Online Learning Guest Writer

Have you seen Catherine's Blog? It's called Learning is Fun!

She has so many amazing posts about how to put fun back into learning. Whether it's online of offline, she has some really great ideas. Head on over to check it out.

I have heard so much about parents having their kids going offline this summer. I think it's awesome! If this is not for you, here is an blog post by Catherine to help you find some online activities for your kiddos this summer.

Enjoy!

How Online Learning Resources Can Harness Kids’ Creativity

E-learning is one of the most effective ways of educating kids, but young online learners are highly likely to lose focus, get bored and indulge in unproductive activities like chatting, texting and checking email before zoning out altogether. I wouldn’t blame the kids though, because smart teachers and parents have plenty of online learning resources to stimulate kids and make them more creative. Here are the top four – guaranteed to keep kids, even those with notoriously short attention spans, creatively engaged. 

Photo by Lupuca

http://www.flickr.com/photos/lupuca/8720604364/

1. Crafts

A quick Google search will come up with hundreds of websites offering DIY craft ideas and projects for kids. If your child is the ‘crafty’ type, or even if he isn’t, he’s sure to find something that grabs his attention and inspires him to unleash his latent creativity. There are e-learning resources dedicated to a variety of crafts – pottery, bookmarks, glass painting, and holiday and seasonal crafts– and loads of other fascinating stuff. You can also find crafts to suit your child’s age and skill level; and in any case, most of them come with detailed instructions to make it easier for novices. 

1. Games

Letting your child play online games may not be your idea of ‘learning,’ but research shows that playing online learning games for kids actually boosts their social and emotional skills, fosters critical thinking and problem-solving and helps them master basic and advanced skills in a variety of academic subjects. Besides, online games are so much fun and kids never realize they’re learning something in the process!These games are also known for the intellectual stimulation they offer. So the next time your child begs to be allowed to play online, get him started on educational kids’ games.

1. Coloring

Kids love to color and there are many good reasons why you should encourage your little one to take up online coloring as a hobby. Coloring a page online helps young children to develop hand-eye coordination as they learn to focus on details and color within a specified area. Kids who lack confidence in their drawing skills or find drawing intimidating can relax when they’re simply coloring a piece of art online – it exercises their imagination and gives them the freedom to play around with colors without the fear of criticism. Online coloring pages allow kids to experience a sense of accomplishment upon completion. 

1. Brainteasers

The best part about assembling a jigsaw or solving a crossword puzzle online is the sheer variety that’s available. Most websites offer free and sometimes even printable brainteasers suitable for a wide range of skill levels. Children who engage their minds with brainteasers are known to have higher IQs and better memories.They also get to exercise both sides of the brain, enhance their visual skills and indulge in a very absorbing form of recreation. 

There’s really no downside to letting your child take advantage of these fun and creative online learning resources, but ‘everything in moderation’ is a good rule of thumb to follow!

Author Bio:

Catherine Ross is a full-time stay-at-home-mum who believes learning should be enjoyable for young minds. An erstwhile elementary school teacher, Catherine loves coming up with creative ways through which kids can grasp the seemingly difficult concepts of learning easily. She believes that a ‘fun factor’ can go a long way in enhancing kids’ understanding and blogs at http://kidslearninggames.weebly.com/