Spring and summer are the best months of the year for many children. The warm weather they bring means kids are able to spend more time outside enjoying the sunshine, whether they’re at the pool, on a family vacation, or just riding their bike around their neighborhood.
However, this time of year brings its fair share of rainy days when kids are stuck inside, and since many children are out of school over the summer, there’s a lack of learning that may affect your kids’ education.
That’s why so many Toronto parents turn to online activities when the weather isn’t cooperating. Not all sites are the same, which is why you need these tips on finding fun but educational online activities for your children.
Avoid Rainy-Day Blues
It’s easy for any person to feel cooped up and anxious about staying indoors on a rainy day. Unfortunately, southern Ontario typically experiences poor Fall weather for long stretches of time — which can make clouds rolling in even more bothersome for children who are used to playing outside just about any time of year.
That’s why you should try to give your children something fun and interesting to do when they’re feeling bummed out by the rain. Kids love technology, so letting them play online (with proper supervision and safeguards) is such a great idea.
Mixing Fun and Education
However, you probably don’t want to let your kids play video games all day long. Some game play is fine, as everyone needs some downtime and relaxation. By directing your children to the right site, you can help them have fun while they learn.
The Spruce has a great list of websites that can teach kids in a fun way. Many of these combine video games and age-appropriate learning. For example, CoolMath has games that teach addition, division, money and similar concepts. You can let your child pick the game that works for them. Starfall is a great site for reading, going from letter recognition through reading works of nonfiction.
Another great site to consider is PBS Kids. Their television shows already mix education with entertainment, and many of the games on this site are directly linked to those programs. If you have younger kids that watch PBS shows, they can be very excited to see games using familiar characters and settings.
Learn Something New
Online games aren’t the only way to mix fun and education during a dreary day. Learning is fun when done right, and there are online videos that help kids learn creative skills.
Most kids love drawing and coloring, but not every child has artistic skill. A site like Thriveart.com offers free drawing classes online that teach creative skills. Not only does this serve an educational purpose, it can help your children improve their self-esteem because they now know how to draw better.
Along the same lines, music lessons online can boost creativity, self-confidence, and entertainment. There are many videos and sites that teach the basics of playing instruments, but you can also find live video chat classes with an actual music instructor. You can research instruments online to find which would work best for your children.
Help Your Kids Enjoy Time Spent Indoors
Being stuck inside the house when the weather isn’t cooperating can be difficult for kids, but there is still a lot of fun to be had! In their list of great indoor activities, Plexus suggests building a blanket fort or “tiny town” out of cardboard boxes, which you can turn into a cozy spot for kids to enjoy their online activities on their computer or tablet. And by leading them to the right websites, you can help them experience a little fun and learning even on the gloomiest of days.
From educational games to learning a musical instrument, these online activities can turn boring rainy days into ones filled with excitement.Posted in Parent InterestsEdit “Fun and Educational Rainy-Day Online Activities for Kids”
