Ideas for educational games / time during the summer Break

[OmarsMum]

Summer break will start on the 17th (yay)

The break is 12 weeks, Ramadan will start on the 18th or 19th. It's too hot here 48-52 degrees during the day & we will be fasting for 15 hrs.

The plan is to sleep late & wake up late loool, we can't go out while fasting, he will still go to karate twice a week in the evenings, and he wil go to swimming at 5 pm once a week, I'm holding on enrolling him in more classes until after Ramadan.

Any creative ideas for educational games? We will read & practice some writing, I will work with him on reading in Arabic and practicing piano at home.

He is showing more interest in duplo & Lego, and he asked for more themed sets.

I need some fun ideas for educational games, he's used to going out everyday, his day is always full, I'm not used to getting stuck with him at home for long time, he gets bored & frustrated easily.

He likes board games but for me they are frustrating as he doesn't follow the rules & he has to be the winner all the time

We don't have a garden so everything should be indoor

I'm planning to work on an activities schedule, he copes better with a plan and routine.

Any ideas for activities we can do at home?

 

[tommyg]

Dot to Dots make good number practice.
Scrabble (junior)
Monopoly
Chess

Twister not a particularly educational game but good for getting of the couch.
Some wii games (if you have a wii) are good for getting off the couch too.

I'm sure others will come up with better ideas.

 

[SarahP13]

How about some science projects? You can make a volcano with vinegar and baking sofa I believe (you'll have to ask google how though!). And a friend of mine made a lava lamp with oil and an alka seltzer I think!?! There'll be loads of examples online I'm sure.

Or could you do some gardening? You could grow some herbs on a windowsill, cress always grows quickly! Maybe create a little inside garden that he has to look after.

Collect large boxes and build a fort or something he's interested in. You could paint it, make things to stick on it eg flags - which could develop into researching flags for different countries and exploring a map/globe.

Good luck, I don't envy you being stuck inside! X

 

[tommyg]

Another one that's crossed my mind is practising addition with snakes and ladders, ie you are on box 34 and rolled a 5 so 34+5=39 rather than counting boxes to 5. Does that make sense?

 

[Neko]

It's too hot here 48-52 degrees during the day

I think I would melt...

He likes board games but for me they are frustrating as he doesn't follow the rules & he has to be the winner all the time

Playing board games with little kids is always frustrating for that reason. I would like to burn CandyLand.

I second the dot-to-dot books. They can do those by themselves and it's great for practicing pencil skills. In addition to number ones, you can get alphabet ones here. Maybe also get some cheap, too easy for him books. My DD likes ones that she can "instruct" me to do.


Does he have a tablet? Maybe invest in a good teaching app? My DD loves her Super Why app (that I got for free). It even has an alphabet dot-to-dot. There are some very good teaching ones, it's hard to weed through all the ones available though.

Since he likes routine, write up a schedule like you would have at school with a wake up time that makes you happy. Then still keep set snack and meal times, teaching times, free play time, independent play (for your sanity).

At Avery's preschool they have a rice table instead of sand table. It's pretty mess free for measuring, pouring and playing. It would be educational with measuring cups and spoons.

 

[housewifey]

No idea what this game is called but basically a bit like twister I supposed you draw (chalk for outside or coloured tape for inside)numbers or letters or words or Arabic letters or what ever interests him and will challenge him on the ground and you randomly shout them out and he has to go to that one and step on it? Does that even make sense haha!

also pinterest has loads of similar ideas if you have that?

 

[SarahBear]

52 degrees... According to Google, that's 125.6 degrees Fahrenheit?!?! Where are you and how does a human survive that temperature? 42 or 43 degrees Celsius is about the hottest I've ever experienced.

 

[SarahBear]

52 degrees... According to Google, that's 125.6 degrees Fahrenheit?!?! Where are you and how does a human survive that temperature? 42 or 43 degrees Celsius is about the hottest I've ever experienced.

