Looking for ways to keep the kids usefully occupied online this summer holiday? We've got you covered! Here are 8 activities to check out.
It's summer. And it's raining. Chances are the kids will want to be staring at a screen – and who can blame them? Your challenge, if you choose to accept it, is to get them doing a fun online activity that isn't, well, a total waste of time.
Even if the weather's good, you can't be outside all the time. And "online" doesn't have to mean "bad for the brain and the attention span". It can also mean "fun, creative, educational and imaginative". You just need to know where to look.
Here at Stump Cross Caverns, we're all about learning through play. We look after a network of limestone caves in the Yorkshire Dales that's over half a million years old – and we want to share our passion for prehistory with the kids who pass through our ancient passageways.
It's a pedagogical passion that's evident in our
hands-on school trips as well as in our
online learning portal. If we can spark a child's imagination about geology, the Stone Age or the wonders of space, we consider our work here done.
Here, then, are eight fun online activities for the kids this summer holiday. We hope it helps you plan a summer to remember!
1. Take a virtual trip to San Diego Zoo
San Diego Zoo is widely regarded as one of the best zoos in the world, home to over 12,000 animals and more than 680 species. But luckily, for those of you outside California, you don't need a plane, train or automobile to get there. Instead, you can take a virtual trip on the zoo's website.
Kids will love the live cams of giraffes, penguins, polar bears and more. There are also short, accessible educational videos, word games and other activities.
There are plenty of other virtual field trips. A bit of research could help turn a slow afternoon into an online adventure.
2. Find a recipe online
As far as wholesome activities go, cooking ticks all the boxes. It's creative. It's practical. It takes time. It deepens motor skills and comprehension skills. It gives kids a sense of achievement. And best of all, someone cooks for you for a change! (Though, of course, you'll have to supervise…)
Cooking a meal can easily take up a morning or afternoon. First, you have to find the recipe. Next, you have to go shopping for the ingredients. Then there's cooking, eating and washing up.
Perhaps you have cookery books in the house. If not, there are plenty of recipes for kids online.
BBC Good Food, for instance, has kids' recipes for pizza, rice paper rolls, flatbread, omelette, biscuits and much, much more.
3. Watch craft tutorials on YouTube
Craft projects are similar to cooking in the amount of positive input they give kids. And as with cooking, the internet can be an invaluable resource when preparing for a project.
Costumes. Puppets. Jewellery. Origami. Bird feeders. Box forts. Time capsules. These are just a few of the huge range of craft projects you could undertake this summer. You can kick things off by getting the kids to find a tutorial on YouTube or some inspiration on the
CBeebies website.
4. Play GeoGuessr
GeoGuessr is a geography game which, in the makers' own words, "takes you on a journey around the world and challenges your ability to recognise your surroundings". It's fun for all the family and especially good for kids from 12 upwards.
You might end up on a country lane in Croatia or a bustling junction in Tokyo. GeoGuessr uses Google Earth to create explorable spaces. The satisfaction when you guess correctly is something else!
The official version of GeoGuessr now has to be paid for, but there's also a
free, open-source version available.
5. Learn to code
Have your kids shown an interest in coding? Then you might want to investigate a virtual holiday club via FunTech.
These courses are available for children from seven to 16 and cover everything from games like Minecraft and Roblox to programming platforms like Unity, Python and Java.
Students participate in classes with a maximum of 12 students per classroom. There are practical demonstrations, screen sharing and immediate feedback from tutors. Please note, however, that these courses aren't free.
6. Learn a language
Perhaps your kids are already learning a language and want to revise – or perhaps you want to get them started on a new one. Luckily for you, there are plenty of language learning apps for kids.
Some are free and some you have to pay for – all, however, can help your child improve their language skills. Explore some of your options
here.
7. Revise on BBC Bitesize
"What's fun about revision?" you might ask, remembering your own schooldays. Well, BBC Bitesize makes sure to gamify learning on its education pages.
It covers all subjects and modules for primary and secondary school students as well as career advice for sixth-formers. If you want to make sure your kids don't slip behind and have some fun in the process,
BBC Bitesize could be just the thing.
8. Visit the Stump Cross Caverns online learning hub
Here at Stump Cross Caverns, we don't just host school trips during term time. We also provide Key Stage 2 learning games and resources for students over the summer holidays.
Kids can join our very own Cavewoman and Rowan the Reindeer to learn about a range of science topics. Each one consists of an accessible, level-appropriate presentation followed by a fun quiz. The topics are:
Book for Stump Cross Caverns today, check out our
online learning hub or explore our calendar of unique
events and experiences. We look forward to giving you a warm Yorkshire welcome in the caves!
