them, like playing outside, having a family game night, or doing some fun crafts. Be sure to also take time to unwind together with a good family read-aloud that everyone will love.
Shop skill-building workbooks and some of our favorite family read-alouds to reward kids with afterwards! You can find all books and activities at The Scholastic Store.
