Do you remember going back to school after the summer holidays and struggling to remember your basic lessons? That’s what happens when we have a bit too much fun over the holidays! We tend to forget some of the amazing things we learned in the school year.
Let’s not throw away all the good progress your kid has made in their English lessons. Here are some fun ideas to keep the English learning going over the holidays (for you too 😉).
Read something every day
Encourage your kid to read snippets from an English website, pamphlets at the supermarket, posters, road signs and billboards. In fact, anything! Pop into a bookstore or library and help them pick up a few simple holiday reads in English. Read together for just 15 minutes each day and make it an enjoyable part of the holiday routine.
Have a quiz
A family quiz can be awesome fun and educational. One of the adults is quizmaster, making up age-appropriate questions or reading them from a book. You could do a general knowledge quiz, a pop culture quiz, or simple spelling games.
Dear diary
Buy your kid a notebook to record their summer experiences (in English, of course). This gives him or her a chance to practice their vocabulary and handwriting during the holidays.
Do a project
Pick a theme for a family project, for instance, all about planets or a specific animal. You must all pitch in to create your presentation, which includes gathering information and writing out interesting facts to make a creative exhibition at the end of it.
Play What If?
Why not do a family game night in English? To boost your kid’s English grammar and speaking skills, play What If? Throw a few suggestions into a hat, and each person must use their imagination to play the game. Example: “What if the train got stuck?” or “What if you wake up in a fairytale?” The game inspires storytelling, and fosters problem-solving. It works at any age and is tons of fun for everyone.
Enjoy an excursion
Take your kids out to experience the sights and sounds of the city. Museums, art galleries and exhibitions are excellent English-speaking outdoor classrooms. Get inventive during the excursion, for example, try to order from the menu in English. Most cities offer free tours that you and your kid can join. This will increase their listening skills, and you may even meet tourists who you can speak with in English.
Learn about a new country
Pick an English-speaking country from the world map and spend some time learning about the place. Make it an art project to draw the country’s flag or learn about their favorite foods, customs and traditions.
Get cooking
This is an exciting and tasty English activity. Pick a recipe from an English recipe book and get the kids involved in making the dish. This is such an easy way to practice English. And you get to eat during the lesson. Yum!
Become a teacher for a day
Older kids will get a thrill out of playing teacher for a day. Ask your kid to pick a subject or topic that they enjoy and to teach it to a younger sibling. The “teacher” could make worksheets, drawings or simple stories and even have a test at the end of the lesson.
Play board games
Invest in the English version of games like Scrabble and Monopoly for entertaining afternoon games at the beach or outdoors. Scrabble particularly can help your kid not just practice English but learn new words too.
Keen to learn more? Sign up for a free trial lesson with Osmi and let us show you just how fun, interactive and engaging English can be for kids.
