You know what they say – ‘every day’s a school day’ and anywhere can be a classroom. Children (and adults) are learning every single day, and at times they are having so much fun, they don’t even realise that they are being educated. So with ideas for teachers and parents, here are some Interesting Ways To Educate Children Outside Of the Classroom.

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Ways To Educate Children Outside Of The Classroom

PE & Sports

Getting kids involved in sports means more than just physical exercise. It’s not only exercise for bodies but also teaches children a variety of life lessons and skills including

• how to work together in a team
• learning that they will face setbacks but also how to deal with them
• self-discipline
• how to follow rules
• the importance of concentration and focus

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Field Trips

Field trips are the perfect opportunity for learning outside the classroom, and a great way to break up the school day routine. And what the children don’t realise is that although they won’t be in the classroom itself, they will still be learning, in a fun and interactive way.

However, trips can be costly and difficult to organise. Don’t forget that your yard or garden, nearby forests or parks offer plenty of learning opportunities so take nature lessons, science and art outdoors, whenever weather permits.

Tablet/Smartphone Apps

You may be reluctant to let your child play on your smartphone or tablet because we are always being told that this generation spends too much time on technology and need to get outside and play.

But, really it’s all about balance and what they are actually playing on the screens – download the right apps and screen learning can be a fun way to keep youngsters’ minds active outside of school.

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Stories and Reading

Reading to kids at bedtime provides such a great opportunity for learning. If your child can read, let them read you or their younger siblings a bedtime story – this will help with their reading fluency, but they can also learn from the stories and widen their vocabulary.

Or incorporate some reading time into your afternoon or evening schedules instead of screen time. And once you have read the book don’t just put it back on the bookshelf – discuss it and talk about what they have learned from it.

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Play Outside

Take play time outside because even when while kids are rolling around in the mud and getting dirty, there are opportunities for learning.

You could give your child a section of the garden where they can grow their own vegetables. This will teach them about responsibility, the importance of eating healthy food and show them how the food goes from ground to dinner plate.

Here’s how to make your garden a fun place for kids and some useful tips on more green time and less screen time.

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Kids and Grandparents

If your children are close to their grandparents then why not get them to interview them about what life was like as a child? It’s a fun way of them to learn about history and to speak to them about how life was different in the past.

Or have them write a letter to their grandparents that they can post, this helps improve their spelling and writing in a fun way.

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Over to you! Have you any other fun ways to take learning outside the classroom? Let us know in the comments below.