7 Fun Learning Activities for Children to Do At Home

Family bonding at home

Educational activities facilitate personal development and informal learning for children, making the learning process enjoyable and engaging. Besides improving your child’s physiological skills, they also aid in improved mental health, communication skills, and increased physical activity. As a parent, it’s important to find ways to keep your child engaged and learning during this long summer holiday. Below are 7 fun and learning activities that you can do with your child in the comfort of your own home.

1. Cooking / Baking

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Cooking is not only a fun and educational activity but also great for bonding. Through cooking, children learn about measurements, temperature, and different ingredients used in preparation.  Cooking is also a fun way to teach your child about health and nutrition. Baking gives children a sense of amazement and joy as they create something delicious from scratch.

2. Playing Games That Stimulate The Brain Processes

CA students enjoying a game of chess

Playing educational games such as charades, crosswords, puzzles, jigsaw, and scrabble is a great way to help kids learn while having fun. Choose games that match your child’s interests and ability level. Such games help improve the child’s vocabulary, and critical thinking skills and aid in the development of cognitive growth.

3. Read Together

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One of the most amazing gifts you can offer your child is the ability to read. When parents read together with their children, it not only helps children develop a love for reading but also improves vocabulary and comprehension skills. Involve your child by allowing your child to pick their book of choice which spikes their interest.

4. Try A Fun Science Experiment At Home

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Experiments are an ideal way to bring out your child’s love for science. Simple scientific activities that don’t involve much work on your side are fun ways of learning. Children love creating volcanoes using simple ingredients found at home. Make simple experiments that require readily available materials.

5. Grow A Garden

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Gardens are lessons in science, nutrition, and patience all rolled into one plot of dirt in your backyard. A garden teaches children how plants come to life. They also learn about nutrition which could encourage them to eat more vegetables.  Children can keep a gardening journal, learn the names of different plants and vegetables, plant their favorite vegetables, and study what it takes for them to grow.

6. Visit A Museum

CA students at a museum

Museums are great spots for fun and educational experiences for children of all ages. There’s a lot to learn at the museum such as different cultures, the history of people, extinct animals, and so much more. Museums are excellent places for both children and adults. Depending on your child’s interest, You could go to a science or art museum.

7. Have A Fun Time With Arts And Craft

mummy and daughter painting

Art is the best way for a child to express their individuality. Besides boosting creativity, Art and crafts is a fun activity to break the monotony. Provide materials such as crayons, canvas, and paint and let the children create anything from their imagination.  You could also use readily accessible materials such as cartons and play dough for building and construction.

The Key Subjects of IGCSE: What Should Students Expect?

Coast Academy Student Studying

The IGCSE is a reputed education qualification that’s awarded by Cambridge International and offered by top schools throughout the world.  It’s designed for students aged 12 to 16. While the demand for IGCSE education has grown progressively year-on-year, some students still struggle to select the best subjects. With other options to choose from, depending on what they want to study in the future.  Below are the subjects offered in the IGCSE Curriculum

Lower secondary (Year 7-9)

In the Lower Secondary level students are required to do the following subjects.

• English Language
• Mathematics
• Science (Biology, Chemistry, Physics)
• ICT
• History
• Geography
• French
• Kiswahili
• Art and design
• Music
• E and Swimming

After sitting for the Year 9 checkpoint exams, we guide our students through a career talk and subject selection based on their career of choice. At this point, students can now choose their subjects of choice as per their career aspirations. In years 10 and 11, the following subjects are compulsory.

• Maths
• English language
• Information & Communication Technology (ICT)

In addition, 5 subjects are to be selected from the following Optional Subjects offered, of which one must be a science.

• Physics
• Geography
• Biology
• Chemistry
• Business Studies
• Swahili
• French
• English Literature
• Art & Design
• Accounting
• History

When choosing subjects, it is recommended to read the subject syllabus overview of that particular subject which gives one an overview of the areas of study of the subject. IGCSE is preferred by many because it teaches students how to think critically and expands their knowledge. Not only do the exam questions test the student’s ability to understand key concepts but also test the student’s creative and innovative abilities.

