Encouraging Creative Writing

Why creative writing is important

Creative writing is important for children to learn as it promotes imagination and helps them to write in a structured and organised style. These skills will help when they have to take exams – such as their SATs and GCSE’s.

How they’ll use it outside of the classroom

Creative writing isn’t just about writing stories; it also involves writing letters, instructions and persuasive pieces, just to name a few.
These are skills they can use later on when writing CVs for future jobs or for composing emails to future bosses.

Getting started

Not every child enjoys creative writing and many are reluctant at first. To combat this, I let the students choose what type of writing they want to complete, (fables, myths, traditional stories, letters, instructions or explanations). This helps to get the child excited about working on the piece and gets them involved.

However, some children are so reluctant that they don’t want to choose anything. If this is the case, I ask them what they’re already doing at school and choose the type of writing that best matches this.        

Planning pieces of writing

Children don’t often want to plan their writing and are more interested in starting their work straight away. The benefit of encouraging the child to plan is that it helps them to organise their ideas and to know exactly what they are going to write about.

To help children plan, I write down prompt questions on the planning sheets that come with the task, e.g.

•  how does your character feel?
• What does the setting look like?
• Why did they behave like that? This helps the child to think about what they’re writing and increases the amount of detail they include.

Maintaining enthusiasm

When working on one type of writing children can become frustrated and bored. To avoid this, we use different types each week that help them write in different styles for the same topic. For example, in myths, they can complete a character plan one week and a poster, diary entry or a report about that character the next week. This prevents students from feeling like they’re just doing the same thing every week and keeps them interested in their own pieces of work as it keeps evolving.

Progress over the term

One of my current students was very reluctant to complete creative writing tasks as he didn’t enjoy it and found it boring. However, after weeks of working on his writing, he has started to enjoy creating his own stories and even does them at home and brings them in for us to read. He likes coming up with characters – especially villains – and is currently working on his use of description in sentences. He is just one example of a student who has progressed well in creative writing during his lessons at StudyBox.

Check out our blog which explains the importance of reading. Click here!

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How to prepare for Mock Exams. Click Here.

Annabel Yates
English Tutor, StudyBox

The Importance of Education

The Importance of Education

In a fast-changing world where the most valuable skill you have is your knowledge, a good education is no longer just required, it’s essential.

The future of Jobs

Every day we hear about new inventions such as driverless cars and AI robots that can answer questions and solve problems.
These new inventions eliminate the need for humans to perform these tasks.
Many current jobs will soon vanish leaving those without adequate education struggling to find employment without going back to school.

The parent’s role

The need for our children to expand their ability to think and learn new skills has become an essential goal for most parents.
Teaching our children, the importance of learning starts at home.
We can encourage them to seek out and explore topics they are passionate about and foster an inquisitive personality.

Learning for life

Learning is not just about teaching children the curriculum. It is a process of experiences that lead them to the great “aha” moments of life.
It’s important to teach children to learn from their mistakes and remove the emphasis of getting things right the first time.
Most things in the real world come from trial and error, therefore we should encourage our children to try many different approaches.

Core Skills

There is always going to be a need for core skill in English Maths and Science.

English helps us to use our imagination and creativity. It gives us essential skills, reading and writing, and how to communicate effectively.

Maths teaches us skills such as problem solving, analysing data, communication & logical thinking.
Simple maths skills are used every day in shopping, baking, journey planning and driving.

Science teaches skills through conducting experiments and forming conclusions, and this encourages the brain to think independently and outside the box. You can learn more about the importance of Science, here.

For more information on how to help your children achieve their full potential, visit our website.

It can be hard adjusting from Primary school to Secondary school. Click here. 

Ways to expand your child’s vocabulary

Ways to expand your child’s vocabulary

It is common that children learn quicker than Adults. A child’s vocabulary expands as they grow but, there are some simple ways to speed things up and help them gain an advantage.

