How to make the best use of summer vacation?
After this year has passed, with all its hard times, which hindered continuing the educational process at schools normally. And after we exerted our efforts to overcome the difficulties of that phase, and adapt to the current situation while going through this crisis with minimal losses. And we aimed at preserving the educational progress of our children without being affected negatively. The summer vacation comes and we are still dealing with the current circumstances of the spread of Virus COVID 19, preventative measures, and isolation. Vacation is the period during which students usually regain their recreational activities and psychological balance after the stress of study and exams are over. Could the current circumstances prevent the possibility of using the summer vacation in the best way for us and our children? This is what we will cover in this article.
How can we make the best use of our summer vacation?
With continued adherence to preventative measures and isolation, some parents may be concerned about their children staying at home even after school is over, and they would have more spare time during the summer vacation. But with trying to address the matter positively. We will find that more time inside the home can be used to benefit children and parents together and strengthen family bonds. Practicing many home activities that would develop the skills of the children and achieve the recreational purpose for them at the same time.
Ideas for summer vacation activities:
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Physical activities
Sports are among the most important activities that balance both recreation and benefits purposes. With less going out and spending most of the time indoors, children will need to be compensated for the movement and energy they used to practice while playing and performing activities outdoors. Sports activities include fixed routine exercise, home swimming, meditation (yoga), and some sports like tennis or soccer in a patio or home garden. Parents can choose the activity that best suits them and their children from all the available home sports activities. Parents can motivate their children to do physical activities by setting a daily hour during which they practice with their children. You can also customize a room and equip it with sports tools and machines, making them feel like it is a gym. Training musical videos, challenges, and rewards for commitment and achievement can be used to motivate them to practice. It is also recommended to use interesting cultural videos that inform the children about the importance of sports activities and their great impact on their lives.
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Educational and recreational activities
Educational activities depend on the benefit and entertainment together, so that children wouldn’t get bored, and become more motivated and eager to practice. Parents should determine their children’s educational preferences and then choose the appropriate educational recreational activity for them. For example, if children enjoy mathematical subjects, they can play games that depend on solving mathematical puzzles. And if they tend to science, they can watch scientific documentaries that provide them with rich scientific content in a thought-provoking interesting way that makes them look forward to knowing more. Children can also make some simple science experiments for scientific discovery. If children have skills and tendencies to read and write, parents can encourage them to read by providing books that stimulate their aspiration and passion and encourage them to blog and creative writing. In case children enjoy drawing or music, parents can encourage them to practice and develop their artistic skills. And provide the necessary tools for these activities.
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Religious activities
There is no doubt that religious activities stimulate peace and psychological balance in the home for all family members. For example, performing prayer in a group including parents and children, reinforcing their sense of family belonging and stability, as well as establishing bonds of commitment to rituals and religious duties. Also, reading the Qur’an and trying to explain it to the children would help them to understand the essence of religious concepts and strengthen the interaction between them and their parents. Parents can also read the Prophet Muhammed’s Biography or the stories of the prophets for their children. All of these activities, if implemented in an organized method and with the participation of parents with children, will greatly improve leisure time most effectively. For example, a fixed daily or weekly schedule can be set to memorize and read apart from the Qur’an. And allocate rewards to children if they are committed and accomplished in their activities. The family can also gather to watch religious films and series that will provide them with religious information attractively and interestingly. In addition to conducting religious competitions, whether for religious information, a Qur’anic interpretation, or hadiths and reward the winner. This would motivate children and encourage them to practice and commit to religious activities.
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Artistic and hand-made activities
Among the fun activities that develop the children’s skills and creativity are artistic and hand-made activities. Like painting, music, crafts, home decorating, pug games. It mainly depends on the child’s talent and tendency. If the children have signs of a talent for any of these activities. Parents could motivate and encourage their children to practice and exercise, by providing the appropriate tools and participating in choosing a place dedicated to this activity. Parents can also participate with children in cooking some of their favorite meals. This would support effective participation and the consolidation of family relations while practicing such activities and developing creativity.
Plan for summer vacation
To achieve the best possible benefit and make good use of the summer vacation spare time, parents should participate in setting an organizational plan or schedule for themselves and their children. By identifying the children’s preferences and activities that are more appropriate to them. Parents can help their children allocate time for each activity. Also, you shouldn’t impose your choice on your children even if you think it is beneficial for them. That is, the more the children feel that an activity must be performed as a routine, the more they dislike it, and eventually, they would do it without real awareness or aspiration. To motivate children to make good use of their time, parents could set a plan including the activities chosen by the children themselves. And define achievement goals for each activity according to each child’s capabilities and skills. If the children managed to achieve the desired accomplishments, they would be rewarded. The reward, encouragement, and flattering of children’s abilities, all enhance their sense of confidence and motivate them to achieve more.
The summer program offered by Rowad AlKhaleej international schools
Since we at Rowad AlKhaleej International Schools aspire to help our students make the best use of their time during the summer vacation. We have developed an online summer program that fits each age and stage in their homes. The program combines scientific, religious, and recreational activities. With the cooperation of selected teachers and with the participation of EDMENTUM International Academy.
The program includes the following activities:
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A scientific achievement program
- Days: 5 days from Sunday, May 31 to Thursday, June 5
- Total hours: 20 hours
- daily hours: 4 hours from 12.30 pm to 2.30 pm / 4:00 pm to 6.00 pm
- Suitable for high school students
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Challenge of reading Arabic
- Duration of the challenge: 4 weeks, from June 7 to July 31
- Days: two days a week, from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
- The challenge includes a set of selected stories
- The challenge is suitable for students from 6 to 12 years old
- 200 Saudi riyals
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Pingu’s English Program
- An entertaining educational program to develop the English language skills
- Duration of the program: 4 weeks, starting from June 7 to July 31
- Days: 3 days a week
- Hours: one and a half hours a day, from 2.00 to 2.30 pm
- Suitable for KG students
- 200 Saudi riyals
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Edmentum Academy courses
- Edmentum Academy approved courses including Mathematics, Science and English
- Duration of courses: 8 weeks
- days: 5 days a week
- Daily hours: 50 to 60 minutes
- Suitable for high school students
- 1850 Saudi riyals for the course
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STEM curriculum
- A basic curriculum
- Curriculum Duration: 4 weeks, from June 7 to July 31
- days: 2 days a week
- Daily hours: one hour per day from 5 to 6 pm
- Suitable for students from 10 to 14 years old
- 300 Saudi riyals
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Physical training for girls provided by Spectrum Gym
- Duration of training: from May 31 to June 25
- 12 lessons
- 3 days a week from 4:00 to 5:00 pm
- Using the “Zoom” app
- Suitable for all ages
- 210 Saudi riyals
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Reading and writing training
- The training includes reading and writing creative stories
- Duration of training: 4 weeks, from June 7 to July 31
- days: 3 days a week, one hour a day
- Suitable for students from 6 to 9 years old
- 200 Saudi riyals
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Physical training for boys
- The duration of training is from 7 June to 31 July
- days: 3 days a week from 1.00 to 2.00 pm and from 2.30 to 3.30 pm
- Suitable for two age groups: from 6 to 12 years old and from 12 to 17 years old
- 150 Saudi riyals
We at Rowad Alkhaleej international schools spare no effort to help our children improve their skills, and use their free time in the best effective ways. Hence, we strive to provide these educational and recreational, programs through which our children can practice all kinds of activities, and participate effectively with their colleagues and teachers as well. We hope to relieve them and their parents of the stress during the current circumstances of isolation and go through it together with the best benefit and good use of the summer vacation.