5 Things Coast Academy Does To Encourage Parent-Teacher Relationships

1. Regular Communication

Parent teacher conference

At Coast Academy, we believe in the key of Communication.  We have open communication so that the parent can reach out to the school at any time. We also keep them in the know through newsletters, emails, and calls where need be.

2. Parent-Teacher Conference

Early years parents n book review

With regular Parent Teacher Conferences, parents get an opportunity to stay up to date on their child’s progress at school. It is also a great opportunity for both the teacher and parent to lay out any issues or questions they may have.

3. Taking Advantage Of Opportunities to Connect

Mother and child painting

Frequent class presentations, special performances by students is an excellent opportunity to invite parents to come and watch their children perform. Parents love getting opportunities to drop by their child’s class and relate to what the child does in school. This not only brings parents joy but also makes them feel included in their child’s life at school.

4. Build Confidentiality And Positivity

mother and daughter hugging

The basis of effective communication with parents also starts with trust. It’s essential for parents to trust their child’s teacher. When speaking to parents, any sensitive information shared between the teacher and parent remains confidential. Putting in a positive correspondence about the child goes a long way.

5. Being Friendly And Professional

Parents, teachers, and students at the Coast Academy

A little friendliness goes a long way, in terms of building relationships with parents, it is important to maintain professionalism to avoid overstepping on individual boundaries. At Coast Academy, we respect different cultures and family dynamics.

8 Ways to Support Your Child’s Mental Health and Well-Being

As parents and caregivers, there are ways we can support our children to give them the best chance to stay mentally healthy.

Parents play a huge role in teaching activities that promote good mental health. The ability to label and manage emotions, identify needs, and ask for support are worth building for everyone — especially since these skills may help protect against future mental health concerns. You can help a child to have good mental health

1. Listen to Your Children’s Concerns

It is essential to listen to your children’s concerns. Let them feel heard and understood.  Have a one-to-one conversation with them and listen to any concerns that might have. Once your child feels safe with you, they learn to trust you in every situation which is essential for their mental health.

2. Encourage physical activity

Physical health and good mental health are strongly correlated. Encourage your child to get exercise regularly or engage in other physical activities such as swimming, cycling, or whichever activity they love doing. Such activities uplift their energy, mood, and mental health.

3. Teach Your Child The Art of Positive Self-Talk

Teach your child how to engage in positive self-talk with themselves. This changes how they view the situation and help manage their feelings and response behavior. For example, “Come down, It’s now worth getting into an argument over this.”,  “I am going to relax and it will pass.” and “I can do this.”

4. Encourage Your Child to Build Meaningful Friendships

Encourage your child to make new friends at school and around the neighborhood. You could also enroll them in a summer camp or classes of activities that they enjoy such as skating and swimming. Meet their friends and get to know the kind of influence they will have on your child.

5. Discipline Without Labeling

Practice gentle parenting. When disciplining your child, avoid using mean words like stupid, dumb, or calling them bad. This leads to the child feeling like they can’t do anything right or that they are not good enough for you. Instead, correct your child’s wrong behavior by explaining why their action was inappropriate and encouraging them to give it another try when they feel ready.  This gives them the push to want to correct their mistake and do better.

6. Be Generous With Praise

Make it a point to always praise good behavior. Praise your children more than you reprimand them. Constant criticism will only lower your child’s self-esteem and make them feel like they can’t get anything right which is detrimental to their mental health. Praising your child whenever they have done a good deed boosts mental health.

7. Journaling 

Journaling is an excellent coping strategy when dealing with big emotions. It may also help improve your child’s social skills by encouraging self-reflection from a young age. It could be as simple as writing three things that they are grateful for at the end of each day.

8. Get Professional Help If Needed

It is very important to spend enough time with your child so that you can easily recognize when they need professional help. Most parents tend to shy off when they notice that their child might need more help than what they have to offer. Addressing mental health concerns earlier on in life is the best thing you can do for your child. Children who grew up with good mental health tend to become responsible adults who know how to manage their emotions well.

