As we develop through childhood so does our awareness of the
world. We became more aware of meeting
and befriending others from outside the family unit. Our knowledge develops to understand
different cultures and habitats. We gradually
become aware of the world populated by other humans, essentially just like us.
The activities below are just a few ways of developing your
child’s awareness of others both in their community and the world in
general. As we approach the School Summer break, these
activities also provide your child with opportunities to develop their learning
skills.
Each week of the summer holidays pick a new continent or
country to explore. A visit to your
local library should provide you with lots of books to read and the internet is
a very useful resource. When using a
search engine try adding the words ‘for kids’ so that the results are more
child-friendly. Your child may like to
keep a journal
of the countries they have researched in which they can write down facts and
illustrate.
Design and make their passport in which they can record facts
about themselves and record places they have visited throughout the holidays. Some children will enjoy recording the
distances they have travelled in their passports.
Look at
atlases and maps and use blank copies of world maps for your child to annotate
with the oceans, continents etc. Your
child may also enjoy drawing their own maps to show the way from their home to
the local shops.
Draw and design postcards of global cities as well as local
places.
Learn to count to ten in a different language with your
child. There are many child friendly
videos on the internet that can be used.
The United Nation’s Convention on the Rights of the Child
(UNCRC) is available on the internet in child friendly leaflets. The Convention states the basic rights and
needs of all children. It encourages
children to not only know their rights but also their responsibilities to
themselves and towards others. For
example, ‘I have the right to play and be active. I have the responsibility to play fairly and
safely.’