You can very easily incorporate these little activities in everyday life to help with this process.

New day, new word

The fun thing about kids being quick learners is that you can teach them new things every day. You should aim to teach them a new word every day. The way you can do this is by making sure they see or read the word a few times that day. For example, you can write the word on a sticky note and paste it on the fridge or on a mirror. Every time they go to get a snack or to look at themselves, a glance at that word will help them remember it.

Backstory

Now that your child knows a new word, it is important that you teach them its proper use and meaning too. Otherwise, the word won’t be of any benefit. There are many ways you can do this. For some children, it could be as simple as reading out the meaning from a dictionary. However, that wouldn’t be very effective because the child is likely to forget the meaning a few days later.

An easier way can be to describe the word through a story. Make connections with the meaning of the words. Try to paint an image in your child’s mind so that every time they think of that specific word, they get a picture in their mind and hence, they will be able to use the word with its proper meaning. Give relatable examples. When you see a real-life example of the word, show it your child. All these little tips will engrave the word along with the meaning in your child’s brain.

Reading or listening

At first, you might prefer using easy words so it’s easier for them to understand. Change this and start using ‘grown-up’ words with them. At first, they might be confused but they will try to figure out the meaning. If it’s hard for them to understand, you can explain that hearing new words in everyday sentences would make it easier for them to know how to use a word properly.

Upgrade the bedtime stories. Buy books for older children that will have new words. Otherwise, you can use the same old stories but try incorporating new words. Since your child will be used to listening to the story, he/she will know the actual meaning. This way when they will hear a new word, they would still understand but at the same time, learn something new.

Expanding your child’s vocabulary is a very simple task. You only need to start adding effort to everyday activities.

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How to prepare for the SATs

How to prepare for the SATs

SATs exams are taken by year 2 and year 6 students. It helps the students, as well as the parent, know where the child stands. Along with this the more important role of these SATs is that it judges the school in comparison with the National Curriculum to find out how the school is performing. SATs help maintain a quality education throughout all primary schools.

SATs have developed a pretty intimidating image. However, it is not a very difficult test. You can easily help your child ace it with little effort.

What the test is about

SATs for primary students take place during May. This means your child would appear for the exam during the summer term in school. It will be a basic level test that would test the knowledge your child learnt at school.

The exam has two parts. One of these is held at year 2, when the children are aged 6-7 years. Second part of the tests is in year 6 when the children 10-11 years old. For both these exams, the contents include English grammar, English reading and Mathematics.

You don’t need to especially worry about preparing your child for these particular exams. In fact it will be better if you don’t spend extra time teaching them before the exam. This way you can find out the accurate results of how much your child learnt by their own in school. If you want your child to score good in the SATs, make sure you help them throughout the years every single day. Help them understand concepts when they learn them. Making them cram a few days before SATs just so they score good will not be an effective method of teaching. Secondly, since the results will also be a representation of the school performance, the school teachers will provide most of the preparation material and help.

If you want to help your child, you should incorporate activities in everyday habits like mental math games, story reading, etc. Try to help your child learn new words. To prevent your child from panicking during the SATs, make them attempt past papers that you find online.

What do the results imply

Firstly, you should not worry about bad results. It will not affect your child’s admission procedures in the future. The exam’s sole purpose is to find out how well the school teaches and how much your child learns. It will be a comparison of same aged children who would have received similar education up till this point. If your child scores badly, it would mean you need to help them cope up since they are lagging behind the rest of their mates.

The result is calculated in such a way that a score below 100 would mean below average performance in that particular section. Similarly, a score above hundred would indicate over average performance where as a score of 100 will show that your child’s performances is as expected at this age.

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Year 1 Phonics test

Year 1 Phonics test: All you need to know

A phonic screening test is a type of test that is conducted to evaluate whether a child has learned phonic decoding or not. This will be done by comparing the results to a specified standard. The results of the test will also highlight the children who still need helps for the improvement in their skills. Support will be provided by the government or the parents to that children. However, if the child passes it, it will mean that they have a detailed understanding of the phonics.

