Looking for something to do with your elementary school-aged child? Why not have a 20-minute D.E.A.R. time? That is, Drop Everything And Read together.
Find a tongue twister to share with your middle school student. At dinner, challenge everyone to repeat it three times fast. Try one of these:
- Fat frogs flying past fast.
- How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?
- Red leather, yellow leather.
- She sells seashells on the seashore.
- Six sharp smart sharks.
- Unique New York.
You can find these activities and more on the new Parents Make the Difference calendars provided by the school division’s Parent Connection.
The free calendars are available on vbschools.com to view, print or download, and one monthly edition is produced for each of the three school levels – elementary, middle, and high. The elementary level calendar includes parent and child activities, while the secondary level calendars offer “parent pointers” each day.
Some of the activities and conversation starters on the three January calendars include:
- Ask your child to give you a “six o’clock report” about what happened at school today. What’s the “lead story?”
- Can your child think of a different ending to her favorite story? What would she do if she met the characters?
- Talk with your child about mistakes. How can people learn from their mistakes?
- At the grocery store, have your child estimate how many apples are in two pounds. Use the scales to check.
- Mention something you learned recently. This shows your child that you value education.
- Limit drinks with caffeine at night. They can deprive your child of needed sleep.
- Exercise your child’s memory. What did she eat yesterday? Two days ago? Challenge each other.
- Play a game that builds math skills such as cards, dominoes or chess.
- Teens need specific goals. Help yours set three or four learning goals for this year. Write them down.
- Is your teen’s room messy? Set a timer for a 15-minute pick-up blitz before he gets together with friends.
- Encourage your teen to read the newspaper every day this week. Choose a cover story to discuss.
To see the complete January calendars and to view monthly newsletters also available to parents, visit vbschools.com.