You can also read 7 Effective Classroom Management Strategies at Coast Academy

Cambridge Checkpoint Results For The Year 2023

5 REASONS WHY PLAYGROUP IS IMPORTANT

First-time separation between a parent and child can be overwhelming for both but the benefits of enrolling your child in a playgroup are worth it. For most kids, it takes 2 weeks or even more to adjust and adapt to the new environment, but at Coast Academy, most children usually settle in within the first week. All children are respected and their individuality and differences are embraced. Here are 5 reasons why Playgroup is Important for your child’s overall growth.

1. DEVELOPS SOCIAL SKILLS

Statistics state that social skills development in children starts between the ages of 1-3. Most kids today spend the whole day with their nannies at home. This could slow down their growth and social skills. In playgroups, children get to socialize, which helps build life skills such as self-expression, sharing, cooperation, consideration, and mutual respect, which also add up as conflict resolution skills. Our very able and qualified team inspires the children to thrive and maximize their potential by exploring and discovering the world around them.

2. ENCOURAGES PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

While most children spend their entire day at home on screen time, playgroups offer an enabling environment for a variety of age-appropriate activities ranging from physical activities such as running, jumping, balance, and swimming to block play, painting, and molding which build the children’s gross and fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination and balance.

3.    DEVELOPS CREATIVITY, IMAGINATION, AND MOTOR SKILLS

90% of Brain growth happens before kindergarten. Exposing your child to a playgroup environment will trigger their creativity and imagination through dress-up, role plays with the other children, music, puppet play, and other games. Storytime aids in speech, language, vocabulary development, auditory perception, and imagination whereas visual perceptions are developed through activities such as Identifying different shapes and colors and building puzzles.

4. BUILDS CONFIDENCE AND INDEPENDENCE

The warm and loving nature of our staff helps develop the child’s confidence and resilience. Children that go to playgroup turn out to be strong and independent individuals as they learn to take care of themselves and show a sense of responsibility and a desire to be competent. They learn how to manage separation anxiety, clean up after themselves after free play, make choices throughout the day, and adapt to a new environment.

5. PLATFORM FOR BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS

Playgroup is hugely beneficial in building trusted relationships with each other and with their teachers and helpers. Our small class sizes help in developing close, healthy, and positive relationships. It also serves as a base for parents to meet, make friends, learn parenting tips, and network. We pride ourselves in maintaining close, healthy, and positive relationships with our parents and most importantly, vibrant and happy children.

5 Benefits of Field Trips In A Child’s Education

Field trips offer children first-hand learning experiences. Giving equal weightage to both indoor as well as outdoor activities makes the children well-prepared for the outside world. Field trips not only expose the student to practical learning through sight, taste and smell but are undoubtedly one of the best ways to promote team spirit over several fun-filled knowledgeable activities.  This term, the Coast Academy took different groups of students on different field trips applicable to their curriculum. Some of the most memorable moments in a person’s life are the field trips taken during school years. Below are 6 benefits of a field trip in a child’s education.

1. Academic growth

Students who go on field trips tend to perform better than students that are only limited to classroom learning.  A child is most likely to remember something they saw rather than just sitting in class. These trips reinforce what the students learn in class which in turn makes it easier to understand better and remember.

2. Interactive Learning

In a classroom setting, engagement is usually lost through the memorization of materials. Field trips give more room for interacting with the subject of study thus making them more relevant and relatable. i.e. learning about rocks in a Geography class is not as relatable as seeing and feeling each type of rock which makes it easier for them to remember.

3. Feel of Real-world experience

This is especially when students visit historical sites that show the history of a people. Museums and Forts make the students gain historical empathy as they are taken around and get to see the way of life of the people of the past, rooms where freedom fighters were locked and the equipment used in historical wars. This in turn brings the history lessons to life. Students also get to see how class lessons are applied in real life.

4. Breaks Classroom monotony

Taking the students out on a field trip is an excellent way of breaking the daily classroom monotony. Lessons become more lively towards a trip as the students look forward to the “break”. They often serve as a powerful motivator for students.

5. Access to Different Environments

Going out on a field trip is an excellent exposure to a new environment different from the one at home. Taking children who have been born and raised in the city to the farm exposes them to an entirely different setup from what they have been accustomed to. Sometimes state exams include questions that do not bridge the gap between rural and urban students and fieldwork is a great way to build the bridge.