The phonics test was introduced and implemented in June 2012. The test is designed in a way that it effectively highlights the current phonic information of the child. Teachers and parents will be able to know whether the child is progressing at a satisfied pace or not.

What is included in a phonics check?

The phonics check consists of two different sections. These sections contain 40 words check as a whole that are asked to assess the current knowledge related to phonics. Also, it will highlight the knowledge attained through the reception and year 1. The child will have to read four different words from a single page to the teacher to complete the test.

There is a common question in the minds of parents related to the compulsion and the type of phonic check. The answer to this question is, it is not a formal process of analyzing the abilities of your child. Instead, it is used to analyze the skill or learning level of the child. This is done just to make sure that they are performing up to the mark. Before the start of the activity, children will be asked to practice few words so that they can have a better understanding of the activity which will be carried out.

The focus of phonic check:

The phonics check is conducted to check certain points which are explained below:

• Whether your child is able to sound out and blend graphemes to read simple words.
• Whether they can read a selection of nonsense words. These words are also referred to as pseudowords sometimes.
• Whether they are able to read phonically decodable one and two syllable word. For example, sand, cat, windmill etc.

The inclusion of nonsense and pseudowords:

The phonics check includes some words that are nonsense and pseudo. These are basically those type of words that are decodable i.e. there is no meaning attached to them and they are not the actual words e.g. snorb or brip. The pseudo-words or the nonsense words are included into the test to analyze whether the child can recognize them or not. They are usually shown to the kids with a picture of a monster and they have to tell their teacher about the details of the monster.

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What is SPAG?

What Does SPaG Stand For?

SPaG stands for Spelling, Punctuation and Grammar. It’s a term used widely in UK primary schools to describe the core English language skills children are taught — and tested on — throughout Key Stage 1 (KS1) and Key Stage 2 (KS2).

SPaG isn’t a separate subject. It sits within the English curriculum and underpins everything your child does in reading, writing and comprehension. Strong SPaG skills mean your child can communicate clearly, score well in exams, and build confidence in written English.

Why Is SPaG Important?

SPaG matters for three reasons:

1. It’s tested in SATs

The SPaG test is a formal part of the KS2 SATs, taken by all Year 6 pupils in England. It accounts for 70 out of 120 marks in the English assessment — more than the reading paper. That makes it the single biggest scoring component of the English SATs.

At KS1, SPaG is assessed through two shorter papers (spelling and grammar/punctuation), though KS1 SATs are now optional for most schools.

2. It affects every subject

Clear writing isn’t just for English lessons. Children who spell accurately, punctuate correctly and use proper grammar produce better answers in science, history, geography and RE. Examiners at GCSE level also mark for “quality of written communication” — so the habits built in primary school carry through to secondary.

3. It builds lifelong communication skills

Whether your child is writing an essay, an email, or a job application in the future, strong SPaG skills make their writing clearer, more persuasive and more professional.

What’s in the KS2 SPaG Test?

The Year 6 SPaG test (also called the GPS test — Grammar, Punctuation and Spelling) consists of two papers:

Paper 1: Grammar and Punctuation

• Duration: 45 minutes
• Marks: 50
• Format: Short answer questions — multiple choice, tick boxes, circling, and writing short responses

This paper tests whether children can identify and use grammatical structures correctly. It doesn’t test creative writing — it tests technical knowledge of how English works.

Paper 2: Spelling

• Duration: approximately 15–20 minutes
• Marks: 20
• Format: The teacher reads 20 sentences aloud, each with a missing word. Children write the correct spelling in their answer booklet.

