An Excuse For Fun! - How do children's experiences help with their school work?

As I settle down to write this, the first week of the summer holidays appears to have come and gone. It’s bizarre to think these holidays last as long as an average school half term, and yet it feels a quarter of the length by the time they have come and gone - the same could be said of all school holidays, but it seems somehow more noticeable in the summer. But, six weeks is the length of an average half term, and it is a long time to go without school. It is not uncommon to see children take a few steps back from where they were in their learning at the beginning of July when they begin again in September, but this is mainly due to the change of routine and expectations they have had over the holidays. It is nothing to be concerned about, for they will quickly make this up again by the end of the first month of school.

But how can the school holidays be used to help children? Don’t worry, the message of this blog isn’t going to be about getting your children working for over an hour a day on maths and English. It’s more about how the time can be used to help them become more rounded people, and how this naturally helps them in school. Although I am writing this at the time of the summer, it could easily apply to any school holiday in the year.

The message is a simple one: children need a wide variety of experiences and opportunities to engage with the world around them. This doesn’t mean they need to travel the world and take part in very expensive activities (although I’m sure we would all love that!). Instead, they need to try new things, see new places and interact with different surroundings and situations. It can be as simple as camping for one night in the garden with friends, day trips to the beach or going to visit relatives in a different part of the country - anything that makes a change from their normal routine.

So how do all these things help children at school? Well, there are too many benefits to list here, so I will only focus on a couple. One such reason is that children need these experiences so they can draw upon them and use them in their school work. If a child is asked to write a descriptive piece of writing about a garden, then the child who has visit many different (ranging from those in people’s homes to grand gardens in country houses) will have far more ideas to draw upon than the child who has only seen their own. Similarly, if a child wants to design a castle in design technology, then their ideas will be energised by their recollection of a visit they had to one - perhaps even remembering how the stonework felt as they touched it, or the appearance of the towers they climbed up to explore.

A very practical example is to find out about an upcoming topic your child will be studying. You could then find a museum or other location for a day out and go there, giving your child a greater first-hand experience and allowing them to start the topic with some pre-existing knowledge, increasing their confidence about the work before it has even begun (just make sure to check with the school that they aren’t intending to go to the same place for an upcoming school trip). Alternatively, ask for recommendations or check social media for any special events being held at local venues which you and your family could attend together, possibly with another family or friends. The events of the day could help inspire your child when they need to write a story, or if they need to recount a real-life experience.

Additionally, all these different environments and locations will force your child to interact with people and situations they don’t normally experience at home. The development of their social skills is essential, and giving them opportunities to practise good manners and etiquette will help them grow as people. They will learn about the world through their experiences with other children and the stories they are told by adults, perhaps learning about other cultures and customs, or simply that not everyone’s life is the same as their own. This helps with their PSHE and RE work at school as they begin to get to grips with the wider world, and begin to realise that it stretches far beyond their hometown.

So, you have my permission to spend as much of the holidays as you can having fun with your child (and hopefully your boss shares my sentiment!), for it forms a crucial part of their wider education. For as important as school is (and it is perhaps a privilege we take too much for granted), it is nothing without the life experiences that make us well-rounded human beings. I certainly am fortunate enough to look back on my own childhood and remember all the joy and happiness of my many holidays, days out and general experiences I was given by my family, and I am certain it all has contributed to make me the person I am today. I am certain that all of you want to give your children similarly wonderful experiences to help them grow into the best people they can be.

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