6. Social Interactions

Field trips create an opportunity for students to interact with fellow learners from different classes. They get to exchange ideas, learn from each other and make new friends. A timid child is also more likely to be more cheerful in such a setting than in the contained classroom setting.

5 BACK TO SCHOOL TIPS

Starting a new school year is exciting and can also be filled with anxiety for others, especially those joining a new school. Below are tips to curb the anxiety and prepare your child mentally, emotionally and physically for the new school year.

1. Get Back to Normal School Routine

Resume the normal school schedule a few days before school starts. This will help switch off the holiday mode and activate school mode. It involves going to bed early and getting up early to shower and have breakfast in time for school.

2. Purchase Required School Supply

Take a trip to the stationery supply stores and purchase the required tools such as crayons, story books, geometry sets, etc. Allowing your child to tag along, can make the back to school feel exciting as they get to pick their favorite pens, backpack, or supplementary book. This prepares them mentally.

3. Set Everything Ready

Organize books and stationeries, make sure the uniforms are pressed and school shoes polished. Make the necessary physical preparations i.e. visit the salon or barber to avoid last minute rush. Make the necessary arrangements for transport to and from school.

4. Acquire a Positive Attitude and Mindset.

The right attitude will greatly impact your child’s performance at school. Encourage them to Set a SMART target that will keep them focused even on those subjects that seem to be a challenge. Start the term on a high note and keep going.

5. Do a Pre-Visit to the School

If you are starting a new school, take the child for a pre-visit of the school to familiarize with the premises and if possible, get to meet the new teacher. This will ease the anxiety and help with the transition.

Things to Consider When Choosing a Kindergarten in Kenya

There is nothing as exciting and scary at the same time as starting school.

Enrolling your child in Kindergarten for the first time is one of the biggest milestones in parenting. Parents want to ensure that they pick the best school for their little ones. Somewhere safe and with the best foundation for their children.  Below are tips to consider when choosing your child’s first school.

1. The preferred Education system for your child

This should always come first. You need to first look at the Education system that you want your child to go through. With Education systems ranging from the British International system to the CBC system. This will guide you to the right pool of schools to pick from for your preferred curriculum for your child.

2. Prepare a list of schools and plan a Pre-visit to each of them

Write down all kindergartens from your preferred system of Education that offer all your needs. The internet is a great place to search for kindergartens near you. You can also get recommendations from other parents. Plan a pre-visit to each one of them and take your child with you during the visit to see how he interacts with the environment. Observe the atmosphere. Are the teachers and the other staff friendly? Is the school environment clean, safe, and conducive? Are the toilets clean and child friendly?

3. Teacher-to-student ratio

This is a significant factor in your child’s education. The lower the teacher-to-student ratio the easier it is for the teacher to attend to the needs of each child. At these tender ages, children need a lot of individualized attention for their different milestones.  This is because children tend to have different strengths and abilities and you don’t want your child to be left behind.

4. Teacher Children interaction

Observe the class in session. How is the interaction between the teacher and the children? Do the children seem happy? Are they enjoying the lesson? Is it hands-on? Are the teachers creative, fun and patient?

5. Understand the school’s Policy and culture

How is the daily school program? The school’s values should be in line with your own. Is the school’s culture what you would like your child to practice? The school’s policy should not be uptight, all work and no playtime, as this will limit the child’s creativity.

6. Extra-curricular activities

Lots of extracurricular activities are good for the development of a child as it allows them to explore different activities discover their talents and nurture them. It also teaches the child social skills and boosts their self-confidence. Activities such as swimming, athletics and tae-kwondo are great for children.

7. Budget

This is a critical factor when choosing a school for your child. Be sure to pick a school where you can be able to pay the fees to avoid circumstances whereby your child misses out on school due to fee arrears.  This should help you narrow down the list of schools to those that fit within your budget.

Budget 2022 text background. Stock photo.

8. Location

The school’s location should be somewhere conducive for learning to take place. Avoid schools that are next to a market center and look into schools in a quiet and serene environment. Give preference for schools that are near your home to reduce commute time. However, if none of the neighboring schools fit your child’s needs, ask for school transport to ease the burden of drop and pick up.

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