Key SPaG Topics Your Child Needs to Know

The SPaG curriculum builds year on year. Here are the main topics tested at KS2:

Grammar

• Word classes: nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, prepositions, conjunctions, determiners, pronouns
• Sentence types: statements, questions, commands, exclamations
• Verb tenses: simple past, present and future; progressive and perfect forms
• Active and passive voice: “The dog chased the cat” vs “The cat was chased by the dog”
• Modal verbs: can, could, may, might, shall, should, will, would, must
• Relative clauses: using who, which, where, when, whose, that
• Fronted adverbials: “Early in the morning, the birds began to sing.”
• Subjunctive mood: “If I were you…” / “The school requires that he attend.”
• Standard English: “We were” not “We was”; “I did” not “I done”
• Formal and informal language

Punctuation

• Full stops, question marks and exclamation marks
• Commas: in lists, after fronted adverbials, to separate clauses
• Apostrophes: for possession (the dog’s bone, the children’s toys) and contraction (don’t, it’s)
• Inverted commas (speech marks): punctuating direct speech correctly
• Colons and semi-colons: to introduce lists and join related clauses
• Brackets, dashes and commas for parenthesis: adding extra information to a sentence
• Hyphens: in compound words and to avoid ambiguity (e.g. “man-eating shark” vs “man eating shark”)
• Bullet points

Spelling

• Prefixes: un-, dis-, mis-, re-, pre-, anti-, auto-, super-
• Suffixes: -tion, -sion, -ment, -ness, -ful, -less, -ly, -ous, -ible, -able
• Homophones: their/there/they’re, to/too/two, where/wear/were, affect/effect
• Silent letters: knight, write, doubt, island
• Word families and root words
• The Year 3/4 and Year 5/6 statutory spelling lists — these are published by the government and contain the words children are expected to spell by the end of each phase

How to Help Your Child Improve SPaG at Home

1. Read together regularly

Reading exposes children to correct grammar, varied punctuation and accurate spelling in context. Discuss the text as you go — ask your child to spot speech marks, find adjectives, or explain why a comma is used.

2. Practise spelling little and often

Short daily sessions (10–15 minutes) work better than long weekly tests. Use the statutory spelling lists as a starting point, and break words into manageable groups of 5–10 per week.

3. Play word games

Games like Scrabble, Boggle and crossword puzzles build vocabulary and spelling skills naturally. Online tools like Spelling Shed and SPaG.com offer interactive practice too.

4. Use “look, cover, write, check”

This classic method works because it forces active recall:

1. Look at the word carefully
2. Cover it up
3. Write it from memory
4. Check — did you get it right? If not, try again.

5. Practise with SATs-style questions

Past papers and practice booklets (from CGP, Letts, or free resources on the government website) help your child get used to the question format. The SPaG paper has a specific style — practising it builds confidence.

6. Focus on common mistakes

Keep a list of words your child frequently misspells or grammar rules they get wrong. Revisit these regularly rather than always starting fresh topics.

SPaG at KS1

At Key Stage 1 (Years 1–2), the SPaG curriculum covers the basics:

• Capital letters and full stops
• Question marks and exclamation marks
• Joining words with “and”
• Nouns, verbs and adjectives
• Singular and plural nouns
• Past and present tense
• Common exception words (the, said, come, some, etc.)

The KS1 SPaG test includes a 20-word spelling paper and a grammar/punctuation paper with two sections. While KS1 SATs are now optional for many schools, the skills assessed remain core to the curriculum.

Related Reading

• Phonics: A Complete Guide for Parents
• SATs Explained
• How to Pass the 11 Plus Exam
• When Should My Child Start Tutoring?

How StudyBox Can Help with SPaG

At StudyBox, our English tuition covers SPaG alongside reading and writing at all primary levels. Our tutors at Wallington, Sutton and Croydon:

• Identify your child’s specific SPaG gaps with an initial assessment
• Build spelling, punctuation and grammar skills through structured, age-appropriate sessions
• Prepare children for KS1 and KS2 SATs with practice papers and exam technique
• Make learning engaging — because confident writers are better writers

Book a free trial session to see how we can help your child master SPaG.