 

[OmarsMum]

52 degrees... According to Google, that's 125.6 degrees Fahrenheit?!?! Where are you and how does a human survive that temperature? 42 or 43 degrees Celsius is about the hottest I've ever experienced.

https://www.ahlanlive.com/the-uae-was-the-hottest-place-in-the-world-yesterday-566763.html

And this is what they announce, it reached 52 on cars sensors earlier this month.

We don't go outdoor, there are Central ACs everywhere, and the houses and malls are always freezing, you can survive lool but being indoor all the time gets boring

 

[tommyg]

Omg Omar's mum! Totally of topic was the area populated before the advent of a/c?
How did people survive?

Back on topic what are you finding to keep him amused?

Is there any softplays you could take him too?
Scotland has them to dodge the rain, you should have them to dodge the sun lol!

 

[OmarsMum]

Omg Omar's mum! Totally of topic was the area populated before the advent of a/c?
How did people survive?

Back on topic what are you finding to keep him amused?

Is there any softplays you could take him too?
Scotland has them to dodge the rain, you should have them to dodge the sun lol!

There are too many play areas to count looool, we have loads of shopping malls & indoor play areas and all are different, but they are not too close to our area.

10 days gone I enrolled him in a private gym class at 4 pm on Sunday, and he will start swimming next Thursday also at 4. The place is 2 mins away from our place.

I don't have an issue with entertaining him after Ramadan , there are loads of stuff we can do, but I can't go out in the heat while fasting, I'm spending most day in bed

 

[OmarsMum]

And I don't know how they survived before ACs lool, they used to live in tents in the desert. I think it wasn't as hot as today, with global warming I think the temps are rising all around the world.

 

[tommyg]

Given we have had about 14 days of sun this summer I'm thinking global warming is a myth.

How ever hope he enjoys his classes you have him signed up for.

 

[SarahBear]

And I don't know how they survived before ACs lool, they used to live in tents in the desert. I think it wasn't as hot as today, with global warming I think the temps are rising all around the world.

I figured you had to be somewhere near Saudi Arabia. Yeah, I'm sure it used to be hot, but not THAT hot. Also, I'm wondering if it wasn't always desert. Is it desert because of human activity and abuse of the land? I know that's happened in a lot of areas. As far as survival goes, I can't imagine humans really can survive there. What happens to the homeless or if someone can't afford to run the AC all that time? Anyway, sorry to hijack your thread, but that heat is amazing (not in a good way). I'll stop dragging the conversation in the direction of your weather now!

 

[OmarsMum]

And I don't know how they survived before ACs lool, they used to live in tents in the desert. I think it wasn't as hot as today, with global warming I think the temps are rising all around the world.

I figured you had to be somewhere near Saudi Arabia. Yeah, I'm sure it used to be hot, but not THAT hot. Also, I'm wondering if it wasn't always desert. Is it desert because of human activity and abuse of the land? I know that's happened in a lot of areas. As far as survival goes, I can't imagine humans really can survive there. What happens to the homeless or if someone can't afford to run the AC all that time? Anyway, sorry to hijack your thread, but that heat is amazing (not in a good way). I'll stop dragging the conversation in the direction of your weather now!

It was a desert, now it is actually greener than few year back. It is near Saudi Arabia. Google Dubai

There are no homeless here, people are either locals (who are either rich or fully supported by government) or they are expats living on an employment visa provided by a sponsor with benefits including housing. If you can't afford it you leave. It is not a country for those without income.

If you are neither or staying with an expired residency you get deported as simple as that. All buildings have ACs, it is a mean of survival & a requirement. Old buildings that don't have central ACs are all designed with window AC openings, so a tenant can't live in the house without installing a window AC.

For me living here is like living in a cold country covered in snow most year. You can't survive outdoor in snow. We have nice weather for 5 months, reasonable for 2 & too hot / humid for 5 lol.