The 2020 pandemic has challenged you to reach new levels of creativity and flexibility for yourself and your family. Many school districts have had their teachers in virtual Zoom classrooms teaching their school age children for 4-5 hours a day! Also, some parents homeschool their children to maintain a learning environment for their children.
Now that summer is upon us, how can you harness familiarity with technology and combine it with the resources at your fingertips to keep your child’s thirst for knowledge alive over the summer? Here are 3 simple strategies to create a fun adventure for your family:
1. Involve your child (or teen) in the “virtual vacation planning” process. This is essential for them to buy into the idea and maintain interest. I recommend creating a short list of destinations. Then let them research and choose those that interest them.
Some of these virtual tours are so wonderful that they “make you feel like you’re really there.”
Where have you and your family longed to go? This is your chance!
2) Ask your children to write in their journal about their virtual vacation. Encourage them to record experiences they found fascinating. Ask them 1) what they learned about each place they visited and 2) what they enjoyed most about each place. If your child is too young to write it down, ask them both questions and write down their answers.
(Have your older children write down any questions or observations they’d like to explore when they visit the destination in real life.)
3) Then have a picnic in your backyard with some of the food you and your kids have prepared in honor of your visit. Prepare special dishes that your family likes, as well as new dishes from your virtual vacation. By using old and new family favorite recipes, your children will read and measure the ingredients, which will help them in both math and science.
I fondly remember cooking meals with my mom and grandmother. With my mom, we made pecan and pumpkin pies and blintzes. My grandmother Mary educated me in the fine art of creating Hungarian cuisine by making stews, roasts, and garnishes. It all started by cooking the sauces for 3-4 hours with the stewed meat and adding the Hungarian spices. The stews and roasts were delicious and the empanadas delicious. Many years later I played concerts in Hungary at his Liszt Music Academy and ate at fabulous restaurants with my husband while listening to Robby Lakatos, the gypsy violinist.
*at your picnic Ask each person to read their responses to your two questions. Ask your younger children to answer the two questions and, if necessary, remind them quietly of what they said earlier when you wrote it to them. You want to start your child’s creative thinking and learning process.
* Have family reading time every night. Involve your child or teen by asking their input in selecting an adventure story they would like to read as a family. Parents start reading with excitement and joy using different voices for each character. Then ask your older children to read and do this too! Then discuss the story you read together by asking your children questions to guide them through their thought process.
Here are some resources to get you started on your virtual vacation:
Virtual Disney with attractions https://www.travelandleisure.com/trip-ideas/disney-vacations/watch-disney-rides-on-youtube
Australia and the Great Barrier Reef https://www.insider.com/australia-virtual-tour-guide-great-barrier-reef-2020-4
Virtual Venice https://www.thegeographicalcure.com/post/virtual-venice-how-to-tour-venice-from-home
So where have you and your kids decided to travel on your virtual vacation?
Are your journals ready to go?
Have your kids decided what food they want to cook for their picnic after their virtual trip?
What recipes do your children want to look for on the Internet?