Mid-Term activities

The Halloween Mid-Term break is always a welcomed one. Children and adults are often exhausted after adjusting back to a school timetable after a long, lazy summer.

Although one or two duvet days will be nice, boredom can soon set in. In this week's column, I will discuss a few easy activities that you could try to break the week up.

Baking

We all know how unpredictable our weather can be, and it is best to plan indoor and outdoor activities. Baking is a fun and cost-effective activity that can include the whole family. It also requires using numerous maths skills, such as measuring ingredients and recalling key mathematical facts, such as how many grams are in a kilogram. Recipes may be written for four people, but you need enough for eight, which requires doubling. On the other hand, the recipe may be for eight people, but you need it for four, so the children have to halve the ingredients. The final product may need to be shared amongst numerous people, requiring division skills. When baking, using an oven will help introduce or reinforce learning of temperature, such as increasing/decreasing temperatures. Additionally, baking helps develop fine motor skills (coordination between eyes and hands) as children have to accurately measure ingredients and use different utensils.

Take a Trip to the Library

I have incredibly fond memories of trips to the library as a child. There was something magical about receiving my first library card and going on an adventure to find the perfect book. A trip to the library can be helpful as they have various genres (fiction, non-fiction etc.) that your child can explore before choosing. Choose two or three different genres and leave them at different locations at home over mid-term to encourage reading.

Cardboard Bird Feeder

During winter, food is more scarce for birds. Building a cardboard bird feeder is another cheap and straightforward activity that can keep the family occupied. You only need the following:

Empty kitchen roll tubes

Peanut butter

Blunt knife (to spread the peanut butter on the outside of the tube)

Birdseed (to roll onto the peanut butter)

String (3 or 4 times longer than the tube and thread it through)

Once you have created your bird feeder, tie it to a tree or bush. From a distance, observe all the different birds that come to snack on your treats. There is the potential for an abundance of follow-up activities: sketching (art), tallying (maths), and creative writing (English), to name a few.

Nature Walk

One of my favourite activities is to go for a walk in nature. While you are out together, encourage using your five senses through instruction: Do you hear that? Do you smell that? Let's feel that tree trunk etc. These simple instructions help children be present and turn it from a walk to an adventure. I know that only some children show the same enthusiasm to go outside. You could introduce a game such as a scavenger hunt or bring a picnic and a nice flask of hot chocolate to help make a walk more appealing.

The Transfer Test and Mid-Term

Although the children are starting their tests next week, they must have time to relax. They can participate in mid-term activities and still keep momentum towards the tests. Try sitting down and agreeing on a timetable for the mid-term break. When creating your timetable, try discussing a handful of topics to focus on over the week. I would refrain from anything exceeding 45 minutes at a time when revising topics, as children tend to switch off after this. Try maintaining that sense of calm, and remember you are almost there!

P6 Transfer Test Preparation - Waiting List

P6 Transfer Test preparation spaces are currently full. However, I will be taking on new children when this year's tests are over in the next couple of weeks. Although it is too early to start practice tests, we will focus on key topics over the next few months. P6 is an extremely busy year with lots of new material to learn, and in order to improve confidence, it is essential that they have a strong understanding of topics before starting practice tests in the New Year. Please contact me today to book a free assessment and reserve your child’s slot.

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