Supporting our children to thrive, grow and discover more this summer.

By Cary-Anne, Education Expert at Explore Learning

Time to reflect and celebrate together 

As we approach the end of another academic year, it is natural to reflect on how we have all experienced growth and development during the pandemic.  

Pre-covid there were many tests in place to measure children’s progress, and to have continued to expect the same of our children throughout the pandemic would have been unfair. We reset our expectations, and in many cases have exceeded them! We have achieved so much during this time of challenge in order to become the wonderful people that we are today. Parents, carers and children should be congratulated on everything they have achieved over the past sixteen months. 

I have been reflecting on how much my children, and all children, have achieved through 2020 and 2021. Throughout the pandemic, children and adults have adapted, learnt new skills and overcome challenges together. We should feel proud of everything we have accomplished, and should celebrate these successes together, as we look forward to a bright and positive future.  

A little learning can make the biggest difference

As families, we may want to continue with some sort of academic learning through the summer holidays. We know that this can be helpful for children to reinforce concepts which have been studied at school, especially with English and maths. However, you and your child may feel anxious about this and you wouldn’t be alone. 98% of parents identified challenges with home learning over the past 16 months and two-thirds of parents remain concerned over their child’s ongoing mental health following the pandemic. So, let’s work together to set up the summer holidays with the right foundations to keep learning going with the stress removed.  

Setting up the foundations

Children will achieve their full potential when they feel healthy in body and mind, safe and loved by the people around them. As parents we can support them in their physical health through encouraging exercise, getting outside and eating healthily. We can help them feel settled in their thoughts by supporting a good sleep routine, balanced time on screens and having regular opportunities to connect and talk with friends and family. We can support them in their understanding of the world around them by sharing child appropriate news – publications such as The Week Junior and First News are perfect for this. Finally we can let them know that they are loved and supported every step of the way.

Once these foundations are in place, you might identify some areas that your child has found challenging and work on developing those skills, with a positive approach. 

Talking about learning – the language for growth 

Children will strive to be the best that they can be when they are able to face challenges and learn new skills with a mindset of growth. Thinking about the language we use around learning is one way of supporting this. There are a lot of unhelpful terms being bandied around at the moment such as ‘catch up’ and ‘learning loss’ that we should protect our children from. Instead let’s focus on supporting them to grow and develop from where they are now.  

These are some helpful terms that I have used as a parent and Tutor: 

• With more practise, you will improve on this 
• This may take some time and effort 
• We can learn from our mistakes 
• Let’s try a different approach next time 
• Let’s challenge ourselves, to help us to grow 

With a few concepts or skills to focus on, positive language and some sunshine this summer we have the perfect ingredients for our children to continue to thrive, grow and make progress academically, socially and emotionally. Explore Learning is here to support you on this journey, pop in to one of our centres, connect online or give us a call. Let’s nurture your child’s amazing mind together. 

Looking forward to a healthy and happy summer 

One of the many impacts of lockdown has been the increased dependency we have all placed on our screens, and whilst they provide amazing connections with the world, this summer is the ideal time to even things out a bit. Let’s help our children balance the ever-increasing urge for screen time with spending time outdoors, getting exercise, reading a book, helping around the house and (dare I say it) even learning to cope with a bit of boredom!

For a healthy, happy life we need to look after:

•         Our bodies
•         Our minds
•         The people around us

Spending too much time in a ‘screen bubble’ can cause these three vital areas to be neglected.

Download our free ultimate summer toolkit!

With this in mind, Explore Learning has launched the Discover More 30 Day Summer Challenge. We are inviting families throughout the UK to connect with the amazing world around them and unlock new talents with 30 days of exciting challenges. Download your free toolkit packed with goodies to help you and your family have a healthy, happy summer of discovery. 

Download here

About Explore Learning

For 20 years Explore Learning has been nurturing amazing minds by delivering award-winning maths and English tuition to 4-14-year-olds. 

Whether it’s passing an exam, moving up a set at school or tackling new challenges, our skilled and dedicated tutors will support your child to achieve their goals through a curriculum tailored to their needs.  

Combining brilliant people and innovative tools, we create an inspirational place where children grow in confidence and reach new heights in their learning. 

Available throughout the UK, in centres and online. Explore Learning offer a no-obligation free trial session, book yours today!