Virtual learning from home and homeschooling has become one of the top options for ways to educate kids for the 2020-2021 school year. The Covid-19 pandemic has changed how kids learn. The school year is quickly approaching and families have to make the adjustment to this new way of their kids attending school. This can be difficult to adjust to for parents and kids.
When I first began homeschooling my daughter, I knew I wanted to incorporate virtual learning. I also wanted to create a learning environment at home that had some similarities to a typical public school. As a former public school teacher, there were a lot of aspects of public school that I enjoyed. For example, I loved going on field trips with my students and all the holiday and season themed activities we would do throughout the school year. I did not want my daughter to miss out on some of the typical public school activities. So I simply incorporated those into our homeschool and virtual learning program! So here are my 7 tips to make virtual learning fun for kids!
1). Picture Day:
Just because your kids will be at home with you doing virtual learning doesn’t mean you can’t have a first day of school picture day! On the first day of our homeschool and virtual learning program last year, I took pictures of my daughter. I bought her a picture day outfit and a sign that said “first day of homeschool.” Having a first day of school picture day is a great way to get your kids really excited about the upcoming school year. You will also have the pictures as a way to remember this unique virtual learning school year.
2). Back to School Shopping:
Make sure your kids take part in the back to school shopping. Since your kids will be doing virtual learning, the back to school supply list might look a little different. Be sure to check out my 5 Homeschool Essentials blog post. You might need to add some of those items to your back to school list. Also, I highly encourage you to get all the necessary school supplies for your kid’s as if they were going to be doing typical in person school. Some school districts might decide after the first semester of virtual learning that they will transition back to in person learning for the second semester. You want to be sure you have those school supplies such as backpacks, pencils, paper, glue, crayons, markers, etc.
3). New School Year Wardrobe:
Your kids will be at home doing virtual learning so the new school year wardrobe might look a little different. Be sure to shop for cozy and comfortable outfits for your kids. I like to shop at Walmart and Target for basic t-shirts, sweat pants, pajamas, leggings, socks, and other loungewear!
4). Playground:
Recess is probably one of the best parts of the day for most kids! When I first started homeschooling and doing virtual learning for my daughter, I bought a good amount of outdoor activities. After lunch we would go outside and she would have about 30 minutes to 1 hour of recess time. When the Covid-19 pandemic started, I invested in a slide and swing set for our backyard. I would highly suggest if you have the backyard space, you should invest in a good amount of outdoor activities for your kids. Here is the slide and swing set we bought for my daughter.
5). Virtual Meetups with Classmates/Friends:
Making sure your kids stay in contact with their classmates and close friends during this time is so important. I schedule weekly virtual meetups with some of my daughters friends on apps like Zoom! You can add these virtual meet ups into your weekly schedule.
6). Field Trips:
Going on field trips is probably the highlight of the year for most kids. You can schedule to do field trips throughout the school year with your kids. For example, you can schedule to take your kids to the pumpkin patch on a Friday afternoon. Or you can schedule to take your kid’s on a field trip to see Christmas lights in December. On these field trips you can always add an educational activity or worksheet for your kid’s to complete.
7). Holiday and Season Inspired Activities:
The holidays and the change of each season just brings about so much excitement for kids. When you are planning out your virtual learning school year, you can create a list of holiday and season themed activities for your kids. These can be arts and craft activities, holiday field trips, outside scavenger hunts, etc.
In conclusion, I encourage all families to take it one day at a time when you begin homeschooling and virtual learning for your kids. It’s okay if you have to change up your routine and schedule several times until you figure out what works best. Also, remember that everyone’s homeschool and virtual learning will look different. Do what’s best for your family. And most importantly enjoy this time safely at home with your family.
XO,
Ashley
