Things Your Kids Should Be Doing Instead of Homework

Things Your Kids Should Be Doing Instead of Homework

Jump rope
An important part of how young kids’ minds develop is through free, self-directed play. How Spontaneous, Imaginative Activities Lead to Happier, Healthier Children, free play is critical now more than ever, as recesses are shortened or eliminated, and kids’ calendars are busier than ever. Playing help children to create new learning experiences and help them acquire social, emotional and intellectual skills.

Talk with parents
Instead, of parents nagging their overtired kids to do homework they’re too young to do independently, families should spent much time talking together about their day.

Sleep
 Lack of sleep can cause all sorts of problems in kids, including poor attention, behaviour problems, academic difficulties, irritability, and weight gain. But even small amounts of additional sleep can have big impacts. One study found that only 20 additional minutes of sleep can improve kids’ grades.

Independent reading
Most of us know that developing good habits is critical to doing well at school. However, homework can actually interfere with the time that kids can spend on reading.

Listen to a book

Studies show that kids who are read aloud to do better in school and have better vocabularies.

Work on a puzzle
Being able to play on their own without adults builds confidence in kids and makes them more relaxed.

Go up a slide backwards
“Risky” play — activities like climbing a tree — is good for kids. Children need to explore their own limits, to be able to assess risks, and to learn how to negotiate their environments.

Playing with a friend in a sandbox
Parallel play, or the type of play in which kids play next to each other, begins in toddlers. But even for older kids, parallel play can help develop critical social skills.

Help with dinner
Kids who learn about new foods, and how to prepare them, may be more likely to choose more nutritious foods later on.

Practice an instrument

Participate in a community service project.
Through volunteering, kids can become more grateful, empathetic, and feel more connected to the wider community.

Draw a picture
For kids who have trouble expressing themselves verbally, drawing can be a way for them to relax and communicate in a different way.

Do a science experiment
Kids are naturally curious and want to know how things work. Scientific exploration outside the classroom may be particularly effective at teaching kids about scientific thinking.

Clean their room
When kids are spending their afternoons working on homework, there’s often not time for them to help out with housework and other chores. kid’s future success is whether they contributed to household chores as a young child. Through participating in household tasks, parents are teaching children responsibility, how to contribute to family life, a sense of empathy and how to take care of themselves.

Write a story
By writing down stories, kids can express their feelings, stretch their imaginations, and practice their fine motor skills.

Plant a garden
Kids who work in gardens may have higher achievement scores in science than those who don’t. That’s because they’re actively engaging in scientific concepts and practising math skills as they learn about plants.

Meditate
Kids also benefit from meditation. Studies have found that mindfulness and meditation can improve behaviour, focus, and reduce impulsiveness.

Create a collage
Constructive play building a fort, making a snowman is goal-oriented and involves kids building something using tools and materials. Constructive play also has an important role in developing children’s communication, mathematical, and socio-emotional skills.

Take pictures
Photography can help develop a child’s voice, vision and identity as it pertains to their family, friends and community.

Walk the dog
Kids who help take care of family pets may be less anxious, less likely to develop allergies and  are more active.

Ride a bike
Kids who are physically active – as well as adults! – have stronger hearts, lungs, and bones. They are less likely to develop cancer or be overweight and more likely to feel good about themselves.

Listen to a long bedtime story
Babies, children, and adult sleep better when they have a regular (not rushed) bedtime routine. Kids who don’t have bedtime routines are more likely to have behaviour.

problems, be hyperactive, and suffer from emotional difficulties.

When homework is assigned to young children, it doesn’t improve academic learning. In any case, the learning done in school is only one form of learning. Homework takes away from the time available to engage in endless other forms of learning, such as social, physical, and emotional, as well as rest. Our kids deserve a chance to spend all their other hours outside of school doing their most important job of all: being a kid.