Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Tutoring Tactics for the Holidays

Keeping children motivated during the holidays can be challenging as their thoughts turn to fun in the snow and time with their families at celebrations.

However, with the extra time off from school, it is more important than ever to find creative ways to keep children involved in their academic studies. Fortunately, there are several fun ways to keep children engaged by incorporating the magic of the holidays with the important skills that they need to learn. For this reason, the following guide is provided to offer some creative tactics to keep kids engaged this winter season.

Math Games
Addition and subtraction can be made exciting by using props that are associated with winter. For example, children can add and subtract polar bear counters in order to bolster their math skills. They can also enjoy forming patterns using snowflakes, teddy bears and other types of counters. If children live in an area with snow, they can also build snowmen and use their rulers to measure how tall they have been created.

Creative Writing
Writing assignments that focus on the holidays are sure to generate some excitement. Children love to write about their favorite holiday characters such as Frosty the Snowman and Rudolph. Additionally, encouraging children to write a wish list for holiday shopping is a fun way to build their vocabularies. Holding a holiday writing contest is also a way to let kids show off their best writing skills.

Winter Science
The winter season is the perfect time to experiment with water and ice to learn more about their properties. Try placing dark paper outside to capture a few snowflakes. Then, children can use a magnifying glass to draw their observations on paper. Children can also enjoy making their own ice pops using colored water, then painting with them to make a unique design.

When tutoring children during the holidays, it is important to take a cue from the festive atmosphere and keep projects fun. By including a few elements of the holidays, children will be more engaged and excited to learn.