How to Pass The 11 Plus Exam

What Is the 11 Plus Exam?

The 11 plus (11+) is a selective entrance exam used by grammar schools across England to assess pupils at the end of Year 5 or the start of Year 6. Children typically sit the exam in September of Year 6, with results arriving in October — in time for the secondary school application deadline on 31 October.

Grammar school places are highly competitive. In areas like Sutton, where five grammar schools share a common test, there can be more than 12 applicants for every place. That makes thorough preparation essential — but it doesn’t have to be stressful.

Which Exam Board Will Your Child Sit?

The two main 11+ exam providers in England are:

• GL Assessment — used by most grammar schools in London, Kent, Buckinghamshire and other areas. Tests four subjects separately with published question types.
• CEM (Centre for Evaluation and Monitoring) — used in Birmingham, Buckinghamshire (some schools), and parts of the South West. CEM papers blend subjects into mixed sections with unpublished question formats, making the test harder to prepare for through rote learning alone.

In South London and Surrey, the Sutton SET (Selective Eligibility Test) is used by Wilson’s School, Wallington High School for Girls, Nonsuch High School for Girls, and Wallington County Grammar School. Sutton Grammar School sets its own separate exam. All five use GL Assessment-style papers.

Top tip: Check your target school’s admissions page early in Year 4 to confirm the exam board, registration dates and any catchment area requirements.

What Subjects Are Tested in the 11 Plus?

Most 11+ exams assess four core areas:

English

• Reading comprehension — fiction, non-fiction and poetry passages
• Vocabulary and spelling
• Grammar and punctuation
• Sentence structure and writing skills (some schools)

Maths

• Arithmetic — the four operations, fractions, decimals and percentages
• Problem solving and word problems
• Geometry — area, perimeter, angles, symmetry
• Data handling — tables, charts, averages
• Algebra basics — sequences, missing number problems

Verbal Reasoning (VR)

Verbal reasoning tests logical thinking using words and language. GL Assessment uses 21 published question types including:

• Code words and letter sequences
• Word analogies and synonyms
• Hidden words and compound words
• Sentence completion

Non-Verbal Reasoning (NVR)

Non-verbal reasoning tests pattern recognition and spatial awareness using shapes and diagrams. Question types include:

• Odd one out
• Matrices and series
• Reflection and rotation
• Spatial folding — nets of 3D shapes

CEM exams blend VR and NVR into mixed papers alongside English and maths, so children must switch between question types quickly.

When Should 11 Plus Preparation Start?

Most education experts recommend starting preparation 12 to 18 months before the exam — ideally at the beginning of Year 5. This gives your child enough time to build skills gradually without cramming.

A realistic preparation timeline looks like this:

• Start of Year 5 (September): Baseline assessment to identify strengths and gaps. Begin regular reading and maths practice.
• January–April (Year 5): Introduce verbal and non-verbal reasoning with workbooks. Focus on one question type at a time.
• May–July (Year 5): Start timed practice papers. Work on speed and accuracy under exam conditions.
• Summer holidays: Increase to 3–4 practice sessions per week. Complete full-length mock exams.
• September (Year 6): Final revision, exam technique and confidence building in the days before the test.

10 Top Tips for Passing the 11 Plus

1. Know your target school’s exam format

Different schools use different exam boards and question styles. Download past papers or sample papers from your school’s website and make sure your child practises the right format.

2. Build a consistent study routine

Short, regular sessions work better than long weekend marathons. Aim for 20–30 minutes of focused practice on school nights, with longer sessions at weekends. At age 10–11, children struggle to concentrate for more than 30 minutes at a stretch.

3. Use spaced repetition

Don’t cram the same topic for days in a row. Space out revisits to tricky topics over days and weeks — this is proven to improve long-term retention far more than massing practice.

