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What do your kids love doing if their homework is finished, you are busy with your grownup stuff, and weather insists that you spend another weekend indoors? My kids wake up extra early on Saturdays and Sundays to play video games, watch YouTube videos, and make an ultimate mess in the living room. And if nothing else, they are perfectly capable spending the day in pajamas, collecting stars, jumping, watching or doing whatever else modern entertainment suggests.
I want them to be more productive on their days off, but while I am trying to get another item off my endless to do list, I often don’t have the time to stop and think how to put my kids’ energy to a good use. Feel the same way? Let’s review the options:
Unload Some Chores
The job of mom comes with an endless list of things to do. Get them all done and feel like a perfect mom, right? I am not perfect and will gladly share my home responsibilities with anyone who wants to help. No takers? I recruit involuntarily volunteers to do a few loads of laundry, clean the bathroom or help me with the dishes.My kids get paid in marbles for these kind of activities. If one of them rebels, I reserve the right to ask the other sibling for help (an opportunity to earn an extra marble). A jar of marbles can later be exchanged for money.
Get Physical
Regardless of how many villains your child kills with his magical Wii sword, it can’t really count as a physical activity. Establish a rule – 10 minute workout for some video game time. Jumping jacks and sit ups first – saving the world second.
Challenge Them Academically
More school work? You bet! For the down time, vacation trips, school breaks or just boring days like today, I love having school prep workbooks around the house. It sure puts productivity back into the lazy pajama day and sharpens school skills with very little efforts on my end. However, my convenience is not the main reason we use workbooks.
Good grades are important, but I want my children to be confident in their knowledge and that only comes with practice. Trust me, going this extra step will pay off! You probably know first hand how good it feels to tackle the difficult task in our grown up life – it works the same way for the kids!
However, I’ve discovered that not every book I find is challenging enough for my children and it is best to browse through it before bringing it home. It sure helps to stick with trusted names like Carson-Dellosa. This Publishing Group was founded by teachers and has a 35-year history as the leading supplemental education provider for teachers, parents and students.
This is what we are working on today.
Spectrum Test Prep and Practice workbooks help students improve and strengthen their test-taking skills to boost their self confidence! This workbook series is a grade-specific and is designed to help students prepare for standardized tests and learn how to become a successful test taker.
If your child gets anxious during school tests, Spectrum Test Prep and Practice will give him an excellent help with proven test strategies and testing tips. Students will also learn how to follow directions, understand different test formats, budget their time wisely and avoid common test taking mistakes.
Since we got to try these books in the third quarter of the school year, my first-grader knew most of the things in the book. I, as a parent, wanted to see the techniques schools use these days and this book actually suggests the strategy of solving problems.
Test Practice books feature custom-designed practice aligned to the Common Core, which I know very little about.
Learn more about Carson-Dellosa books on their website, Facebook, and Twitter.
And remember, the school year will end in no time – get ready for summer break with a solid plan how to keep your kids busy!
This is exactly why I have my boys involved in so many sports. I don’t want them to become lazy at all.
Those workbooks look great! And your kiddos look very amiable 🙂 Great post!
I can’t stand it when they get lazy and complain of boredom. We make it a point to go to our community center often to burn off some of that energy they always seem to have.
While doing extra school work is beneficial and on miserable days is better then video games–kids really need to get out and play–jump rope even hopscotch–anything that keeps them moving.
These are all great ideas… Especially the unload the chores part!
Love the ideas – but totally against common core so I won’t use the workbooks.
You have some solid advice here to make sure they stay brushed up on skills and responsibility.
These are great ideas. Keeping them busy and active is good.
These are some really great ideas. I love the idea of a workout for some video game time.
As a homeschool parent I have to tell you it’s refreshing to see a parent pushing their children and also taking an interest in what is being taught. You really do need to get a good understanding of common core.