Vacations are meant to be about fun and frolic, especially in the summer time. But when you are dealing with school goers, it is easy to let them slack off when it comes to their studies. Of course, this is easier said than done, because there are always better things to do than homework. The importance of homework cannot be undermined, especially when students have to return to school in the middle of the year and attempt to remember everything that was done before the holidays. This is why teachers assign work that needs to be done. This need not be a lot of work, but enough to keep the students in line. But the key to getting them to do it all is coming up with creative holiday homework ideas.
Holiday homework ideas that anyone can try
- Create a schedule
Before you can think about anything else, your first rule of thumb should be to create a schedule for your child or student. Even if it involves just an hour of study every day, it is essential that he or she not forget about the importance of homework during the holidays. This teaches a child great work ethic as well. They will understand that while they are having a lot of fun, there is important work that needs to be taken care of as well, and then they can return to having fun.
- Do not set too much
Keep in mind that the child probably has a long holiday, so you do not want to over burden them with work every day. Set a standard, yet minimal amount of work to be done each day. This way, at least, they will not feel demotivated and unenthusiastic about their homework. The key to implementing great holiday homework ideas is by setting them work that will work their brains but not exhaust them; work that has the most productivity. This will ensure that they do not feel like their homework is some sort of daunting task that they are forced to do every day, even on their holidays. Keep the assignments or activities fun but informative. This will ensure that they don’t forget it the minute they leave their study area.
- Be creative
If you want your child or student to finish all their work, quickly and efficiently, then come up with creative ways for them to complete things. Even though it may involve paper and a pencil, you could always turn it into some sort activity and make a game of it. If they have to math homework then, bring out bits and bobs or use your natural surroundings for calculations and explanations. If it involves reading or literature, read them the story with expressions and different voices. Make it interesting and interactive and they will be able to remember it with a lot more ease and recall it because they had fun. This kind of a method is ideal for younger kids.
Never forget that kids are like sponges and will remember anything that appeals to them even a little bit; this how you can come up with unique holiday homework ideas for the younger kids.
- Read a lot
A brilliant way to get your kids to enjoy the holidays and their homework is by instilling a love for reading in them at a young age. If they enjoy reading and knowing about random interesting things, then they will enjoy doing their homework. This will also make completing their literature homework a whole lot easier. Reading is a healthy habit to form for everybody and it will help them right through their life.
This will also help them with their spelling and comprehension homework, and help build a great memory capacity. Reading also keeps their imaginations alive, which makes everything a lot more fun for everybody! There are many spelling homework ideas that will get you better grades as well. You should do more research on that to know more.
- Create a word wall
If your child has trouble remembering certain words, their meanings and spellings, then one way to tackle that is through a word wall. Introduce new words to them and give them some sort of a task. Ask them to find out the meaning and memorize the spelling of the word, and then let them use it in a sentence. You can do a word a day or a week, and keep a track of it on a chart of some sort. You can even turn it into a game and give them rewards for their effort and dedication to the assignment. This usually works wonders with kids who do not enjoy the idea of studying a lot. It is definitely a holiday homework ideas that you should try.
It is important to understand that there is a reason that teachers set homework for their students. This is either to ensure that they remember whatever they have learned or to make it easier to understand the new topics that will be taught to them when they start school again. Coming up with interesting ideas aren’t easy but you can always look up useful information like: to help you get a better idea of what you should be doing.
Keep in mind
- Do not push the child. If he is throwing a tantrum or unwilling to do any work then let it go. Get back to the topic later or try a different approach. Each child works differently, and they too, have their moods that they cannot articulate properly. It is okay to give into what they want every now and again.
- Tackle the problem areas with tact. Ensure that you assign work that helps them overcome areas that they have trouble with. Whether it is spellings or mathematics, give them work that concentrates on an area of weakness. This will also help them overcome their fear of failure.
Always be encouraging. Forcing and shouting at a child will only make them despise any holiday homework ideas that you come up with. So be encouraging, and push them in the right direction with a lot of affection. This works more often than you would imagine, so you will definitely want to keep this in mind next time.