4. Practise under timed conditions

Time pressure is one of the biggest challenges in the 11+. Once your child is comfortable with question types, start timing practice papers. Teach them to move on from questions they’re stuck on and come back to them at the end.

5. Read widely and often

Strong readers have a massive advantage in the 11+. Encourage your child to read a mix of fiction, non-fiction, newspapers and magazines. This builds vocabulary, comprehension speed and general knowledge — all tested in the exam.

6. Focus on weak areas, not just strengths

It’s tempting to practise subjects your child already enjoys. But the 11+ rewards balanced performance across all papers. Use practice test scores to identify gaps and target them deliberately.

7. Learn exam technique

Teach your child to:

• Read questions carefully before answering
• Eliminate obviously wrong answers in multiple-choice questions
• Show working in maths (some papers award method marks)
• Check answers if time allows

8. Use high-quality practice materials

Stick to reputable publishers like Bond, CGP, and Letts for workbooks. For GL-style tests, use official GL Assessment practice papers. Avoid relying solely on free online resources, which may not match the actual exam standard.

9. Don’t neglect wellbeing

An anxious, exhausted child won’t perform at their best. Make sure your child:

• Gets enough sleep (10–11 hours for this age group)
• Has downtime for play, hobbies and friends
• Eats well, especially on exam day
• Knows that one exam doesn’t define their future

10. Consider professional tuition

A qualified tutor can identify gaps you might miss, teach exam techniques, and keep your child motivated. Group tuition is also a great option — children often learn better alongside peers, and it normalises the preparation process.

Grammar Schools Near Sutton, Wallington and Croydon

If you live in South London or Surrey, these are the main grammar schools your child may apply to:

• Wilson’s School (Wallington) — boys, Sutton SET + individual test, UK Rank #2
• Wallington High School for Girls — Sutton SET + individual test
• Wallington County Grammar School — mixed, Sutton SET + individual test
• Nonsuch High School for Girls (Cheam) — Sutton SET + individual test
• Sutton Grammar School — boys, individual test

Registration for the Sutton SET typically opens in spring and closes in early summer, with the test in September. Check each school’s website for exact dates.

Related Reading

• How to Prepare for the 11 Plus Exam
• SATs Explained
• When Should My Child Start Tutoring?
• Critical Thinking Skills for Children

How StudyBox Can Help

At StudyBox, we offer expert 11 Plus tuition at our centres in Wallington, Sutton and Croydon. Our experienced tutors:

• Assess your child’s current level and create a personalised study plan
• Cover all four 11+ subjects — English, maths, verbal reasoning and non-verbal reasoning
• Provide regular timed mock exams under realistic conditions
• Build confidence and reduce exam anxiety

Book a free trial session to see how we can help your child prepare for the 11 plus with confidence.

Does Your Child Need a Tutor?

Does your child struggle to do homework?
Do you have to push them in doing it?
Have you tried to help but end up arguing?
As a result if, you answered yes, it’s probably time to get the help from a tutor.

Most children at some point will display signs that they are struggling to keep up with schoolwork or homework due to a number of reasons.
Not all are signs students need extra help, therefore we have put together a shortlist to help you find signs that your child probably needs a tutor.

Six signs your child needs a tutor:

1. The homework excuses:
Your child may exhibit extreme emotions when it’s time for homework. first of all, they will try to avoid the situation by doing anything else.

2. Avoiding school:
Not wanting to go to school can be another sign that your child is finding things difficult, as a result, they may need some extra support.

3. Not doing well in tests:
A bad score in one test may be a temporary issue, consequently, bad test scores on a regular basis can indicate a bigger problem.

4. Loss of confidence:
Avoidance of schoolwork is usually a sign that your child has a loss of confidence, therefore it is important to restore confidence quickly.

5. Poor time management:
Time management is the key to get success. A student who has issues in managing their time and getting homework done will benefit from a tutor.

