Life is busy! As parents, we face endless tasks to ensure our families get where they need to be, get fed and get to bed on time. Phew… What about supporting our children’s learning and just spending time together? How can we fit it all together? There are some great ideas to help you out - how about a recipe for a family night in with good food, a little learning and a giggle or two?
Step 1: Let’s start with dinner. No need to send the family out of the kitchen while you get things ready. Choosing and following a recipe together is a great way to learn planning, measuring and early literacy skills. Not sure where to start? Check out the Cooking with Kids website. There you will find fun simple ideas to get your little chefs going in the kitchen! How about a pita pizza with veggies and dip?
Step 2: Next is picking a family game. Games are a fantastic way to combine family time and learning. Games involve counting, problem solving and cooperation. Choose a favourite board game or get active with balloon ping pong or family charades. If you have little ones, you can help them by teaming up or by helping them to read and count so they can be part of the action.
Remember that you can change up the rules to make games work for your family. For example, for little ones who are too young to understand crib, just turn a card and use the pegs to count the holes together. The pegs can race for the finish line with everyone cheering for their peg to win the race!
Step 3: Before wrapping up your family night, it is time for a bedtime story. Find a spot (a couch, a bed or a pile of pillows under a homemade fort) to cuddle up together and share a story. If you have older children, invite them to help by being a character in the story or being the storyteller. Your little ones can hold the book or be in charge of turning the pages. This is a great time to show your children that reading is fun. Pick something silly and laugh out loud or pick something sweet and snuggle in together. Looking for good book ideas? Ask your local librarian for a list of the best books for your children’s ages. They have tons of great ideas!
Turn the family time you have into a recipe for fun! For more ideas visit ABC Life Literacy Canada or Decoda Literacy Solutions.
Tracy Spannier
Community Literacy Coordinator
Columbia Basin Alliance for Literacy - Revelstoke
Step 1: Let’s start with dinner. No need to send the family out of the kitchen while you get things ready. Choosing and following a recipe together is a great way to learn planning, measuring and early literacy skills. Not sure where to start? Check out the Cooking with Kids website. There you will find fun simple ideas to get your little chefs going in the kitchen! How about a pita pizza with veggies and dip?
Step 2: Next is picking a family game. Games are a fantastic way to combine family time and learning. Games involve counting, problem solving and cooperation. Choose a favourite board game or get active with balloon ping pong or family charades. If you have little ones, you can help them by teaming up or by helping them to read and count so they can be part of the action.
Remember that you can change up the rules to make games work for your family. For example, for little ones who are too young to understand crib, just turn a card and use the pegs to count the holes together. The pegs can race for the finish line with everyone cheering for their peg to win the race!
Step 3: Before wrapping up your family night, it is time for a bedtime story. Find a spot (a couch, a bed or a pile of pillows under a homemade fort) to cuddle up together and share a story. If you have older children, invite them to help by being a character in the story or being the storyteller. Your little ones can hold the book or be in charge of turning the pages. This is a great time to show your children that reading is fun. Pick something silly and laugh out loud or pick something sweet and snuggle in together. Looking for good book ideas? Ask your local librarian for a list of the best books for your children’s ages. They have tons of great ideas!
Turn the family time you have into a recipe for fun! For more ideas visit ABC Life Literacy Canada or Decoda Literacy Solutions.
Tracy Spannier
Community Literacy Coordinator
Columbia Basin Alliance for Literacy - Revelstoke
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