5 Screen Free Activities for Children

AD - This is a PR collaboration

There’s no arguing that technology is addictive. It gives us an outlet to have fun, play games, and stay in touch with loved ones. As the various platforms have evolved, it’s become increasingly difficult to get children to engage in screen-free activities. A problem as excessive screen time can affect the eyes, concentration, physical health, and mental wellbeing. We have teamed up with a private girls’ school in Manchester to share 5 screen-free activities that you can do with your child below.

Arts and Crafts
Crafting teaches children how to think creatively whilst helping them to express themselves and practice their fine motor skills. While it’s not the tidiest of activities, it’s one that they will have a lot of fun doing and will help them in their development.

Cooking
Children are intrigued by a lot of things that grown-ups do and cooking is one of them. By getting them involved you can equip them with essential life skills for the future.

Board Games
Board games involve strategy and can help children to exercise their brains. They also make for great bonding time too.

Gardening
Time spent in the garden can in fact help children with their mental health as the outdoors and greenery helps them to feel less anxious. A great way to encourage children to spend more time outdoors, and in their own garden is by creating a safe haven for them. Somewhere for them to relax, and unwind is great for their mental health too. How about investing in a cosy hammock from Hammock Heaven? Great for children and parents alike.

A Day Trip
There’s a whole wide world out there with so much for your child to learn and discover. They don’t need to cost anything either. You can visit local farms and other nearby attractions.

Other Ways to Limit Screen Time
Modern problems require modern solutions. If you’re struggling to manage your child’s screen time, you might find a content monitoring tool like Norton Family helpful. They help you to keep an eye on what your child does online and set restrictions so that they actually stick to their screen time limits. You can receive all of this information in the form of easy-to-read, digestible, real-time reports that notify you of what they are viewing which can also be beneficial from a safety perspective.

Top Tips for Supporting Your Child's Academic Progression

 AD - This is a PR collaboration

As a parent, your words have the greatest impact on your child. They can motivate them to be the best that they can be and help them to overcome obstacles like those in their academic career. Aside from using words of encouragement, there are a number of ways that you can support your child’s academic progress. A senior school in Surrey shares a few of them with us below.

Routine
Routine is so important for children. It helps to maintain normality which in a time where there is so much change around them can be a comfort. It can help them to also form healthy habits and be better prepared for learning. An example of this is sleep. Without a good sleep routine, your child will struggle to concentrate at school and retain information.

Be An Involved Parent
Asking your child questions and staying in the loop is the easiest way of showing them that what they are doing is important and helping them to feel valued. As well as helping them to take school seriously, you have the opportunity to offer help where possible and improve their chances of doing well.

Speak to Their Teachers
As well as speaking to your child, speak to their teachers. They will be able to give an insight as to how they’re doing, and inform you of any concerns, and where they could benefit from further support. Aside from parents' evenings, teachers are more than willing to share information regarding this to help their pupils.

Do Learning of Your Own
Children pick up on the behaviours of their parents and look up to them as their role models. By taking up learning opportunities you can motivate your child to also do the same. That doesn’t have to be anything academic per se and can even be learning a new skill or mastering a new recipe.

Does My Child Need a Tutor?

 AD - This is a PR collaboration

All children can benefit from extra tuition, not just those that require the support but those that are academically gifted too. They are able to solidify what they have been taught, get ahead by learning new content that’s not yet been covered, and have help revising (something particularly handy before all-important school entrance exams). We have teamed up with a private school in Cardiff to help you decide whether your child needs a tutor.

They’re Struggling to Revise
Independent study is something that good grades rely on but can be hard to do in reality with so many distractions around. A private tutor can help to make sure that your child gets their revision done and receives support with that. Many too are examiners themselves and have prior experience in preparing students for their exams, making them the best people for the job.

Your Child Has a Learning Disability
Learning disabilities can affect children in a range of ways depending on what they are. At school, it can be particularly tough for them to take information on board which is where a tutor can help. They can take things at their pace and go over the material as many times as needed using techniques designed to help.

Entrance Exams
Exams are something that we briefly touched on earlier. As tutors offer a much more personal experience, they can help your child with their specific educational needs and prep them for their exams. Many have prior experience of doing so and know the mark schemes and syllabuses very well.

Time
As a parent time isn’t always on your side. It can be difficult to make time for your child and help them with their homework. A tutor can relieve some of the pressure by giving them professional support with their studies.

What to Do if Your Child Doesn't Enjoy School

AD - This is a PR collaboration

School is vital for children to attend as its puts them where they should be in their learning and development… but what do you do if your child detests it? It’s not uncommon for children to dislike school but if they’re adamant that they don’t want to go and are showing signs of concern, it’s something that you should speak to them about alongside their teachers. If any of this sounds familiar, continue reading for guidance from a boarding school in Ireland.

Speak to Your Child
As mentioned above, the first step is for you to speak to your child to understand why they feel the way that they do. Reassure them by letting them know that you’re there to listen and help as it may be hard for them to open up about their problems. If they are more complex, you may find that their teacher can help and offer professional advice.

Speak to Their Teacher
If you’re not able to gauge what’s wrong with your child, speaking to their teacher may help as they are able to observe their behaviour in class and anything else that may be affecting them. Together, you can speak to them and create a plan of action.

Additional Help
No one likes doing the things that they are bad at. If your child doesn’t enjoy school, it may be that they’re struggling academically and can benefit from some extra support. Again, you can speak to their teacher to arrange something or find new ways of explaining things to them. Private tuition is another option that’s worth considering and could also help them with their confidence.

Celebrate Their Achievements
Your child will go through many milestones at school and it’s important to recognise and celebrate each one of them. By doing so, you give your child things to look forward to, feel proud about and help them enjoy going to school.