6. Hopelessness:
Especially relevant is to look for signs of hopelessness. This will include signs of getting disappointed and not having enough confidence.

Interested in after-school tuition? Sign up for your free trial here.

Want to keep your child motivated during school breaks? Click here.

Preparing for an upcoming exam? Click here.

Mental maths, why is it important for children?

Mental maths, why is it important for children?

Every child can train their brain for mathematical calculations.

There is a specific part of the brain that performs mental maths but if it is not developed properly at an early age, it can become a challenging task.
For this reason, it is important to develop the ability to do mental maths in children while they are still young.
The best age considered for this is between 5 to 10 years.
This will develop their ability to perform basic arithmetic rules at speed without using pencil or paper.

7 reasons why doing mental maths is important:

• Enhances children’s ability to concentrate.
• It stimulates children’s interest in maths.
• Improves the self-confidence of the child.
• Helps with the application skills in maths.
• Helps to reduce mistakes in problem-solving.
• Strongly associated with better memory skills.
• It stimulates both sides of the brain.

There is a need to create number sense in a child:

This means that students will be able to perform each calculation in their head with ease.
Number sense is essential to achieve the goal and allows a person to incorporate estimation, place value and measurement.
This will further result in increasing the ability of children to memorise the facts of maths with ease.
Practising all the calculation is the first step and developing speed for doing it, again and again, is the second step.

One of the major benefits of mental maths:

Children will be able to understand the mathematical concepts instead of just reading them.
Maths is logical and it should be solved with logical steps.
These logical steps can be learnt and practised and are especially relevant with mental maths.

In Conclusion:

If children have a better understanding of the mental maths concepts,  they are more likely to approach maths with a positive outlook.

It must be noted here that when it comes to mental maths, the duration of exercises does not matter a lot. Instead, the frequency is what matters so doing them on a daily basis is essential.

At StudyBox, we believe that mental maths is the key to confidence. Click here for a Free Trial today or here for more information on our maths tutoring services.

Tips to keep your child’s mind active over the summer holidays

Tips to keep your child’s mind active over the summer holidays

During the holiday season, learning can easily take a back seat. Especially when you and your family are in the midst of the holiday festivities and are enjoying some well-deserved fun in the sun. However, if you want to make sure your child is still learning and developing their academic skills during their break, there are lots of strategies you can use:

1. Give them some screen time

Believe it or not, sometimes allowing your child to engage with technology at home is a good thing. There are loads of free and cheap educational apps available on tablets and phones and games available on the internet that are designed to encourage and develop a number of academic areas. If you know your child needs to work on their reading or mathematics skills, find a reading or maths app or a computer game that is both fun and a learning opportunity.

2. Have some fun in the kitchen

One of the easiest and most hands-on ways to encourage your child’s learning and development is in the kitchen. Cooking and baking together, for example, will enhance their reading and their math skills as they read recipes and gather and measure out ingredients. There are also lots of easy and safe science experiments available on the internet that you can conduct in the kitchen which will help embed the scientific principles that they may have already learned in the classroom.

3. Go on a day trip

If you and the kids are feeling a bit of cabin fever, why not take a day trip? At the beach or the park, they can experience and learn about nature and the environment while getting some much needed fresh air. Or you could go somewhere historical where they can learn about the history of their region or country and discover more about the world they live in.

4. Go to the library

One easy and free way of entertaining your kids during the summer holidays is to take them to the local library where they can choose the stories they love. Letting your child guide their own learning, will also teach you what their interests and passions are and allow you to nurture them as they grow up.

5. Play with your kids

Last but not least, play with your child! Let them make games and give them free reign to let their imaginations run wild! And if you can, join in the fun! Stimulating their creativity will allow them to be better learners and eventually more productive and motivated adults.

Interested in after-school tuition? Sign up for your free trial here.

Preparing for an upcoming exam? Click here.